I think it’s safe to say that we have all experienced anxiety during our lives at some point. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health diagnoses worldwide and according to the National Institute of Health, 31% of adults will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Despite how common anxiety is, the effects of anxiety can feel overwhelming and significantly impact how we function in our day to day lives. Understanding what anxiety is, what causes anxiety, and how to manage its symptoms is essential for our mental health and well-being. In this blog we’ll explore what anxiety is as well as practical tips and insights on how to manage anxiety to help you regain a sense of calm and control.
The Evolutionary Need for Anxiety
Despite how frustrating or distressing anxiety can feel, anxiety evolved as a survival mechanism to protect human beings from danger. As far back as caveman times, humans relied on anxiety and fear to alert them to threats, like hungry tigers or other environmental dangers, like fires or floods. Anxiety has been protecting us and allowing us to survive for millions of years. Without anxiety, our bodies would be in a constant state of relaxation, which would prevent us from being able to defend ourselves from threats in the environment.
There is a biological process that occurs when we feel anxious and/or perceive a threat. The amygdala is the part of the brain responsible for detecting threats in the environment and triggering a stress response. Signals are then sent to other parts of the brain that activate a pathway that eventually leads to the release of cortisol and adrenaline, which are hormones needed to respond to stress. This process happens naturally and unconsciously and is commonly referred to as the body’s “fight or flight” response. The fight or flight response includes the following physiological changes:
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Accelerated breathing
- Increased alertness
- Muscle tension
- Tunnel vision
- Shaky hands
- Slowed digestion
In this state, our body is prepared to flee or fight off threats in the environment. Thankfully, most of us are not worried about encountering hungry tigers on a day to day basis. However, we are still hardwired just like we were back in the caveman days, with a natural fight or flight response that is on the lookout for threats and ready to respond when necessary. Often, anxiety is triggered by non-life-threatening situations, like work pressures, social interactions, financial concerns, or the future.
In small doses, anxiety can be an adaptive response that plays a temporary role in helping us overcome challenges and allowing the body to reset to a natural state of calm and relaxation. However, when our body is in a chronic state of anxiety, excessive amounts of cortisol and adrenaline coursing through our body can have long-term negative effects on our health including increased risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, digestive issues, a weakened immune system, and sleep problems.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety
When the anxious part of our brain is constantly on high alert, the part of our brain called the prefrontal cortex goes offline. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for higher level executive functioning, like concentration, decision-making, and looking at situations through a logical and rational perspective. Anxiety symptoms can manifest cognitively, physically, behaviorally, and emotionally:
Cognitive Symptoms:
- Excessive worry
- Difficulty concentrating
- Racing thoughts
- Negative self-talk
- Irrational thoughts
- Brain fog
- Impaired memory
- Getting stuck in negative thought loops
Physical Symptoms:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
- Dizziness
- Tingling in fingers or lips
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Stomach issues
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fainting
- Muscle tension
- Sweating
- Feeling hot or cold flushes
- Trembling or shaking
- Fatigue
Behavioral Symptoms:
- Avoidance
- Procrastination
- Short tempered
- Difficulty performing daily activities
- Isolating or withdrawing from others
Emotional Symptoms:
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Overwhelm
- Feeling on edge
- Feeling detached from yourself or others
- Sense of impending doom or danger
How to Cope with Anxiety
There are variety of treatment approaches and strategies that can assist in managing the frequency and intensity of anxiety symptoms:
Relaxation Techniques:
Relaxation techniques are exactly what they sound like: strategies to help the body relax and move out of sympathetic nervous system activation by instead activating the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system and is responsible for helping our bodies rest, relax, and feel calm. One of these techniques is deep breathing which helps slow the pace of our breathing and signals to our body that we are safe. Another technique is called progressive muscle relaxation, which involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups. This technique can help reduce muscle tension.
Mindfulness and Meditation:
Anxiety causes us to worry about the future which pulls us away from the present moment. Mindfulness and meditation practices are meant to help us engage with the present moment and notice what is around us without judgment. Different kinds of meditations include guided imagery, meditations for specific topics like falling asleep, or simply observing your thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they arise. Mindfulness and meditation does not have to be done sitting still for long periods of time. Start small, by allocating five minutes of your day to intentionally be present with yourself and notice what you observe. You may also try a moving meditation, such as through yoga or when taking a walk or a run.
Cognitive Strategies:
Cognitive strategies can help with noticing and challenging the anxious thoughts we are experiencing. Anxious thoughts often feel real and threatening but when we actually look at them through a rational lens, we often find that they are not based in reality, which can loosen the grip these thoughts have on us. Cognitive strategies recruit a brain area called the prefrontal cortex (PFC) which is the brain area responsible for logic and reasoning. Activating the PFC helps modulate the effects of the amygdala and can therefore help us find ways to reduce anxiety and respond differently to anxiety-provoking situations. Cognitive strategies may include asking yourself questions in response to anxious thoughts, such as:
- “What am I really afraid of in this situation?”
- “What is the likelihood that the thing I’m afraid of will actually happen?”
- “Would I be able to cope if the thing I were afraid of actually happened?”
Cognitive strategies can also include developing coping thoughts to counteract anxious thoughts that automatically arise. Examples of coping thoughts include:
- “I am safe”
- “I can handle this”
- “I’m going to be okay”
Lifestyle Changes:
Lifestyle changes like exercise and sleep hygiene can also help in reducing anxiety. Exercise releases endorphins which help elevate mood and alleviate stress. Exercise can also help one distract from anxious thoughts and reduce muscle tension associated with stress and anxiety. Specific forms of exercise like yoga, walking, and swimming can be calming or relaxing. Developing and maintaining good sleep hygiene can also help reduce anxiety. Sleep hygiene refers to getting both high quality and quantity of sleep. Sleep helps the body regulate stress hormones, activates the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, and helps with processing emotional or stressful experiences. Lack of sleep can impair cognitive functioning which can make it more challenging to cope with stress and anxiety. Strategies for improving sleep include:
- Going to bed and waking up at a consistent time
- Get at least 8 hours of sleep
- Reduce screen time before bed
- Engage in relaxing activities before bed
- Use your bed for sleeping only
- Create a calm and comfortable sleep environment
Seeking Professional Help:
Seeking help from a therapist or mental health professional can be a great resource in reducing and managing anxiety. If anxiety is significantly interfering with important areas of your life, like work, school, health, or relationships, therapy may be indicated. A therapist can provide support as you navigate anxiety, as well as help you learn and practice skills, develop awareness of anxiety triggers, and implement specific therapeutic approaches that are tailored to the type of anxiety you are experiencing. For example, many therapists are trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, mindfulness, or acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which are all evidence-based treatments for anxiety. A therapist may also recommend a referral to a psychiatrist if the intensity of anxiety you are experiencing may be reduced through medication.
Anxiety is an evolutionary process that has aided us for millions of years in staying alive by activating fight, flight, or freeze responses. The mechanisms that produce an anxiety response remain hardwired in us despite decreased risk of encountering life-threatening experiences in modern day society. Instead, non-threatening situations produce anxiety responses that can leave us feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and drained. There are many strategies that can help reduce the cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and physiological responses associated with anxiety. If you are someone who struggles with anxiety and finds that it is interfering with your work, relationships, or quality of life, therapy may be beneficial for you. Our team at Integrated Care Clinic is composed of mental health professionals who are specialized in treating anxiety disorders through a variety of therapeutic approaches. Tap here to start the process today.
