Few recognize anxiety as a true condition. But, in fact, it is a condition of the most treated by psychotherapist specialists.

The word “anxiety” is often used to recognize a state of nerves or unpleasant sensations. But it is important to know that it is not always that a person feels these types of sensations, specifically it is anxiety. Many people do not know exactly what anxiety refers to or what it means.

Do not worry, because after reading this post you will have a much clearer idea of ​​what anxiety is and you will be able to identify if it is really anxiety that you suffer or it is simply a feeling of nervousness towards something.

Anxiety

It is a response of the body that usually appears in situations of possible danger. Everyone can have an act of anxiety at some point in their life.

In certain situations, the brain evaluates immediately. Thus, it determines if it is a potentially dangerous situation for us and if it is, it triggers a series of physiological reactions throughout the body aimed at flight.

We have a brain mechanism that, from before we know what is happening, has already informed the rest of the body that the situation is going to pose a danger to us and gives the necessary orders to the body to move away from the situation of either way.

Anxiety in short moments, in fact, is a positive element in our lives. Why? well, imagine a caveman who must go hunting. If the caveman did not have this adaptive response, he could easily fall prey to a lion or any other predatory animal.

As in those ancient times, today there are also “modern” predators that are just as dangerous or more. Anxiety prevents us from suffering accidents. For example, when you walk down the street and you have to cross. If you didn’t feel anxious, you wouldn’t be able to perceive the real danger from cars and cross no matter what happens.

Why do we have that reaction ?

The brain has a structure that is designed to detect danger. The main representative is the brain amygdala. When this structure is activated, they do not explain the details or why they have been activated, they simply do so and tell you that there is danger nearby and that you must prepare to flee or act as is most convenient.

Another example could be when you find yourself alone at home and suddenly you hear a strange noise. A few milliseconds before noticing that sound, our body is already on alert. The heart rate increases as does the heart.

It is a reaction that happens voluntarily and quickly. When the information of the specific sound that has caused the reaction reaches the prefrontal area of ​​the brain, which is responsible for processing the information in a logical and conscious way, then we realize that it has been the wood creaking.

Just at that moment when we give it a rational explanation, the body returns to its relaxed state.

How does anxiety become a problem ?

So far, we have known what the body’s natural anxiety is. And although it is very useful for humans, the problem comes when anxiety becomes a pathology and is installed as a way of living day-to-day.

Anxiety becomes a pathology when physiological activation is maintained for long periods of time. This happens because the person evaluates many of the stimuli of their day-to-day as threatening, and the body is most of the day in “flight” situations.

The feeling of tension in people with this condition is continuous since they interpret a certain situation or a specific stimulus as a huge and real threat to their person.

The person suffering from pathological anxiety learns to interpret as threatening situations that in reality are not. Situations are as simple as going for a walk or talking to a stranger.

These people interpret that there may be a real danger to them, therefore you continually feel this kind of feeling of wanting to escape. In addition to these sensations, anxiety causes the secondary functions of the body to be blocked. That is, in a situation of real danger, the body will block hunger, sleep, or even sexual desire.

When anxiety becomes a pathological problem and the body is in continuous tension, we have a person who is not only activated on a physiological level but has also deactivated some of his basic functions. Which can present insomnia problems, weight loss, among other things.

When a person is under the continuous effects of anxiety, they no longer protect themselves from dangers but instead prevent themselves from acting effectively.

If you think you have developed a pathological anxiety problem, it is necessary that you go to a consultation with a professional who specializes in the subject.

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