Know anxiety to stop fighting it

Anxiety is an emotion and like all emotions, it has the function of giving us information about ourselves or our environment, it is not something bad nor does it put us in danger (even if it is uncomfortable and causes us discomfort and sometimes we perceive it as dangerous). We could say that its function is to warn us if there is something that is not working to guarantee our survival and guide us towards what we need.

We cannot eliminate anxiety, but what we can change is the way we accompany it or accompany ourselves when it appears. Avoiding or ignoring it is not going to make it go away, but our body is going to have to scream even louder to be heard. Knowing anxiety can help us release discomfort, get to know ourselves better and learn about the resources we have to manage it.

If I don't know my anxiety, if I don't know my emotional world, I won't know how to accompany myself in that discomfort.. Anxiety is not our enemy, but a messenger that brings us light to something that we are not attending to.

• Related article: "Mental health: definition and characteristics according to psychology"

Learn to differentiate anxiety from stress

Stress is not synonymous with anxiety, although it can sometimes be perceived in a similar way and sustained stress over time can end up leading to anxiety.

Stress is a physiological response that is activated in the face of a specific situation to adapt to the present., and in general we can manage it. When this situation has ended, we can return to calm and it usually gives us information in accordance with reality.

Anxiety is a psychological response, a state of alert generally sustained over time; When you experience it, you are invaded by a sense of danger that you may not know where it comes from, and it can condition or alter your daily activities. It can arise from past events or future concerns.

Symptoms and causes of anxiety

The symptoms are those sensations or what I can consciously perceive in the present, "what we see". For example: tachycardia, tremor, dizziness, hyperventilation, choking sensation, chest pressure, muscle tension and stiffness, hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, etc.

The causes are what "is not seen", which can be formed by elements of the past, present and future. For example: sustained stress over time, not setting limits, how I regulate or manage my emotional world, traumas, unprocessed duels, attachment wounds, beliefs, not having our basic needs covered, unintegrated emotions, other health problems such as thyroid problems, consumption of drugs…

Many times we perceive the symptoms as "the enemy", something dangerous that we have to eliminate, but in reality they are the messenger, that which tells me that I need something that I am not attending to. We have to attend to and accompany the symptom, but also go looking for what activates it.

Anxiety symptoms are like a fire alarm; If I turn it off, it doesn't mean the fire has stopped burning, if I ignore it, it won't make the fire go out, if I cover my ears, the alarm will continue to sound and the fire will continue to burn.

• You may be interested in: "Understanding Anxiety and learning skills to regulate it"

How does our nervous system act when anxiety appears?

The nervous system is in charge of controlling, directing, and supervising the activities and functions of our organism.

In very general terms we can talk about:

• Central Nervous System (SNC): captures and processes the information that comes from the outside and issues orders.
• Peripheral nervous system (SNP): which receives orders and transmits them to our autonomic nervous system (SNA).

The SNA is responsible for the involuntary functions of our body, such as controlling heart rate, respiratory rate, sleep... everything that we cannot do voluntarily. Although it works independently, we can influence it.

The SNA is formed by a sympathetic nervous system (which is responsible for mobilization from a state of security to a state of danger. Example: from running to play sports or running because there is a danger) and parasympathetic (responsible for immobilization from a state of security to one of danger. Example: from standing still to meditate to collapsing in the face of danger.)

In the parasympathetic nervous system we find the vagus nerve, a nerve that runs from the base of the brain and extends to the abdomen and helps us to regulate bodily functions seeking for our health and emotional well-being and there are certain things that we can do to activate it.

The vagus nerve would be one of those in charge of relaxing our body, such as reducing heart rate, relaxing breathing... Therefore, we can look for ways to activate it to relax and relieve the feeling of stress or anxiety.

Elements that reinforce the symptoms of anxiety

There are factors that can worsen symptoms, knowing them helps us to accompany each other with more kindness:

• Not having basic needs covered (not eating enough, not sleeping or resting…).
• Not exercising (moving the body).
• Want to force relaxation.
• Be in a hurry to remove the symptoms.
• judge yourself
• Demand yourself.
• Spend many hours in front of a computer.
• Spend many hours under artificial light.

Factors that can improve symptoms

• Contact with our body (physical sensations and senses).
• Move the body to release tension.
• Lose the fear of noticing the emotion.
• Lose fear of symptoms.
• Remind me that this discomfort will pass.
• Remember that my body is a safe place that tries to regulate itself.
• Diaphragmatic breathing.

Remember that you are not alone in this, and if anxiety is part of your life, do not hesitate to seek professional help. The theory can guide us, but our experience is what will set the course.

We are all different, with different stories, different experiences, different sensitivities, so there is not one anxiety that is the same for everyone. That is why self-knowledge is important, knowing what is best for oneself to regulate oneself, not only when anxiety appears, but also to take care of oneself and accompany oneself on a day-to-day basis. The theory can guide us, but our experience is what will set the course.