DISCLAIMER
I am not trained in Medicine or Psychology. All the information presented here is based upon my own personal experiences. There is no substitute for qualified medical advice, please discuss with your doctor/therapist before undertaking any anxiety-elimination methods. This letter was written by me to me and any references to 'you' or 'we' are third party references to myself. It worked for me, that is all I know. I have completely oversimplified the structure and functions of the brain for my own needs. I may be wrong in my analysis. This letter has not been peer reviewed and I have no supporting data to ascertain its effectiveness in anyone but myself. I accept no liability for any problems you have if you implement anything that has been written or implied by this letter.
INTRODUCTION
Dear Me,
Oh dear me. I am you.
I am writing to you from a short time in the future. I am doing this because you are currently having a bad time. I am here to tell you that things will get a whole lot better. I do not have an anxiety-based disorder, I am not wiser, not cleverer, not braver and certainly not stronger than you. We are the same person temporarily separated by a simple understanding.
This letter is written to present another option, another way of thinking, a way of thinking that worked for me. It also makes no claims as to be the best strategy or the only strategy, it is the simple honest conclusions of a self admitted 'layperson' for no charge.
Please read the disclaimer. I am not an expert, I don't ever want to be an expert. I'm just being me.
Introductions done, lets get on with the meat and bones of your condition. Let's discuss what you have been doing, what you should be doing and why you should be doing it. By the way, I have made the decision to place the entirety of the (long) letter onto one page. This will eliminate any frustration you usually have navigating through endless menus to pick the relevant information.
LETS GET STARTED
There is so much confusion regarding what techniques and methods to use to manage and ultimately remove your high-anxiety condition. I will refer to these high-anxiety conditions as anxiety-based disorders throughout this letter. I use the general term 'anxiety-based disorder' to describe all relevant conditions. These conditions are as follows:
· Panic Attacks/Panic Disorder;
· Generalised Anxiety Disorder;
· Obsessive Compulsive Disorder;
· Paradoxical Anxiety;
· Pure Obsession
· Health Anxiety;
· Social Anxiety;
· Low self-esteem;
· Phobias;
· Anxiety-Depression.
There are also countless other conditions which fall under the term anxiety-based disorder. In fact there are as many different types of anxiety-based disorders as there are sufferers.
One of the very first confusion things any sufferer will experience is asking the following question:
WHAT PARTICULAR ILLNESS HAVE I GOT?
We ask this simply because we need to know what is ailing us. It‘s a confusing time for us with a large variance of confusing disorders to understand and identify with. Once we know the answer we can then be advised of the best course of action to take to remove our illness. A frequent thought process is as follows:
“I get occasional Panic Attacks with what seems to be Generalized Anxiety (GAD) in-between, but according to this pamphlet, it’s unusual to get GAD and Panic at the same time, but I also seem to get bouts of Depression? Am I Depressed? Clinically Depressed? Is there a difference? Do I have Panic Attacks? What’s the difference between Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder? I read somewhere that the root cause of anxiety-based disorders is the fear of fear. Does that make me phobo-phobic? Hang on! I’m also scared to relax, does that make me relax-o-phobic? What about triggers? Maybe I’m scared of everything? Am I panto-phobic? Can somebody please help me?! Can somebody tell me at least what I‘m dealing with here? I need a doctor! No I don’t. How can a pill cure all of this? I need a psychologist, but the waiting list is six months!! Or a psychiatrist. Is there a difference? Oh my! Am I going mad??
Initially there seems to be no hard or fast rule regarding the answer to this question correctly. It is most normal and most natural for any sufferer to experience any combination of high anxiety, intense panic, deep depression, obsessive thoughts, strange phobias and indeed any other type of anxiety-based disorder. The symptoms can change hour-by-hour and the condition seems to 'evolve' under its own intelligence (it doesn't, I'll explain that later) and always be one-step-ahead (there‘s a good reason for that, I'll explain that later). You are simply categorised by what description fits you best based upon data from previous cases. But if we cut-to-the-chase, and let the truth out early, then the answer to that particular question in very easy indeed:
YOU DONT HAVE AN ILLNESS, THERE IS NOTING WRONG WITH YOU
There are literally thousands of possible symptoms you can experience whilst in the midst of any anxiety-based disorder. Some are 'common' symptoms, others are unique to you. The reason why everyone's symptom-set is different will also be explained later.
OWN YOUR RECOVERY
You are the one who will get yourself better and in time you are the one who will keep yourself there with nothing more than a sound understanding.
Once you understand the principles you carry relaxation and happiness in your body and mind for the rest of your days.
A SIMPLE DIAGRAM
The only diagram you need to remember is the following:
ANS [Autonomic Nervous System]
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SNS [Sympathetic Nervous System] PNS [Parasympathetic Nervous System]
A SIMPLE DIAGRAM EXPLAINED
I'll start off with a little bit of technical information:
Your anxiety-based disorder IS produced by your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
Your Autonomic Nervous System is divided into two parts.
1. Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS). Its initiation is called the Fight/Flight Response.
2. Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS). Its initiation is called the Rest/Digest Response.
In my experience there is little benefit in discussing only the Fight/Flight response. We need to give equal air-time to the Rest/Digest response. This way, we see the anxiety-based disorder in relation to the big picture. It becomes obvious how we are consciously choosing to overuse the Fight/Flight response to the detriment of the Rest/Digest response. Ultimately what this equal billing shows us is that an anxiety-based disorder is simply the product of our choices. With the knowledge of an equal and opposite Rest/Digest response your thought processes are directed away from anxiety, once this happens, you force the environmental conditions for anxiety to solve itself. In other words, this most simple diagram of the Autonomic Nervous System summarizes your choice. What we have here is a simple fork in the road, which road you travel from now on is your choice. Travel the SNS and retain your anxiety, travel the PNS and regain your happiness, confidence and relaxation.
Fear (the Fight/Flight response) wears many clothes: Panic Attacks, Anxiety, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Phobias, Depression, Low Self Esteem; Catastrophising and other Negative Thoughts), Insomnia; Anger Disorder, Health Anxiety, Social Anxiety etc etc.
Once we undress it we see it for what it is. Naked fear is simply a mechanism that we can choose to listen to or choose to ignore.
A quick internet search (you have probably been doing a lot of this lately) shows us that the majority of targeted anxiety reduction literature, nomenclature and advice mainly focuses on the Fight/Flight response. All we do if we choose this road is strip off one anxiety outfit only to be given a new one to wear.
As we also want to focus on the equal and opposite force, let us balance the Fight/Flight concept with the other of your choices, the Rest/Digest response.
The Rest/Digest response wears many clothes. Happiness, Laughter, Relaxation, Serenity, Self-Assurance, Clarity of Mind, Optimism, Positivity, Elation, etc etc.
Once we undress it we see it for what it is. Naked relaxation is simply a mechanism that we can choose to listen to or choose to ignore.
WHO IS THIS LETTER FOR?
It was originally written for myself but you may decide that it is for you who has the experience of the severe discomfort of an anxiety-based disorder first-hand. It can be for those who have relationships with someone (family, friends, and associates) who has an anxiety-based disorder. You will realise as you decipher the information presented that it can be for everyone, everywhere. The feedback patterns that exist within the mind of the anxiety-based disorder sufferer are present within everyone. The only difference between a sufferer and a non-sufferer is the intensity and frequency of the symptoms.
So read at your leisure and hope you find something useful. It is not a treatment plan, it is not a compulsion, it is merely an insight into my quick conclusions based upon solid research regarding the fight/flight response in the modern age.
Inappropriate fear is a common bond across all humanity and constantly advising us all of potential solutions. We can choose our response to fear to our advantage or disadvantage and others, based upon our interactions with ourselves and others.
Once we understand and implement the curative strategies we can go one better than “non-sufferers” and become people who truly understand how we removed our anxiety.
With this knowledge, we become empowered by the true understanding of the benevolence of the fight-flight response. We realise how safe we have always been.
We have personally experienced it, in real time, we have faced it. We have faced ourselves, made friends with our ourselves, understood ourselves and surfaced with a confident smile of wonderful possibilities hitherto undreamed of.
This eventual position gives us the clarity to completely understand ourselves, and our relationship with the wonderful world around us.
To use a bit of positive ‘spin’ we anxiety-based disorder sufferers (and ‘ex-sufferers') are the lucky ones,. We have the advantage of not having to search through subtle and fewer mental and physical effects to gain this insight. It is a wonderful insight.
The effects for us are initially obvious, often and designed to be in the forefront of our minds. This is not to say that we cannot remove them. It is all well and good knowing the dynamics behind the fight/flight response first hand if we miss the most crucial of all points ... "Can I make it stop?"
The answer of course is "Yes", the initially tricky part is facing the fact that in order to make it stop we have to make no effort to stop it.
The proof that you ultimately can effect your anxiety is the fact that you have enhanced anxiety in the first place. You are the creator of your anxiety. You know how easy it is to influence, for the entire timeline of your ‘disorder’ you are the one who has been in control, you have always been making all the decisions.
You have high anxiety, you are the one who is manufacturing it, you are also the one who will manufacture 'the cure'.
This information will untangle as you read further into this letter.
Let's summarise the information to come. If we look at the conceptual patterns described at the beginning, it will assist you in deciphering, memorising and ultimately applying all the information with speed and accuracy for the purpose of switching-off your anxiety-based disorder, and eventually turning your understanding to your advantage.
I will be using some repetition in my letter and make no apologies for this whatsoever. Some are super-intellectually gifted, or if you are like me … less so. I'm afraid that repetition will have to be patiently accepted by those who have the gift of light-speed understanding.
Repetition will also add to the effectiveness of this letter. In all its bluntness, it may not be the most elegant of teaching methodologies, but it is certainly one of the most effective.
Sometimes a point needs to be hammered-home (this is especially true for an anxiety filled person) in order for us to break our non-beneficial reactions to choose the right ‘curative’ road.
Visualisation and analogy will also be employed heavily. Why? Because they enhance the greatest of all memorials. Understanding.
We will also have a few laughs along the way and sincerely hope this does not offend any of you. The last thing I would want to do is to belittle your situation so any ridicule is directed solely at the anxiety condition itself.
Laughter is indeed the best medicine, this letter will explain why in naked detail.
This letter was not written with an agenda to furnish personal intellectual vanity. It is not written to gain acceptance from the anxiety-establishment. It is not written to attack the anxiety-establishment. It is not 'in competition' with other methods.
It is purposefully written to be of assistance to those who wish a positive viewpoint. I have purposefully made this letter 'neurophysiology-lite'. If you are still not happy, then I suggest that you pay someone to assist you. There are some truly exceptional people who are willing to be of assistance for a small fee. There are many people both internationally and locally who understand anxiety. In my opinion the best are those with credentials which champion the acceptance approach.
HERE WAS MY 'CURE' FOR MY ANXIETY BASED DISORDER
It is the search for the exit that convinces our protection system (fight/flight) that there is a problem. This causes the fight/flight response to kick in and protect us from that problem.
Stop searching for the exit and the fight/flight response will learn that the problem does not actually exist. Stop looking for what is wrong with you, face your fears in your own time and on your own terms and anxiety will shrink.
Is freedom from anxiety really a matter of simply accepting fears/symptoms and making myself do things in the normal way? Yes, once you understand that you are not in any danger. Initially, this seems most difficult, indeed almost impossible, however, once we are armed with the mechanical knowledge of the bodilly systems involved and their limitations, we attain the confidence to try.
WHAT OCCURS IN AN ANXIETY DISORDER
1) You use avoidance techniques
2) Your Limbic System has access to your senses.
3) It watches you perform an avoidance action in response to a fear sensation/ symptom.
4) It concludes there must be a danger purely by analysing your actions/choices.
5) It initiates the fight/flight response to keep you safe.
6) You feel the fear it produces.
7) You use avoidance techniques.
In other words, you create the disorder by avoiding perfectly normal and healthy bodily functions. If you keep avoiding, the Limbic System concludes that there must be a disorder, and it keeps you on alert!!!!
WHAT HAPPENS IN ANXIETY REMOVAL
1) You do not avoid or escape. Instead, you understand that the fear is not required and you DO NOT react, regardless of the presence of the fear sensation/symptom.
2) Your Limbic System has access to your senses.
3) It watches you not reacting in relation to your fear sensation/symptom.
4) It concludes that there is no danger.
5) It initiates the rest digest response.
6) You feel the relaxation it produces.
7) You no longer feel compelled to avoid or escape.
Stop Avoiding.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Who am I? Hello, may name is Chris. Up to this point (who knows what the future holds) I am thankful to have had a very good life. But whatever happens from this point on, if I simply act and react positively I can certainly fall, but I cannot fail.
I had an undiagnosed anxiety disorder with occasional bouts of panic disorder for about fifteen years. When I say undiagnosed, I mean misdiagnosed. My GP at the time suggested I had an inner-ear balance problem due to my severe vertigo-like symptoms. I do not blame him because I was so confused at the time, I could not explain my sensations, and they seemed too ‘alien’.
My ‘final’ year of anxiety was a different story; a new level. I was experiencing many panic attacks per day (sometimes five, sometimes ten). This continued for about six months.
I experienced nausea, vertigo, vomiting, de-realisation; depersonalisation; unreality; sweating, light-headedness, numbness, chest pains, shortness of breath, delayed perception, visual disturbances, hypersensitivity, constant obsessive thoughts; despair, dread, anxiety dreams, fear-phobia, fear of suicide, depression, fear of depression, accident and emergency hospital visits and many visits to the local Doctor's surgery.
I had so much adrenaline, I felt I could not sit down, not for one spare moment. I was pacing and running around trying to escape from this anxiety. What didn’t help is that I’m supposed to stay at my desk in a huge open plan office for 7.5 hours per day with occasional visits to do 'rig' work.
Every ten seconds was a battle. I was too scared to sit still. I was too scared to run. When I managed to get home in the evening, the place where you are supposed to feel safe, anxiety and panic carried on. I took at least six weeks off work.
With the aid of (on average) one bottle of wine per evening, I would collapse from exhaustion at around 01:30 am and wake every morning and start another panic attack at 04:30 am.
The only release from this was around 5 seconds per day. Those few seconds were the time between me waking up, and me ‘remembering’ I had this terrible condition. As you can imagine it was a rather exhausting time. It seemed like I read practically every piece of free information that was available on the internet. I took medications, I visited a psychologist once; I had six sessions with a relaxation therapist. Both of whom were fantastic.
This in retrospect was a great year (although I never knew it at the time). My fear had taken over to such an extent that I had no safe zones whatsoever.
Safe zone: a place, time or general scenario where panic/anxiety would temporarily subside.
WHAT IS MY LIFE LIKE NOW?
I’m fine thank you. I currently go to work in the same place, I sometimes enjoy it when my job is challenging (three days per-year on average), I quietly go through the motions when the job gets dull. I enjoy talking to some people in work as a select few of them actually have something to say. I drive home, have some dinner, I help my wife read stories and put the children to bed. The children and I spend far too much time belly-laughing at all aspects of the human digestive system, especially its myriad of fortuitous comedic noises.
Sometimes I research an interesting topic, sometimes I randomly surf the net, sometimes I watch television, sometimes I request that one of the children "pull-my-finger" to simulate a pretence 'cause' to a colonic wind emission 'effect' as all dad's do. In all honestly, that reflex arc fallacy humour never gets tiring. I spend a lot of time relaxing, which I suppose is a polite way of saying "sitting on my arse“.
I reluctantly do some gardening (I push the 'thing' around which makes the grass short), I play the guitar extremely well (no honestly I really am that good), and we (the family) go out for cheap and cheerful day trips. I don’t do anything spectacular, i just live what the general consensus would call a ‘normal life'.
WHY TELL YOU ABOUT MYSELF NOW?
When a person reads any curative advice to remove a behavioral condition such as an anxiety-based disorder, that person will decide how willing they are to comply with the advice based on two main factors:
1) Does the advice sound logical and plausible?
2) Do I trust the person giving the advice?
Is it the message conveyed that has merit or is merit bestowed upon that message because we believe in the authenticity of the author? I sincerely hope that your answer will be "both".
Regarding the advice I give, whether it has merit is completely up to you. There are no compulsions in this letter. You may choose to act upon my advice or not. It is your choice.
There is not much more to say about myself at present. I'm just an average chap who once had a severe anxiety based disorder. You need know no more than that.
I'm not the most concise of authors. My wife points out that I tend to "waffle-on." That is a fair assessment, guilty as charged. In fact I'm not an author at all. I'll never be a Dickens.
Hang on, positive viewpoint. Dickens was lucky, he had talent, I'm writing with no talent. He could never do what I'm doing!
Now, to prove that I have limited authoring skills, I will now happily borrow a line from popular culture rather than thinking up my own nifty soundbite.
"I can only show you the door, you're the one who has to walk through it"
... Morpheus, The Matrix. Thanks Morpheus. I could not have put it as good myself.
I'm here for two reasons;
1) To give you simplified information;
2) To give you the confidence to take the first few steps.
This letter helps you decode and reprogram your own fight/flight-rest/digest response.
In other words: I'm not giving you a fish, I'm teaching you to fish. I am indeed full of cliché’s today.
The other main fear someone will have when they consider any anxiety self help guide is this:
Is it a con? Simple answer. No and it's free. Does it work? All I know is that this strategy worked for me. Nothing more.
LETS DELVE
Why do you have anxiety?
Because you have practiced being good at it. You have been keeping anxiety switched on all this time by your own creative ingenuity. You has been ready to recover all this time but you have been stopping it.
Are you only good at anxiety?
No. You are good at most things you try. Unfortunately this means that you are also good at manufacturing anxiety symptoms.
Let's balance that, this means you are also good at manufacturing the cure.
You are talented. This is a good thing.
I believe there is no wrong way to react to Anxiety/Panic Attacks
Yes, there are better ways to react and worse ways to react which affect how comfortable you feel and extremely beneficial ways in order for you to alleviate all of your inappropriate feelings, but there is no way to fail at inappropriate ‘Anxiety’ and ‘Panic’.
This truth is a catch all statement to address the questions: “What am I doing wrong?” or “What did I do wrong to get in this predicament?” The answer to both questions is nothing. You have done and are doing nothing wrong, even though you may feel or think there is something wrong, there isn’t. There never has been. You are the result of simple cause and effect and there are many more triumphant chapters to write for you yet.
This information is not a test, there are no compulsion statements such as: ‘Always do this’, you Must do that’; ‘Never do the other’. With Anxiety and Panic, you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, for as long as you want and no harm will ever come to you.
“Why is this important?”
I believe it to be an important truth to understand. We build upon this truth and gain strength from the freedom it provides, understanding of this concept will help to eliminate any what-if fear statements that the mind can create whilst working through a method of anxiety removal, such as:
"What if I’m not doing it right or more crucially, what if I’ve done this wrong?" "Can this truth be right"?
Yes, Anxiety/Panic Attacks are utterly harmless in every way so whatever. You can do whatever you want and it won't have any bearing on your safety and your sanity.
You are the one who will get yourself better and you are the one who will keep yourself there. Once you understand the principles, you carry the techniques in your body and mind for the rest of your days.
When we don’t have all the facts we make the wrong assumptions,. We often make the assumption that there is something wrong with us. We can only calculate correctly when we have a sound knowledgebase. Get the facts, find out what to do then do it.
BORROWED WISDOM
At this point we are going to take a quick look at the origins of anxiety-based disorders.
The reason we are doing this is two-fold:
1) Simple Perspective.
Once we view anxiety in the most appropriate setting we have a handy reference point to enhance our understanding over the whole confusing issue. What better setting to employ than the setting that will visually explain all the seemingly negative sensations in the situation that they were most prominent, most obvious and most clear.
2) Distancing
The simple act of visualising (picturing) our anxiety-based disorder in an ‘external’ setting has the positive effect of mentally separating us from our worries. Our negative feelings and thoughts are seen 'at a distance.' You may find that this simple thought pattern will assist you when you need it. When I began my own anxiety disorder removal, I found it most beneficial to view the issue from the classic cave-man scenario.
I’m cooking mammoth-steaks for the bedraggled fur-clad family whom I love dearly and without warning, a vicious sabre toothed tiger strolls into the encampment in search of a meal. Don’t worry, you don’t actually need to employ this tactic yourself to remove your anxiety-based disorder, I just thought it may come in handy. We are all different, we all have different types of visualisations, we all learn in slightly different ways.
Of course the real origin of anxiety is rooted so much further back in the evolutionary timeline, long before us modern humans existed. The modern human brain comprises remnants of previous species within our lineage. It is by no means a new development. I place my analogy with the cave man scenario because we can easily identify with him without it being too great a leap of imagination.
Here's a little bit of Borrowed Wisdom from the Bushcraft expert Ray Mears:
"Knowledge is the key to survival, the real beauty of that is that it doesn't weigh anything." If you are not already aware, Bushcraft is the art of wilderness survival. To give a little background, Ray Mears is a very popular figure on British Television, renowned for his astounding knowledge of not only surviving but thriving in all environments. In my opinion he is one of the most natural and gifted presenters I have ever seen on tv, his relaxed presentation style is derived from his passion and confidence in his own knowledge on the subject matter of which he loves so much. As you can tell, I'm a bit of a fan.
Don't worry you won't have know your Amanita Pantherina from your Amanita Phalloides in order to implement the techniques in this letter.
For the uninitiated, Bushcraft is empowering and fulfilling. It's about lighting fires and building shelters, it's about knowing what to eat and what not to eat, it’s about being efficient and mentally strong, and it’s about self-confidence through applied knowledge.
Although I love the tv shows, I haven’t done that much practical Bushcraft due to my past commitments (commitments = laziness). I have merely dabbled whenever I had the time, but as it’s in my nature to be a vigorous researcher, my theory is a ‘tad’ greater than the layman. It is about the application of sound scientific principles.
Bushcraft is not about conquering nature. It is about living in sympathy with nature. It is about motivation and flexibility. It is about being creative. It is about being adaptable. It is about not panicking.
Ultimately it is about survival. It is an attempt to gain an indepth understanding of our ancestor’s successful relationship with the wilderness that has forged our cerebral and physical strengths. It also provides the setting for the origins of modern-day anxiety-based disorders. It goes without saying that the past was an intensely dangerous time. Our cave dwelling ancestors evolved a strong, efficient protection system which kept them alive in times of extreme threat. We traditionally call this protection the fight/flight response. Whenever Stone Age peoples of this world were faced with mortal danger, (and with all other factors being equal) the 'fittest' remained. By 'fittest' I simply mean those whose mental and physical characteristics best fitted the environment (thanks Darwin-Wallace). These survivors of both huge cataclysms and frequent local dangers were our direct ancestors. They had the best brains, the best bodies, the best survival instincts, the quickest and strongest protection mechanisms, the most elaborate social structures, the best flexibility and the without a doubt, the most luck.
We are indeed very fortunate beneficiaries and is an amazing inheritance. Unfortunately for some of us who suffer with an anxiety-based disorder, we believe that this inherited ‘gift’ has somehow malfunctioned for reasons we do not fully understand.
Time for another question:
Is this inherited gift (what I like to call the ‘protection response‘) actually operating exactly as it should do even when we are experiencing an anxiety-based disorder? Yes.
OK, I’ll explain. Why is it called the fight/flight response? It is simply called the fight/flight response because in times of danger our bodies are geared up to either fight the danger or take flight (run) from the danger. Here’s how the fight/flight response actually works. It is triggered by 'danger signals' within our sensory input (what we see, hear, smell taste touch, feel etc). This is the common denominator 'trigger'.
Back to the cave for context. You are in the entrance to your cave cooking your mammoth steaks, and in slinks a sabre toothed tiger. This 'dangerous' sensory information is rapidly processed by our protection mechanism (our anxiety).
More accurately, this sensory input is processed by two small parts of the brain called the amygdale (located as part of the 'Limbic System'). The amygdale then 'set' the required protection level. As you can imagine the sensory information which represents the tiger causes a setting of 'extremely high' to be used. To cut a long biochemical-electrical story short, the amygdale in the brain sends signals to the adrenal glands llocated just on top of your kidneys.
The adrenal glands pump the hormone adrenaline into our blood stream and the endocrine system which forces the body to undergo some frankly amazing changes. Our whole metabolic rate goes into overdrive, the heart pumps faster to supply more energy and oxygen to the relevant bodily systems, the lungs breath deeper to supply more oxygen to the blood, extra blood is supplied to our legs to give us a greater running speed, we experience a loosening of the bowels and a queasiness of the stomach to enable us to remove excess weight (faeces/urine/vomit) to increase our running speed even more, our hearing becomes more acute, our pupils dilate (widen) to allow us to scan around quickly and accurately, we filter out all information except information which is necessary for survival in that instant. There are countless more beneficial changes involved.
The changes described here are the physical or 'common' symptoms of anxiety-based disorders. These changes use lots of energy, and the main reason why we crave sugar after high anxiety to replenish lost stores. These changes are designed to seem overwhelming. These changes are designed not to be ignored. These changes are designed to keep us safe.
These changes have kept our ancestors alive in the past and will keep our descendants alive in the future. This whole sequence is what physiologists are talking about when they refer to the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) being called into operation. We either run for our lives or fight for our lives. It’s a pretty decent mechanism if you ask me.
As the body is in balance with itself, this whole sequence is replaced with another sequence when the danger passes. This new sequence calms us down to normal relaxation levels. This is what physiologists are talking about to when they refer to the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) being called into operation. Both of these systems, the SNS and the PNS added together form the ANS (the Autonomic Nervous System).
Back to Mr Ray Mears...
The borrowed wisdom originates from a conversation about friction-fire making methods (rubbing sticks together) that Ray once had with a local tribeswoman from the South Pacific on one of his many wonderful adventures. The philosophy is stunning.
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