Today I would like to discuss with you about the defense mechanism of body and how its malfunction causes anxiety and panic disorder. Not surprisingly, it all begins with stress. We all live in constant stress. We are stressed about study, job, deadlines, security, mortgages, and other social worries.

We experience higher level of anxiety when we encounter danger or threat for survival. In this state, brain prompts adrenal glands to release adrenaline hormones into the blood streams. This response is termed as ‘fight or flight’ response. Many changes occur in physiology when this response is triggered. There is nothing problematic with this natural mechanism. In fact, it enables us to recognize danger and prepares us to deal with it efficiently.

In prehistoric times, when humans were open to danger of wild animals, ‘fight or flight’ mechanism affected various systems of body for surviving the situation. When flow of adrenaline shoots in bloodstreams, it makes body much faster, stronger and lighter. To feel lighter and run away swiftly, body empties bladder and colons. Mouth becomes dry as water is soaked up by the body. Blood is supplied to internal organs and muscles causing skin to turn pale. It also slows down digestion system. Body starts shaking as muscle tension mounts. Pupils expand in order to notice finer movements and senses become sharp to perceive and send minute details to brain. More oxygen is supplied from heart to muscles by pumping faster.

All these physiological changes take place instantaneously to prepare body for the action. When body accomplishes the task of battling or escaping and survives the danger, adrenaline rush stops and body come back to normal function. But what happens when this adrenaline rush is not used up by the body as it was not a real threat but an imagined or perceived threat. With frequent occurrences of arousal of adrenal gland but not releasing it through physical activities, make body accustomed to higher adrenaline level. Body constantly remains in the arousal state.

Brain starts matching its perception to match physiological behavior. Brain rewires itself to assume anxiety as normal behavior to the situation and thus anxiety disorder sets in.

Today, anxiety is the most common disorder human race is suffering. But as much the disease is common, so common are its solutions. You can learn more about natural anxiety relief techniques and how to cure panic attacks and anxiety with alternate treatments in these posts.