Understanding Anxiety: From Evolutionary Survival Mechanism to Modern-Day Challenge

Anxiety is a common emotion experienced by everyone at some point in their lives. It's a feeling of unease, worry, or fear that can range from mild to severe. While anxiety can be a normal response to stress or danger, it can also become a chronic and debilitating condition that requires treatment. Understanding anxiety from an evolutionary perspective can help us make sense of this complex emotion.

From an evolutionary perspective, anxiety is a survival mechanism that helped our ancestors detect and respond to potential threats in their environment. When faced with danger, the body goes into "fight or flight" mode, releasing hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol that increase heart rate, breathing, and blood flow to the muscles. This response prepared our ancestors to either fight the threat or run away from it, allowing them to survive. (Here’s a fun video of the evolutionary perspective of the human mind by Dr. Russ Harris).

Today, however, many of the threats our ancestors faced no longer exist. Instead, we face modern-day challenges such as financial worries, social pressures, and work-related stress. Our bodies still respond to these challenges with the same "fight or flight" response, even though it may not be necessary or helpful.

Chronic anxiety can have negative effects on our physical and mental health. It can lead to insomnia, muscle tension, and headaches, as well as depression and other mental health disorders. It can also impair our ability to function in daily life, affecting our work and personal relationships.

Fortunately, there are effective treatments for anxiety, including therapy/counselling, medication, and lifestyle changes. Understanding the evolutionary basis of anxiety can help us recognise that it is a natural response to stress and danger, and that we can learn to manage it.

Therapy, in particular, can help individuals learn to identify triggers of anxiety and develop coping strategies to manage it. This can include mindfulness techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, and separating yourself from your thoughts. Mindfulness allows individuals to focus on the present moment and develop a non-judgmental awareness of their thoughts and feelings. See our previous blogs on daily mindfulness practices, “noticing” in mindfulness and overcoming anxiety for tips and strategies to help manage feelings of anxiety.

While this blog provides valuable information about anxiety and how to manage it, it is important to note that anxiety can be a complex and serious mental health condition that requires professional help. If you are experiencing anxiety that is impacting your daily life, we encourage you to seek the advice of a mental health professional who can provide you with the appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan. This blog should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.