Anxiety: What is it, and how do we treat it?

What is anxiety?

Simply put, anxiety is the fear of things that could go wrong. Anxiety’s function is survival by worrying about everything that might not go to plan. It’s like being in a large room looking for an exit. You’ve convinced yourself you are trapped, you keep looking for a way out, seeing every door and then not walking through any of them. So, you stay trapped, certain that the room will catch fire and you won’t be able to exit.

To be or not to be. That is anxiety.

What are the similarities between anxiety and fear?

Anxiety and fear overlap quite a bit and have a protective factor underpinning their function. It’s a physiological response aimed at keeping you safe from real (fear-induced) or perceived (anxiety-induced) threats.

Both trigger the fight-or-flight response, which increases your heart rate and breathing while you tense your muscles in anticipation. Emotionally, anxiety and fear feel similar. You could feel super alert, on the edge, while having a sense of unease or dread. Unlike fear, anxiety can be a prolonged experience as you constantly anticipate and prepare for the worst to happen.     

How do we treat anxiety?

We treat anxiety by talking about your experiences and understanding what makes you anxious. We then look at how your perception and interpretation of your experiences keep you anxious. The most common therapy modality used for the treatment of anxiety is cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT.

Talking about your anxiety and understanding the filters you apply to your experiences can ease the wandering dread floating about. With practice and addressing the “but what if” behaviour, you can reduce your anxiety.

From a medical perspective, your GP may prescribe an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) to reduce your anxiety symptoms.