Anxiety & Panic
Anxiety is a normal emotion, it’s your body’s defence system trying to tell you that it feels you’re facing a threat.
This defence system acts a bit like a smoke alarm. Sometimes it alerts you to real danger, like when a smoke alarm detects fire. This is useful!
Sometimes it’s a false alarm, like when you burn the toast.
Our anxiety, like the smoke alarm, can also go off about perceived threats that aren’t truly dangerous. It’s just your body trying to keep you safe.
Anxiety may seem unpleasant, but the feelings we get when we’re anxious can be helpful because they alert us to potential threats or dangers.
Anxiety triggers a ‘fight or flight’ response in our body, releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that prepare us to deal with challenging situations.
This response can be helpful. It heightens our awareness, sharpens our focus and gives us the energy and motivation to take action when needed.
For example, if you’re crossing a busy street and suddenly see a car speeding towards you, your anxiety response will kick in, urging you to quickly move out of harm’s way.
Problems can arise when this anxiety response becomes overly sensitive or activated in situations where there’s no immediate threat.
Then, anxiety and worry can interfere with your daily life. In these cases, the body’s natural protective mechanism can become a source of distress rather than a helpful warning signal. This then stops us from doing things we want to do.
When those sensations of anxiety or panic are creeping in, it’s essential to take steps to manage and cope with the situation effectively.
If you find that you experience anxiety or panic frequently or they significantly impact your daily life, consider seeking support from a mental health professional. They can provide personalised strategies and help you address any underlying issues contributing to the anxiety. These include an intervention called Graded Exposure.