What is anxiety and what can I do about it?

For a while now, you have felt on edge, like you cannot stop the worrying. Whether it is nervousness about one thing or several things, you struggle to relax. Often you feel so restless that you cannot sit still and easily become annoyed or irritable. Sometimes you feel so afraid as though something awful might happen.

Everything you read and everyone you speak to leaves you at the same place – anxiety.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is the state of mind you experience when your reptilian brain gets stuck in the danger response. Like all other animals, your brain is your survival hub. Constantly switched on driving different processes throughout the day and night, all ensuring you stay alive in a constantly changing environment.

When your brain perceives something as a threat to your life, it flicks into action to do whatever it needs to keep you safe. A surge of adrenaline causes your heart rate and blood pressure to increase. This helps the blood flow to the core of your body, rather than the extremities, giving energy to your muscles and organs needed to fight or flee. The air passages of the lungs expand to take in more oxygen. The pupils in your eyes increase to allow more light to enter and improve your sight. Blood moves to the lungs, and your metabolism alters to release glucose and give you a burst of energy.

Noradrenaline is next in line, to increase vascular tone and rush the blood to your organs. Noradrenaline has the same effect as adrenaline on your heart rate, blood pressure, and the pupils of your eyes. If the threat remains, the body will release more hormones, which work to release cortisol, which raises your blood pressure and suppresses your immune system.

There is a lot going on internally, which causes a racing heart, a different breathing pattern, trembling, wide eyes, irritability and sleep difficulties.

If this happens suddenly, often accompanied by chest pain and disconnection from yourself, is more intense, but lasts for a short amount of time, it is a panic attack. Anxiety is the name we give to the necessary human threat response when it occurs at an unnecessary time.  

Why do I experiencing anxiety?

This is the million-dollar question! Sometimes there is an obvious reason for the anxiety. However, it's more likely you do not know the reason at all and cannot correlate the anxiety to any aspect of your life. Or you know the when, but not the why. For example, you’ve noticed the feelings arise before a social engagement. But you do not understand why this happens.

There is the small possibility that the feelings you experience seem like anxiety but are actually symptoms of something pathological. Such as thyroid disorder or a reaction to medication. Some factors, such as previous trauma or stress due to a life event, such as an illness, or a culmination of smaller, unrelated, stressful moments, increase the likelihood of anxiety.

An anxious state occurs when your brain perceives something as a danger to your survival. The brain cannot differentiate between an emotional threat and a physical threat. It also cannot differentiate between an imagined threat and a real-life threat. Thirdly, it cannot rationalise the threat. Therefore, if the amygdala in your brain files something as a threat to your life, it will flick into danger mode, the fight or flight response. Your brain attempts to save your life by giving you the ability to run or fight.

When you do not run or flee because your human thinking brain knows the situation is safe (albeit potentially stressful, but safe), you stay exactly as you are - the threat does not dissipate and the brain gets stuck in this mode. 

What can I do about the anxiety?

Focus time 

Allocate at least 30 minutes a day to focus on yourself. Meditation is a valuable life skill; it helps your brain move from danger mode to safe mode. There are many free guided meditations on the internet. Join a meditation class or see a hypnotherapist who will use hypnosis in the same way and personalise to your exact needs.

Colouring is an activity that will ease your mind. Colouring increases the mindful state of mind and has been shown to ease anxiety and depression¹. 

Read a book or magazine that you enjoy - something that is easy to read and brings comfort. Try not to choose something that evokes feelings of fear or stress. Easy to read books can take you away from your current state of anxiety into another world. If you find reading a challenge, try an audio book or flick through a photography book.

The more time you spend in the danger state, the more your brain perceives this as the default state of mind. By using techniques like reading to take your brain into the safe zone, the less likely this is to happen.

Exercise

Exercise triggers the body to release 'feel good' endorphins. Regular exercise helps keep you physically and mentally healthy. A 10 minute walk is effective, as is a 45 minute run. Choose something you enjoy rather than endure. If you like a guide, but have time / financial restrictions, try an online class. There are many classes on YouTube you can follow for free. Walking or running are free to all and possible for many. If you are less physically mobile, batting a balloon around your living space is fun and energising. Yoga focuses strongly on the mind and body connection, so it is a brilliant choice of exercise for you to ease anxiety. You can even do chair yoga if this suits your mobility.

Nutrition

Check in with yourself and make sure the food and liquid you put in your body is nourishing. Alcohol and caffeine can irritate anxiety. Think of your body like we do a car, if we run out of fuel, it does not work, and if we put in the incorrect fuel, it coughs, spurts and breaks! How do you fuel your body? The Zoe study is a way to completely personalise your nutritional needs. However, it comes at a price tag. If you cannot prioritise the cost, you can read the blog and listen to the podcast for free to learn from the research.

Control what you can and let go of what you cannot

Often in life, we find ourselves struggling for control. The reality is we do not have much control at all. We cannot control the weather, the traffic or things that other people do. We can control the choices we make. So, ensure you take control of your choices each day and make choices each day.

When you are at a crossroads in your life. Whether something small, such as do you fancy a hot drink or a cold drink. Or something life changing, such as a change in career. Stop for some time and make a choice that you feel in control of. Always remember that sometimes the best choice is not to choose at that moment. Express your need for time to think, and wait until later to make your choice.

¹ Flett, Jayde & Lie, Celia & Riordan, Benjamin & Thompson, Laura & Conner, Tamlin & Hayne, Harlene. (2017). Sharpen Your Pencils: Preliminary Evidence that Adult Coloring Reduces Depressive Symptoms and Anxiety. Creativity Research Journal. 29. 409-416. 10.1080/10400419.2017.1376505.