Anxiety - What Is It?

My Mind Matters
Oct 31, 2023
4 min read

anx·i·e·ty

/aNGˈzīədē/

noun

a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. "he felt a surge of anxiety"

Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). Anxiety can manifest in different ways, such as:

generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): chronic, profound worry about seemingly everything.
panic disorder: recurrent panic attacks; an intense, overwhelming surge of anxiety with physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms
agoraphobia: intense fear, worry, or panic that arises in public or crowded places that are difficult to leave
social anxiety disorder: intense fear of being judged, criticized, or rejected in social situations or when performing in front of others

Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:

Feeling nervous, restless or tense
Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
Having an increased heart rate
Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
Sweating
Trembling
Feeling weak or tired
Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
Having trouble sleeping

This is generally the known terms and feelings for anxiety that most people are aware of but I believe there are way more aspects to it and it goes far deeper than this. These emotions and triggers are valid and accurate but if you struggle with anxiety you know that it is an everyday battle with yourself. Here's a poem I wrote that describes it in a more relatable, comprehensible way for those who don't understand it, and those that understand it a tad too well.

Anxiety is a strange man. He follows you in your worst moments and at every turn he is present, you can't escape him. He's tremendously loyal- in fact too loyal. Fear is his best friend; they are practically twins, when anxieties around fear is his right hand man. Together, they destroy you slowly, they fill your mind with millions of unwanted, forbidding thoughts that ultimately drive you crazy. Anxiety is the worst roommate in the world, but some people are compelled to live with him. Some don't ever see him, and believe he isn't real, because of it. But others see him daily and because of that, they know just how real he truly is. No matter how many times you scream for him to leave he just doesn't get the memo. Panic is his dream girl, he does anything to see panic come out, he puts in so much effort just for her. Being around Anxiety is like a scary movie blasting when you're home alone trying to sleep. Knowing anxiety has been one of the hardest things of my life, but also has made me the strongest, and due to that i don't know if i regret meeting anxiety.

I'm here to provide information, resources and even share my personal story with general anxiety disorder. but also help create a way for you to feel more understood if you yourself are battling this or if you know someone who is. Ultimately it's comforting to know and remember you're not alone and there are many resources to provide you with help to navigate this.

First i'm gonna cover the background to what formed this, there are many different reasons that this can happen to your brain. Some include:

Childhood trauma, Examples of childhood trauma include:

physical or sexual abuse
emotional abuse
neglect
exposure to domestic violence
Parent Alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder
death of a loved one
bullying
car accidents
natural disasters, etc

Childhood trauma can create an environment that is chaotic, unstable, or unpredictable. The impact of this instability can be lifelong. For example, a child who grows up with an abusive or volatile parent may become hyper-vigilant toward their parent’s moods so they can protect themselves. As an adult, they constantly scan their environment and may overanalyze other people’s reactions, possibly leading them to an anxiety disorder. Research found that children who grew up in environments with a lot of conflict and adversity showed higher stress reactivity in early adulthood, which may put them at greater risk for developing mood and anxiety disorders. Certain types of childhood trauma may even change the structure and function of the brain.

A 2014 study Trusted Source

found physical differences in the brains of young adults who experienced childhood maltreatment versus those who did not. Differences occurred in regions responsible for emotional regulation, self-awareness, the ability to “accurately attribute thoughts or intentions to others”

sources Cited https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/the-connection-between-childhood-trauma-and-generalized-anxiety-disorder#trauma-and-anxiety

Other reasons include, a combination of genetic and environmental factors may play a role. Brain chemistry is also being studied as a possible cause. The areas of your brain that control your fear response may be involved and or situational causes.

More info and coping mechanisms;