The brain's natural fear response evolved to keep our species safe, so what happens when it goes wrong? The word anxiety comes from the Latin ‘angere’, which literally means ‘to choke’. It describes the feeling of physical and emotional unease we experience when anticipating a threat. It has been critical to our success as a species, making us feel uncomfortable in the face of danger for thousands of years. This issue will take you through the science of anxiety, help you break bad behaviors and rediscover your peace of mind.
The ANTI-ANXIETY handbook
THE SCIENCE OF ANXIETY • The brain’s natural fear response evolved to keep our species safe, so what happens when it goes wrong?
WHAT CAUSES PANIC ATTACKS?
DO ANIMALS GET ANXIOUS?
ANXIETY DISORDERS • The distinction between ‘normal’ levels of anxiety and intrusive, detrimental thoughts can be difficult to make. We look at the most common disorders associated with anxiety and try to understand how they might be negatively influencing our daily lives
GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD) • The ‘catch-all’ condition
SOCIAL ANXIETY • More than extreme shyness
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) • The fallout from trauma
AGORAPHOBIA • No way out
PANIC DISORDER • Fear of fear itself
PHOBIAS • Sweating the small stuff
OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER AND TOURETTE’S SYNDROME • Commonly associated with anxiety
EXPERT ADVICE
THE CYCLE OF ANXIETY • How the ancient foundations of our brain can trap us in anxiety in the present
THE CYCLE OF ANXIETY
SPREADING FEAR • Anxiety is not just personal, it’s social too
FEAR EXPLAINED • The biology of being afraid and why this primal emotion is key to your survival
NATURAL FEARS • Some of our fears have developed as an evolutionary response to danger
FIGHT OR FLIGHT • How your brain and body trigger this evolutionary survival instinct
FEAR ON THE BRAIN • What happens when the brain goes into survival mode?
ANATOMY OF FEAR • The extreme reactions that occur when your body is put on high alert
ARE FEARS GENETIC? • Your phobias could be passed down through generations in DNA
INHERITING FEARS • A study with lab mice suggests that fear is a family affair
LIVING FEARLESSLY
SCARED TO DEATH
FACING YOUR FEARS • Can you retrain your brain to overcome a phobia?
PHOBIA TREATMENTS
ANXIETY IN CHILDREN • Up to one in five children will experience anxiety during their childhood. As parents it’s difficult to know when – or even if – we should seek professional support. Consultant Pediatrician Dr Sinead Doyle answers commonly asked questions to put your mind at rest
GROUNDING TECHNIQUES TO STOP ANXIETY • Things to do to stop your mind spinning out of control
ANXIETY APPS • There are apps for everything nowadays
5-4-3-2-1 TECHNIQUE • Employing the five senses to return to the present
BREATHE • When panic takes over, controlling our breath is one of the best ways of getting back in control
PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION • Learning how to relax the muscles of the body
3-3-3 RULE • Pulling back from panic by the threes
MOOD TRACKING • Discover the hidden cues and nuances of your feelings
MEMORY GAMES • Sometimes, distraction can be your friend
RAINBOW GROUNDING • Using color to get back on track
GROUNDING TECHNIQUES TO STOP ANXIETY
THE TALKING THERAPY THAT WORKS • Cognitive behavioral therapy is the standard treatment for anxiety for a very good reason
STILL WORKING? • Is CBT becoming less effective as a...