Unpacking Anxiety: Insights from Neuroscience
Have you ever experienced that uneasy feeling in your stomach or the constant feeling of dread that something bad is going to happen? You’re not alone. Anxiety is a common emotion that we all experience at some point in our lives, and I’m here to tell you it’s not simply a case of overthinking.
Our brain is an elaborate network of regions and systems that work together to regulate our emotions, including anxiety, and one of the most important player in the regulation of anxiety is the amygdala. It’s a small almond-shaped structure located in the temporal lobe of the brain. The amygdala is responsible for processing emotional information, including fear and anxiety, and sending signals to other parts of the brain to initiate the "fight or flight" response.
Anytime the amygdala senses a threat, either physical or emotional, it will start to become activated. And when this occurs, the frontal lobe responsible for your logical reasoning and clear thinking will start to become triggered, disconnecting itself from the brain and letting the amygdala take charge. So that clear thinking, and the logical reasoning? It’s out the window.
Another key system involved in anxiety is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is a collection of glands that produce and release hormones, such as cortisol, in response to stress. When we feel anxious, the HPA axis is activated, leading to an increase in cortisol levels and the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as increased heart rate and sweating. Our nervous system is sympathetic mode, preparing us for fight or flight.
In these anxiety-filled moments, it’s important to remember that we cannot ease ourselves with counteracting thoughts alone, because those thoughts are no longer logical, and our sympathetic nervous system has been activated. We need to instead use the mechanics of our physical body to re-regulate, and reconnect our frontal lobe to the brain.
Exercises such as as deep belly breathing, can help calm the nervous system and activate the parasympathetic response, which is responsible for our body's "rest and digest" response. Engaging in physical exercise, such as running, dancing, or yoga, can also help us regulate and re-engage our frontal lobe. Additionally, mindfulness practices, such as meditation, can help us observe and detach from our anxious thoughts and emotions, reducing their power over us.
Seeking support from a healthcare professional or therapist can provide us with valuable tools and resources to better manage our anxiety, and sometimes unpacking and understanding why certain things bring anxiety can help move on from it all together!
You can also help manage your anxiety symptoms through my card deck, which is available in physical as well as a digital download.
Also if you feel you need further support with your anxiety, you can book a session, or reach out here.
