Anxiety is a normal reaction to stressful situation. In some cases, it can be excessive and causes sufferers to dread everyday situation. To see how anxiety develops into panic, phobia, uncontrollable worries and excessive tension, it is necessary to understand normal anxiety.
Now, imagine yourself standing in front of a large, fierce black dog, it looks at you,snarl, barks and start to run towards you. Here, your body start working fast. Your brain automatically become aware of danger. Adrenaline immediately released to activate your involuntary nervous system and instantly causes your body changes to act quickly, avoid injury, and escape danger. The changes include the following:
a) Breathing speeds up.
The lung and nostrils open wide, increasing the amount of oxygen available for the muscles.
b) Heart rate and blood pressure increase.
So the oxygen and nutrients required by the body cells can be transported quickly to where they are needed.
c) Blood diverted to muscles.
Particularly, the large muscles in the leg to allow the rapid flight.less blood is allocated to areas which do not immediately require nutrition. Blood moves away from the face and you becomes pale.
d) Muscle tense.
Preparing you to response quickly.
e) Blood clotting ability increase.
It is to minimise blood loss should injury occur.
f) Sweating increases.
It is to cool the body, stop from overheating when streneous physical activity begin. Blood vessel expand and and more towards the skin to cool the blood. This may show as blushing or blotchy skin.
g) The mind become focused.
You come out with the fast thought, “what is the danger? How can i get to safety?”
h) Digestion is put on hold.
Your mouth dries as less saliva is produced. Food sits heavily in the stomach and you may feel nausea or “butterflies”. Istead, glucose – a form of sugar which the body can use quickly – is released from liver to provide energy.
i) The immune system slows down.
In the short-term, the body puts all of its efforts into escaping. Who cares if you stopped yourself catching a cold if three seconds later you were be attacked by a dog!
j) Sphincter of muscles of bowel and bladder tighten.
So that no trail is left by which a predator could track you down.
Not all anxiety is of the same intensity. For example, during interview or examination, these situation will increase your anxiety but not in the same degree as when you are faced with a vicious dog. However, whatever the degree of your anxiety experieced, it is controlled by the involuntary nervous system. The fight or flight response is triggered by vague worries, just as it is by full-blown panic; the alarm goes off, but to a lesser degree.
Credit Picture :- Body And Soul
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