What is anxiety and what is its purpose:
Anxiety is a normal and adaptive human experience that encompasses
emotional, psychological and physiological responses to stress, the environment and perceived threats. Anxiety can be helpful at times when we need to be alert, motivated, adaptive and responsive to our circumstances or environment. However, when anxiety becomes overwhelming, excessive or chronic, it can affect our health, wellbeing and overall functioning.
The typical experience of anxiety is made up of four components; emotional, cognitive, psychological and behavioural.
Emotional component: Anxiety involves a significant emotional element, whereby we experience feelings of worry, apprehension and fear are often experienced.
Cognitive component: It also includes cognitive responses such as rumination, narrow focus, intrusive thoughts and focusing on worst-case scenarios or negative outcomes.
Physiological component: Anxiety involves the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, leading to muscle tension, an increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and sweating. These physical responses indicate that our bodies are in the “fight or flight” response, and are preparing for a potential conflict or the need to flee.
Behavioural component: Anxious individuals will often demonstrate behaviours in response to their anxiety such as constantly seeking reassurance, avoidance of anxiety-invoking situations, procrastination and isolation.
Anxiety can show up in a range of different ways and intensities from mild worry to full-blown panic attacks. Some of the common anxiety disorders include; General anxiety disorder (GAD), Social anxiety disorder (social phobia), Panic disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD) and Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
During childhood, it is the role of parents to regulate and soothe our emotions. When caregivers are unable to regulate our emotions or discourage the expression of certain feelings, children may internalize the belief that it is unsafe to experience those emotions. Consequently, they may experience anxiety when confronted with those suppressed emotions later in life. Therefore, early adverse childhood experiences have a profound impact on our psychological and emotional well-being and can make us prone to anxiety later in life.
Renowned physician and author Dr Gabore Maté and many other mental health professionals suggest that anxiety is a normal response to living in a fast-paced modern world that is competitive in nature and pressures individuals to perform and conform to society’s norms. He suggests that anxiety may stem from coping mechanisms developed in childhood to respond to stress and adversity. Whilst these strategies may have created a sense of safety during our early years, they often become problematic and contribute to anxious symptoms in adulthood.
Furthermore, anxiety may also be the result of unprocessed traumatic experiences that are stored in the body.
Fortunately, anxiety need not be a life-long and debilitating burden, and we can learn skills to approach anxiety in a way that is supportive and adaptable. Exploring how we interpret or make sense of stressors can have a big impact on whether or not our anxiety takes hold. By looking at our biographical histories, understanding our triggers and recognising bodily sensations and emotional experiences, we can begin to understand the causes of our anxiety and begin to work on a plan to start relieving symptoms and then address the underlying causes.
By responding to ourselves with acceptance and compassion, and implementing tools to regulate our nervous system, we can begin to take control of our anxiety, reduce its symptoms and relate to it differently. Having corrective experiences in therapy that explore and address the underlying emotional or traumatic causes of anxiety can assist us in taking control of our lives. For those who suffer from chronic anxiety, creating safe conditions that are supportive of teaching the nervous system how to regulate may be required.
How to navigate daily anxiety:
Mindfulness and grounding techniques: such as meditation, deep breathing, body scanning, engaging the 5 senses, and grounding exercises can help us to remain present and assist in reducing anxiety.
Acceptance and Self-Compassion; accepting our feelings and developing self-compassion can be very useful for reducing anxiety. Often when we become aware that we’re anxious, we judge the anxious feelings as being wrong, which can intensify the feelings of anxiety. Practising kindness toward ourselves and accepting that it’s okay to feel anxious can reduce the emotional intensity of the experience
Healthy Lifestyle Choices: Good nutrition, getting quality sleep and limiting the consumption of stimulants can have a profound impact on anxiety and emotional well-being. Establishing a consistent and structured routine that is predictable can foster a sense of stability in our lives and thus, reduce anxiety.
Physical exercise: Practising regular physical activity such as walking, running, swimming, yoga, weight lifting or playing sports releases endorphins which can naturally improve our moods, as well as release built-up tension, promote relaxation and foster a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment.
Connection: Anxiety often arises when one feels isolated and disconnected from their support network. Consequently, the act of building and maintaining supportive relationships with family, friends, and colleagues can foster a sense of belonging and contribute to the reduction of anxiety. Co-regulating with a safe and trustworthy person can be immensely beneficial for those who experience anxiety.
Nature time: Spending time in nature has been shown to have a dramatic effect on the intensity of anxiety. Exposure to natural environments such as parks, beaches, forests, mountains or other natural landscapes has been linked to the reduction of stress, decreased levels of cortisol and improved mood.