Many of us have faced the dark symptoms of anxiety,
Whether writing an exam or applying for a new job.
But for some, this feeling is difficult to stop even in seemingly
normal situations leaving a lasting effect on
quality of life, so what's going on and
why are you so anxious ? close to 7 million people are
affected by generalized anxiety disorder, meaning
they experience excessive anxiety that occurs more days than not for at least six month.
This can include sleep disturbance, irritability, and muscle tension.
Panic attacks are also possible but slightly different, in that they are sudden
and short episodes of intense fear that trigger
a severe physical reaction like accelerated heart rate, shortness of breath, and dizziness.
In fact, anyone can experience a panic attack, whether or not they have an anxiety disorder,
and it's not always triggered by something known or specific.
While not fully understood, anxiety is partially triggerred by the amygdala and hypothalamus controlling the circulation of cortisol and adrenaline in your body.
Genetically, 40% of those with generalized anxiety disorder also have a relative with it,
meaning these hormone levels are likely linked to your genes.
Your environment can also be a factor,
as certain anxiety disorders are related to traumatic childhood experiences.
Varying levels of neutron transmitters like GABA, serotonin, and dopamine
may also be to blame. Serotonin which
contributes to feeling of well-being and happiness,
works by moving from neuron to neuron in your brain through a gap called the synapse.
Any unused serotonin returns to the original neuron through a special transporter.
But for those with something like OCD, a type of anxiety disorder,
it has been suggested that a mutation in these transporters creates a higher volume of returned serotonin
before it's had a chance to move to the receiving neuron
resulting in a decreased amount in the synapse, ultimately affecting your emotions.
This is why medications like Selective Serotonin Reuptaken Inhibitors
are often used in these anxiety cases to prevent the seretonin from returning to its original neuron.
Many anxiety disorders also show an overactive amygdala and periaqueductal gray area
which can have negative repercussions not just on the
brain but on our bodies. In a study of nearly 300 people over five years,
those who had overactrive amygdalas had a higher incidents of heart disease too
as it triggers an increased production of
white blood cell in the bone marrow,
leading to an inflammatory response which
contributes to increased build-up of fatty deposits in the artery.
If you have a phobia, that's considered an anxiety
disorder too. But since many fears can help use survive
like the fear of spiders or heights,it'be been suggested that
they may be imprinted on our DNA and passed on.
When mice are shocked with electricity after been exposed to
the smell of fruits, they quickly learn to fear that smell.
But more amazing is that the future generations
of mice also fear the fruits' smells,
even though they've never been exposed to the shock. It turns out
that a electrical shock that led to over expression in certain odor receptors,
making the next generation more sensitive to certain
smells. , almost as though they were switched on.
and the switches maybe related to some phobias.
When it comes to treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy
helps to identify certain thoughts that leads to the
feelings influencing your behavior and aims
to change those initial thoughts to combat anxiety disorders.
On the other hand, medications such as SSRIs and SNRIS,
re often used to prevent reuptake of serotonin or norepinephrine,
but can result in many side effects
and often increase tolerance with prolonged use.
Benzodiazepines are also used to help induce sleep and
promote muscle relaxation, but are also linked to dementia in older populations.
Needless to say the neuro-chemical basis of anxiety is extremely complicated
and it's not useful to tell somebody to just calm down or get over it.
So we decided to make a second video breaking down what we do
to combat anxiety with some tips and tricks that
we find work, which you can checkout here, and subscribe for more weekly science videos every Thursday.