Anxiety: Causes and Coping Mechanisms

Anxiety - it’s a word that many of us have heard on a daily basis, but what exactly causes it, and furthermore, what can someone do to minimize the impacts of anxiety?

Image by OT Works

Many of us have had that feeling before - think about a time when you have been exposed to something that completely stresses you out. Maybe it’s a long standardized test that makes you feel dizzy. Maybe it's a spider that you found outside that makes your stomach drop. Or perhaps it's a platform far above the ground that makes your heart race at the thought of falling. If you notice that you may feel physical symptoms in response to stress, you are far from alone. The American Psychological Association (APA) reported in a 2022 study that 76% of adults experienced physical symptoms due to anxiety within a 1 month period. This is a strong sign that our body’s responses to stress are quite normal, but why do we react that way?

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, your brain sends signals to the adrenal gland upon noticing a stressor. Your adrenal gland releases hormones, such as adrenaline that reach various parts of your body. Adrenaline prepares the body to react with a fight or flight response. This response will result in an impulse to attack (fight) the stressor, which your body interprets as a danger, or flee (flight) the area where your body senses danger. As a whole, your nervous and endocrine systems are causing your body react in a precautionary manner in order to protect you from any potential danger.

To manage short-term anxiety, self-calming behaviors such as deep breathing can help calm yourself down. Additionally, grounding techniques (such as the 5-4-3-2-1 method) help you to regain control of your situation relatively quickly. Self-care apps for a cell phone also are available, allowing users to access methods such as journaling that allow them to reflect on certain ways they experience stress in their day-to-day life.

Long-term anxiety can signify the development of an anxiety disorder or condition, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or phobias. For those diagnosed with a disorder, treatment may include therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, which according to the American Psychological Association, helps “patients learn to identify and manage the factors that contribute to their anxiety.” Treatment may also include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which according to Mayo Clinic, block neurons from reabsorbing serotonin. In turn, this makes more serotonin available to ease anxiety symptoms. Doses can be adjusted regularly depending on factors such as overall stress levels and a person’s ability to manage stress.

Anxiety, whether it is a short-term or long-term issue, has a stigma surrounding it. The subject as a whole may intimidate some people, and be hard to talk about for others. But what is most important is that people know how it can affect someone they care about, and what options are available to those who may be struggling with anxiety on a short-term or long-term basis.  People in a crisis should contact a hotline or seek emergency help, but for those still struggling on a non-emergent level, there are still many treatments and tools available to ease symptoms and create a better, stress-free life.