The Infamous Anxiety
Anxiety is a naturally occurring process that arises when an individual perceives danger. Imagine an individual who is comfortably sitting in her recliner. She lives in a home that could easily qualify as a featured homestead in a country living magazine. She is enjoying her favorite television program while sipping on her favorite beverage. Suddenly she hears the unmistakable sound of a rattle. Since there are not any babies in the house, that can only mean one thing. She has a slithering uninvited guest in her home. Our fictitious friend is now on high alert, and she looks around for that snake. Her heart automatically starts pumping blood much faster to ensure that she has the energy to run away as well as power in her arms and legs to allow her to fight if necessary. Her brain is flooded with the biochemical processes that facilitate the emotional response necessary for aggression. Her brain is focused on only one goal, and that goal is her survival.
This is an example of how the brain, and therefore the rest of the body, responds to danger. The brain is a super complex part of the body, and experts assert that the brain can do quadrillions of calculations per second. Think of the brain as having three parts: The first part of the brain focuses on survival. The second part of the brain regulates emotions, and the third part of the brain facilitates critical thinking. When there is a dangerous event, like the above-mentioned rattlesnake, the survival mode kicks into high gear. The emotional part of the brain is on high alert, and the complex thinking part of the brain takes a back seat. The brain begins to eliminate all thoughts until there are only two choices. Is the person going to run away or take “flight,” or is the person going to have to fight his or her way out of the dangerous situation? Once an individual is in an unsafe environment, her or his fight or flight response is his or her best friend.
Individuals who struggle with anxiety problems do so because their brain is responding as if there is a threat of harm when there is not. Anxiety comes in many forms. Some people are afraid of specific things like snakes and do not experience anxiety outside of the presence of that situation. Some people are fearful of social situations as they struggle with the fear that others are constantly scrutinizing them. Some people have moments of panic that include situations where their body responds as if they are in immediate life-threatening danger when there is no danger present. Some people feel safe inside their own home or a specified geographic area but unsafe outside of that space. Finally, there are some who have anxiety most of the time without its being linked to any exterior experience.
The cause of anxiety is not known, and it is difficult to determine because there are multiple potential etiologies. Sometimes a person may have anxiety that is linked to unexpressed difficult emotions from an experience. When a person has a difficult experience and does not express those emotions, the biochemical processes in the brain do not just forget them. This can be caused by a person having more emotion than can be processed at one time or by the person purposefully choosing to avoid the emotion because it is painful. Sometimes a person can be living in a difficult situation such as a dysfunctional family pattern that can create and maintain anxiety. Finally, sometimes people are predisposed to anxiety from a genetic perspective just like some people are more likely to have cancer, heart disease, or diabetes based on their family history.
Regardless of the issues that start or maintain anxiety, the experience of it is real. This is the most common mental illness in the United States. If you or someone you know experiences anxiety, encourage that person to seek some help. There are tools and techniques that can be taught in therapeutic conversations with a mental health professional. If needed, a physician or other professional with prescribing privileges can write a prescription for medication to assist a person with anxiety. Individuals do not have to suffer through anxiety. Help is available. If you are ready for that help, call us at Olive Tree Family Counseling.