Anxiety is that thing that paralyzes you, that makes you feel tiny, surrounded by big problems and overwhelmed. Have you ever experienced it? In this essay, I’ll tell you how this unease is produced and how this helps us to be who we are.
By definition, "anxiety is a common mental health problem that refers to being in a persistent state of worry or displaying excessive amounts of fear." Wardle, Rhiannon (2021). Fear is a common response to life events, like speaking in public or taking a final exam, but when this emotion takes control of our lives, thinking about things that are about to happen or might happen, it becomes a disorder. This sentiment is produced by the amygdala, a brain region associated with emotional processes like the expression of fear and aggression. But, why is this brain chunk making us feel so bad? Well, the answer is quite releaving:
In prehistory, human survival has depended on fear and anxiety, which has required us to react immediately when we encounter a danger (e.g., a lion lurking around the corner) and to reflect on perceived threats (where are the lions tonight? So, the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain, wants us to get away from danger as soon as possible and doesn’t care how we avoid the lion. But, as you may be wondering, this used to happen many years ago. What does this have to do with when I feel anxious? Well, we have the same brain as we did back then, so our amygdala is activated by other things that we now see as threats and we put ourselves on alert mode.
But it's not all black and white; anxiety can be beneficial, and the amount of it in our minds varies from person to person. Here are some of the examples that "make" us move, just like an internal engine: 1. It keeps us motivated. We tend to fear the consequences of not doing something, like: "If I don’t do exercise, most likely I’ll die soon" or "I’ll get fat". These thoughts make us act in order to prevent them. 2. Preparation. If you have a big speech, test or event, you may feel anxious as it approaches. This anxiety drives you to prepare for the situation, to cover all the bases and to consider what you would do in worst-case scenarios. 3. Attention. When we are anxious, our attention shifts to things that are important in our lives. And 4. Protection: Since anxiety is often related to fear, it is a way to protect us from danger. We can become anxious in situations that could cause us to harm or even kill us, and this natural anxiety feeling prevents that.
Anxiety is usually seen as something bad inside us, but as you have seen, it is nothing more than a response to worst-case scenarios, making us be prepared to face them so that in the end, we see it wasn’t as bad as it seemed. Next time you experience anxiety, think is it as a common response. The next time you experience anxiety, think of it as a common response. If these responses interfere with your life and make you feel very uncomfortable, consider seeing a psychologist.