#3

Effects of Anxiety on the

Body
Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD on July 20, 2018 — Written by Kristeen
Cherney

Commented [DD1]: Is there an official point to where it

Anxiety is a normal part of life. For example, you may have felt anxiety before becomes ‘unnormal’
addressing a group or in a job interview.

Commented [DD2]: This can also be long term?

In the short term, anxiety increases your breathing and heart rate,
Commented [DD3]: So is this a positive? Because of the
concentrating blood flow to your brain, where you need it. This very physical blood going where you need it?
response is preparing you to face an intense situation.

If it gets too intense, however, you might start to feel lightheaded and
nauseous. An excessive or persistent state of anxiety can have a devastating
effect on your physical and mental health.

Anxiety disorders can happen at any stage of life, but they usually begin by
middle age. Women are more likely to have an anxiety disorder than men,
says the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Stressful life experiences may increase your risk for an anxiety disorder, too.
Symptoms may begin immediately or years later. Having a serious medical
condition or a substance use disorder can also lead to an anxiety disorder.
There are several types of anxiety disorders. They include:
Commented [DD4]: So this is not something you are born
with? Or maybe you can be born with it but develop it? I
would assume it begins in your younger years, not as you
age
Commented [DD5]: For what reason? Is this because of
experiences or something neurological ?
Commented [DD6]: This makes anxiety disorders
developing later in life make a bit more sense, didn’t think
of it this way, because as you age you go through more
events
Commented [DD7]: How can symptoms begin years later?
What are those symptoms?
Commented [DD8]: What are the stats for this? Is it
common for this too accour
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
GAD is marked by excessive anxiety for no logical reason. The Anxiety and
Depression Association of America (ADAA) estimates GAD affects about 6.8
million American adults a year.
GAD is diagnosed when extreme worry about a variety of things lasts six
months or longer. If you have a mild case, you’re probably able to complete
your normal day-to-day activities. More severe cases may have a profound
impact on your life.
Social anxiety disorder
This disorder involves a paralyzing fear of social situations and of being
judged or humiliated by others. This severe social phobia can leave one
feeling ashamed and alone.
About 15 million American adults live with social anxiety disorder, notes the
ADAA. The typical age at onset is around 13. More than one-third of people
with social anxiety disorder wait a decade or more before pursuing help.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
PTSD develops after witnessing or experiencing something traumatic.
Symptoms can begin immediately or be delayed for years. Common causes
include war, natural disasters, or a physical attack. PTSD episodes may be
triggered without warning.
Commented [DD9]: Could you consider this a mix of all the
disorders? Or because of it being about anything, could you
consider it worse than the rest?
Commented [DD10]: It baffles me how we know how many
people (and this rate is just adults alone!) suffer with GAD
(one of the few disorders) and this rate isn’t decreasing. In
my opinion more things should be put in place to aid these
people.
Commented [DD11]: Does it have to be a ‘paralyzing fear’
to be labelled a disorder?
Commented [DD12]: I feel most young adults I know feel
this way, this should be addressed more at school for this is
where most social interactions happen
Commented [DD13]: What causes this? This number is so
high, its baffling. Is it the increase in the use of social media,
cutting off lots of face to face interactions?
Commented [DD14]: Is this because this is around when
children enter high school, and the big changes can have a
big effect on them? Change in social surrounds and
uncertainty must have a role
Commented [DD15]: What could we do to change this ?
Commented [DD16]: Did not know this was considered an
anxiety disorder
Commented [DD17]: Again I do not understand how it can
be delayed for so long
Commented [DD18]: Most common one I’ve heard of, I
wonder the percentage
Commented [DD19]: This is interesting. I wonder how that
happens
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

People with OCD may feel overwhelmed with the desire to perform particular
rituals (compulsions) over and over again, or experience intrusive and
unwanted thoughts that can be distressing (obsessions).
Commented [DD20]: All my life I heard about how OCD is
about how people wanted things to be clean, not this. I
wonder why that is.

Common compulsions include habitual hand-washing, counting, or checking

something. Common obsessions include concerns about cleanliness,
aggressive impulses, and need for symmetry.

Phobias

These include fear of tight spaces (claustrophobia), fear of heights

Commented [DD21]: I hear so much about phobias and
(acrophobia), and many others. You may have a powerful urge to avoid the how you can have one about almost anything. I feel people
feared object or situation. exaggerate this when being scared of something, and call it
a ‘phobia’ just because

Panic disorder
This causes panic attacks, spontaneous feelings of anxiety, terror, or
impending doom. Physical symptoms include heart palpitations, chest pain,
and shortness of breath.
Commented [DD22]: What causes panic attacks? And what
specifically makes it An anxiety attack
Commented [DD23]: Could this cause a heart attack or
heart failure? Or passing out

Commented [DD24]: But are there triggers? Or does it

These attacks may occur at any time. You can also have another type of always happen at random times
anxiety disorder along with panic disorder.
#4

Central nervous system

Long-term anxiety and panic attacks can cause your brain to release stress
hormones on a regular basis. This can increase the frequency of symptoms
such as headaches, dizziness, and depression.
When you feel anxious and stressed, your brain floods your nervous system
with hormones and chemicals designed to help you respond to a threat.
Adrenaline and cortisol are two examples.
Commented [DD25]: Would you have to take separate
medication for the symptoms
Commented [DD26]: Does this mean if you have had
anxiety for a long period of time it’s likely you’ll develop
depression
Commented [DD27]: Could this be a positive, because
you’d always be ready for whatever happens?

While helpful for the occasional high-stress event, long-term exposure to

Commented [DD28]: ^now I understand. This makes logical
stress hormones can be more harmful to your physical health in the long run. sense
For example, long-term exposure to cortisol can contribute to weight gain.

Cardiovascular system
Commented [DD29]: Even though this is it ‘mental illness’
Anxiety disorders can cause rapid heart rate, palpitations, and chest pain. You this sure does cause many physical effects to the body,
may also be at an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. If which makes me wonder why we don’t pay as much
attention to people suffering
you already have heart disease, anxiety disorders may raise the risk of
coronary events.

Excretory and digestive systems

Anxiety also affects your excretory and digestive systems. You may have
stomach aches, nausea, diarrhea, and other digestive issues. Loss of appetite
Commented [DD30]: This is now so much more than just a
can also occur. mental thing
There may be a connection between anxiety disorders and the development
of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) after a bowel infection. IBS can cause
vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation.

Immune system
Anxiety can trigger your flight-or-fight stress response and release a flood of
chemicals and hormones, like adrenaline, into your system.

Commented [DD31]: common symptoms of anxiety

In the short term, this increases your pulse and breathing rate, so your brain
can get more oxygen. This prepares you to respond appropriately to an
intense situation. Your immune system may even get a brief boost. With
occasional stress, your body returns to normal functioning when the stress
passes.

But if you repeatedly feel anxious and stressed or it lasts a long time, your
body never gets the signal to return to normal functioning. This can weaken
your immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to viral infections and
frequent illnesses. Also, your regular vaccines may not work as well if you
have anxiety.

Respiratory system
Anxiety causes rapid, shallow breathing. If you have chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), you may be at an increased risk of hospitalization
from anxiety-related complications. Anxiety can also make asthma symptoms
Commented [DD32]: can you die from excessive anxiety or
worse. stress?

Commented [DD33]: is this because of the increase in

breathing rate?
#5

Does Art Therapy Work for Anxiety?

Creativity and Comprehensive Treatment
Programs
October 16, 2018, Avery TauberBridges to
Recovery

Art therapy has been shown to significantly help individuals who struggle with
anxiety. Understanding art therapy and the research surrounding the field shows that this
supplemental treatment option has been helpful with people of all ages and backgrounds. Art
therapy works to heal anxiety through helping us feel a sense of calm, express ourselves, and
become more self-aware. As part of a comprehensive treatment plan, art therapy may be a Commented [DD34]: What if you’re not artistic in any way?
truly transformative treatment option for those who seek healing from anxiety disorders. or if you’re a perfectionist and this causes more stress?

Quick Links Commented [DD35]: I wonder what the %is for how often
this treatment works

 Understanding Art Therapy

 How Art Therapy Works to Heal Anxiety
 Including Art Therapy in Your Treatment Plan
Unbelievably rich watercolor swirls from your brush as you dip the bristles into clean, clear
water. As you watch, you feel your racing heartbeat begin to slow and the raw edges of your
panic begin to smooth themselves out. Acrylic paint gets under your fingernails and in the
crevices of your palms as you mark the paper with childlike abandon. You take a deep breath, Commented [DD36]: You have to really put all your focus
feeling truly safe for the first time in days. You revel in the comforting scratch of colored pencil into this for it to work for it to work, so this treatment could
only work if you like to do art in the first place
on smooth drawing paper, and exhale gently as you watch the mandala come alive in vibrant
hues. After feeling trapped for so long in the tight grip of anxiety, these moments feel so good. In
your art therapy sessions, you discover a newfound sense of enjoyment, creativity, and calm.
Does art therapy work for anxiety? For many, the answer is yes. After over 70 years in practice,
art therapy has been found by mental health professionals to be helpful in reducing symptoms of
anxiety. From graduate students to cancer patients and from children to the elderly, individuals Commented [DD37]: are there other forms of creating that
have seen significant and measurable improvements in their anxiety levels after participating in have been proven to be theraputic for people who suffer
from anxiety?
creative activities. However, it is not a substitute for psychotherapy or pharmacotherapies, and
tends to work best in conjunction with other treatment methods—which is why clinicians often Commented [DD38]: this helps a range on people whom
are going through big changes
recommend art therapy as part of a larger comprehensive plan.
Understanding Art Therapy
Commented [DD39]: what other treatments? Are there
pairs that work better together

While all creative expression is beneficial to us in one way or another, art therapy goes deeper
than many people realize. It’s more than spending a contemplative hour with an adult coloring
book. This is a studied, proven, and professionally-practiced treatment option that is currently
helping thousands of people in schools, hospitals, military bases, and therapy settings around the
globe. Performing artistic and creative activities in the presence of a compassionate and
experienced therapist can help each of us process our emotions better, learn more about Commented [DD40]: so you need a therapist around while
ourselves, and gain a sense of calm. you create? This means this treatment is not free. Could you
experience the same calming effect while alone? Or is that
Art therapy has been found to help people of all ages, races, and backgrounds heal from and not recommended
handle difficult experiences and emotions like fear and worry. It’s been actively requested by
parents and children who suffer from leukemia, to help them stay strong and positive through
difficult hospital procedures. It’s helped aging adults reduce anxiety levels by as much as
70.6%. Art therapy has also been proven to help those who struggle with trauma and those who Commented [DD41]: this is a good chunk of people, I’m
have been diagnosed with a terminal illness cope with the reality of their situations. surprised how well this works. I wonder how much it helps
children
How Art Therapy Works to Heal Anxiety
Art therapy has potential benefits for us all. According to the American Art Therapy
Association, art therapy exercises help “foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate
emotional resilience, promote insight, [and] reduce and resolve conflicts and distress.” However,
this particular treatment has also been studied and proven to specifically help those who deal
with anxiety disorders. Especially when used in combination with other treatment methods,
research shows that art therapy:
 Calms the nervous system.
o Art therapy activities are meditative, quiet, and calming, which helps soothe
symptoms of stress, nervousness, and irritability. A calm mind is better able to
process difficult emotions and experiences. Mental health professionals have
found that art therapy is helpful for resolving deep inner conflicts through
meaningful moments of calm. Over time, these experiences help individuals to
feel more peaceful in general throughout their daily lives.
 Encourages self-expression.
o Many of us struggle with anxiety surrounding thoughts, feelings, or events that
we cannot or don’t want to speak about out loud. Art therapy helps us express
ourselves in a safe manner. Through thoughtful exercises and with the guidance
of a compassionate and experienced therapist, individuals with anxiety can learn
how to express how they’re feeling in a creative, constructive manner. Creative
self-expression helps each of us connect with experiences and emotions in a
healthy, rewarding way.
 Increases self-awareness.
o When we engage in creative pursuits, we often discover new aspects of
ourselves that we weren’t aware of before. This phenomenon is especially clear
when experienced in the context of an art therapy session. Through meditative,
expressive, and idiosyncratic exercises (such as drawing with the non-dominant
hand), individuals gain an increased sense of self-awareness. It’s much easier to
understand and identify with feelings and experiences that exist below the
surface of our conscious minds when we focus on a creative activity.