Online Class: Anxiety Therapy 101

Welcome to "Anxiety Therapy". In today's hyper-stimulated society, more people than ever are suffering from the inability to process stress, trauma- and even daily life with ease. This has led to a sharp increase in anxiety related conditions and has made it necessary for both the common person, as well as professionals to learn about beneficial coping strategies and therapies to minimize the impact.

Life is fraught with frustrations, stress, and occasional disappointments. It is normal to feel bouts of anxiety at times. However, when the worry or fear becomes constant or immobilizing, it has turned from being a healthy form of caution and self-preservation, to a condition in need of attention. Similarly, a person may have an aversion to something -- such as a snake or specific type of food. However, if that aversion turns into an uncontrollable and irrational fear where they imagine snakes at every turn, or develop an eating disorder, treatment should be sought immediately. 

What is Anxiety?

The human body is an amazing vessel that carries out thousands of operations every minute. Despite early thoughts that the mind is separate from the body, ongoing research shows an undeniable link between our mental, emotional, and physical states. And while stress is a normal part of life, a consistent inability to cope with everyday stressors, or experiencing persistent fear or worry, is a sign of a bigger problem.

There are many factors that can potentially influence the development of anxiety. Some of these are internal biological factors, while others are external.

Chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters and hormones are among the internal elements that influence mood and anxiety. Both of these work to transmit signals from the brain and regulate physical, mental, and emotional health. Any imbalance in these critical brain chemicals has the potential to dramatically alter mood and interfere with a person's ability to cope with stress or trauma effectively. This can account for the sudden or progressively erratic behavior shown by some individuals experiencing severe anxiety or depression.

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers produced inside a neuron, which travel and attach themselves to the receptor points of cells and other neurons. Neurotransmitters are classified as two main types: Excitatory neurotransmitters, which cause the neuron or cell to fire or produce an action (example -- adrenaline) and Inhibitory neurotransmitters, which cause the neuron to suppress an action (example -- serotonin).

When a neurotransmitter is triggered because of fear or uncertainty, the brain secretes adrenaline, also known as epinephrine. This is both a neurotransmitter and a hormone, which affects almost every part of the body. Adrenaline is the chief chemical messenger responsible for activating the body's "fight or flight" mechanism, which is activated in the presence of danger.

Adrenaline is a beneficial substance, as it keeps us out of harm's way and provides an extra boost of energy to get through trying times. However, in modern times there seems to be a never-ending barrage of stimulation, which triggers the body's stress response and provides a perpetual flow of adrenaline. Over time, a state of hyperactivity, anxiety, and even paranoia can result.

A hormone is also a chemical messenger that travels through the bloodstream and delivers instructions to various cells and organs, letting them know when to stop, start, or accelerate a process. In addition to impacting mental and emotional balance, hormones regulate hunger, fat storage, sleep and other functions. An inability for hormones to work as needed can cause both mental and physical problems that can lead to anxiety.

Take, for example, the hormone melatonin. This powerful hormone is manufactured in the pineal gland, which is located in the brain. Melatonin is responsible for regulating the body's internal time clock, as well as its biological clock. One component of this is sleep cycle regulation. However if there is a disruption of melatonin production, this can lead to restlessness and eventually insomnia -- the inability to fall asleep even when tired. As you can imagine, chronic sleep deprivation can lead to severe irritability, forgetfulness, and anxiety.

In addition to irregularities in the internal workings of the body, outside elements, such as stress, diet and trauma can all influence our emotional state and set the stage for the development of an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety presents itself in many forms, but the most common forms, as defined by the National Institute for Mental Health, are:

• General Anxiety Disorder
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Panic Disorder
• Social Phobia
• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Other forms of anxiety include agoraphobia, childhood anxiety, separation anxiety, and various eating disorders. A person can develop anxiety or a phobia for any reason and it may not necessarily be mentioned in the list above. However, throughout this course, you will learn about a broad range of therapies that can be beneficial in addressing most cases of anxiety.