We all know the fight-or-flight response. A sudden dump of adrenaline into our bloodstream causes our heart rate to jump, increasing our pulse rate and blood pressure. Blood vessels in our heart and brain dilate, bringing extra oxygen, sugar, and fats to our muscles and vital organs. Small airways in the lungs expand, increasing respiration. Our vision narrows. At the same time, the rest of our body shuts down to minimize blood loss in the event of an injury. Digestive, reproductive, and immune systems slow or stop. Constriction of peripheral blood vessels causes our hands and feet to feel cold. Our brains also trigger the release of cortisol, dampening the effects of pain and injury until we get past the perceived threat.
When being chased by a bear, all of these responses are perfectly logical. But for someone who lives with an anxiety disorder, these effects may continue for extended periods of time. And because they all happen automatically – even before our conscious mind can sense the threat – we are not physically capable of shutting them down.
For those who do not understand what an anxiety disorder feels like, it can be easy to say or think that someone you love should just calm down. But the systems that form these responses evolved in all of our brains long before our cognitive centers came to exist. You can no sooner calm the fight-or-flight response than you can tell your heart to stop beating or your stomach to stop digesting. This is what anxiety feels like, and our bodies were not meant to live like this for extended periods of time.
