Our emotion expedition continues. Today it takes us to an emotion that most of us experience regularly: fear is a fundamental human emotion that we encounter in a variety of situations and can have a wide range of effects on our lives. It ranges from a fleeting feeling of nervousness to paralyzing panic. But what exactly is anxiety? What happens in our body when we feel anxiety? What happens when anxiety no longer protects us? And how can I find a good way to deal with anxiety? On our expedition, we will try to find answers to these questions in order to develop a deeper understanding of this complex emotion.
What is fear?
Fear is a fundamental human emotion. It arises as a reaction to a perceived threat or danger. It therefore serves as a protective mechanism that enables us to recognize and react to potentially dangerous situations. Anxiety can be caused by a variety of triggers, which is very individual from person to person. It is important to clarify at this point that fears do not necessarily have to be triggered by real dangers, but that irrational and imaginary threats can also lead to a more or less strong sense of fear.
Many people perceive fear as something negative, as it is usually perceived as rather unpleasant. However, it is important to note at this point that this emotion is not always negative – quite the opposite: like all other emotions, we do not feel it for no reason, but rather it motivates us to take precautions or prepare for upcoming challenges.
What happens in the body with anxiety?
To understand what happens in our bodies when we are afraid, imagine the following scenario: you are out for a walk in nature on a Sunday afternoon. Suddenly you see an animal slowly approaching you and realize that it is a large dog. As you have never seen this dog before and don’t know whether it is reacting harmlessly or aggressively, your brain recognizes it as a potential threat and sends signals to your sympathetic nervous system . The sympathetic nervous system (sympathetic nervous system) has the task of putting your body in a heightened state of readiness and preparing it for a reaction. As the big dog approaches you, you feel your heartbeat accelerate and your breathing become faster and shallower. Your muscles tense up and you instinctively start to become more aware of your surroundings as you consider how best to react. At this moment, you may feel the need to run away to get to safety – or you may decide to stay calm and walk slowly backwards. Your mind works quickly to analyze the situation and choose the best possible response. When the owner appears from a distance and calls the dog’s name, it finally goes its way. You breathe a sigh of relief and feel the tension in your body slowly dissipate.
What we have described using this example is the so-called “fight-or-flight mode”, which kicks in when situations appear threatening. Our ancestors already showed this reaction and this is one of the ways in which the survival of our species was ensured. Even though we are rarely confronted with a dangerous animal today, our brain still reacts in a similar way to various types of stress in our environment. Most threats today are no longer of a physical nature – rather, we fear the upcoming presentation at work, financial worries, interpersonal conflicts or other everyday challenges in life. Although these situations are not immediately life-threatening, our brain can still interpret them as potential dangers and activate the “fight or flight” mode.
When fear no longer helps
So now we know that fear – even if it feels unpleasant at first – is an essential part of our lives and wants to protect us. We can usually cope with it and it passes. However, excessive or irrational fear can also interfere with our daily lives. When fears dominate everyday life and are perceived as unmanageable, this can lead to an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorders are widespread and can have a major impact on daily life. Around a third of adults will experience at least one anxiety disorder in their lifetime. This shows that anxiety disorders are a common problem that can affect people of all ages and backgrounds.
What you can do to combat anxiety
Anxiety – your friend. When anxiety takes up more and more space in everyday life, it often leads to severe suffering for those affected. As a result, anxiety is no longer perceived as a protective mechanism, but rather as an enemy that you try to fight. You want to suppress it and get rid of it by any means necessary. At this point, the first step can be to accept the fear again. Even if it is severely affecting you: accept the fear as a friend again that is currently trying to protect you a little too overzealously. You can talk to your anxiety or write it a letter if you feel it. Thank her for wanting to look after you, but at the same time explain to her that the current situation is not a real danger. Remind yourself that fear exists for a good reason, but that sometimes it can overreact. By accepting your fear and being kind to it, you can take the first step on the road to overcoming it.
Movement. As we have already described above, fear leads to strong physical reactions – the body goes into “fight or flight mode”. Whether fight or flight, it is clear that our body is prepared for increased activity in these moments. Exercise offers a way to channel these physical reactions and give them a positive direction. So if you feel your body mobilizing against the “danger”, get active and reduce the tension through movement.
Calming through breathing. In a similar way to exercise, targeted breathing can also help to control physical reactions to anxiety and promote relaxation. For example, if your breathing becomes shallower and faster in anxiety situations, you can use the 4-7-8 breathing technique to slowly but surely regulate your body.
Professional help. Of course, it can happen that you get stuck in a vortex of anxiety that you can hardly get out of. If you feel that the feeling of anxiety is stagnating or even getting worse over days and weeks, it is advisable to seek professional psychological help.
