The Anatomy of Fear, and the effects of Chronic Fear, Anxiety

The Anatomy of Fear and the effects of “Chronic” fear, or Anxiety

Everyone has heard of the “fight or flight” reaction. Unless your brain is substantially wired almost anatomically incorrect, everyone has felt the sensation of fear at some time in his or her lives. Fear is a reaction triggered by a perceived threat. It is basically a survival mechanism that signals the perception of danger

But do we understand it? Can we control it? Why, in cases of riding extreme rides, watching suspenseful movies or shows, do we intentionally subject ourselves to it. And is some fear healthy while others are not?

First, we need to examine how fear works. When our bodies sense potential danger our body release hormones that prepare our bodies for action. Our bodies shut down those functions (such as our digestive system) that are not necessary for us to survive. Our senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and sensation) establish their prompts from the environment around us. Our senses experience these clues and send almost immediate messages to our brain. Our brain has a “threat center” called the Amygdala. The Amygdala is controlled by the autonomic nervous system which regulates changes to the body’s essential functions. Our body jump starts the “fear” response…our hearts beat fast, our breathing changes, often sweat breaks out. Our body is signaling us that we may have to defend ourselves or take flight to protect ourselves. Blood flow increases to our muscles so that we can run (or take flight) quickly. And, although we are not aware of it at the time, the Amygdala stores a “memory” within us that certain stimuli are the precursors to fear.

So, Fear has its purpose. In the face of real threat, it protects us.

But what happens when we experience chronic, persistent fear? It creates Anxiety, and extreme cases, a condition known as PTSD or PostPtraumatic Stress Disorder. Chronic fear can cause extreme fatigue, clinical depression. So, experiencing the perception of fear has profound consequences to our physical and mental health. It impacts our ability to function on a day to day basis in our lives.

Living in constant fear weakens our Immune system. It can cause Cardiovascular damage, Gastrointestinal problems like Acid Reflux, Ulcers and changes to our ability to release water from our systems such as Diarrhea and in extreme cases, IRS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It can result in changes in our appetite and weight (eating too much or too little). It can produce persistent headaches Chronic Fear or Anxiety can affect our Reproductive systems and so they pose a danger to the continuation of our species.

But what fear does to our Mental health is just as great.

Chronic fear, living in a constant aroused state of perceived danger affects our memory. It can cause damage to certain parts of the brain such as the Hippocampus. It can impair the formation of long-term memory making it even more difficult to regulate the fear response. For a person who is experiencing anxiety, most of the time has difficulty regulating their emotions, reading non-verbal and verbal clues, think before acting resulting in intense emotions and impulsive reactions. It can affect our thinking and cause challenges in our ability to concentrate and our decision-making and result in inappropriate behavior or speech. Persistent feeling of sadness, guilt even hopelessness can result in a loss of self-worth. And not only our own response to this, but the response of those around us can just heighten the sensations.

Anxiety and Depression are not the same, although they often accompany one another.

It is not uncommon for people with depression to experience anxiety and people with anxiety to become depressed.

Since the treatment for both conditions sometimes “overlap,” it is good to understand both.

In the United States, the incidence of depression has increased every year in the past century, and now, according to the Centers for Disease Control, one out of ten people report experiencing a depressive episode. Depression is a common disorder, affecting over 350 million people worldwide. Depression is typically characterized by sleep disorders (either too much or too little sleep) causing fatigue. It can cause unnecessary suffering and can be a risk factor for suicide. It is a disabling condition that adversely affects a person's family, work or school life; sleeping and eating habits; and general health.

Anxiety may be a normal reaction to stress, and it can serve as a prompt to deal with demanding situations. However, when anxiety becomes excessive, it may fall under the classification of an anxiety disorder.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that almost 20% of the population suffer from some form of Anxiety (or one out of five people) making it the most common mental disorder in the United States.

An Anxiety Disorder is characterized by emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms that create an unpleasant feeling that is described as uneasiness, fear, or worry. People suffering from anxiety often withdraw and seek to avoid people or certain places.

While Generalized Anxiety Disorder is the most common, there are other Anxiety disorders, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder, Specialized Phobias, and as has become more increasingly noted PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders.

Physical symptoms of Anxiety can display themselves as fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, and aches, trembling, sweating and changes in body temperature such as shivering or hot flashes and difficulty in swallowing. Emotional symptoms can be feelings of unshakable and non-reactional fear, feelings of impending doom, racing thoughts and irritability.

The best way to treat depression or anxiety is to become as informed as possible about the treatment options, and then tailor them to meet your needs. In many cases, it is helpful to work with a professional to determine the best fit.

The relatively new field of Integrated Mental Health is a holistic model that provides a useful perspective on brain health and the treatment of depression and anxiety.

Integrative mental health looks at the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual health of the individual and incorporates methods letting go of mental habits or patterns of thinking that may be causing you stress is identifying them. A professional will help you in developing methods in acknowledging and paying attention to patterns of thinking that feel time-consuming or problematic (such as comparing, generalizing, projecting, defending, being self-critical or conditionalizing things).

Journaling is another method of treatment. Write these down in a notebook (or your journal if you have one). For a designated period, observe and record what you think, noting the time, conditions and place your experience the depression or anxiety as well as what “triggers” the thoughts.

Mindfulness is another method of controlling both conditions.

Mind-body practices are techniques you can use to enhance the mind’s positive impact on the body—and vice versa. Examples sometimes used in the treatment of depression and anxiety include: 

Relaxation training/Meditation/Hypnosis/Imagery 

These practices have been an important part of traditional healing approaches for millennia (e.g. Ayurvedic, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tibetan Medicine). In addition, hypnosis is used by conventional psychotherapists, dentists, and other health professionals. Mindful relaxation is an effective way to combat stress and work with fear and anxiety. When done successfully, the relaxation response increases alpha brain wave activity and lowers blood pressure, pulse, respiration rate, metabolic rate, oxygen consumption, anxiety, and produces a greater sense of wellbeing.

Commit to an uninterrupted length of time each day to practice. The optimal period of relaxation is once or twice a day but often, it’s best to begin with smaller increments such as five or ten minutes and increase from there. Choose a quiet place without distractions. No matter how busy and intense you believe your life is, anyone can find five or ten minutes to turn off the television, radio, computer, and phone. Take a walk, take a bath. Relax.

Create a positive state of mind. You may not be able to detach completely from worries or negative thoughts immediately, but for brief periods you can focus on something else.

Find a comfortable body position, making sure that your body is supported. Focus on your breathing, as the air goes in and flows out. Focusing on the repletion of a sound, word or prayer (in meditation the word “OM” is often used, feeling the vibration of the sound in your nasal passages and throat).

Therapy may help you develop an awareness of what you feel, why you feel that way, what your triggers are, and how you might change your reaction to them. Some types of therapy teach practical techniques to reframe negative thinking and change behaviors. Just as no two people are affected the exact same way by depression and anxiety, there is no “one size fits all” treatment. What works for one person might not work for another.

.There are many types of therapy available. Three of the more traditional methods used in depression include cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and psychodynamic therapy. Often, a blended approach is used.

Interpersonal therapy focuses on one’s personal relationships that may cause disturbances that either cause or exacerbate the feeling(s) of anxiety or depression.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on recognizing and changing thought patterns and behaviors, changing the negative styles of thinking and limiting the distortion of thought by looking at matters in a more realistic and manageable manner.

Mindful-Based Cognitive Therapy (Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindful Based Stress Reduction model) combines Cognitive Therapy with principals of Mindfulness. This is particularly effective and designed for people who experience repeated episodes of depression or chronic feelings of low self-esteem and unhappiness.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) combines individual and group sessions and is designed to help manage Borderline Personality Disorders.

Psychodynamic therapies focus on resolving internal psychological conflicts that are particularly thought to have roots in one’s childhood. Long-term psychodynamics therapy may be useful when there is a long history and pattern of inadequate or maladaptive coping mechanisms such as negative perceptions (dysmorphia) or self-injurious behavior (cutting, eating disorders, risky or impulsive behaviors).

Eye Movement Desensitization Resolution (EMDR) which is frequently recommended for people who have experienced trauma or suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and involves an 8-stage approach that includes recalling upsetting memories while engaging in side-to-side eye movement or other sensory input.

Somatic therapies (including Hakomi and Somatic Transformation) which are body-centered practices that focus on the relationship between the body and mind based on the belief the mind is affected by the condition of the body and that thoughts and emotions have a physical impact on the body as well.

Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) which are designed to help people improve their moods by understanding and working with their biological and social rhythms. Originally this was designed for a one on one clinician to a single patient but has since been expanded to both inpatient and outpatient groups. This is a particularly effective therapy for people with Mood Disorders, emphasizing techniques to manage stressful life events, adhere to medication adherence (when prescribed), and teaches individuals how to protect themselves for future episodes.

The goal of all interventions is to promote a feeling of “safeness” wherever you are.

Many times, our safety is compromised not by external threats, but by the poor choices we make that increase our risk of harm. To truly take charge of our wellbeing, we must value our personal safety and care for our lives with the attention and protection we would offer a child or good friend. It involves both our behavior as well as the products and materials we use. With practice, you can make self-protective habits your routine, increasing your well-being while minimizing worry

Mia Johnson works with individuals, couples, and groups through private sessions, workshops, and Retreats. She is an author and public speaker. Although she has many "titles," Psychotherapist, Coach, Relationship Specialist, Neurolinguistic, Advocate, Mediator, her work focuses on being one's authentic Self in a World and Society that conspires to constantly advocate "fitting in." Her work helps others to find clarity and strength in being whom they are, accepting all that they may have been, and discovering all that they may become. So, yes, quite clearly, a Metaphysician. If you are interested in working with Mia, you may contact her at mia@outofthetangledweb.com.