Physiological and pathological anxiety 

“What anxiety!” , “You make me anxious!”, “Enough with the anxiety!”. Who has never happened to exclaim such a phrase? 

Angĕre in Latin means “to tighten ”, an etymology that already conveys the sensation one feels very clearly. Those in the grip of anxiety feel suffocated, almost paralyzed, mentally but also physically. 

However, the fact that anxiety is a very specific bio-psychological state is often underestimated , which can take on different forms and in some cases must be addressed with the help of a professional. The most important distinction is that between physiological and pathological anxiety: 

> physiological anxiety , so to speak, is the “normal” one. Faced with a concrete danger, the individual “activates” all his resources in order to adapt as best he can. Physiological anxiety is what pushes a student to do their utmost to review the book from top to bottom and not make a bad impression on the exam; 

> pathological anxiety, on the other hand, is not adaptive, but maladaptive, because it is a state of constant tension that “blocks” the individual and makes him lose lucidity.

If the physiological anxiety diminishes as time passes and the person faces obstacles, the pathological anxiety instead remains unchanged and pushes him to hide , withdrawing into himself. Instead of helping the person cope with the problems he is facing, in short, anxiety itself becomes a problem .

The causes of anxiety

According to Sigmund Freud, father of psychoanalysis, anxiety derives from an inner conflict that can date back to childhood or develop in adulthood. 

In his view, each subject is made up of three different psychic places . In a nutshell, the ego is the consciousness presided over by the reality principle, which must mediate between the drives of the id (governed by the pleasure principle, devoid of logic and morality) and the moral censorship of the superego , which arises from the conditioning first of parents and then of society.

Anxiety emerges when the id expresses needs and impulses that the ego cannot fully contain , and which can manifest themselves in the form of obsessive thoughts, compulsive rituals, phobias and so on.  

The interpretation of psychoanalysis focuses on the interiority of the individual, while sociology gives us a look at the dynamics of the society in which he lives. If we cross these two disciplines, we can get a more complete idea of ​​the causes that trigger anxiety and above all of why this feeling affects our present so much. 

Our society, according to sociologist Zygmunt Bauman , is ” liquid “. In this world dominated by the “culture of the now” and the “culture of haste”, man is by definition precarious and cannot find stable footholds at a family, professional and emotional level. 

Not having the material time to reflect on himself and what is really important, he feels disoriented and insecure . According to Bauman, the dominant state of mind is precisely anxiety, anxiety that evolves into fear . The past is “full of horrors”, the present is threatened by terrorism, environmental risks, crime and so on, the future is distant and just as risky. 

Bauman’s vision (summarized here in a few lines) may seem apocalyptic, but it has its roots in the reality that we all experience firsthand, sometimes without explicitly reflecting on it.

For our grandparents or even our parents, the lines of life were largely already drawn . Social mobility was very low, the job at the age of twenty remained more or less the same throughout their life, those who wanted to start a family could count on a much tighter social network. 

We now have a lot more choice, but that means we also have a lot more chance of error . And it is precisely this “liquid” identity of ours, to return to Bauman’s words, that makes our sense of anxiety grow. 

Anxiety strategies and remedies

As we have seen, if it occurs only in specific contexts and remains at acceptable levels, anxiety is a normal state of mind. However, when it takes on the shape of a real generalized anxiety disorder , it becomes a burden capable of oppressing relationships, emotions and the unfolding of daily life.

In this second case, it becomes essential to ask for psychological support , turning to a qualified professional. 

It may also be useful to adopt some simple strategies which, without replacing the advice of a therapist, help to keep anxiety under control . Let’s explore some of them. 

Take a break from social networks

It happens to everyone, on a train or in a queue, to dedicate whole minutes to scrolling the Instagram or Facebook home page , passing from a selfie and a video, from a meme to a story. Especially for the youngest, however, this habit can be the trigger that triggers the so-called FOMO (fear of missing out, literally ” fear of missing something “).

With this acronym, scholars mean the subtle concern at the idea of ​​being excluded from the glittering life that friends or influencers show off on social networks. FOMO is accompanied by a constant sense of inadequacy , which can harm self-esteem and psychological well-being. 

As the UK  Royal Society for Public Health’s #Statusofmind campaign reports, the incidence of anxiety and depression among boys and teens has increased by 70% over the past 25 years. When asked to indicate the causes of their malaise, often those directly concerned name their social networks .

This does not mean that new communication channels are always and only negative, on the contrary: if used wisely , they help to keep in touch, to discover interesting contents, to express one’s ideas. 

But every now and then it is not wrong to allow yourself a few hours (or even a few days) of blackout , silencing notifications with all their load of tension.

Fill up on vitamins

It is known that taking vitamin supplements is useful for combating seasonal ailments, compensating for deficiencies , overcoming fatigue . A little less intuitive is to imagine them as possible remedies for anxiety. Yet some scientific evidence points precisely in this direction.

A meta-analysis published by Psychosomatic Medicine , for example, shows that groups of apparently healthy people , after taking vitamin supplements for 28 days, saw a noticeable improvement in mood. 

This – the scholars suppose – because the supplements have made up for some dietary deficiencies that until then had gone unnoticed, and which in turn prevented the activation of certain enzymes . 

Practice mindfulness meditation

Focus on your feelings, become aware of yourself and your role in the world and rediscover the fullness of existence , isolating negative thoughts. They are the cardinal principles of mindfulness meditation , which is inspired by Buddhist practices and emotional education. 

Can this practice be useful for lowering the level of anxiety? According to a paper published by Jama Internal Medicine , the answer is “yes”. 

The researchers analyzed 47 different clinical studies involving a total of 3,515 patients with a range of disorders , ranging from anxiety, depression and insomnia to heart problems, chronic pain and cancer. All, in different ways, had practiced cycles of meditation.

If it has not been possible to demonstrate a correlation between mindfulness and eating habits, weight and sleep quality, the disorder on which the most tangible positive consequences have been highlighted is precisely anxiety .  

Seek the support of trusted people

Contemporary society, with its whirling rhythms and its infinite possibilities of choice, often makes us feel alone against the world . If so, what is the point of reacting to anxiety by withdrawing even more in oneself and refusing the help of others? Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and ask for support from a trusted friend or close relative.  

It is not just a matter of common sense, because there is also scientific evidence. Research conducted by Concordia University reveals that interacting with others helps improve mood during a stressful event . 

Listen to the right music

Music is an ancestral and still very powerful form of art. It can express feelings , convey important messages , say what is impossible to convey in words, give the charge of energy … and also calm the states of anxiety. 

Researchers at the University of Kentucky played music for a group of patients before, during and after surgery . The results, published by the Southern Medical Journal , are surprising: music is able to reduce anxiety levels in all these contexts, even allowing to lower the dose of sedatives and to better manage pain.

If music is capable of having such disruptive effects even in such delicate conditions, let’s imagine what it can do in everyday life! 

One of the reasons was revealed by another recent study, published by Pnas in February 2019. A drug trial has shown that the pleasure associated with listening to music is related to the release of dopamine in the body.

Don’t forget to smile!

When anxiety starts knocking on the door, why not laugh at it ? Some scientific studies suggest that a good laugh can reduce the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone ) and increase the production of endorphins , chemicals that have an exciting and analgesic action.