The Psychological Changes Of Anxiety Symptoms
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The Psychological Changes
The psychological changes associated with stress (which may or may not be a side effect of anxiety symptoms) include changes in the way we think, and sometimes in the way we feel, which, again, help us to cope under stress.
When faced with danger or stress, our thinking becomes more focused and there can be an improvement in concentration and problem-solving. This is an ideal state of mind for anyone facing a serious challenge - a surgeon carrying out an operation, a stockbroker making a swift decision about an investment, a parent restraining a child who is about to walk into the road. Without the stress response their reactions might be too careless.
We can also experience a range of emotional responses to stress such as increased irritability or even a sense of well-being. Imagine the stressed father becoming short-tempered with his children, or the executive who becomes exhilarated as she gets closer to meeting her stressful deadlines, or the excited teenager watching a horror film.
The Behavioral Changes
The behavioral responses to stress or danger are usually forms of escape or vigilance (i.e. flight or fight). If I see a tree branch falling towards me, I get a burst of energy and jump out of the way in order to escape, if l am driving and go into a skid, I become particularly determined to correct this and I find the strength to hold on to the steering wheel. Again, these are vital reactions without such changes in behavior, I would find myself trapped under a branch or caught up in an uncontrolled skid.
Thus, the bodily, mental and behavioral responses to stress are normal, helpful and often vital; and, up to a point, our ability to cope with stress improves as we undergo more stress. This is shown in figure i. At the bottom of the curve, we are relaxed but physically and mentally ill-equipped to deal with danger because we are not primed for action when we are in this state. As our tension rises, our body and mind become increasingly able to confront stress.
Dealing with social anxiety disorders and the varied symptoms can be extremely difficult and at times seem like it's impossible. And the ever increasing range of anxiety medications isn't really helping us to solve the problem - they're simply masking the symptoms. I hope to offer help and support on my blog, by sharing my experiences in suffering from and dealing with panic and anxiety attack symptoms.
