Big Beautiful Brains:
Humans have the biggest brain relative to body size of any mammal on earth. And not to get all braggy on behalf of our species, but it’s our brain-to-body ratio that makes us highly intelligent. Having such a powerful thinking machine atop our shoulders has aided humans in immeasurable ways – not least of all enabling us to survive. But it is the same brain centres that aided survival that lead to worry and anxiety.
Read on to discover the connection between worry, survival and the ways in which an anxiety counsellor can help you to navigate these evolutionary glitches. With the right supports, just like the sabre tooth tiger, you can make the effects of these evolutionary hold-overs an ancient relic of the past.
Evolution Favoured the Worrywart:
Humans are hardwired to worry. This may sound bleak but worry actually functioned as a vital survival mechanism for our ancestors. It serves to keep our attention constantly scanning for threats and consumed with overcoming hurdles to wellbeing.
Our ancestors would not have lived long enough to make cave babies without this tendency. Imagine your great-great-great-great-great-great relative out for a quick ‘hunter and gathering sesh’, without a care in the world, when wham! Attacked and eaten by a sabre tooth tiger. And just like that … they’re dead. RIP ancient buddy. While it’s wonderful to be happy and carefree, from an evolutionary standpoint, it’s better to be alive.
DMN for the Win:
As a result, humans have areas of the brain called the default mode network (DMN), that’s primary role is to continually assess safety and plan for wellbeing. And it functions outside conscious awareness so that it can run more often than not. But for many of us this system over functions and voila, we are now dealing with chronic worry.
Modern Worry:
The modern human must navigate a very different world to that of our ancestors. But our attention still drifts naturally and effortlessly toward real or perceived danger thanks to the DMN.
What it looks like when the DMN takes over our experience in the modern world:
- Rehashing what you wish you had said instead of what you actually said
- Fixating on the hurtful behaviour of others
- Guessing the intentions of others
- Shaming and blaming self for past mistakes
- Reliving embarrassing encounters with others
- Rehashing conversations with others in your head
- Agonising over the “what if’s…”
- Worry about things you can’t control
- Realising you have been lost in thought
- Can’t switch your brain off even when you’re exhausted
Emotional Discomfort:
When the Default Mode Network (DMN) activates, it triggers uncomfortable internal emotions and sensations in the body. This makes sense. Emotions function to get our attention so that we take actions that promote our wellbeing. And nothing gets our attention more urgently than discomfort! It’s the emotional equivalent to yanking your hand back from contact with a hot stove.
How we interact with these sensations matters. While quickly withdrawing from the source of physical pain makes perfect sense, the solution for emotional pain is much more complex.
Emotions Just Happen:
In navigating physical dangers, controlling cause and effect is crucial. This unconscious thought process extends to emotional pain, where avoidance seems like a logical strategy. But unfortunately, this is not the case. Emotions arise spontaneously. Like a bad hair day, they just happen. And not being able to control things, from an unruly cowlick to our emotions, understandably freaks people out.
The Fear of Fear:
Because we can’t control it, we come to fear it. Fear is the body’s high tech alarm system which cues fight, flee, or freeze behaviours to help us avoid harm. When we receive this cue and respond to threats in the physical world it often promotes increased safety. When we attempt to fight or flee from our emotions, on the other hand, it doesn’t work, or at least not for long.
Resisting or withdrawing from emotions works for a nanosecond, but is swiftly followed by the rebound effect. This is when the emotion we tried so hard to suppress, reoccurs with increased intensity. That nanosecond, however, is enough for us to hang on, with a death grip, to this strategy that actually is the source of our suffering. Thus a cycle of fear is born.
We are no longer fearful of the sabre tooth tiger (having been extinct for between 8,000 to 10,000 years is helpful on this front), but of our own internal emotions from which there is no lasting escape.
Avoidance as the Problem not Solution:
Research shows that avoidance of internal experiences are a core feature of all anxiety disorders. So a different strategy is needed.
Levels of Support to Navigate Evolutionary Glitches:
It is still important for our species to navigate the world and survive. Instead of avoidance, we now have strategies to keep the DMN and other evolutionary glitches in check so that we don’t have to suffer unnecessarily from worry and anxiety.
In Need of Self-soothing:
If you experience worry and anxiety only now and then, know that you are perfectly normal and that this is a healthy part of the human experience. This also likely means that you do not engage in a battle with your emotions. Instead, you navigate your emotions much like you navigate your in-laws. You can graciously tolerate their presence knowing that they won’t stick around forever. BIG sigh of relief!
You also likely understand strategies that enable you to feel your feelings without losing your emotional balance. Strategies for self-soothing can look different for different people. So if it’s mindfulness, meditation, or hot baths you are likely familiar with whatever helps you to relax in the face of your emotions. If this sounds impossible, you might fit into the next category.
In Need of Therapy:
Instead, do you notice that worry and anxiety have become a frequent part of your daily life and are getting in the way of your ability to settle and focus. Is it hard for you to sit with your emotions despite also not being able to get away from them? And are you seeking to distract yourself from the discomfort of anxiety only to have these strategies distract you from what is good in your life? Is your anxiety getting worse, not better as you try to manage on your own? Finally, do you notice that your world is getting smaller because you are avoiding more and more people, places, or activities that elicit discomfort?
If this is you, it is time to seek support. It is possible to break the cycle of anxiety (I promise). A trained anxiety counsellor can help you navigate these evolutionary glitches so that you no longer fear or battle your feelings. You can learn to be with emotions in ways that are empowering and not scary or limiting.
Talk to your Doctor About Medication:
If you are experiencing crippling anxiety that is ruling your life, you can also talk to your doctor about medication. However, research shows that medication alone does not produce the same positive results as when combined with effective therapy. I also encourage people to not rely on medication alone because this is a missed opportunity to learn to navigate the human mind (DMN) effectively. It is also a missed opportunity to discover other contributing factors that have compounded your experience of anxiety.
Types of Therapy for Anxiety:
There are a number of therapeutic approaches that are very effective at providing relief from anxiety. You have done a great job of not falling asleep while reading my blog so far! I am not about to punish you now by launching into the nerdy merits of each approach. All you need to know is that as an avid learner, I have pursued advanced training in what I believe to be the best and most effective evidence-based approaches for creating lasting change for anxiety.
Depending on your personal story, I will work with you to find the best approach for addressing your individual experience of worry and anxiety. As part of this approach we will explore strategies for navigating the evolutionary glitches that give rise to worry and anxiety. We will also address any other factors that contribute to your experience of anxiety.
Conclusion:
Worry is a normal part of the human experience. Once worry outlives its usefulness and transforms into disruptive anxiety, seeking support becomes essential. Left unattended, it can spiral out of control and become a disruptive force in your life. A trained anxiety counsellor can be your ticket to understanding the sources and solutions to your anxiety. They can help you to find your way back to calm.
There is no need to suffer with worry and anxiety on your own! There are proven strategies and approaches that provide relief. Let’s connect and talk about how I can support you to break free from the hold that worry and anxiety have over your life and relationships.
