What is anxiety?

Anxiety is not a mental illness! It is a behavioural 'condition' that results from a re-setting of the benchmark anxiety level.

Anxiety is a normal and appropriate nervous sensation that occurs when danger is sensed. It’s important to understand that even the most intense stress symptoms are completely harmless, and are intended for self-preservation.

Unfortunately, in some people, stress escalates and develops into anxiety disorder, an inappropriate form of anxiety that is intrusive and frustrating, and where sufferers feel constantly frightened, even when there is nothing to be frightened of.

What are the symptoms of anxiety

As an anxiety reaction develops, a number of physical sensations occur. There are many symptoms, but the most common are:
• shaking
• racing heart
• breathlessness
• dizziness
These physical sensations can be very frightening and may lead to the development of anxiety-related conditions such as panic attacks (anxiety attacks) or phobias.

What causes anxiety

The anxiety reaction to danger is controlled by the autonomic nervous system (the subconscious mind). It developed at an early stage in human evolution and was originally the ‘flight or fight’ alarm response that warned of danger and prepared us to react.

When an anxiety-provoking situation occurs, the body triggers the anxiety reaction. This alerts several key body systems that prepare us to either stand and fight or flee from the danger. The adrenalin hormone enables this response.

But once an anxiety sufferer begins to fear anxiety, it becomes established as a 'normal' reaction that leads a cycle of ever-increasing anxiety.

1. You experience anxiety
2. Your anxiety level is artificially raised
3. You become scared
4. That anxiety causes more fear
5. That fear causes more anxiety

As this cycle builds, the brain accepts the new, even higher level of anxiety as 'normal' and the sufferer experiences regular or constant high levels of anxiety. This process is called 'Operant Conditioning' – learning through repetition.
As the anxiety level rises, the symptoms become stronger and the sufferer becomes more distressed.
So although high levels of anxiety are completely normal under appropriate circumstances, if anxiety is not appropriate (for example, when asleep or resting) it is both confusing and distressing for the sufferer. Even though you know that your anxiety is inappropriate, your fear still grows.

What treatment is there for anxiety

Treatment involves reversing the process that was followed to develop the acceptance of a high level of anxiety as normal.