A Fearful Species 2

 

Experiencing anxiety is at some level present , difficult to acknowledge and label .  This one example illustrates a lack of awareness of  its presence . A friend that we have not seen for awhile stopped by to see Linda. Some of her conversation “ Bill got angry , the last 10 years, when  I  was waving my arms giving him directions when he was backing up the truck to connect with our horse trailer. Now I only give him arm  directions when he is really close. Today, I  complained  to him that he cut me off when we talked .He said I was the one that cut him off . She asked me what she should do. I told her that she came here and was avoiding Bill . She denied it. She also talked about a member in her family not allowing her to visit with their children and  she wants to see them.Also, that her horse was being over fed by this knowledgeable  horse lady . But, this person was not responding to her  feeding request. She also  complimented me on my taking care of Linda . Bill called, she told him what I had  said . He said what’s the matter  and she replied she was leaving shortly. She mentioned that she was eating better, lost some weight  and thought it might or might not help her so she wouldn’t get Alzheimer's.  She added Bill would hire someone to take care of her as opposed to doing it himself

A few warnings of  the presence of anxiety  are associated with fear of being alone, being in public places  in which escape might be difficult , being in crowds, tunnels, bridges,and public transportation.  Is there constriction of normal activities based on fear and avoidance behaviors?  In other words,  avoiding certain situations is one cue -fear of heights, snakes, bugs and spiders and so forth.  

Physiological sensations related to anxiety include palpitations, chest pain, discomfort, choking, dizziness, feelings of unreality, tingling in hands or feet, hot and cold flashes ,sweating ,faintness, trembling or shaking, frequent urination, diarrhea, clammy hands ,lump in the throat high resting pulse and respiration rate.

Other warnings and the presence of anxiety include  paying  attention to the thoughts,worries and stories that take place in one's mind - between your ears .Are the  thoughts recurrent ,redundant, obsessive, persistent, senseless or repugnant?  In other words, anxiety  interferes with one's well-being as the worry often relates to insufficient information, not being in control or some erroneous prediction pertaining to the present or future. The stress and  anxiety are ongoing  and we ,with our cognitive functioning ,have the ability to think, imagine and worry about  all the what if’s .

Because of man’s frequent experience of anxiety( located in the  more primitive  “Old Brain” -Limbic system ) one employs a variety of  unconscious defense mechanisms ( located in a more higher level - the “New Brain” or the Cortex) to distort his reality .These defenses become habits, tendencies, coupled with feelings, emotions, attitudes and actions in an attempt to preserve the self from the  dangerous threat.This means that many are  not aware of  how anxiety becomes associated with ongoing self harm .For example ,repression as a defense helps to block the rage from awareness as it’s often not safe or smart to retaliate ,in the same manner, when hurt and angry.

 Hostility is one consequence  and associated with anxiety .Repressing  hostility  means "pretending" that everything is all right when instead, one should fight ,stand up and become assertive in dealing with the situation. Repression generates a feeling of  defenselessness which reinforces the already feeling of defensivelessness. Then, it becomes possible for others to take advantage of that individual.  And, if that hostility is repressed, the person does not have the faintest idea that he is hostile . And, with  build up, that rage can and  does become highly charged and volatile  when discharged with negative personal and social consequences .

Many cognitive and behavioral actions associated with the presence of anxiety,tension or stress include but are not limited to use of imagination , performing some difficult feat ,  attaining some prominent position, daydreaming about success, as well as other physical  activities-  plays, movies, novels, music ,work ,hobbies, exercise, and keeping “busy.”

A few positive ways to address anxiety are as follows: 1 .Progressive relaxation 2.Self hypnosis 3 .Meditation 4 Autogenics 5.  Refuting irrational ideas.  6. Time management 7. Assertiveness training 8. Biofeedback 9,Thought stopping 10 Exercise 11.Reframing 12. Nutrition13,Medical marijuana, Valium,  Xanax, etc.

Although our composition of a  well-developed cerebral cortex allows us to create works of art with unparalleled beauty ,create technological wonders and unequaled imagination, it  also has the capacity and ability  for  immaturity,irrationality and  worry  and fret about all the  potential losses ,hazards or interferences affecting our well- being  initiated by self  and society .It can not be denied that our fears result and are associated with anger,hate and rage and other negative  behavioral  interpersonal and health consequences  .Thus , because of our nature ,our sense of security is easily threatened and  our  insecurity  and hostility does not bode well both personally and interpersonally .And ,because our emotions are located in the more primitive development of the brain ( limbic system ) it becomes  a  mental health frailty for our species as we  create  and preoccupy ourselves in our ( cerebral cortex) with a multitude of real and  imaginary  dangers in our absurd , contradictory world of fear,anxiety and threat  It’s no wonder why there is a preponderance of  toxicity and inability to get along with others .

PS

 Years ago, Tony and I took our border collies for aversive rattlesnake training.  The trainer ,with the dog in hand ,introduced each dog to live rattlesnakes while using an electric shock for conditioning.  Fear worked ! And, experiments  of subcortical areas which is part of the limbic  structure done with monkeys with the destruction of their temporal cortex which almost always lead to damage of the amygdala were found: 1 Monkeys no longer exhibited responses of fear or anger 2 Monkeys forgot rapidly.  3 Monkeys exhibited hypersexuality demonstrating a sexual drive so strong that they would continuously stimulate their genitalia, copulate repeatedly for long periods of time and sometimes sustain small injuries in the process due to excessive biting.