Exploring and Understanding: Anxiety

Psychotherapy

6 Sept

Anxiety, a universal human experience for most of us at various points in our lives, is an intricate and multifaceted experience that involves the interplay of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations.

In this piece, we will explore and attempt to understand anxiety - the types of anxiety that we may experience, the potential causes and origins, and pathways to responding and overcoming anxiety.

What is Anxiety?

Physically, anxiety may manifest as a racing heart, sweating, muscle tension, or shortness of breath. Cognitively, it's often accompanied by excessive rumination, catastrophic thinking, and a hyper-focus on potential negative outcomes. Behaviourally, individuals may avoid triggering situations or engage in compulsive behaviors as a way to manage their distress.

At its core, anxiety is a natural response to stress that humans have evolved to keep themselves safe in potentially dangerous situations. Anxiety is the body's way of alerting us to potential threats in our environment, in order to mobilise our bodies into action. However, in today's fast-paced and stress-inducing world, this once adaptive and life-preserving survival instinct often becomes a maladaptive state, impairing an individual’s capacity to respond optimally to life’s challenges, and resulting in pervasive worry, fear, and apprehension, even in situations that aren't immediately life-threatening.

“At its core, anxiety is a natural response to stress that humans have evolved to keep ourselves safe in potentially dangerous situations. Anxiety is the body’s way of alerting us to potential threats in our environment, in order to mobilise our bodies into action”

Types of Anxiety

Anxiety exists along a spectrum, ranging from normal everyday worry to severe anxiety disorders that can significantly impact a person's quality of life. While a certain degree of anxiety can be normal and even beneficial, excessive and chronic anxiety can significantly impact our well-being and daily functioning.

Some common anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. While each manifestation of anxiety has its own unique characteristics, they all share the common thread of an excessive and uncontrollable fear response

Root Causes and Aetiology of Anxiety

The origins of anxiety can be rooted in a combination of genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and developmental experiences. Traumatic events, chronic stress, a family history of anxiety, temperament, and certain personality traits can all contribute to the development of anxiety. Additionally, societal pressures, modern technology, and the constant influx of information may exacerbate anxiety.

Affective neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp (2004) suggests that anxiety is an extension of the fear system - whereby our brains automatically and non-consciously scan our environment for threat. Physiologically, our sympathetic nervous system is activated to mobilise our bodies into a fight-or-flight response - our blood pressure rises, pulse rises, and blood withdraws from our extremities into larger muscles to prepare our animal bodies to fight, or to flee.

Yet while fear surges when confronted with actual external dangers, anxiety rises up when an internal or imagined danger is experienced, such as our feelings.

Throughout development, children learn which feelings they are allowed to feel and express and which emotions make their caregivers anxious and withdraw care. If in the past, feeling certain emotions (such as anger or sadness) threatened our attachment bonds, we may learn to suppress and hide emotions that may damage interpersonal relationships, marking them as dangerous and harmful.

Yet, as the past lives in the implicit memory of our bodies, when a forbidden feeling of the past emerges in the present, anxiety is triggered to stop us feeling the dangerous emotion.

“Psychological solitude, is the mother of anxiety”

— (Wolf, 1980)

We learn to regulate our own emotions through a regulated other. Yet, if in childhood we did not have an adequate emotional environment where our caregivers were able to provide the necessary soothing to help us process emotional distress, we may have found ourselves alone with overwhelming feelings. As “psychological solitude, is the mother of anxiety” (Wolf, 1980, as cited in Stern, 1985, p. 109), we may not have received the attunement from a regulated-other to help us down-regulate our emotional experience and come back into homeostasis.

As neurons that fire together wire together, the more unmediated emotional distress we may have experienced in our upbringing, the more likely our bodies baseline will become hyper-aroused, hardwired to seek threat and danger, which further fuels anxiety.

Responding to Anxiety

While anxiety is debilitating and paralysing for so many, it is important to acknowledge that it exists for a reason. The key is not to eliminate anxiety entirely, but to manage our response to it effectively.

What if we can think of anxiety not only as a symptom to eliminate, but communication arising from our bodies to grab our attention?Anxiety is a call to action that there is something within us that needs to be seen, known, and tended to.

Managing Anxiety Day to Day

Understanding anxiety extends beyond addressing symptoms; it involves nurturing holistic well-being and cultivating healthy lifestyle habits. Here are some strategies:

Mindfulness and Meditation - Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help you cultivate a nonjudgmental awareness of your thoughts and feelings. By redirecting your attention to the here and now, you can reduce the grip of anxious thoughts and worries.These techniques encourage you to observe your experiences without becoming overly attached or overwhelmed by them. Regular mindfulness practice can enhance your ability to manage anxiety by fostering a sense of acceptance and reducing reactivity.

Physical Activity – Regular exercise isn't just about staying in shape; it's also a natural way to alleviate anxiety. Physical activity releases endorphins, which are natural mood lifters. Whether it's going for a walk, practicing yoga, or participating in a sport you enjoy, incorporating movement into your daily routine can help reduce anxiety levels and promote a sense of accomplishment.

Healthy Lifestyle Choices - A well-balanced diet, sufficient sleep, and avoiding excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption can significantly influence your anxiety levels. Nutrient-rich foods and proper sleep contribute to your body's overall resilience to stress, while limiting stimulants can prevent heightened feelings of anxiety.

Nurture Social Connections – Maintaining healthy relationships and connecting with loved ones can provide a supportive network during times of anxiety. Make an effort to engage in meaningful conversations, spend time with friends or family, and share your feelings when you're comfortable. Social connections can offer a sense of belonging and emotional reassurance.

Structured Daily Routine - Establishing a structured routine can provide a sense of stability and predictability, which can be particularly beneficial for managing anxiety. Plan your day with a balance of essential activities. A well-organised routine can reduce uncertainty and provide a framework to navigate daily challenges more effectively.

Mindful Breathing and Grounding Techniques - Anxiety often leads to rapid, shallow breathing, which can exacerbate feelings of unease. Engaging in mindful breathing exercises can help you regain control over your breath and ease physical tension. Practice deep, intentional breaths to ground yourself in the present moment. Incorporating grounding techniques, such as noticing the sensations in your surroundings or using the 5-4-3-2-1 technique (identifying five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste), can also help anchor you during anxious moments.