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Here you will learn what anxiety is and why we feel it.
Here you will learn what anxiety is and why we feel it.
What is anxiety?
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of worry or fear. It usually happens when we think about things that might happen in the future. In a way, anxiety is just being afraid of what might happen next.
Is it Normal?
Is it Normal?
Yes! Everyone feels worried sometimes. You might feel it when:
You have a test at school.
You have to read out loud, or get cold called in class.
You are trying something new for the first time.
Most of the time, the feeling goes away. But for some people, the worry and anxiety stay for a long time and this makes it difficult to focus and feel relaxed. When that happens, it helps to talk to an adult.
Why Does it Happen?
Why Does it Happen?
Our brains are built to keep us safe. When your brain thinks you are in danger, it sends a "wake-up call" to your body. It releases special chemicals called hormones that give you a sudden burst of energy.
This energy helps you run away from danger or stay and fight. That "jittery" or "nervous" feeling in your tummy is just your body getting ready for action!
This is called the Fight, Flight or Freeze Response.
Fight, Flight or Freeze Response
Fight, Flight or Freeze Response
You may have heard of “Fight or Flight,” but what does it actually mean? The Fight, Flight, Freeze response is an automatic reaction we experience when we feel anxiety.
As already mentioned, it is completely normal to experience anxiety as it’s something we are born with!
Thinking back to the Stone Age when humans lived in caves and were hunter gatherers, humans had to be on the alert for danger because they could have easily been eaten by a bear! We still have this survival response in us, so once we are aware of potential danger, anxiety kicks in and we respond with either fight, flight or Freeze.
Our survival response is activated when our brains flood our bodies with an increase of adrenaline and cortisol (hormones).
When we experience an increase of adrenaline, our body responds by:
Making our hearts beat faster
Making our lungs breathe harder and faster
Sending more blood to our muscles, especially our arms and legs
When we experience an increase of cortisol, our body responds by:
Increasing the blood sugars so we have a lot of energy
Shutting down unnecessary body systems (e.g. the digestive system) so that other systems can be high functioning (e.g. circulatory system and the muscular system).
These changes in our bodies are known as the Fight, Flight or Freeze response, because our bodies are preparing to respond in one of three ways to the (potential) danger we are about to face:
Fight
Fight
our bodies have good blood circulation ready to attack the danger with our arms and legs, and our lungs are taking in plenty of oxygen to be able to breath through this fight.
Flight
Flight
our bodies are prepared to run away (take flight) from the danger we face because of that increase of oxygen and our muscles are pumped.
Freeze
Freeze
we neither fight or run away, because we are frozen in fear. We have to simply wait for the danger to pass.
Where do we feel anxiety?
Where do we feel anxiety?
How Does Your Body Feel?
How Does Your Body Feel?
Take a look at the body maps below. They show the different ways people feel when they are worried. Our bodies send us signals when we feel anxious.
Do you feel any of these when you are anxious?
Heart beating faster?
Getting "butterflies" in your tummy?
Hands feel sweaty or shaky?
Muscles feel tight or stiff?
By learning how these changes feel in our body, we can train our brain to return our body to a state of calm.
Are there other feelings you get that aren't on the map? Maybe your face gets hot, or your mouth feels dry.
When you notice these changes, you can tell your brain, "Hey, I know what's happening!" This helps you to train your brain to calm your body down, and feel relaxed again. This is one important way to help manage your anxiety.
Danger or not?
Danger or not?
Is there really a problem?
Is there really a problem?
Now that we know how anxiety feels, our next job is to ask: "Am I really in danger?"
Remember, your brain is like a smoke alarm. Sometimes it goes off because there is a real fire, but sometimes it goes off just because someone burned some toast! When you feel anxious, your body is getting ready to Fight, Run (Flight), or Freeze. You need to teach your brain to tell the difference between a "fire" and "burned toast."
1. The "Trick" Feelings
1. The "Trick" Feelings
Sometimes, things happen that "trick" our brain into thinking we are scared like:
Drinking Fizzy Drinks: Drinks with lots of caffeine (like energy drinks or coffee) make your heart beat faster. Your brain feels the fast heartbeat and thinks, "Oh no! We must be scared!" and then you start to feel anxious.
Hot Weather: If it’s a really hot day and you get sweaty, your brain might mistake that for "nervous sweat" and start to worry for no reason!
2. The "Spiralling" Feeling
2. The "Spiralling" Feeling
Other times, we feel terrified of things that aren't actually dangerous. For example:
Reading out loud in class might feel scary, but it won't actually hurt you!
Getting changed for PE, you might feel embarrassed but you are not going to get hurt.
When we let one small worry turn into a much bigger worry, we call that a negative spiral. It’s like a snowball that gets bigger as it rolls down a hill.
By stopping to ask, "Is this a real danger?" you can help your brain take back control and calm down.
The Spiral of Anxiety
The Spiral of Anxiety
This spiral shows how our anxiety can grow into a repeating cycle if we let it.
When we are scared of something, we usually want to stay away from it. But staying away can actually make us fall into a Worry Trap. Here is how it happens:
The Scary Thing: Something happens that makes you feel anxious (like school).
The Escape: You find a way to avoid it or stay home.
The "Phew!" Moment: You feel better right away because the scary thing is gone.
The Growth: Even though you feel better now, the worry starts to grow in your head. You think, "I have to go to school eventually, and next time it will be even scarier!"
The Trap: The next time you have to face that same thing, your anxiety feels even bigger than before.
If things make us anxious and worried when we’re not in danger, we need to take back control of our anxiety. We can do this by working out if the danger is rational (reasonable and logical), or irrational (not reasonable or logical).
Is the Worry "Real" or a "Trick"?
Is the Worry "Real" or a "Trick"?
Everyone has things going on in their lives. Sometimes these are big and serious, other times they are things we can manage. Feelings of worry and anxiety can make things spiral and feel worse than they actually are..
To break the trap, we have to take back control. We do this by asking if our worry is Rational or Irrational.
Rational (a "Real" Worry): This is a worry that makes sense because there is actual danger. (Example: A giant dog is chasing you!)
Irrational (a "Trick" Worry): This is when your brain thinks there is danger, but you are actually safe. (Example: Being scared to put your hand up in class.)
If we can spot a "Trick" worry, we can tell our brain: "Thanks for trying to keep me safe, but I’ve got this!"
This is why it's best to learn strategies and techniques when you are calm, not anxious. Once we have learnt them we can put them into practice easily.
To learn how to take back control of our anxiety, click on the Coping Strategies and Techniques button below
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