The Neuroscience of Anxiety
If you are anything like me, you need to understand the inner workings of your mind in order to actually take therapy advice and tools. You need to understand why you are doing something and why or how it’s actually beneficial.
I thought I would put together a short blogpost on the majour brain structures involved in our experience with anxiety to help you better understand how certain therapy tools actually help!
The Brain Structures Involved in Anxiety
Amygdala: Often referred to as the "fear center" of the brain, the amygdala plays a crucial role in processing emotions and responding to threats. When faced with a perceived danger, the amygdala triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, leading to feelings of anxiety.
Prefrontal Cortex (PFC): This area is responsible for higher-order thinking, decision-making, and impulse control. In people with anxiety, the PFC may struggle to regulate the amygdala’s responses, leading to heightened fear and worry.
Hippocampus: The hippocampus is essential for forming memories and learning. Chronic anxiety can affect its functioning, leading to difficulties in processing memories and forming new ones, which can perpetuate anxiety.
Hypothalamus: This structure helps regulate the body’s stress response. When faced with stress, the hypothalamus activates the release of stress hormones like cortisol, which can contribute to the physical symptoms of anxiety.
The Role of Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit signals in the brain and are integral to mood regulation. Key players in anxiety include:
Serotonin: Often linked to feelings of well-being and happiness, serotonin levels are frequently lower in individuals with anxiety disorders. Fun fact: your gut produces around 95% of your serotonin - this is why I talk so much about the gut mind connection in therapy sessions!
GABA: GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter (reduces the likelihood of a neurotransmitter firing) that helps calm neuronal activity. Low levels of GABA are associated with increased anxiety, making it a target for various treatments.
Norepinephrine: This neurotransmitter is involved in the body’s stress response. Elevated norepinephrine levels can lead to heightened arousal and anxiety.
The Cycle of Anxiety
Understanding how these brain structures and neurotransmitters interact helps explain the cycle of anxiety and what's actually happening in your brain!
Trigger: An external event or thought activates the amygdala.
Response: The amygdala signals the hypothalamus to release stress hormones, resulting in physical symptoms like increased heart rate and sweating.
Cognitive Processing: The prefrontal cortex attempts to evaluate the situation, but heightened amygdala activity may overwhelm it.
Reinforcement: Negative thoughts and physical sensations feed back into the cycle, leading to increased anxiety and avoidance behaviors.
Understanding the physiology of anxiety can sometimes help us buy into the tools and techniques we learn in therapy. I see a lot of people with anxiety who begin to fear the anxiety itself. Like any fear, the less we really know about it the more we tend to fear it. It helps to educate ourselves on what we fear (like anxiety) so we can gain a sense of control over it!
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