What Happens in the Brain When You Feel Anxious?
People often feel anxious, but the brain processes that cause it are complicated and have many parts. Knowing what goes on in the brain during worry can help us figure out where it comes from and how to treat it.
The Parts of Anxiety
The limbic system, which controls feelings, memories, and arousal, is where anxiety mostly happens in the brain. The amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex are some of the most important parts of the brain. Each of them plays a unique role in how we feel anxious.
1. The Amygdala:
The amygdala is a key part of processing feelings, especially fear and anxiety. It is located deep in the temporal lobes. It quickly checks for threats in the surroundings and sends out early warnings. The amygdala becomes overactive when someone is anxious, which sets off the body’s “fight or flight” reaction even when there is no danger.
2. The Hippocampus:
The hippocampus is right next to the amygdala and is very important for making and remembering memories. The hippocampus often changes shape in people with anxiety disorders, which makes it harder to remember things and makes fear reactions stronger. This can keep you thinking and acting anxiously over and over again.
3. The prefrontal cortex:
The ventromedial and dorsolateral parts of the prefrontal cortex control how we make choices, solve problems, and feel emotions. When someone is anxious, this part of the brain has trouble blocking the amygdala’s alarm messages. This problem can make people overestimate threats and underestimate their own abilities to deal with them, which can make their worry worse.
Neurotransmitters and Stress
Neurotransmitters are chemical messages that help neurons talk to each other. Several types of neurotransmitters are linked to anxiety disorders:
Serotonin:
Antidepressants often work by targeting serotonin, which helps control mood. Low amounts of serotonin are linked to more anxiety, which makes it harder to keep your mood stable and handle your emotions.
Beta-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA):
GABA is the brain’s main inhibitory chemical; it stops neurons from firing too quickly. When there isn’t enough GABA activity, anxiety levels can rise because the brain has to work harder to control overactive fear reactions.
Norepinephrine:
Norepinephrine is part of how the body reacts to worry. High levels can make worry symptoms worse by making you sweat, race your heartbeat, and be more alert.
How the body reacts to stress and anxiety
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis controls the body’s stress response and is closely linked to anxiety. The brain releases the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) when it senses danger. This tells the pituitary gland to make the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The adrenal glands then release cortisol and adrenaline, which get the body ready to face or run away from danger.
Stress and worry that last for a long time can throw off the HPA axis, which causes cortisol to be released for a longer time. High amounts of cortisol can make it harder to think clearly, sleep, and fight off infections, all of which can make anxiety symptoms worse.
Neuronal Circuits and Mental Health Problems
Anxiety disorders are a group of diseases marked by excessive fear and worry. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and certain phobias are all common illnesses. Different neural pathways and neurotransmitter imbalances are involved in each disorder:
1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD):
People with GAD worry too much and too often about many things in their lives. Neuroimaging studies show problems in the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and insula, which show problems with controlling thoughts and emotions.
2. Panic Disorder:
People with panic disorder have panic attacks over and over again, which are intensely scary and cause physical signs like chest pain and shortness of breath. Problems with the amygdala and locus coeruleus, a brainstem nucleus that controls stress reactions, may be a cause of panic disorder.
3. Social Anxiety Disorder:
People with this disorder are very afraid of being around other people because they are afraid of being judged or embarrassed. Problems in the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and striatum may make people more aware of social threats and make them avoid situations where they might be threatened.
Methods of Treatment
Understanding the neurobiology of worry has led to a number of different ways to treat it:
1. Medicines:
Benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are often recommended to help people with anxiety. Neurotransmitter imbalances are what these drugs are meant to fix so that emotional reactions can be controlled.
2. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
CBT is a type of psychotherapy that helps people with anxiety notice and change the unhelpful ways they think and act. Cognitive restructuring and exposure techniques are two ways that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help lessen anxiety symptoms and keep people from relapsing.
3. Techniques for Mindfulness and Relaxation:
Mindfulness-based treatments, like yoga and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), help people relax and keep their emotions in check. These routines make you more aware of what you’re doing in the present moment, which makes it easier to deal with thoughts that make you anxious.
In conclusion
There are many things that can cause anxiety illnesses, including genetic, environmental, and neurobiological factors. Neuroscience has made progress in understanding the complex brain circuits and neurotransmitter systems that are involved in anxiety disorders. This has made it possible for more tailored therapies to be used. Clinicians can give more personalized and effective treatments for anxiety disorders by looking at both the psychological and neurobiological causes of worry. This makes life better for people who have anxiety disorders.