Imagine in the dead of night being snuggled comfortably in bed when a screeching sound wakes
you. Physically alarmed, you recognize that it is the smoke detector. You spring out of bed and
frantically search the house for a fire. Worried thoughts of danger beat your heart faster and your
breath grows shallow due to the stress. Will you be able to put out the fire before it takes over?
Safety is your number one priority. Thankfully each room is void of any flames. More air enters
your lungs with each ensuing step. Soon you discover this is a false alarm and your heart rate
slowly returns to normal even though being this startled has left its mark on you.
Certain types of anxiety can throw you into the same sense of danger where your heart beats loud
enough in your ears that now your chest tightens, and your shallow breathing leaves you feeling
dizzy. The fire in your veins is adrenaline, the hormone that springs your heart and body into
action by increasing your blood pressure and giving you the sense that things will burn down if
you don’t do something drastic to avoid physical harm. Worry breathes oxygen into the flames of
a full-blown crisis and fear fuels the need to be freed from its stressful grip. Yet, in reality—this
is the body’s false alarm. There is no physical threat, even though your body says otherwise. It’s
easy to be doused with emotions and thoughts that feed even more power to the perceived threat.
Acknowledging that anxiety has a vital purpose, as does a fire alarm, will help in addressing
times when your anxiety is anything but the helpful response it was designed to be. Anxiety
should motivate individuals to prepare for stressful situations that arise. However, when anxiety
becomes disruptive to life, then it can be detrimental to one’s mental and physical health.
Anxiety can mimic the intense and overwhelming sensations of responding to a fire alarm by
triggering a cascade of physical and emotional reactions that encourage further panic and
distress. Understanding how your body processes threats and protects itself from danger can
bring awareness of how to return to a calmer state after feeling vulnerable.
Anxiety involves the emotional brain (limbic system) and the prefrontal cortex (rational brain).
Emotional reactions and cognitive processes play a significant role in the experience of anxiety.
Having an awareness of this neurological interplay can help in developing effective strategies to
manage anxiety, reduce stress, and alleviate excessive worry.
Limbic System (Emotional Brain)
1. Amygdala:
Role: The amygdala detects threats and sends warning signals to the command
center known as the hypothalamus to trigger the fight-or-flight response to ensure
safety.
Impact on Anxiety: When the amygdala perceives something as threatening,
such as loud noises, quick or unexpected movement, sudden changes in lighting,
physical pain, or physical discomfort, along with threats of confrontation or
violence, it sends alarm signals that result in automatic, emotional responses.
2. Hypothalamus:
Role: The hypothalamus coordinates the perceived threat signals and activates the
fight-or-flight response at the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis to release
stress chemicals such as adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) and cortisol as
part of the activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System. Physical symptoms
manifested in this state include heart rate, shallow breathing, sweating, muscle
tension, and pupil dilation.
Impact on Anxiety: After the threat passes, the parasympathetic nervous system
helps the body reverse the fight-or-flight effects by releasing acetylcholine to
allow the body to rest and recuperate.
3. Hippocampus:
Role: The hippocampus helps regulate learning, motivation, and memories.
Emotional memories can be recalled or triggered through the senses (sight, sound,
smell, taste, or touch).
Impact on Anxiety: Past traumatic events or stressful experiences are stored in
the hippocampus and can trigger anxiety when similar conditions associated with
those memories arise. This can lead to overprotective measures.
Prefrontal Cortex (Rational Brain)
Cognitive Processing: responsible for higher-order functioning such as decision-
making, working memory, personality expression, and social behavior.
Executive Function: Specifically involves processes related to goal-directed
behavior, self-regulation, inhibitory control, adaptive problem-solving, and focus
attention.
Impact on Anxiety: The prefrontal cortex can help alleviate anxiety by assessing
situations where excessive worry, rumination, and overthinking occur and
applying rational thought. If threatening thoughts aren’t challenged, the anxiety
cycle can go as follows: an alarm is triggered, unhelpful negative thoughts enter,
influencing feelings or vice-versa, feelings influence thoughts, physical responses
heighten the alarm, the behavior might be irrational, and then the cycle repeats
with the trigger sounding again.
Bidirectional Influence:
The limbic system and the prefrontal cortex constantly interact. However, heightened activity in
the amygdala can impair prefrontal cortex functioning, making it harder to think rationally.
Long-term stress can weaken the prefrontal cortex's ability to regulate the amygdala, leading to
more frequent and intense anxiety responses, especially in the face of past failures, loss or grief,
fear of the unknown, negative thoughts, and rigid expectations. Knowing this risk could help
when pinpointing the reasons for our adverse reactions. When Chronic Stress persists, it can lead
to the emotional manifestation of anxiety because of the external pressures or demands, which
can be physical, emotional, or psychological.
The physiological stress response often drives patterns of worry. Worry is a cognitive process
that focuses on future mishaps and past problems. Repetitive anxious thoughts about probable
negative outcomes are also core components of anxiety. People with anxiety disorders often
experience excessive worry about various aspects of their lives. This worry can be persistent and
overwhelming, therefore encouraging anxiety. This can impair decision-making and reduce the
ability to focus on the positive aspects of life. Just like changing the fire alarm battery or
resetting it is necessary to stop the siren, we can reset our system by disarming the situation with
coping statements.
Anxiety Coping Statements
Anxiety is a normal human emotion
I am safe
I am stronger than I think
I have survived this before, and I will survive it again
This is uncomfortable but I can accept it
I am not my anxiety
I am doing my best
My thoughts are not always accurate or true
It is okay to ask for help
Conclusion
It’s common to have a fire alarm go off without any real danger present, it is just as common to
have anxiety send alarm signals for self-protection, especially if stress and worry surround the
uncertainty one feels. Knowing how the brain responds to anxiety emotionally and cognitively
allows for practical steps to be utilized to quiet the alarms that sound in the heart and mind.
Other effective management strategies are Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness,
Relaxation Techniques, and maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle where exercise and sleep are
important. It wouldn’t be wise to rid our homes of fire alarms because of this unfortunate flaw.
Therefore, wisely adjusting to our body’s safety measures can help us accept the occasional
incorrect response for one that is more rational and effective.
Resources
TEDxPortsmouth–Dr. Alan Watkins–Being Brilliant Every Single Day (Part 1)
https://youtu.be/q06YIWCR2Js?si=NkBzZAwbOckDdeF_
TEDxPortsmouth–Dr. Alan Watkins–Being Brilliant Every Single Day (Part 2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=BVsr9m1m0Onh2qH7&v=Q_fFattg8N0&feature=youtu.be
