Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time—like when we’re nervous about a big presentation or worried about an upcoming event. But for some people, anxiety can become overwhelming, even when there’s no immediate threat. So, what exactly is happening in our bodies when we feel anxious, and how can therapy help?
What Happens in Your Body When You’re Anxious?
Anxiety starts in the brain, but its effects are felt throughout the body. Here’s a breakdown of the process:
The Brain’s Alarm System: When you feel anxious, your brain’s “alarm system” gets triggered. This system is centered around a part of the brain called the amygdala, which processes emotions. When the amygdala senses danger (real or imagined), it sends a distress signal to the rest of your body, preparing it to deal with a threat.
Fight, Flight, or Freeze: The body reacts to the alarm signal by activating the fight, flight, or freeze response. This is the body’s natural way of protecting itself from danger. The nervous system releases stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, which cause physical changes such as:
Increased heart rate: Your heart pumps more blood to prepare your muscles for action.
Faster breathing: Your body tries to get more oxygen.
Tense muscles: Your muscles tighten, ready to spring into action.
Sweating: Your body tries to cool itself down, anticipating physical effort.
These responses are helpful if you're in physical in danger, like running from a bear. But when you're sitting in a meeting or lying in bed, these physical symptoms can feel really uncomfortable and out of place.
The Mind-Body Connection: Anxiety also affects your thoughts and emotions. When your body is in fight-or-flight mode, you might feel:
On edge or restless
Unable to focus or think clearly
Constantly worried or overwhelmed
The physical symptoms of anxiety can feed into the mental ones, creating a cycle where worry leads to more physical discomfort, which leads to more worry. This cycle can make anxiety feel never-ending.
Read More:- Psychological Health and Safety at Work
How Therapy Can Help
The good news is that anxiety doesn’t have to take over your life. Therapy can help in several important ways:
Understanding Triggers: Therapy helps you identify what triggers your anxiety. Sometimes, these triggers are obvious, like stress from work or relationships. Other times, they’re more subtle, like certain thoughts or memories that activate your body’s alarm system. A therapist can work with you to uncover these triggers and make sense of them.
Changing Thought Patterns: One of the most effective treatments for anxiety is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT helps you challenge the anxious thoughts that fuel your worry. For example, if you often think, “Something bad is going to happen,” CBT helps you break that thought down and evaluate whether it’s true. Over time, changing how you think about situations can reduce the anxiety response.
Relaxation and Grounding Techniques: Therapy can also teach you skills to calm your body and mind when anxiety strikes. Techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, and progressive muscle relaxation can help regulate the body’s fight-or-flight response. These practices slow your heart rate, relax tense muscles, and bring your focus back to the present moment, instead of worrying about the future.
Gradual Exposure: If your anxiety is tied to specific situations (like public speaking or flying), a therapist might use exposure therapy to help you face your fears in a safe, controlled way. By gradually exposing yourself to the things that make you anxious, you can desensitize your body’s alarm system and reduce the anxiety response over time.
Building Coping Strategies: Therapy provides a safe space to explore and develop personalized coping strategies. Whether it’s learning how to manage stress better or developing healthy habits like exercise, therapy gives you tools to handle anxiety in daily life.
Anxiety may feel overwhelming at times, but understanding what’s happening in your body can help you see it for what it is—a natural response that sometimes goes into overdrive. Therapy offers a way to take back control, helping you break the anxiety cycle, manage symptoms, and live a calmer, more fulfilling life.
If anxiety is impacting your day-to-day life, reaching out to us at Creative Therapy Consultants for support from a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Kelowna as a powerful step toward healing.
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