We can all get anxious from time to time and this is quite normal for all of us. But if we are letting this anxiety and worry overtake us, it could then cause us lots of issues on a day-to-day basis. With anxiety, this can either come in an instant, maybe we see or hear something that makes us jump or shocks us; at those times we can become instantly anxious. The other way with anxiety can be that we are stuck on that heightened level of nervousness and anxiety and we can feel a constant high anxiety level for extended periods of time. This first response is quite normal as this is our fight, flight, and freeze response, which we aren't in control of, this is controlled by our primaeval mind, the part of us that is constantly on alert to protect us and keep us safe from danger. This part of us is amazing and is essential in how we have grown and evolved as a species on this planet. All animals and creatures have their fight, flight and freeze responses and each animal has adapted how they respond due to their different environments. For example, if we are living in a war zone then we are constantly in this fight, flight, and freeze response system, as such we will be on red alert and hypervigilant to our surroundings. This is necessary to help us stay alive in those most challenging times. But what if our bodies are reacting as if we are in a war zone, yet were not, and what is happening in our lives doesn't warrant the levels of anxiety we are producing? This is often what is happening with the second type of heightened anxiety; we have got stuck on that anxiety level and don’t feel able to switch it off.
