Everyone experiences anxiety at some point in their lives. Some of us encounter it more often than others and to differing degrees and intensity. In fact, anxiety is a normal reaction to change, risk, new experiences or perceptions of threat. Anxiety can be an uncomfortable experience and can feel scary. Anxiety also has a function. Understanding what is happening in your body and why it’s happening can help to regain a sense of control when anxiety arises.
What is anxiety and what is its function?
Anxiety is a normal emotional and physiological response to stress. In certain instances it can actually be beneficial. However, anxiety can also become intrusive. If a person experiencing anxiety realizes it is too much, has difficulty controlling it and it is negatively impacting their daily living, they may require additional support from a mental health professional. Generally, anxiety is a signal that tells us to prepare to take action, to react, consider or leave a situation. It is there to help us protect ourselves.
What happens in our bodies when we are anxious?
If you’ve experienced anxiety, which most of us have, you’ve likely noticed a variety of sensations in your body. As your body prepares to respond to a threat the “fight-flight-freeze” response activates. Some common sensations may include:
Increased Heart Rate and Rapid or Constricted Breathing – When your body is preparing itself for action, it makes sure enough blood and oxygen is being circulated to your major muscle groups and essential organs, allowing you to run away or fight off danger.
Sweating – Sweating cools the body. It also makes the skin more slippery and difficult for an attacking animal or person to grab hold of you.
Nausea/Stomach Upset – When faced with danger, the body shuts down systems/processes that are not needed for survival; that way, it can direct energy to functions that are critical for survival. Digestion is one of the processes that is not needed at times of danger. Because of this, anxiety might lead to feelings of stomach upset, nausea, or diarrhea.
Feeling Dizzy or Lightheaded – Because our blood and oxygen goes to major muscle groups when we are in danger, this means that we will breathe much faster in order to move oxygen toward those muscles. However, this can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded. Also, since mostof your blood and oxygen is going to your arms and legs (for “fight or flight”), there is a slight decrease of blood to the brain, which can also make you dizzy.
Tight or Painful Chest – Your muscles tense up as your body prepares for danger. So your chest may feel tight or painful when you take in large breaths while those chest muscles are tense.
Numbness and Tingling Sensations – Hyperventilation (taking in too much oxygen) can also cause numbness and tingling sensations. The tingling sensations are also related to the fact that the hairs on our bodies stand up when faced with danger to increase our sensitivity to touch or movement. Finally, fingers and toes may also feel numb/tingly as blood flows away from places where it is not needed and towards major muscle groups that are needed (like our arms/legs).
What are simple approaches to coping with anxiety? In most situations, anxiety is not brought on by something as extreme as an impending tiger attack but rather a familiar stressor and can be managed with simple techniques. Approaches like mindful meditation or slow, deep breathing can help. Doing a physical activity to help you get out of your head and reconnect to your body, talking to someone you trust or simply removing yourself from the triggering event or situation may also help. As a preventive practice, maintaining a consistent self-care routine can minimize occurrences of anxiety.
Perhaps you’ve experienced these sensations or others when you’ve experienced anxiety? As most of us have experienced anxiety at some point in our lives, what is a healthy way that you cope when you feel anxious? Feel free to answer these questions in the comments below!
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Understanding & Coping with Anxiety
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1 comment
I often find that when I’m experiencing anxiety, I also experience repetitive, unproductive, negative thoughts. In order to break the cycle of these recurring thoughts, I find it helpful to distract myself with exercise. After going for a run, I find that I have distanced myself from the repetitive and negative thought process and can see things more clearly, thus relieving some of my anxiety.