Why You Have Anxiety and How To Overcome It

Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses in the world. In fact, some experts believe that more than 18-percent of the American adults alone struggle with anxiety and that a quarter of this population have anxiety that doctors consider to be “severe.” While there may be no technical definition of what a severe anxiety disorder actually encompasses, there is a substantial amount of studies, research, and testing backing general anxiety including what it is, what causes it, and how to best deal with it.

What is Anxiety?

Feelings of anxiety every now and then is a completely natural and normal emotion. Things like feeling nervous about giving a presentation at work, having hesitation about flying in an airplane, or being skeptical about making an important decision are all natural responses that trigger feelings of angst and trepidation.

Anxiety disorders, however, are much different. As classification of mental illness, anxiety disorders can come in various forms – all of which trigger feelings of distress that can greatly affect the way you go about living a normal life. If you struggle with an anxiety disorder, chances are you’re all too familiar with feelings of constant and overwhelming worry, fear, and unease. Though these thoughts and emotions can often be debilitating and greatly interfere with your ability to live a happy, meaningful, and productive life.

Anxiety In Your Brain

Before you can begin to overcome the mental illness of anxiety, it’s important to understand just how this affliction works in your brain. As a natural, normal response to external threats, anxiety is your body’s way of engaging your innate “fight or flight” response when exposed to particular situations. While this reaction can be incredibly beneficial when it comes to keeping you safe from harm, for many people anxiety can occur even when there isn’t a threat. When the fight or flight response is evoked, it triggers a substantial amount of stress hormones that enhance your speed, reflexes, heartbeat, and circulation. These hormones, like cortisol, can also evoke negative emotions like anger and sadness, as well as positive responses like happiness and excitement.

Anxiety, however, almost always triggers feelings of stress and fear, even without the presence of external sources. Several important parts of the brain, including the amygdala and the hippocampus, play significant roles in anxiety disorder. The amygdala, or almond-shaped structure deep within the brain, signals to the brain that a threat is present and triggers the anxiety response. However, it is this part of the brain that also stores emotional memories involving distinct fears and feelings, which can be subconsciously triggered regardless of the what, when, or why.

Lastly, anxiety disorders are also thought to result genetics as well as your environment. Say, for example, you grew up in a household with frequent yelling, abuse, or tragedy, chances are your brain will become more apt for looking out for threats, whether they are present or not. It is this unknown or unidentified aspect of anxiety that can best be treated with natural, holistic solutions.

Holistic Methods for Treating Anxiety

Because anxiety is a naturally provoked emotion, treating it with natural remedies can often help you deal with this mental illness in a safe, effective, and noninvasive manner. Below are three holistic treatment options that can work for you:

• The Emotion Code: The Emotion Code is a method of tapping into your subconscious mind to gain answer to questions about trapped emotions, feelings, and experiences that are affecting your physical, mental, and emotional well being. Using simple muscle testing, you can gain insight into your subconscious by asking specific yes or no questions of your body as guided by The Emotion Code. With this program, you can identify the root causes of your anxiety and, after acknowledging their presence, will help confront and release these trapped, anxious emotions.
• Herbs: Many natural herbs can have a profound effect on how your body responds to anxious energies. Kava and Passionflower, for example, have been proven to relieve mild to moderate anxiety. Please note, however, that if you are currently taking medications to help with your anxiety, speak with a medical professional before taking herbal supplements.
• Exercise: Increasing your heartbeat helps increase the oxygen supply to muscles and critical organs in your body which, in turn, releases both mental and physical tensions. If you’re feeling yourself being suffocated by the grip of anxiety, consider going to the gym, going for a walk, engaging in yoga practice, or some other form of exercise.