Anxiety

Anxiety Overview


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In the 1960s, stress disorders were thought to be so rare that the American psychiatric association actually removed them from the diagnostic and statistic manual. At that time, symptoms of psychological, mental, or emotional stress, were believed to simply be of a weak character. You can imagine how this compounded the feelings of stress, shame and hopelessness for those affected by traumatic experiences.



After Vietnam, VA hospitals were overwhelmed by soldiers who had returned home, clearly traumatized by their time in service. More than 1/3 of every man and woman who served in Vietnam, experienced PTSD, and 20 years later, half of those were still debilitated with symptoms.



Since then, we have learned more about the effects of big T traumas (combat, life-threatening events, natural disasters), as well as the very real and pervasive effects that can be presented from small t traumas, which are common to all humans. A small t trauma could be something as benign as a parent who made a dismissive comment that was internalized by the child and created feelings of abandonment or worthlessness, or an insensitive remark about one’s appearance within the context of a romantic rejection, which may then be internalized in a way that harms self image. Both types of traumas are real. Both can cause a lifetime of anxiety, fear, sleep disorders, sexual dysfunction, nightmares, poor self image, shame, guilt, and so on. In fact, it seems as if early exposure to traumas in childhood (such as a difficult relationship with a parent or childhood bullying in school) actually increases the potential of developing full-blown PTSD in adulthood.



It is believed that the brain processes undesirable emotions, experiences, thoughts, and feelings during sleep. It is the reason why we can go to bed feeling upset about something and wake up in the morning with a fresh new perspective in which it doesn’t seem as threatening as it did the night before. Sometimes this process can get stuck and the brain can store these traumas in the wrong emotional processing place. Oftentimes, it can even be stored in the nervous system, creating those feelings of adrenaline rush, anxiety, and a physical lack of safety. But there is hope!



Our parents and grandparents generations often lived with these symptoms and subsequently died without finding relief. But the good news is that today we understand more about the adaptive brain’s ability to process trauma, catalog it appropriately, and return to health.

Clinical hypnosis provides the brain with a safe place to heal itself. EMDR, (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing,) is an extremely powerful therapy with exceptional results for the most severe forms of trauma. Both processes offer the individual a safe place to heal without having to recount and relive the details of the traumatic event.



There are promising new research modules being studied with the use of micro-dosing psilocybin or ketamine. These are newer therapies that are still being studied, and we have not had sufficient time to study the long term effects.



Both clinical hypnosis, and particularly EMDR has been shown to have lasting long-term success in the treatment of PTSD, whether it stems from a big T Trauma or a small t trauma. And even better news… It does not matter whether the trauma is recent or happened in childhood or happened in Vietnam in 1968. The brain processes and heals when given the appropriate opportunity, and time is irrelevant.



Combat veterans showed significant improvement in stress and emotional response after only one 50 minute EMDR session. Significant desired results were achieved after four sessions; six if the soldier was wounded. Some cases required as many as twelve 50-minute sessions.



What amazing breakthroughs! Just imagine being able to regain your life and sense of control in as little as 4-12 hours!! Less if we are dealing with those small t traumas, which can be just as debilitating.

 

 

ANXIETY AND TRAUMA


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Therapy to decrease stress, heal trauma, and deal with anxiety disorders is INCREDIBLY important! Why? It's not ONLY about quality of life!!


When the brain is under stress, it activates a chain reaction that connects brain and body. The important part here is that it floods the memory center of the brain (the hippocampus) with cortisol. Under normal circumstances, this is a good thing. It is how we learn what is a threat and what is not. But when a person has an anxiety disorder that causes the brain and body to remain in a constant state of stress arousal, the amount of cortisol that is constantly flooding the hippocampus actually damages this portion of the brain. We can actually see the hippocampus dissolving on brain scans.



This is not the same thing as dementia / alzheimers, which usually occurs in a different area of the brain. But with constant cortisol flooding, the memory center of the brain becomes damaged. It is why people under stress have a difficult time recalling details, become forgetful, have difficulty reconstructing timelines, may begin generalizing issues.



This can also explain why menopausal symptoms include "brain fog." Cortisol spikes during menopause.

If you are suffering from stress/ anxiety disorders, have a difficult time managing stress, live with PTSD, or simply live a high stress life, please seek out help. It may be that yoga, meditation, exercise, breathwork, or relaxation skills offer what you need to lower anxiety levels. But many people need something more. If this is you, you are not alone! So many people are affected and there is help. Please reach out!



SOCIAL ANXIETY


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Let's talk about SOCIAL ANXIETY, and let's break down exactly what is happening.

There is a part of the brain called the Cingulate Cortex that controls self-regulation. It is part of the limbic system that activates in a stress response, but it is ALSO part of the higher reasoning functions.



There is another part of the brain located in the area of the third eye called the OFC (Orbital Frontal Cortex.) This part of the brain is all about regulating the appropriateness of behavior in different situations. You know--- that thought that you have enough wisdom to not say? Thats the OFC doing its job.



In social anxiety, the connection between these two areas gets cranked up too high. It becomes overactive and the individual is CONSTANTLY questioning the appropriateness of everything about themselves. It tells the person that they are making mistakes all the time, when they are not.



Cognitive therapies can help with this. First of all, understand what is happening to you. You are not crazy. Your brain is just overactive and essentially "misfiring" and giving you false positives. Thinking about this "brain glitch", and thinking about your thoughts and thinking about how you think can help.



SOCIAL MEDICINE, AND HEALING ANXIETY AND TRAUMA


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Healing the mind through relationship with others!



It has been scientifically proven that "social medicine" is a real thing! When we engage in HEALTHY social interactions with others, a number of beneficial physiological reactions happen:




Interestingly, cortisol level are reduced BY the increase of oxytocin. Oxytocin is the hormone sometimes referred to as "the love drug." It is a feel-good chemical released in the body that creates the feeling of attachment to others. People suffering from depression are found to have low levels of oxytocin. It has a positive link to feelings of relaxation, trust, and positive psychological stability.

So be sure that you seek out your Tribe and engage in healthy community.



"Your biological stress response is nudging you to tell another person rather than bottling it up."



HEALING FROM UNEXPECTED SOURCES


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“It’s only a game” : Therapeutic changes from an unlikely source


I would like to share a powerful and surprising new realization that touched me deeply. Often, healing can come from the most unexpected places. My heart feels so full.


My husband and I are gamers in our spare time and we love to play World of Warcraft Classic. A dear friend was recently working at a movie festival where a documentary premiered, called “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin.” It tells the story of a man who was born with a genetic condition that bound him to a wheelchair and seemed to limit his life. His family was distraught that when he passed away at 25 years old, he had never had the opportunity to live, love, have a career, or make a difference in society. And then the letters began arriving from all over the world from “strangers” sharing their grief and telling his family how he impacted their lives personally. Mats was also a Warcraft gamer and played by the character name Ibelin.



Through the game, the boy who could not walk could run and fly and fight. The boy who could not go on dates fell in love. The boy who could not work had a profession. The boy who could not engage in the typical social activities of youth had a rich and meaningful world of friends.



I was struck at how this game could provide an outlet for those with similar restrictions. But the rabbit hole went even deeper.


One of his close friends in the game had a son who was severely autistic. The son could not stand being touched and could not tolerate being around people. He had confined himself to his bedroom and had refused to go to school. His relationship with his mother was severely strained and his mother felt powerless to change the situation. She confided in Ibelin whose deep wisdom shined through. Ibelin suggested that she encourage her son to also play Warcraft with her. If they could not connect in person, maybe they could connect through the game. It worked. The autistic boy who could not stand being in crowds found a safe place to be surrounded by others. The autistic boy who was afraid to speak to people slowly found his voice. The autistic boy who would not allow himself to be touched was able to hug his mother through his avatar.



In therapy for distressing thoughts, anxiety disorders, obsessions and compulsions, and numerous fears and phobias, the evidence based research shows that sitting with the discomfort through exposure allows the individual to desensitize to the unwanted feelings and that distress levels do reduce with repeated exposure. I was shocked, surprised, and deeply touched that through this role playing game, an individual could sit safely behind a computer screen, play a game, join a guild, build a community, interact with friends…. and through this safe and non-threatening space, begin to desensitize and complete the therapeutic goal of generalization. 


Eventually, what he could do in the game transferred to real life. The autistic boy could leave his room, speak to people, return to school, and hug his mother.



I would encourage you to watch this movie. Keep your Kleenex handy.


https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/ibelin-release-date-trailer-news