Why You Have Anxiety - For NO "Reason" at all

A long time ago, our brains decided that we needed help determining what was dangerous and what wasn’t.

True story, lol, there was actually a time in which we, as humans, really couldn’t tell the difference.

So this part of the brain evolved to help us stay alive - to help us humans not walk into danger, and to avoid getting seriously hurt.

It's the amygdala, lol, that's the part of the brain that sends the message to

"fight"

"flight/run"

"freeze"

or "fawn"

Then along comes this other part of our brain, which evolved to help us make sense of what we are seeing. And we learn to not make an assumption that everything is dangerous, and everything is a threat. It's the thinking part of the brain (prefrontal cortex) that teaches us how to tell the difference.....

So we don't flip out when we see an animal -

cause it's only a harmless house cat, and not a sabre tooth tiger.

Sounds like a good partnership right?

Well ..................for those of you dealing with anxiety,

these parts of the brain are going haywire!!!

It’s like there is no situation or circumstance that your brain sees -- that isn’t dangerous.

And sometimes, it’s not even a situation, it’s thoughts you have, or emotions you feel.

For some reason, your brain decides these situations, these thoughts, or these emotions are dangerous, and you must analyze every possible aspect to protect yourself ...........

OR ......keep looking for the absolute best outcome.

It is exhausting ...................

the mental cartwheels, flips, and jumps your brain does JUST to get you out of “danger”.

And all the while, this part of the brain was actually supposed to help you

"Yeah.. right"

(insert your rolling eyes here, lol).

Anxiety is about your worry about the future, and your thoughts/assumptions about your ability to manage what could be happening in the future.

It takes you away from the very real & present moment, and catapults you into this future realm where any and all things are possible, and none of them are positive.

"So this is what my brain is doing on purpose???

How in the world does that help me ???"

Well, when you get your anxiety under control, it can actually be a useful tool.

• It can help you find problems to a future issue

• It can help you choose different options

• It can potentially help you find better outcomes.

But as most who struggle with anxiety know and feel -- they are not feeling this!!!

Those who have anxiety are dealing with crippling thoughts, fears, worries, inability to make a decision, and so many more things, that it feels like it is paralyzing.

"Paralysis due to analysis", as one of my clients stated

"So what's the key?

How do I pull this huge force of worry, fear, and danger back into my control?"

First, you have to bring down the physical (aka body) symptoms of anxiety before you can address the thinking part of anxiety.

And yeah, there are physical symptoms that make you believe that what you are thinking, is actually a threat, or dangerous.

You feel your heart pounding, adrenalin begins to pour through your body, you feel "on edge", you can't amke a choice, you aren't sleeping/eating/talking.........this list can go on, but look at what happens to you when you feel anxiety -- it's a lot of "body" stuff right???

I know you don't believe me,

or this,

but the mind is a powerful organ in our bodies.

It can make you think there is a problem/danger/threat when there isn't one.

Your body is responding to the "danger" and "threat" messages/chemicals your mind is sending out.

Because again, it's supposed to protect you - keep you from danger or harm.

But the part of your brain that determines if "this is dangerous" -- the thinking part -- is turned off,

and the "reaction" part (aka anxiety) --- the "this is dangerous" reflex --- is turned on.

You can’t turn on the "thinking" part of your brain

if you are already FEELING stressed,

if you are already FEELING jittery,

if you FEEL unable to control your body,

and

if you FEEL helpless/out of control/hopeless

My course on anxiety does exactly this.

It teaches you how to lower the intensity of the anxiety symptoms (the way your body reacts when experiencing anxiety), so you can really and rationally examine the thoughts that are pushing the anxiety (turn on the "thinking" part).

Check out my course here!