What's normal anxiety

In our society, mental health problems are not treated seriously. A lot of stigma exists. Some others may advise you to "suck it up," "get it together," "stop worrying," or "it's all in your head." However, I'm here to assure you that anxiety disorders are a legitimate condition, just like diabetes. (Music) Dr. Jen Gunter's segment on "Body Stuff" Hello again. Dr. Jen here. I've noticed a trend among my patients. They frequently go over some of the typical signs of an anxiety condition with me. Constant anxiety, sleep issues, tense muscles, and difficulty concentrating.However, they are not receiving care. In this nation, there are numerous problems with mental health care. Some folks lack the necessary insurance to cover it. Some people don't think getting aid will benefit them because they have previously been reduced or disregarded. Some people are concerned with the stigma and whether it would influence potential careers or relationships. But having excessive anxiety is not a moral or character flaw. Like diabetes or strep throat, it is a health issue. It needs to be taken seriously in the same way. Let's first discuss anxiety itself before moving on to anxiety disorders. The very real and common emotion we experience in a difficult environment is anxiety. It has to do with fear.However, unlike anxiety, which is a response to less certain threats and typically lasts far longer, fear is a reaction to an immediate threat that swiftly passes. All of this is a part of the threat detection system that all animals possess to some extent in order to help defend us against predators. The brain's amygdala, a pair of almond-shaped nerve bundles that signal other brain regions to be prepared for protective action, is where anxiety begins. The signal is then passed on by the hypothalamus, which causes our body to go into what is known as the stress reaction. Our respiration and pulse rate quicken, our muscles strain, and our blood pressure rises.Your brain stem activates certain regions, putting you in a state of high attentiveness. This reaction is the fight-or-flight reaction. With the help of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, a region of higher-level thinking, the fight-or-flight response can be kept somewhat under control. This is how it functions. The amygdala gets the message to run if a person encounters something they perceive as dangerous, like a tiger. Hey, look, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex can communicate with the amygdala. In a cage is the tiger. You are aware of what a cage is. A cage prevents them from escaping. It's okay to relax. It's a feedback loop that can aid in controlling the response. Hippocampus involvement is also seen. By mentioning something like, "Hey, we've seen tigers in cages before," it gives context. In a zoo we are. You are especially secure. These threat-detection systems, as well as the mechanisms that lessen or prevent them, malfunction when we experience anxiety, which makes us worry about the future and our safety in it. However, it goes into overdrive for a lot of folks. They have ongoing, all-pervasive anxiety that interferes with their relationships, employment, and education and causes them to avoid situations that can exacerbate their symptoms. Disorders of anxiety are very frequent. Researchers estimate that roughly 16 percent of people either presently have or have had an anxiety problem based on data from the World Mental Health Survey. These include phobias, agoraphobia, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and others. According to studies, those who suffer from anxiety disorders don't simply respond to stress in a different way. There might be genuine variances in the way each person's brain functions. The amygdala's connections to other areas of the brain may become confused, according to one hypothesis. Anxiety-related neural circuits get stronger. And the pathways get stronger the more anxious you are, creating a vicious cycle.The good news is that anxiety can be treated, so you don't have to endure it. Don't forget, this is not about being weak. It has to do with altering brain patterns, and studies have shown that this is something that is possible throughout life. Doing the fundamentals is a solid first step. Because your mind is an extension of your body, eat a balanced diet, exercise frequently, and get plenty of sleep. Try meditation; it might be beneficial. With mindfulness and breathing, we can reduce the fight-or-flight response and enhance how we feel right now instead of our heart rate increasing and our body tensing.Talk therapy in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy is also very good. It teaches you how to recognize distressing thoughts and evaluate their viability. Cognitive behavioral therapy can gradually restore the brain connections that control the anxiety response. Long-term and short-term relief are both possible with medication. Anti-anxiety medications have the short-term ability to slow down overactive threat detection processes.Studies have demonstrated that cognitive behavioral therapy and long-term medicines can both lessen the overactivity of the amygdala that we associate with anxiety disorders. Diabetes and high blood pressure are conditions that can be managed or treated over time. The same holds true for anxiety disorders as well.