What YOU can do to reduce anxiety
Dr. Elior Kinarthy
Psychologist
Fear and anger are closely related and are also known as a function of the “fight or flight” mechanism. Ancient humans needed to respond immediately to fear to avoid danger and with adrenaline pumping through the bloodstream then to the heart and muscles, the initial response to danger was to run away. This may have led to the first instances of anxiety as humans learned to anticipate danger from previous experiences.
The hormones that control fear, anger and hunger are located deep in the brain stem, in the hypothalamus. These three emotions are regulated by their corresponding hormones and interchangeable. When you experience fear you tend to lose your appetite. This is an example of the important synergy of hormones that interact together and influence many behaviors. For instance, if you repress emotion and do not express your fear and anger, you will overeat.
Fear is a so-called primitive emotion, that has physiological symptoms and is designed to protect you from danger. The brain is stimulated to produce the hormone adrenaline whenever danger is perceived. Noradrenaline is produced when an organism is aggressive or angry. Experiments have been done with a fox and a rabbit to demonstrate the power of hormones to determine behaviors. A fox chasing a rabbit has higher levels of noradrenaline which controls aggression. The rabbit has elevated levels of adrenaline to escape being eaten. When the hormone levels are reversed, the fox runs from the rabbit and the rabbit chases the fox! The hormones that regulate fear and anger are relatively simple, mainly adrenaline and noradrenaline. Hunger is a more complex set of interacting hormones and much of the interactions are unknown.
Anxiety is often about anticipating and worrying about some perceived difficulty rather than an actual event. Animals do not have anxiety as they do not interpret emotions generated by adrenaline. For instance, a feral dog crossing the street for food gets his leg run over by a passing car. Once the dog recovers from the immediate pain and fear, hunger dominates, and he will proceed to walk to the source of food and eat. A human in a similar situation, after recovering from the shock and pain of the injury will not continue to go to the restaurant or other food source. They would go to a hospital for treatment, and they will tend to be cautious about crossing the street in the future. That experience may lead to anxiety about crossing the street and they may need to make an appointment with a counsellor to resolve their issues.
Anxiety mimics the physical symptoms of fear (trembling, rapid heartbeat, sweating, breathing difficulties) due to the higher levels of adrenaline that continues to linger in the blood stream and brain. Chronic anxiety can sometimes result when the body is repeatedly exposed to low or moderate levels of adrenaline. It can be detrimental to your physical and mental health especially when the danger is moderate, and it is not clearly defined as a “fight or flight” situation. Research shows that people with chronic anxiety cannot determine whether there is any real danger present.
An example of the difference between anxiety and fear is a professor announces a surprise test and lets the students know it’s important for their careers and will not allow them time to study. This creates fear. If the teacher says the test is not difficult and they can pass without studying and it is not a factor for their future career, students will take the test with anxiety but not fear.
Another example of the difference between anxiety and fear are the communication difficulties that can occur between men and women. They tend to have different perceptions and communication styles and miscommunication often leads to uncertainty and worry. Anxiety results if the circumstances fluctuate and are unpredictable. If your relationship is with a violent partner, that creates fear as the danger is predictable and known. An unknown danger creates anxiety, like going to the dentist, will it be painful or not?
When does anxiety become clinical or neurotic? When a person has anxiety, and they cannot get rid of their thoughts-it can develop into obsessive compulsive disorders. Cognitive therapy that helps to redirect thoughts in positive directions has mixed results. If possible, it is better to avoid those situations that cause anxiety and break the patterns of negative behaviors. It is important to work on improving the quality of life of the person suffering from chronic anxiety. Chronic anxiety is often accompanied by depression.
With chronic anxiety and depression your beliefs about yourself can be focused on your perceived failures or obstacles. Your beliefs are NOT who you are. One approach is to work on becoming more rational and less emotional. I recommend trying to change your beliefs and theories about your anxieties and look at your life with a new perspective. Acknowledge that you are OK and that it is great to be you and to work on building your self-esteem. Be confident and comfortable with your own identity-that is more important than your beliefs about yourself and others.
Descartes, a French philosopher from the 17th century, famously said- “I think-therefore I am.” He said that humanities salvation is in reasoning and rationality. He thought the only knowledge of eternal truths (including the truths of mathematics and the foundations of the sciences) could be attained by reason alone, while the knowledge of physics required experience of the world, aided by scientific method. Ask yourself if your anxiety is rational-is there a tiger trying to eat you?
“Pop” psychology uses the terms hysteria and mass fear psychosis inaccurately. Hysteria accumulates over years and can be triggered by a major event. It is an oral, neurotic response that is the release of extreme anxiety. Hysteria is always accompanied by shouting, yelling, or even screaming. Mass fear psychosis is a physiological, psychotic response. It requires a hormonal imbalance and neurological misfiring in the synapses of the brain. The causes of mass fear psychosis come from a population’s belief systems usually under conditions of extreme stress like war and natural disasters. The physical symptoms of mass fear psychosis are anxiety, lack of sleep, overeating, numbness, tremors, rapid talking, forgetfulness, isolation, and hysterical responses to fear (yelling, shouting, screaming).
How do you reduce anxiety?
Use reasoning and rationality.
Avoid stressful situations-for example date people you know or have been recommended to you.
Avoid media that is ‘doom and gloom’ and try not to watch negative TV or get all your information from social media.
Be cautious and protect yourself. To reduce anxiety about illness, wear a mask, wash your hands, avoid contact with people who are sick, etc.
Here are some practical ways to reduce anxiety:
Establish percentages of probability and outcomes to clarify that most worries are not likely to happen.
Practice deep breathing and meditation.
Exercise.
Read a good book, listen to music.
Take a break from looking at your phone and other digital media.
Watch a funny movie, laughing reduces stress.