As I mentioned before, all anxiety is the same physiologically, no matter where it comes from or what it’s about. However, the goal isn’t to completely stop all anxiety in its tracks. The goal is to harness a reasonable amount of anxiety to power us through difficult tasks, while not getting so anxious that we become overwhelmed. 

To put it a different way, anxiety is like caffeine. In fact, caffeine’s purpose is to suppress calming neurotransmitters like adenosine, so that other stimulating neurotransmitters like serotonin and adrenaline (AKA norepinephrine) can impact the brain instead. Most people seek out caffeine to wake up in the mornings and keep them alert throughout the day. However, too much caffeine can cause people to become overwhelmed by serotonin and adrenaline, sending them into an anxious spiral. 

In the same way, it’s good to have some level of anxiety pumping through one’s veins. It just becomes a bad thing when that anxiety becomes overwhelming, causing excessive fear, restlessness, and even illness. 

One of the best ways to reduce anxiety, no matter what, is to get up, get outside, and get moving at a steady, calm pace. Repetitive motions, like lifting weights or walking with a steady gait over rugged terrain, are especially great at reducing anxiety. Looking for specific things, such as red-colored leaves or chunks of quarts poking out of the soil, are also great ways to ground oneself before anxiety turns to overwhelming fear. 

At least, that's how I coped with my anxiety this morning. 

To be continued…