07 Sep Why Do I Feel Anxious For No Reason?

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I Am So Anxious and Feeling Very Stuck!

In today’s fast-paced world, many of us face constant pressures that challenge our mental and emotional resources. Whether it’s juggling demanding work deadlines, managing family responsibilities, navigating financial uncertainties, or dealing with social expectations, these daily life stressors can push our capacity for self-regulation to the limit. From a psychological perspective, when these environmental demands surpass our ability to self-regulate, we may experience heightened stress, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation. Applying evidence-based strategies to manage these responses is crucial for maintaining mental health.

What could be causing my sudden increase in anxiety?

Sudden increases in anxiety can be more complicated than it seems, often involving a mix of past experiences, current stressors, and how your nervous system is reacting to these challenges. It’s not just about what’s happening right now—it’s also about how your body is interpreting those events based on your history. Understanding these factors and working with a psychologist to pinpoint the underlying triggers can help you manage and ultimately reduce your anxiety.

Let’s break it down a bit. Sometimes, anxiety can be triggered by unresolved past trauma and negative thoughts that result in self-doubt. Your body might react to certain situations as though they’re repeats of past traumatic events, even if there’s no real threat. This can set off your fight-or-flight response, leading to those sudden, intense feelings of anxiety.

But it’s not just about the past. The daily grind can also play a big role. You might be juggling multiple responsibilities—work deadlines, financial worries, the nagging thought that you’re not spending enough time on your relationship, or concerns about health and aging. It’s easy to brush these off as “normal” stress, with that little voice in your head saying, “I should be able to handle this.” But these stressors can push you outside your ‘Window of Tolerance’—the space where you can effectively manage stress—leading to emotional overload and anxiety.

I’m feeling very stuck – so, where do I start?

In this blog, we focus on unpacking this and exploring the goal of starting to recognise our triggers and the body’s warning signs that you’ve been triggered. The next step is to start developing effective strategies for various moments, depending on where you are physiologically at any given time, to bring you back into your window of tolerance. Let’s give it a go, we’ll start by going over our nervous system and how it responds to the world around us day-to-day.

Do you notice that lately, you have been dealing with continuous stress? If you answer yes, then your nervous system might very well be in a constant state of alert, leading to panic attacks (perhaps feeling like you are having a heart attack!), restlessness, or an overwhelming urge to escape from your current situation. This would require regulation strategies targeting the hyperarousal state. This we discuss more later in the blog as it is very necessary to understand when getting to know our warming signs! If this is you, read on.

Why is my anxiety so bad lately?

I want to explain this in consideration of well-known theories to better understand this loop, and how we can use this knowledge to gain some feeling of control over our life! To begin, our nervous system is designed to respond to stress through the fight, flight, or freeze mechanisms, which are adaptive in short-term, acute situations. But when stress becomes chronic and ongoing, whether due to relentless work pressure, not getting enough sleep, ongoing financial worries, or continuous caregiving responsibilities.. to reel off just a few, these responses can become maladaptive. Maladaptive refers to behaviours, thought patterns, or coping strategies that are counterproductive or harmful in the long term. While these responses might provide temporary relief or help someone survive a difficult situation, such as avoidance of life responsibilities, they ultimately interfere with our ability to function effectively or adapt to new challenges in the long term. Also, the constant activation of these stress responses can overwhelm our self-regulation capacity, leading to burnout, anxiety, depression, and other mental health anxiety symptoms.

How to manage by building resilience in the face of environmental demands?

When environmental demands surpass our self-regulation capacity, this results in stress and often pushes us outside of our window of tolerance. It is in these instances we feel anxious, frustrated, irritable and become dysregulated (this is known as ‘hyperarousal’) or we can simply shut down and find ourselves thinking “I just don’t care anymore” (this is known as ‘hypoarousal‘). Therefore, it’s essential to have a toolkit of strategies to draw upon; depending on where we are at! Utilising evidence-based practices not only helps you manage your immediate stress response but also builds long-term resilience. By regularly incorporating strategies into your routine, you can expand your capacity for self-regulation, better manage the pressures of your environment, and protect your mental health during challenging times.

Understanding that your ability to self-regulate is not fixed but can be developed is empowering. Learning how to manage these instances that will arise in life will build resilience and self-confidence in yourself. Through consistent practice, you can enhance your resilience and ensure that even in the face of overwhelming demands, you maintain a sense of control, balance, and well-being. Most of the time, because we are still human! Before we explore some strategies to utilise during these stressful periods, we first must understand more about this window of tolerance and how it looks when we are pushed outside of our limits.

What is the Window of Tolerance?

In the field of psychology, the Polyvagal Theory offers a comprehensive framework for understanding how our nervous system responds to stress. According to this theory, our autonomic nervous system has three primary states:

1. Ventral vagal state – Associated with safety and social engagement (aka window of tolerance)
2. Sympathetic state – Linked to fight or flight responses (aka hyperarousal)
3. Dorsal vagal state – Connected to shut down or freeze responses (aka hypoarousal)

The concept of the Window of Tolerance is crucial here as it represents the range within which we can effectively manage stress and remain emotionally regulated. When we encounter stressors that push us outside this window, we may experience hyperarousal or hypoarousal, leading to dysregulation. There are other states such as the fawn response, but for the sake of the blog, we are going to stick to these 3 for now.

Hyperarousal: The Fight or Flight Response

When an individual is in a state of hyperarousal, they are experiencing an excessive activation of the sympathetic nervous system, often leading to anxiety attack symptoms, anger, or a heightened sense of threat.

Examples of hyperarousal include:

• Anxiety and Panic: The individual may feel on edge, constantly worried, or overwhelmed by a sense of impending danger.
• Irritability and Anger: There may be a heightened emotional reactivity, with the person easily frustrated or prone to outbursts.
• Restlessness and Agitation: The body may feel tense, with difficulty relaxing or sitting still, often leading to insomnia or difficulty concentrating.

Hypoarousal: The Freeze or Shutdown Response

In contrast, hypoarousal involves a dampening of the nervous system, where the individual may feel emotionally numb, detached, or overwhelmed to the point of shutting down.

Examples of hypoarousal include:

• Depression and Numbness: The individual may feel disconnected from their emotions, experiencing a sense of emptiness or hopelessness.
• Fatigue and Low Energy: There may be a pervasive sense of exhaustion, making it difficult to engage in daily activities.
• Disconnection and Dissociation: The person may feel detached from themselves or their surroundings as if they are “floating” or observing life from a distance.

A Case Example: Triggered into the Flight Response

Consider an individual who comes to therapy after noticing persistent feelings of panic and anxiety, accompanied by thoughts of leaving their job, craving to run away, and wondering if life would be easier if they moved overseas to “start again.” Upon reflection, it becomes apparent that specific triggers—such as increased work demands or conflicts with colleagues—had activated the flight response, a form of hyperarousal. Despite trying various coping strategies, the individual remains stuck in a state of heightened anxiety.

This scenario illustrates how past trauma and current triggers can interact to push someone outside their Window of Tolerance, even when there is no real danger. The body, conditioned by past experiences, may perceive a false alarm due to these triggers, resulting in a dysregulated state that is difficult to manage.

The body’s response to perceived threats and understanding the flight response:

When the body perceives a threat, whether real or imagined, it may activate the flight response as a means of self-preservation. This response is deeply rooted in our biology and is designed to help us escape from danger. However, in modern life, this response can be triggered by stressors that are not physically life-threatening—such as work stress, relationship conflicts, or unresolved trauma.

For the individual in our case example, the combination of past trauma and current stressors led to a chronic state of hyperarousal. The body’s fight-or-flight response was activated by a perceived threat—perhaps the fear of failure at work or the stress of social expectations. This led to constant anxiety, difficulty relaxing, and a persistent desire to escape, even though there was no immediate physical danger.

How can therapy with a psychologist help with dysregulation?

Understanding these responses through the lens of the Polyvagal Theory and the Window of Tolerance allows for targeted therapeutic interventions. In therapy, the focus may be on expanding the individual’s Window of Tolerance, helping them to recognise triggers, and developing strategies to return to a regulated state. Techniques such as mindfulness, grounding exercises, and trauma-informed therapy can be effective in calming the nervous system and reducing the intensity of these responses.

By acknowledging how the body reacts to perceived threats and working to re-pattern these responses, individuals can regain control over their emotional state, reducing anxiety, and improving their overall mental health. This process involves not only addressing the immediate triggers but also working through past traumas that may have conditioned the nervous system to respond in an overly sensitive manner.

What are evidence-based strategies for regulating the nervous system?

Activation of the Fight-Response (i.e, you may notice feeling anger or tendencies to blame):

• High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): When faced with relentless stress, such as ongoing work conflicts or unmet expectations, your body may default to a fight response, characterized by anger or frustration. HIIT can be an effective way to discharge this pent-up energy. Research shows that the physical exertion from HIIT not only helps release stress hormones but also improves your capacity to handle future stress, enhancing your overall self-regulation.
• Resistance Training: Engaging in resistance training can help ground you physically and mentally, reducing the impact of stress and improving emotional regulation. As environmental demands increase, such as dealing with challenging relationships or managing multiple roles, incorporating resistance exercises can help you maintain a stable mood and reduce feelings of overwhelm.

Activation of the Flight-Response (i.e., you might notice feeling fear):

• Aerobic Exercise (e.g., Running, Swimming): When demands exceed your coping abilities, you might experience a flight response, characterized by anxiety or a desire to escape. Aerobic exercises are proven to modulate this response by promoting neurogenesis and enhancing brain plasticity, thereby improving your resilience and capacity for self-regulation.
• Walking in Nature (Ecotherapy): The calming effects of nature can be particularly beneficial when your environment feels overwhelming, such as during times of financial stress or social pressures. Walking in green spaces has been shown to reduce cortisol levels and support the parasympathetic nervous system, which is essential for restoring balance when self-regulation is compromised.

Activation of the Freeze-Response (i.e., you may notice symptoms of depression or low mood):

• Mindfulness Meditation: When demands exceed your ability to cope, such as during prolonged periods of unemployment or caregiving, you may experience a freeze response, leading to depression or emotional numbness. Mindfulness meditation can help you reconnect with the present moment, reducing rumination and increasing your capacity for emotional self-regulation. This practice is especially important during periods of high environmental stress. Mindfulness meditation may incorporate breathing exercises to improve emotional regulation and alleviate symptoms of anxiety. By signalling to the brain that you are safe and not in immediate danger, these techniques help to bring you back into your Window of Tolerance, allowing for more effective management of stress and anxiety relief.
• Yoga: Yoga combines physical movement with breathwork and mindfulness, making it an excellent tool for managing the freeze response. Research indicates that regular yoga practice can enhance your ability to regulate emotions, improve mood, and increase your overall capacity to handle stress.
• Journaling: When the demands of your environment feel overwhelming, such as coping with chronic illness or navigating a major life transition, journaling can be a powerful tool to process your thoughts and emotions. Writing about your experiences can help you gain perspective, reduce stress, and bolster your self-regulation skills.

If I have lost you with these strategies, it seems that you’d benefit from exploring further to come up with a more individualised plan with one of our psychologists – reach out today!

How Can Positive Wellbeing Psychology Help?

Positive Wellbeing Psychology is dedicated to improving your overall mental health by addressing a range of anxiety disorders and related symptoms. If you’re experiencing a sudden surge in panic attacks and symptoms of anxiety engaging in psychotherapy also known as talk therapy and accessing evidence-based interventions to help manage and reduce these physical and emotional symptoms is highly beneficial. These symptoms may range from physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, or a racing heart rate, to anxious thoughts, and avoidance of usual daily responsibilities, speaking to a mental health professional about your experience of anxiety is part of self-help. You can speak with your GP about arranging a referral for up to 10 sessions with a psychologist per calendar year.

At Positive Wellbeing Psychology, our psychologists utilise evidence-based strategies and adopt a warm and personalised approach to help you navigate the complexities of anxiety, improve your quality of life, and achieve a balanced state of well-being. Whether through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), relaxation techniques including deep breathing practices, or self-care, we are here to support you in managing and reducing your symptoms of anxiety and improving your overall mental health and physical health.

How can I manage symptoms of anxiety disorder and severe ongoing panic attacks?

Navigating mental health conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety can be challenging, particularly when health conditions are intertwined and contribute to anxiety (e.g., thyroid imbalance contributing to anxiety symptoms in women by disrupting hormonal regulation). Its important to know there are evidence-based panic disorder treatment and anxiety disorder therapies available to help improve symptoms. Understanding the causes of anxiety is crucial, as they can range from phobias and agoraphobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, to adjustment difficulties. Healthcare professionals often recommend Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as an effective treatment for various types of anxiety. However, some individuals might require antidepressants to manage their symptoms and can engage with their GP to explore these treatment options, though it’s important to be aware of potential side effects. Reach out to our Melbourne psychology practice so we can set up an individualised plan that suits your unique needs.