Is it Anxiety, Fear or Worry?
Is it Anxiety, Fear or Worry?
Changing Our Thoughts can Help Our Brains from Initiating or Contributing to Anxiety
In our recent Anxiety blog posts we’ve been discussing anxiety. It also may be helpful to distinguish between fear and anxiety. While anxiety and fear are similar, they are different in that fear is associated with a clear, present, identifiable threat. Anxiety occurs in the absence of immediate peril (or fear) and, as we’ve said may be unconscious and persistent, which we’ve identified as chronic anxiety.
Anxiety can be initiated by two different areas of the brain: the cortex and the amygdala.
We know that some people find their anxiety arises more frequently in one pathway or another.
The amygdala triggers the fight, flight or freeze response, like slamming on your brakes to avoid a car accident.
This anxiety response has passed down virtually unchanged from the earliest vertebrates on earth. Intended to keep us safe from threats, we’ve called this the “lizard brain” previously. The cerebral cortex is involved in our perceptions and thoughts about situations, sometimes called the "executive function.” In the car example, it’s a vague anxiety about driving on the freeway, especially if you’ve narrowly avoided an accident in your past. It has developed more recently in evolutionary terms. While thoughts originating in the cortex may also be a cause of anxiety, changing our thoughts can also decrease the anxiety we may, or may not, be aware of.
We often discuss with our clients worry versus anxiety. We clarify that worry is an outgrowth of anticipation of negative outcomes in a situation. We’ve heard it said that worry is like rocking in a rocking chair: it might make you feel better, but it doesn’t get you anywhere. It’s also not helpful to just tell yourself to stop worrying. If you find your thoughts keep turning to ideas or images that increase your anxiety, you’re probably experiencing cortex-based anxiety. The answer is that changing our thoughts can help us prevent cognitive processes from initiating or contributing to anxiety.
Here are five things to help you change your thoughts in an anxious moment:
Ask is this an “amygdala hijack?” Do a quick check - am I really in physical danger? Chances are good that you are not: so take three, slow deep breaths, and move on to step two.
Use your cerebral cortex: be honest with yourself. Ask -"what is my role in this?" What am I doing or failing to do that is increasing anxiety, and then, what can I do to lower it?
Be curious (cortex again) coming from a place of inquiry. What can I change in myself, and learn from this experience, to reduce the chances of this anxiety producing situation from happening again?
Use playfulness to lessen tension in yourself and others.
Don't take yourself too seriously!
Decide to bring a calming presence to situations today and moving forward. Chances are others around you are responding anxiously. How do you remain calm in this experience and thus encourage others to remain calm Focus on facts, rather than falsehoods, assumptions, judgements and, especially, gossip.
Becoming a less anxious presence using these five steps takes time and practice. It's a journey to be enjoyed! It’s also how we learn to "stay calm, stay the course, and stay connected."
Our Anxiety Series
Mike Nowland
To learn more about self-differentiation and reducing chronic anxiety and doubt with Resilient Leadership concepts, contact Mike at miken@resilientleadershipdevelopment.com.
Visit this page often to learn from other people how the Resilient Leadership model has transformed their careers and lives.
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