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Don't Feed The Anxiety Beast
By
Dr. Mike Brooks |
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If you are prone to anxiety, there are some things that are best to avoid. One broad category of material that should be avoided is violence in the media. I know that this might sound very obvious, but I'm often surprised by how frequently I hear that a client is experiencing anxiety yet is watching a lot of horror movies or violent crime programs (e.g., CSI).
In essence, when we become anxious, we are perceiving threats to our physical or psychological well-being. The brain and body respond to these perceived threats by getting into “fight or flight” mode. We are on a heightened state of alertness and ready for action. Back when we were in a more primitive state of evolution, this was often useful because it prepared us to flee an immediate danger or fight for our lives. However, now we can just imagine dangers and our bodies are put into alert status.
Violent movies and television programs can feed this beast of
anxiety in that our minds become more preoccupied with threats to our well-being. This can cause us to vastly overestimate the chances that we will become victims of a violent crime. Social psychologists have found that persons who are exposed to a great deal of violent media start to view the world and others as more hostile than they really are (e.g., vastly overestimate the chance that they will be mugged while walking down the street). As our minds become more saturated with violent images from the media, it naturally adds fuel to the fire of anxiety. We are putting ourselves into fight or flight mode when the situation does not really call for it.
So, if you know that you are prone to anxiety, try cutting back on your exposure to sources of media violence. This can include books, magazines, prime time news (where if it bleeds, it leads), and newspapers. I'm not advocating that you stick your head in the sand - just be careful with what you are feeding your brain. It's not that this is a panacea for anxiety, but even if it helps a little, that's something.
Go Natural ~ for Anxiety
Another factor that can contribute to anxiety is caffeine. I see
many clients who complain of having a high level of anxiety who
routinely drink many cups of coffee a day. The caffeine in coffee can cause an increase in blood pressure. Additionally, it can increase the level of cortisol, a stress hormone in the body. It is difficult to be relaxed if you have a surge of stress hormones coursing through your body and your blood pressure is elevated.
Try switching to decaffeinated coffee or, green tea. Green tea has L-theanine, an amino acid that, according to some studies, promotes relaxation and counteracts the stimulating effects of the caffeine in the tea. The transition from coffee to an alternative should be made gradually though. Cutting back drastically on caffeine can cause withdrawal headaches.
Taking stock of some of the small factors that you are exposed to, can point you in a direction of change that can alleviate some of that anxiety. So, instead of a morning cup of coffee and the morning TV news program, try a relaxing cup of green tea and a crossword puzzle and notice the changes in how you feel the rest of the day.
Author's Bio
Dr. Mike Brooks is a licensed psychologist practicing in Austin, Texas. He works with both adults and young adults working on issues including dealing with anxiety and depression. He is also the director for the Austin Psychological Assessment Center (ApaCenter), a psychological assessment center, specializing in testing for ADHD/ADD, dyslexia, Asperger's and Autism and learning disabilities.
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