Anxiety Explained: A Guide to Its Purpose, Patterns, and Myths
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal and important human emotion. It is part of how our brain keeps us safe. It serves as our body’s built-in alarm system, helping us to notice when something might go wrong and prepares you to respond.
While anxiety can feel unpleasant, it’s not a sign that something is wrong with you. It’s a natural signal from your brain and body that something matters.
Some signs that you might be feeling anxious include:
Your heart races or your chest feels tight
You feel tense, restless, or jumpy
You have trouble sleeping or focusing
You get stomachaches or feel sick for no clear reason
You might also notice anxious thoughts like:
“What if they don’t like me?”
“What if the doctor finds something wrong?”
“What if I fail my exams?”
“What if I don’t get the job?”
These “what if” thoughts are common when we’re anxious. Your mind is trying to prepare for every possible scenario, even those that are unlikely to happen (Grupe & Nitschke, 2013).
Why Do We Experience Anxiety?
Anxiety is protective. It is part of a system that helped our ancestors survive. When you sense a threat, your brain tells your body to get ready - to fight, run away, or freeze (LeDoux & Pine, 2016; Mobbs et al., 2020).
In small doses, anxiety is helpful. It can:
Help you stay alert for a big event, like an exam or job interview
Motivate you to prepare or plan ahead
Remind you to stay safe or avoid risky choices
But too much anxiety can be unhelpful. It can:
Make you feel on edge all the time
Stop you from doing things you care about
Leave you feeling tired, irritable, or stuck
If anxiety is showing up often and getting in the way of your everyday life, it might be time to seek support.
“Anxiety can help us act. But when it keeps us stuck in worry, it can get in the way.”
How Anxiety Distorts Our Thinking
Research shows that people with anxiety tend to overestimate danger and underestimate their ability to cope (Behar et al., 2009). This means that their brains are wired to detect possible threats more easily, while discounting their own internal strengths and ability to manage.
This can create a constant cycle of worry making even small challenges feel overwhelming, and every uncertain outcome feels catastrophic. For example, someone might think:
“If I make a mistake in this presentation, I’ll lose my job.”
“If the doctor finds something wrong, I won’t be able to cope.”
“If they don’t reply to my message, they must hate me.”
These thoughts are often automatic, fast-moving, and feel very convincing. But they neither be accurate nor helpful. This kind of thought pattern is especially common in generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), where worry becomes the brain’s default mode of protection. Recognising this distortion is the first step toward interrupting the cycle.
Therapy approaches like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) help individuals develop skills to notice, challenge, and defuse these patterns. Learn more in our article Therapy for Anxiety.
Common Myths About Anxiety (and What the Research Says)
🧠 Myth 1: “Anxiety is just in your head.”
Truth: Anxiety affects your whole body. It involves your brain, nervous system, and physical responses — like your heart rate and breathing (Xu et al., 2019).
🧍 Myth 2: “People with anxiety are just being dramatic or weak.”
Truth: Anxiety is not a sign of weakness. It’s shaped by your genes, your brain, your upbringing, and your life experiences (Goodwin et al., 2020).
😌 Myth 3: “Avoiding anxious situations is the best way to cope.”
Truth: Avoiding what makes you anxious can make things worse over time. Facing your fears gradually, in a safe way, helps your brain learn that the situation isn’t dangerous (Carpenter et al., 2018).
💬 Myth 4: “Talking about anxiety will make it worse.”
Truth: Talking about how you feel can actually reduce anxiety. Naming your emotions helps your brain process them and feel more in control (Torrisi et al., 2021).
Final Thoughts
Anxiety isn’t bad — it’s a signal that something matters to you. But when that signal becomes too loud or constant, it can start to take over your life.
If anxiety is stopping you from doing the things you want to do, therapy can help. You don’t have to manage it alone.
Therapy won’t “get rid” of anxiety, but it can help you build the tools to respond with more calm and confidence.
📘 References
Behar, E., DiMarco, I. D., Hekler, E. B., Mohlman, J., & Staples, A. M. (2009). Current theoretical models of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): Conceptual review and treatment implications. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23(8), 1011–1023.
Carpenter, J. K., Andrews, L. A., Witcraft, S. M., Powers, M. B., Smits, J. A., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and related disorders: A meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Depression and Anxiety, 35(6), 502–514.
Goodwin, R. D., Fergusson, D. M., & Horwood, L. J. (2020). Early anxious/withdrawn behaviours predict later anxiety disorders in early adulthood. Psychological Medicine, 50(3), 403–410.
Grupe, D. W., & Nitschke, J. B. (2013). Uncertainty and anticipation in anxiety: An integrated neurobiological and psychological perspective. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 14(7), 488–501.
LeDoux, J. E., & Pine, D. S. (2016). Using neuroscience to help understand fear and anxiety: A two-system framework. American Journal of Psychiatry, 173(11), 1083–1093.
Mobbs, D., Headley, D. B., Ding, W., & Dayan, P. (2020). Space, time, and fear: Survival computations along defensive circuits. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 24(3), 228–241.
Torrisi, S., Lieberman, M. D., Bookheimer, S. Y., Altshuler, L. L., & Taylor, M. J. (2021). The neuroscience of emotion regulation: Basic mechanisms and implications for mental health. Neuropsychopharmacology, 46(1), 169–188.
Xu, J., Van Dam, N. T., Feng, C., Luo, Y., Ai, H., Gu, R., ... & Xu, P. (2019). Anxious brain networks: A coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of resting-state functional connectivity studies in anxiety. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 96, 21–30.