It is normal to be occasionally anxious. It is a natural feeling like sadness, happiness, and love. It can also be a useful response that serves to alert and prepare you for danger. Anxiety does become concerning, however, when you are left feeling anxious for most of the day or for days on end. This kind of anxiety may be something more and could likely be an indicator of an anxiety disorder.

If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of extreme fear or worry that is disrupting life, studies, or work, you may benefit from consulting a professional therapist. Anxiety is treatable, recovery is possible. Anxiety is also quite common; 40 million American adults have been diagnosed with it and there are millions more who remain undiagnosed (National Institute of Mental Health).

Anxiety—What Is It?

Stated simply, anxiety is an intense fear or apprehension that puts your body in a state of alert. It is an internal response to stress. Biologically, it prepares your body for a “fight or flight” response. This often means feeling an “adrenaline rush”—fast heartbeat, increased breathing and pulse rate, sweating, etc.

This can be a healthy response when there is real, imminent danger. However, if you constantly live with the emotional and physical effects of anxiety and your “fight or flight” response is turned on most of the time, it can be unhealthy for your mind and body. Your immune system can weaken because of anxiety, says Healthline. It can also make you more susceptible to certain medical conditions, according to Harvard Medical School. When you have an anxiety disorder, you may feel symptoms of anxiety manifest on their own without any justifiable reason or trigger.

The Brain and Anxiety

The feelings and symptoms of anxiety are not imaginary, but the source of the fear could be. It all starts in the brain, as it responds to the hormones cortisol and norepinephrine. Both are secreted in emergency situations and are meant to boost your reflexes, speed, and perception. These hormones will get more oxygenated blood pumping into your muscles by increasing your heart rate and getting more air into your lungs.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Guide explains the neurological processes taking place in an anxious person’s brain. The two parts of the brain that play significant roles in a number of anxiety disorders are the amygdala and the hippocampus.

• Amygdala: This is the structure that processes and interprets incoming sensory signals and alerts the brain to the presence of a danger or threat. It is also believed to store emotional memories, which can give rise to specific fears or anxieties.
• Hippocampus: This is the part of the brain that transitions frightening experiences into memories. Neurochemical techniques and brain imaging technology have revealed that it is smaller in some people with traumatic pasts. It is still uncertain, though, what role it plays in the fragmented memories of traumatic experiences, deficits in explicit memory, and flashbacks common in PTSD.

Suppressing Anxiety or Negative Thoughts: Why It Won’t Help

Switching off anxiety for good is unrealistic, just as you can’t prevent yourself from getting hungry or thirsty. The ability to feel afraid or anxious is normal and necessary. The important thing is for your brain to be able to distinguish whether the danger is real or imagined.

Stopping your thinking processes is also unrealistic, even when those negative or recurring thoughts can create or worsen anxiety. They will come back no matter what you do to block them from your memory, because of the psychological principle of “thought suppression.” According to Calm Clinic, “Thought suppression is a psychological phenomenon that states that when you try to avoid having a thought, you actually have the thought more often than if you never bothered trying to avoid it at all.”

Anxiety can be particularly difficult because it is self-sustaining. Symptoms of anxiety can prevent you from seeking help or doing things that would improve your condition, making you feel more anxious. It can be a vicious cycle.

What Works: Talking to a Professional

When your “fight or flight” response is active, you may know that your fears are unfounded, but you can’t stop feeling anxious because your fear/anxiety is real. You can’t just will the negative thoughts away. Nevertheless, know that your situation is not hopeless. If your anxiety is interfering with your life or causing your health to suffer, put your fears and apprehensions to rest with the assistance of an experienced therapist independently contracted with Carolina Counseling Services — Pittsboro, NC.

Talking to a trustworthy therapist can be a vital step in facing your anxiety and living an improved life. Remember, you don’t have to suffer in silence: make that call to CCS-Pittsboro and give yourself the chance to break free from the paralyzing effects of anxiety. Call today to schedule an appointment.

Related Articles: