When you struggle with anxiety it can feel overwhelming and natural to ask why. Why do I have anxiety? Why is this happening to me? Why do I struggle with things that seem to come so naturally to others? Why can’t I feel the things I know in my head. I know it’s a silly thing to worry about falling into a sinkhole but I can’t help it. Does any of this sound familiar?
Understanding Anxiety
I am someone who likes answers. I loved Psychology in school because it had so many answers to why people do the things they do. I love to understand myself and others. I am someone who reads about research studies in my spare time. So let’s look to what the research says about why you have anxiety.
Anxiety in the Brain
There is a part of your brain whose job it is to tell you when there is danger. It’s like a smoke detector that sends the alarm signal. This alarm signal will then tell the fight-or-flight response to leap into action! As you may have noticed some individuals have a more sensitive “smoke detector”.
Is Anxiety Genetic?
Why do some individuals have a more sensitive “smoke detector”? There are a few different reasons for this! One is simple genetics. In general we are all decedents of scared people. Those individuals who were more anxious and cautious are the ones who lived long enough to have offspring. The people who slept where they thought it would be safest of built their house on a more solid foundation because they could imagine what might happen otherwise tended to be the ones who survived.
Life Experiences and Anxiety
Another reason that some individuals have more anxiety than others is because we have had different experiences. One cool thing about the brain is that connections we use more get stronger. That means if you practice the piano everyday those brain connections get stronger and playing becomes easier. The connections we don’t use grow weaker. How’s your high school Spanish that you don’t ever practice? You see my point.
So if I have had a lot of life experiences that have taught my brain that the world is not safe than the danger sensor in my brain is going to be more practiced and stronger! Or if I am just really good at imagining all the scary what ifs that could happen and I practice these brain connections everyday, then once again that part of my brain is going to be very strong!
Is my Anxiety getting worse?
Anxiety without treatment tends to get worse over time. This is because anxiety has us practicing these unhelpful brain pathways. But the good news is that we can learn how to practice those pathways less to help weaken this part of the brain that has grown so strong. And that is exactly what Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is all about!
Anxiety Counselor in Charlotte, NC
Theresa Leskowat MS LCMHC is a mental health therapist in Dilworth area of Charlotte, NC. Theresa provides cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety relief, depression relief, stress management, and managing perfectionism.