Anxiety and Mixed Metaphors
Getting at the science behind anxiety
Anxiety and Mixed Metaphors
Anxiety actually serves a purpose. When we worry or are anxious about something, it triggers the planning part of our brain. We put together a plan and are able to move forward. But when the anxiety and/or worrying gets stuck in a loop, there's no planning and there's definitely no moving forward. The 'what ifs' take over and then next thing you know, the physical symptoms make an entrance, and a full blown panic attack could be just ahead. Or we might spend the next several hours letting anxiety run the show which impairs how we function with the people and world around us.
Mixed Metaphors
We have this thing in our brain that acts like a smoke detector: the amygdala. It's always on the look out for anything that can be harmful; it's our fight/flight/freeze response. The thing is, it's not logical or discerning. It reacts to whatever we perceive as dangerous. Whether it's a stranger coming toward us or clowns or heights, that smoke detector in our brain goes off based on the info we feed it. If we're afraid of snakes, our brain will always be on the look out for snakes, even if it's sticks or ropes that may or may not look like snakes. When it comes to the smoke detector in our brain, it's important to remember: what we feed, grows.
Starving the Smoke Detector
Since our smoke detector isn't logical, that means we have to be the adult in the room and take charge. Just like we don't feed toddlers chocolate cake and energy drinks for breakfast, we shouldn't feed our smoke detector 'what ifs' and illogical fear. It's not easy and takes effort. We're so used to that anxiety feedback loop about killer clowns that it's made a well-worn path in our brain; it's become our smoke detector's default setting. This is where we take charge, think logically, and re-set that smoke detector's settings. It's also where we starve off those thoughts and beliefs that keep us locked in the anxiety loop. What if I get stuck in the elevator and can't get out? Well, what if I don't and I get to my floor safely and easily? Remember, what we feed, grows so be sure to feed the right things and starve off those that feed your anxiety.