it coming from the past, things that just set me off? But why, wouldn’t I know why this happens?
I found this website Helpguide.org it talks about the different symptoms of Anxiety. That’s what I get but I can’t seem to get rid of it. I read the following:
Anxiety
A sophisticated combination of negative, anxious emotions, which includes fear, worrying and fear of consequences. Anxiety is often accompanied by physical symptoms or sensations like a racing heart, breathlessness, nausea, chest pains and sweating for example.
Anxiety is the name given to a perfectly natural response to a perceived threat. Depending on the nature of the threat, anxiety can range from mild concern to extreme ‘fight or flight’ responses, wherein the body prepares itself for extreme physical exertion as part of its in-built ‘self-preservation’ mechanisms.
Anxiety Disorder:
anxiety and anxiety disorders are conditions which make us react inappropriately to normal, fear-inducing thoughts and events. Inappropriate anxious reactions can take the form of heightened physical or mental experiences such as anxiety attacks, strange bodily sensations, strange thoughts and behavior we wouldn’t normally partake in such as aggression, obsessions or sadness for example.
‘Disorder’ is actually the wrong name for an anxiety condition because it suggests that there is something medically wrong with us… there isn’t. (I will continue to refer to anxiety conditions as ‘anxiety disorder’ for simplicity as it is how most people refer to this type of condition.)
In anxiety conditions, the sensations, thoughts, behaviors and symptoms we experience are not dangerous or the sign of any sort of illness, they are ‘normal’ reactions to anxiety. In anxiety conditions however, the constant or repeated presence of these symptoms, thoughts and sensations is inappropriate.
Anxiety experienced when there is no threat or danger present is called inappropriate anxiety. Experiencing constant, inappropriate anxiety means that the brain has become ‘re-set’ at a higher ‘resting’ anxiety level. Your brain and body think that this new level of anxiety is ‘normal’ and adopts the anxious behavior which then becomes instinctual, rather like digestion, circulation or breathing; these normal bodily functions are subconscious, automatic and require no ‘conscious’ action by you.
The resultant anxiety disorder can cause many symptoms, thoughts and sensations of anxiety… inappropriate anxiety symptoms can ‘feel’ very real, even though they are not caused by ‘real’ danger. You see, although you may feel anxious or scared, these are the sensations of fear and NOT real fear… you can only experience TRUE fear when there is something present which is potentially harmful to you. Doesn’t that make sense?
Your anxiety condition is caused mostly by repeated over-stimulation of the system in our body which helps us to react when we are exposed to a threat. This repeated stimulation resets our ‘normal’ anxiety levels in a small organ in the brain called the Amygdala. This process is called ‘conditioned learning’ or Operant Conditioning. It’s the process we all follow to learn anything new. It’s the process we all follow to learn anything new through repetition such as riding a bicycle or reading… by reinforcing that behavior we perfect it, which is exactly what has happened to cause your anxiety to become an anxiety disorder!
The scientist most known for his research into Operant Conditioning is Burrhus Skinner. His research findings are the key to recovery from an anxiety condition.
The Amygdala can be likened to a light switch. It is either anxiety ON or anxiety OFF. When it is anxiety OFF, it can only be activated by anxiety-provoking stimuli, such as stress, danger or extreme sadness, for example. But, it can get stuck in the anxiety ON position… this is when anxiety disorders are formed.
By over-stimulation of this system due to stress or bereavement etc., the physical and mental self can create anxious habits which then escalate into anxiety disorder and panic disorder symptoms like:
Social Anxiety / Agoraphobia
Situational Anxiety
Phobias
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Panic Attacks
Yes, I said symptoms! These conditions are not separate anxiety conditions; they are symptoms of anxiety disorder.
Why? Because each one relies 100% on your underlying anxiety disorder for their very existence. Take away the anxiety disorder and OCD, Social Anxiety, Phobias and all the associated sensations fade away! FACT!
In the US, approximately 1 in 4 people will suffer from anxiety disorder at some point. That’s currently, at least 21 million sufferers!
Anxiety disorders are debilitating and sometimes frightening conditions which cause sufferers to physically and emotionally withdraw for self preservation.
Unless you have sufferer personally, it is impossible to understand how frightened and lonely sufferers can feel.
The vicious circle of anxiety symptoms and thoughts escalates and the sufferer may start implementing avoidance techniques in order to stay in a place of safety. Phobias such as agoraphobia and social phobia may develop and the anxiety escalates as the sufferer starts to restrict their daily routines and even allow their symptoms to dictate to them when, if or whether they can work or take part in normal activities.
Sufferers can become obsessive; this may develop into an obsessive-compulsive condition that causes the sufferer to carry out certain rituals. The anxiety sufferers may experience as a result of NOT carrying out such rituals fuels the need to do them. Some anxiety rituals include organizing or ordering, cleanliness or obsessions about health for example. Although many believe that these obsessions are part of a separate condition called OCD, if you eliminate the anxiety which drives them, they fade away.
Sound familiar?
A successful anxiety treatment should address this imbalance in the Amygdala directly in order to eliminate the ‘inappropriate anxiety’ at its source. The correct treatment should not dwell on apportioning blame to life circumstances or events – it should simply give you the solution you need to defeat your anxiety right now and return quickly and permanently to total wellness, anxiety-free and free of the symptoms, sensations, thoughts and obsessions which dominate your life completely.