Angst and Fear

W. H. Auden, the poet, insightfully labeled “The Age of Anxiety” in 1947, detailing the angst and frustration of people. Subsequently, 33 years later in 1980, the classifications of Social Phobia and Generalized Anxiety Disorder diagnoses were added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM] in the United States. The DSM is a major Bible that’s used to classify mental illness in our country. How can we be pursuing happiness if we are living in the age of anxiety? Happiness is short-lived and related to pleasure, gratification of needs and well-being while anxiety can be chronic and associated with actual, perceived and imagined dangers. As far back as the fifth century BC, the Greek physician Hippocrates outlined the belief that health was the result of the balance among the four humors. That meant that anxiety was believed to be an imbalance in one of the humors, black bile. As a result, black bile was identified as a disorder of melancholy. In 1895, Sigmund Freud distinguished between “real” anxiety based on external threat with neurotic and moral anxiety. Neurotic anxiety was related to excessive fears of punishment or with a withdrawal of love; while moral anxiety was related to feelings of guilt. In the DSM, a few symptoms of anxiety include but not limited to: irrational fears; avoiding situations; distress, motor tension such as shakiness; autonomic hyperactivity such as heart pounding; apprehensive expectations such as worry, fear, and vigilance and scanning such as distractibility and difficulty with concentration. Currently, generalized anxiety; obsessive-compulsive disorders; phobias; panic disorders; social anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorders are the most common affective disorder diagnosis affecting about 40 million adults. Anxiety and fear are normal adaptive responses to anything that’s perceived as threatening. However, too much anxiety arousal can become a persistent or chronic alarm in the brain and as a result, provide life-threatening damage to the body. The following demonstrates the mind-body connection of anxiety. Cognitively, we anticipate bad outcomes and develop plans or strategies in how to avoid or protect ourselves. One upon a time, I was trail running, and encountered a lioness and her 2 cubs. The strategy was simple. I immediately stopped and proceeded, once I realized that she owned the trail, to slowly walk backwards looking over my shoulder while grabbing a staff. When she was out of sight, I began to run while continuing looking over my shoulder. My heart was beating faster along with increased blood pressure and pulse. My breathing changed as I was quickly out of breath. I was aware of the danger, and did not suppress any emotional response. However, I was unaware that there were changes in metabolism and not aware of my appetite. I was also not aware that my sweat glands were working hard to cool me down. I did not experience any heartburn, bloating, or diarrhea. Neither was I aware of my immune system and its decreased ability to fight germs. Nor was I aware of any hypersensitivity or increased perception of physical pain. I was extremely fearful, experienced much anxiety until I reached safe ground near my home. To Be Continued