Fear and anxiety are two of the oldest and most primal emotions we have. In fact, we share them with all the animals on this planet. Without fear and anxiety, we won't last for one second. Therefore, it's also one of the most important emotions for survival.
As will be discussed later, the purpose of emotions in general is to inform us to both external and internal stimuli. Fear and anxiety are no different. They alert us of danger in the environment (internally and externally) and prepare us to react in one of two ways: Fight or Flight.
There is a slight difference, however, between fear and anxiety. It's usually in the time proximity of the event, and the intensity of the physical symptoms. Let's go back to our evolutionary origins and try to understand not only the purpose but the difference of both fear and anxiety. Let's get back for a moment to one of our first ancestors "Igor Caveman'. As Igor was walking in the woods, he suddenly came face to face with a bear and her cubs. Suddenly Igor is flushed with a myriad of physical symptoms. His heart begins to race, his breathing increases, he begins to sweat profusely, his muscles tense up, he feels shaky or trembling all over his body, all of his senses become acute, his face becomes white as a ghost, he feels numbness and tingling in his limbs, hot and cold flashes, he feels dizzy, nauseated, and the urge to urinate and defecate at once. He even feels he is out of control. If you haven't guessed it yet, Igor is now experiencing a full FEAR response.
But why would Igor feel all these physical symptoms? What in the world are they for?
Well, if you recall, the purpose of fear is to help us avoid danger. The normal response to fear is the FIGHT or FLIGHT reaction. In order for us to do one of the two, the body needs to mobilize itself for the fight or flight reaction. Let's look at each symptom individually and see how it helps the body to prepare for the FIGHT/FIGHT response:
• Heart Rate Increases: The heart's job is to pump blood throughout the body carrying with it oxygen and nutrients (energy) among other things. The body needs the oxygen and nutrients in order to be prepared for the fight/flight.
• Breathing Increases: The lungs expand and increase the rate of breathing in order to collect more oxygen and expel carbon dioxide (CO2).
• Sweating: The body perspires as part of a cooling system. Additionally, from an evolutionary standpoint, sweating is used as a slippery mechanism in case we are grabbed by a predator or a foe.
• Muscles tighten: The muscle groups that need to mobilize for the fight/flight get ready by becoming tighter. The most used are the muscle groups in the legs (flying or kicking), the arms, neck, and shoulders (for fighting).
• Shakiness/Trembling: A typical response due to muscle tension and an increase of Adrenaline (epinephrine) release. There will be more details on the role of hormones such as Adrenaline and Cortisol in anxiety and fear in later pages.
• Senses become acute: Since fear's purpose is to alert us to danger, all of our senses become heightened and acute in order to be aware of the danger. Our pupils dilate to allow more light in (sensory input), hearing becomes more sensitive to noise and so does our smell too.
• Face and Skin become white or pale: Since the skin is the biggest organ in the body and carries a lot of blood in it, the blood is shunted from the skin to the areas it's most needed for two reasons: A. The skin does have any use for the blood during the fight/flight response, but organs do. B. Since the skin is the most exposed, in case of a cut or injury, it would not bleed as much.
• Numbness/Tingling sensation: Since blood is removed from the skin, nerves in the fingers and skin are deprived from blood (oxygen and nutrients) and therefore we experience numbness and tingling sensation due to the effect.
• Hot/Cold Flashes: This is mostly due to hyperventilation (fast breathing).
• Dizziness, a feeling of fainting and disorientation: The brain normally requires 25% of the blood flow in the body. However, when in a fight/flight state, some of this blood is redirected to areas (muscles) where it's needed more. Therefore, with less blood flow to the brain, we may feel dizzy, light headed, a feeling of fainting and disorientation. Additionally, this also is a byproduct of HYPERVENTALATION – a process by which we intake too much oxygen – which results in the feeling of dizziness, light-headedness, fainting and disorientation. There will more on hyperventilation later.
• Digestive problems, such as nausea stomach cramps, diarrhea: Acid is secreted in the stomach at an increased rate due to orders by the brain (hypothalamus) to help digest any food left in the stomach or intestines in order to evacuate internal organs (stomach, intestines) from any toxins which are very dangerous if any injuries are sustained during the fight and fight response. The urge to defecate increases for that reason. Urine is another toxic chemical that also needs to be evacuated. That also may explain the urge to urinate.
• Choking and Chest pains: Due to the tensing of muscles around the neck, it may feel like a choking sensation. Also, it's doubled as a result of hyperventilation. Chest pains are a result of muscles in the chest tensing up due to incorrect breathing by our upper torso (chest) rather than our diaphragm.
• Dry mouth: This is caused by suppression of digestive system by directing energy to bigger muscles. Excessive breathing through the mouth rather than just the nose adds to it too.
• Less Sensitivity to Pain: There is a release of natural opiates to dull pain sensitivity to enable continued fight/flight even if injured.
• Feeling of Out of Control: Since all the above physical symptoms are a result of the emotional (limbic system) part of the brain - a more primal part of our brain - and without our cognitive control or consciousness, we may feel out of control. In fact, the sympathetic system (the system that manifests all the above systems) is a branch of the autonomic nervous which operates on its own and outside of our control. So, when you feel out of control during a fight/flight response, you are out of control. Later on, we will discuss how to regain control again.
As will be discussed later, the purpose of emotions in general is to inform us to both external and internal stimuli. Fear and anxiety are no different. They alert us of danger in the environment (internally and externally) and prepare us to react in one of two ways: Fight or Flight.
There is a slight difference, however, between fear and anxiety. It's usually in the time proximity of the event, and the intensity of the physical symptoms. Let's go back to our evolutionary origins and try to understand not only the purpose but the difference of both fear and anxiety. Let's get back for a moment to one of our first ancestors "Igor Caveman'. As Igor was walking in the woods, he suddenly came face to face with a bear and her cubs. Suddenly Igor is flushed with a myriad of physical symptoms. His heart begins to race, his breathing increases, he begins to sweat profusely, his muscles tense up, he feels shaky or trembling all over his body, all of his senses become acute, his face becomes white as a ghost, he feels numbness and tingling in his limbs, hot and cold flashes, he feels dizzy, nauseated, and the urge to urinate and defecate at once. He even feels he is out of control. If you haven't guessed it yet, Igor is now experiencing a full FEAR response.
But why would Igor feel all these physical symptoms? What in the world are they for?
Well, if you recall, the purpose of fear is to help us avoid danger. The normal response to fear is the FIGHT or FLIGHT reaction. In order for us to do one of the two, the body needs to mobilize itself for the fight or flight reaction. Let's look at each symptom individually and see how it helps the body to prepare for the FIGHT/FIGHT response:
• Heart Rate Increases: The heart's job is to pump blood throughout the body carrying with it oxygen and nutrients (energy) among other things. The body needs the oxygen and nutrients in order to be prepared for the fight/flight.
• Breathing Increases: The lungs expand and increase the rate of breathing in order to collect more oxygen and expel carbon dioxide (CO2).
• Sweating: The body perspires as part of a cooling system. Additionally, from an evolutionary standpoint, sweating is used as a slippery mechanism in case we are grabbed by a predator or a foe.
• Muscles tighten: The muscle groups that need to mobilize for the fight/flight get ready by becoming tighter. The most used are the muscle groups in the legs (flying or kicking), the arms, neck, and shoulders (for fighting).
• Shakiness/Trembling: A typical response due to muscle tension and an increase of Adrenaline (epinephrine) release. There will be more details on the role of hormones such as Adrenaline and Cortisol in anxiety and fear in later pages.
• Senses become acute: Since fear's purpose is to alert us to danger, all of our senses become heightened and acute in order to be aware of the danger. Our pupils dilate to allow more light in (sensory input), hearing becomes more sensitive to noise and so does our smell too.
• Face and Skin become white or pale: Since the skin is the biggest organ in the body and carries a lot of blood in it, the blood is shunted from the skin to the areas it's most needed for two reasons: A. The skin does have any use for the blood during the fight/flight response, but organs do. B. Since the skin is the most exposed, in case of a cut or injury, it would not bleed as much.
• Numbness/Tingling sensation: Since blood is removed from the skin, nerves in the fingers and skin are deprived from blood (oxygen and nutrients) and therefore we experience numbness and tingling sensation due to the effect.
• Hot/Cold Flashes: This is mostly due to hyperventilation (fast breathing).
• Dizziness, a feeling of fainting and disorientation: The brain normally requires 25% of the blood flow in the body. However, when in a fight/flight state, some of this blood is redirected to areas (muscles) where it's needed more. Therefore, with less blood flow to the brain, we may feel dizzy, light headed, a feeling of fainting and disorientation. Additionally, this also is a byproduct of HYPERVENTALATION – a process by which we intake too much oxygen – which results in the feeling of dizziness, light-headedness, fainting and disorientation. There will more on hyperventilation later.
• Digestive problems, such as nausea stomach cramps, diarrhea: Acid is secreted in the stomach at an increased rate due to orders by the brain (hypothalamus) to help digest any food left in the stomach or intestines in order to evacuate internal organs (stomach, intestines) from any toxins which are very dangerous if any injuries are sustained during the fight and fight response. The urge to defecate increases for that reason. Urine is another toxic chemical that also needs to be evacuated. That also may explain the urge to urinate.
• Choking and Chest pains: Due to the tensing of muscles around the neck, it may feel like a choking sensation. Also, it's doubled as a result of hyperventilation. Chest pains are a result of muscles in the chest tensing up due to incorrect breathing by our upper torso (chest) rather than our diaphragm.
• Dry mouth: This is caused by suppression of digestive system by directing energy to bigger muscles. Excessive breathing through the mouth rather than just the nose adds to it too.
• Less Sensitivity to Pain: There is a release of natural opiates to dull pain sensitivity to enable continued fight/flight even if injured.
• Feeling of Out of Control: Since all the above physical symptoms are a result of the emotional (limbic system) part of the brain - a more primal part of our brain - and without our cognitive control or consciousness, we may feel out of control. In fact, the sympathetic system (the system that manifests all the above systems) is a branch of the autonomic nervous which operates on its own and outside of our control. So, when you feel out of control during a fight/flight response, you are out of control. Later on, we will discuss how to regain control again.
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