Is Anxiety normal?

This question comes up so often, and it’s a crucial one. Before I dive into it, let’s first take a closer look at what anxiety really is. We’ve got general anxiety, social anxiety, anxiety tied to public speaking, specific phobias, separation anxiety, PTSD, panic attacks, and even OCD. Some of these can manifest in severe forms, potentially crippling your life and stealing away your joy, hindering your progress.

On the flip side, feeling anxious is entirely normal. It’s akin to being nervous or feeling anticipation before an event. The key distinction is that these sensations are a natural part of your nervous system. They also serve as a warning system. Feeling a touch of nerves when you’re trying something new or experiencing an adrenaline rush from bungee jumping? Your brain is simply looking out for you. After all, ‘new’ often equals ‘unknown,’ or in some cases, ‘potentially dangerous.’

Three Key Processes

There are three key players in this process within your brain. First, there’s the amygdala, responsible for those fluttery feelings of nervousness, stress, and fear. Then, it temporarily puts the brakes on your prefrontal cortex, the region in charge of logic and rational behavior, and activates the anterior cingulate.

Now, when it comes to the intensity of anxiety, it’s important to gauge what’s within the realm of normal. So, if you experience stage fright but still step onto that stage and find the feeling subsiding within a few minutes—yes, that’s perfectly normal. Can it be further minimized to a mere few seconds? Absolutely. Feeling a touch jittery before an interview? Normal. The key issue arises when these feelings start to dominate.

OCD or PTSD

When social anxiety reaches a point where it hinders your social life or you experience physical reactions like fainting or vomiting. When fear jolts you awake at night. When anxiety sabotages your dating life or prompts you to closely monitor every move of someone you love out of a desire to keep them safe and by your side 24/7. These scenarios call for attention, just as with OCD or PTSD.

In the realm of brain coaching, we’ve witnessed remarkable results without the need for medication, relying solely on carefully chosen techniques and supplements form Dr. Amen. This approach proves highly effective for social anxiety, generalized anxiety, the early stages of OCD, and trauma-induced PTSD. Through brain coaching, we facilitate a rewiring process, guiding you back to a sense of normalcy, typically within a span of 3 to 6 months.

If you’ve been in therapy for over a year without substantial progress, it might be the opportune moment to explore whether brain coaching for anxiety could be the missing piece of your puzzle.