Everything You Need to Know About Anxiety: What is Anxiety?

Everything You Need to Know About Anxiety: What is Anxiety? is Part 1 of a three-part blog series on anxiety and anxiety disorders. In this series Robin Back, MSW, RSW addresses the important issues surrounding anxiety and anxiety treatment.

• Part 1: What is Anxiety?

• Part 2: How Does Anxiety Work?

• Part 3: How CBT Can Help

Most people do not recognize their anxiety for what it is, and instead think there is something “wrong” with them. Some may think they are weird, weak, or even going crazy! Unfortunately, these thoughts only make people feel even more anxious and down on themselves. Because of this, the first step to successfully managing anxiety is to learn to understand and recognize it.

This week, we’ll discuss what anxiety is, when it’s a good thing, and when it becomes a problem.

Part 1: What is Anxiety?

We all experience anxiety from time to time. It is a normal and natural part of life.

And believe it or not, anxiety can even be helpful!

Yes, that’s right, you read that correctly – anxiety is a good thing!

Anxiety is your body’s way of keeping you safe in the face of danger.

Let’s say you’re out on a hike and you see a bear on the path up ahead – my guess is that you’re going to feel at least a little anxious. When we experience anxiety, a number of automatic physiological changes occur in the body (known as the Fight or Flight Response) that gets us ready to fight the bear or to flee from the bear (and keep us safe!)

For example, our heart beats faster to pump blood to our muscles, so we have the energy to run away or fight off danger.

We need some anxiety. Without it, we would not survive.

Anxiety can also be helpful when faced with less extreme circumstances, like studying for a test or preparing for a job interview; it can motivate us to take action, can help us to solve problems, and can be an opportunity for self-growth.

But if anxiety is a good thing, why do so many of us struggle with it?

Sometimes, anxiety can become excessive, overwhelming, and difficult to control, and it starts to seriously impact and interfere with our lives, including how we think, feel, and act.

People who struggle with anxiety have a tough time differentiating between real and imagined/perceived threat.

When we come face to face with a bear (real threat), anxiety is necessary for survival. But our anxiety can also kick in when we feel like something is dangerous or when we perceive there to be a threat, where there really isn’t. This is when anxiety becomes problematic and dysfunctional.

Think of anxiety like a smoke alarm – a smoke alarm can help to protect us when there is an actual fire (real threat). Like a smoke alarm, anxiety is helpful and adaptive when it works right. But, when a smoke alarm is too sensitive and continues to go off when there isn’t really a fire, like when you burn toast in a toaster (perceived threat), it is not only scary, it is also very exhausting.

In other words, anxiety is a problem when your body reacts as if there is danger when there is no real danger. It’s like having an overly sensitive smoke alarm system in your body!

If you find yourself feeling this way and the anxiety is interfering with your life, you may even be struggling with an anxiety disorder.

There are a number of different types of Anxiety Disorders that differ depending on the nature of the perceived threat:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) involves persistent and excessive worry about a number of different things, including money, health, family, work, or other issues. People with GAD are typically quite intolerance to the inherent uncertainty present in daily life.

• Phobias are an intense fear of a specific thing like an object, animal, or situation.

• Panic Disorder involves unexpected and unpredictable panic attacks; people with Panic Disorder become terrified that they may have more attacks and they come to fear the physical sensations they experience during a panic attack.

• Agoraphobia is fear of being in a situation where a person can’t escape or find help if they experience a panic attack or other feelings of anxiety.

• Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) involves intense fear of being embarrassed or evaluated negatively by others.

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is made up of unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that cause anxiety (obsessions) and/or repeated actions meant to reduce that anxiety (compulsions). People with OCD tend to fear their intrusive thoughts.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can occur after a very scary or traumatic event, such as abuse, an accident, or a natural disaster. People with PTSD fear anything that reminds them of their past trauma.

Important Reminders

If you are struggling with anxiety or an anxiety disorder, try to keep these three points in mind:

1. Anxiety is not dangerous. Although anxiety may feel uncomfortable, it is not dangerous or harmful to you. Remember, all the sensations you feel when you are anxious are there to protect you from danger, not hurt you.

2. Anxiety does not last forever. When you are anxious, you may feel like the anxiety is going to last forever. But anxiety is temporary and will eventually decrease.

3. Anxiety is a common and normal experience, and it CAN be managed successfully.

Stayed tuned for Parts 2 and 3 of the series for more information on how to do this!