Last Update: February 4th, 2014AD
I intend to constantly update this post over time as a summary of more obscure things I've found regarding the sources and causes of anxiety - things beyond the usual "talk therapy" & pharmaceuticals. Hopefully this will help some people as a jumping point to study specific issues more deeply. (This post is not meant to be medical advice, but for educational use only; please see your personal medical practitioner for applicability to your individual situation).
Thoughts - negative thoughts; dwelling on negative thoughts grows their power over time. When noticing a negative thought, try distracting the mind with another task (e.g. doing mathmatical problems in your mind, playing Tetris, etc.). The more you "feed" a thought, the stronger it grows. The opposite is also true: the less you "feed" a thought, the weaker it grows. Also, regular mindfulness meditation strengthens the ability of the rational brain to control the fearful brain. Also, thoughts can be modified and erased. Whenever one recalls a thought, there exists a window of opportunity to change that thought. Practically speaking, if one actively works to maintain a neutral and relaxed emotional state during the recollection of a problematic thought, that thought can be discharged of its emotional significance. If this is done repeatedly, over time, the thought and its negative emotional association can be "erased"! Something else to keep in mind: the brain, on a certain level, does not distinguish between reality and virtual reality - both are stored as valid memories and experiences in the brain. You might want to remember this when considering engaging in virtual reality experiences which might impact you negatively - whether television, movies, games, etc.
Overactivity in one part of the brain - Often, anxious individuals have a stronger fearful brain (e.g. amygdala, right temporal lobe) than the rational, calming brain (e.g. left temporal lobe). Stimulation of the left temporal lobe have been shown to give individuals a greater sense of balance and control over anxiety and anxious thoughts. Possible ways to stimulate the left temporal lobe include 1. engaging in more "logical" activities, e.g. mathematical problems, chess, etc. 2. decreasing stimulation to the right temporal lobe, e.g. eye patch over the left eye, 3. mindfulness meditation. Secondly, modern media and "entertainment" stimulates the fearful brain using various techniques, in order to prey on your "animalistic instincts" for their gain (e.g. selling a product, watching their show, etc.). This constant stimulation of the fearful brain (the seat of the instincts) wears away and diminishes the ability of the rational, calming brain. Notice how older shows show a more calm and steady pace, while "modern" shows cut scenes every 3 seconds to a new, unfolding drama? What is it doing to your brain?
Gluten intolerance/sensitivity/Celiac - Many individuals are intolerant to gluten (the "chewy" substance found in wheats, rye, barley, etc.). Eating wheats scars the villi in the intestines of these individuals, causing massive inflammation in the gut and all throughout the body and brain. Over months or years, this can cause immense damage to the gut, and, as a result, the gut can no longer digest nutrients from foods properly. This can result in nutritional deficiencies, which, compounded over time, can lead to many illnesses including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, ocd, heart failure, organ failure, arthritis, hypo- or hyper-thyroid, adrenal exhaustion, hypoglycemia, weight issues, etc. (Wheat today is not the same wheat our ancestors ate hundreds or thousands of years ago - through "genetic engineering", so-called "scientists" have changed the gluten in wheats in the past 50-70 years in order to increase profits!). Avoiding gluten may take months or years to completely heal from a lifetime of abuse to the gut.
Pyroluria - a blood disorder (possibly caused by a shock or lyme disease) where massive amounts of zinc, b6, biotin, manganese, and molybednum are released from the body. Deficiency in zinc causes an overload of copper in the body, and too much copper causes a zinc deficiency (Most(?) houses in the US is serviced by copper pipes for water). Some symptoms of insufficient zinc includes the inability to handle even minor stress, anxiety attacks, etc. Deficiencies in B6, Biotin, Manganese, Molybednum are also linked to high stress states. A urine test can be obtained over the Internet for a moderate price to verify the presence of kryptopyrolles.
Low Zinc - can result from high copper intake (Most(?) houses in the US is serviced by copper pipes for water). Deficiency in zinc causes an overload of copper in the body, and too much copper causes a zinc deficiency. Some symptoms of insufficient zinc includes the inability to handle even minor stress, anxiety attacks, etc. Insufficient zinc also prevents formation of sufficient stomach acids during digestion, which itself can cause nausea (a symptom commonly associated with anxiety).
Hypoglycemia - can mimic anxiety attacks. The brain's primary "fuel source" is blood sugar. When blood sugar gets too low, it senses a danger situation and causes the body to release adrenaline/epinephrine (& nor-adrenaline/nor-epinephrine), which itself releases reserves of blood sugar to feed the brain. A side effect of the adrenaline & nor-adrenaline release are anxiety effects, including nausea (digestive functions are stopped when blood is diverted to one's muscles to engage in "fight" or "flight"). Usually linked to thyroid and/or adrenal issues.
High or Low Histamine - can cause anxieties. Histamine is commonly associated with allergies, but it is also a neurotransmitter involved with many brain functions. Histamine is also associated with the release of adrenaline/epinephrine (& nor-adrenaline/nor-epinephrine).
Progesterone/Estrogen imbalance - A lack of the hormone progesterone, and an excess of estrogen in one's body can cause anxiety attacks. There are alot of phyto-estrogens in today's meal choices, leading many to experience excesses of estrogen (& estrogen-like substances), and depletion of progesterone. Progesterone is critical for the formation of MAO molecules in the body, and MAO itself destroys adrenaline & nor-adrenaline in the body, leading to a less stressed state. Yes, men can also experience low progesterone. Progesterone creams are sold over-the-counter.
Lack of Testosterone - Can also cause timidity and a lack of confidence, leading to anxiety.
Adrenal & Thyroid issues - A hyperthyroid can produce a thyroid storm of hormones that mimic many symptoms of anxiety. Things to look out for are warmer-than-normal hands & feet, a high metabolism, frequent hunger, or if you can't gain weight no matter how much you eat. An out-of-control thyroid can also stress your adrenal glands, which themselves release additional hormones in an effort to counteract feelings of stress in the body. Thyroid issues usually go hand-in-hand with adrenal insufficiency.
Magnesium/Calcium imbalance - Magnesium is used by the body to calm the nerves, while calcium is used to excite the nerves. Many people today have an imbalance in these two minerals, often leaning towards much more calcium than needed.
Insufficient Water intake - Water intake is important for the body. The average body is made of 80% water, and is important for the regulation of processes, including waste removal. Insufficient water can cause the body to retain many wastes, including acids produced by the muscles, which may lead to higher feelings of stress.
Slouching: Causes muscle strain & tension, prevents one from breathing in a full breath of oxygen, causing acid buildup in the muscles and a cycle of more tension.
Not Enough Exercise - Exercise is important to optimize hundreds of functions in the body, as well as improving the body's ability to remove wastes and chemicals from the body. It helps the muscles and organs function better at removing the stress hormones once the body produces them. A healthy body will rapidly process those stress hormones and return an anxious individual back to a calm state much faster than an unhealthy body.
Too Much Exercise - Overexercise may produce an abnormal breakdown of muscle and/or organ tissue, which may lead to increased feelings of stress! Adrenal glands may be overly stressed by overexercise, leading to production of more adrenaline & nor-adrenaline. It particularly affects individuals with type A blood, as these individuals do best with calming (not vigorous) exercise, e.g. walking, jogging, etc.
Taking anxiety remedies - You might ask, "how can taking anxiety remedies cause more anxiety?" The theory is this: If you ingest substances to suppress your anxiety, your body & mind's natural reaction is to push back against that external suppression. So, when you're off of your remedy, you might actually feel more anxious in the long run! A couple of studies may hint that taking anxiety increasing substances (e.g. yohimbe herbal drops, etc.) may have the opposite effect - sensing an external attempt at raising anxiety, your body & mind begins to work to suppress it. So, in the long run, taking substances which may increase your short-term anxiety may actually reduce your long-term anxiety!
Bad environment - People exposed to natural scenes (forests, etc.) hold much less stress. Try to surround you most frequented areas with nature as much as possible (e.g. windows looking out to a garden, computer desktop wallpapers with forest scenes, pictures, plants, sounds of nature playing, etc.), and try to be in nature as much as possible!
I intend to constantly update this post over time as a summary of more obscure things I've found regarding the sources and causes of anxiety - things beyond the usual "talk therapy" & pharmaceuticals. Hopefully this will help some people as a jumping point to study specific issues more deeply. (This post is not meant to be medical advice, but for educational use only; please see your personal medical practitioner for applicability to your individual situation).
Thoughts - negative thoughts; dwelling on negative thoughts grows their power over time. When noticing a negative thought, try distracting the mind with another task (e.g. doing mathmatical problems in your mind, playing Tetris, etc.). The more you "feed" a thought, the stronger it grows. The opposite is also true: the less you "feed" a thought, the weaker it grows. Also, regular mindfulness meditation strengthens the ability of the rational brain to control the fearful brain. Also, thoughts can be modified and erased. Whenever one recalls a thought, there exists a window of opportunity to change that thought. Practically speaking, if one actively works to maintain a neutral and relaxed emotional state during the recollection of a problematic thought, that thought can be discharged of its emotional significance. If this is done repeatedly, over time, the thought and its negative emotional association can be "erased"! Something else to keep in mind: the brain, on a certain level, does not distinguish between reality and virtual reality - both are stored as valid memories and experiences in the brain. You might want to remember this when considering engaging in virtual reality experiences which might impact you negatively - whether television, movies, games, etc.
Overactivity in one part of the brain - Often, anxious individuals have a stronger fearful brain (e.g. amygdala, right temporal lobe) than the rational, calming brain (e.g. left temporal lobe). Stimulation of the left temporal lobe have been shown to give individuals a greater sense of balance and control over anxiety and anxious thoughts. Possible ways to stimulate the left temporal lobe include 1. engaging in more "logical" activities, e.g. mathematical problems, chess, etc. 2. decreasing stimulation to the right temporal lobe, e.g. eye patch over the left eye, 3. mindfulness meditation. Secondly, modern media and "entertainment" stimulates the fearful brain using various techniques, in order to prey on your "animalistic instincts" for their gain (e.g. selling a product, watching their show, etc.). This constant stimulation of the fearful brain (the seat of the instincts) wears away and diminishes the ability of the rational, calming brain. Notice how older shows show a more calm and steady pace, while "modern" shows cut scenes every 3 seconds to a new, unfolding drama? What is it doing to your brain?
Gluten intolerance/sensitivity/Celiac - Many individuals are intolerant to gluten (the "chewy" substance found in wheats, rye, barley, etc.). Eating wheats scars the villi in the intestines of these individuals, causing massive inflammation in the gut and all throughout the body and brain. Over months or years, this can cause immense damage to the gut, and, as a result, the gut can no longer digest nutrients from foods properly. This can result in nutritional deficiencies, which, compounded over time, can lead to many illnesses including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, ocd, heart failure, organ failure, arthritis, hypo- or hyper-thyroid, adrenal exhaustion, hypoglycemia, weight issues, etc. (Wheat today is not the same wheat our ancestors ate hundreds or thousands of years ago - through "genetic engineering", so-called "scientists" have changed the gluten in wheats in the past 50-70 years in order to increase profits!). Avoiding gluten may take months or years to completely heal from a lifetime of abuse to the gut.
Pyroluria - a blood disorder (possibly caused by a shock or lyme disease) where massive amounts of zinc, b6, biotin, manganese, and molybednum are released from the body. Deficiency in zinc causes an overload of copper in the body, and too much copper causes a zinc deficiency (Most(?) houses in the US is serviced by copper pipes for water). Some symptoms of insufficient zinc includes the inability to handle even minor stress, anxiety attacks, etc. Deficiencies in B6, Biotin, Manganese, Molybednum are also linked to high stress states. A urine test can be obtained over the Internet for a moderate price to verify the presence of kryptopyrolles.
Low Zinc - can result from high copper intake (Most(?) houses in the US is serviced by copper pipes for water). Deficiency in zinc causes an overload of copper in the body, and too much copper causes a zinc deficiency. Some symptoms of insufficient zinc includes the inability to handle even minor stress, anxiety attacks, etc. Insufficient zinc also prevents formation of sufficient stomach acids during digestion, which itself can cause nausea (a symptom commonly associated with anxiety).
Hypoglycemia - can mimic anxiety attacks. The brain's primary "fuel source" is blood sugar. When blood sugar gets too low, it senses a danger situation and causes the body to release adrenaline/epinephrine (& nor-adrenaline/nor-epinephrine), which itself releases reserves of blood sugar to feed the brain. A side effect of the adrenaline & nor-adrenaline release are anxiety effects, including nausea (digestive functions are stopped when blood is diverted to one's muscles to engage in "fight" or "flight"). Usually linked to thyroid and/or adrenal issues.
High or Low Histamine - can cause anxieties. Histamine is commonly associated with allergies, but it is also a neurotransmitter involved with many brain functions. Histamine is also associated with the release of adrenaline/epinephrine (& nor-adrenaline/nor-epinephrine).
Progesterone/Estrogen imbalance - A lack of the hormone progesterone, and an excess of estrogen in one's body can cause anxiety attacks. There are alot of phyto-estrogens in today's meal choices, leading many to experience excesses of estrogen (& estrogen-like substances), and depletion of progesterone. Progesterone is critical for the formation of MAO molecules in the body, and MAO itself destroys adrenaline & nor-adrenaline in the body, leading to a less stressed state. Yes, men can also experience low progesterone. Progesterone creams are sold over-the-counter.
Lack of Testosterone - Can also cause timidity and a lack of confidence, leading to anxiety.
Adrenal & Thyroid issues - A hyperthyroid can produce a thyroid storm of hormones that mimic many symptoms of anxiety. Things to look out for are warmer-than-normal hands & feet, a high metabolism, frequent hunger, or if you can't gain weight no matter how much you eat. An out-of-control thyroid can also stress your adrenal glands, which themselves release additional hormones in an effort to counteract feelings of stress in the body. Thyroid issues usually go hand-in-hand with adrenal insufficiency.
Magnesium/Calcium imbalance - Magnesium is used by the body to calm the nerves, while calcium is used to excite the nerves. Many people today have an imbalance in these two minerals, often leaning towards much more calcium than needed.
Insufficient Water intake - Water intake is important for the body. The average body is made of 80% water, and is important for the regulation of processes, including waste removal. Insufficient water can cause the body to retain many wastes, including acids produced by the muscles, which may lead to higher feelings of stress.
Slouching: Causes muscle strain & tension, prevents one from breathing in a full breath of oxygen, causing acid buildup in the muscles and a cycle of more tension.
Not Enough Exercise - Exercise is important to optimize hundreds of functions in the body, as well as improving the body's ability to remove wastes and chemicals from the body. It helps the muscles and organs function better at removing the stress hormones once the body produces them. A healthy body will rapidly process those stress hormones and return an anxious individual back to a calm state much faster than an unhealthy body.
Too Much Exercise - Overexercise may produce an abnormal breakdown of muscle and/or organ tissue, which may lead to increased feelings of stress! Adrenal glands may be overly stressed by overexercise, leading to production of more adrenaline & nor-adrenaline. It particularly affects individuals with type A blood, as these individuals do best with calming (not vigorous) exercise, e.g. walking, jogging, etc.
Taking anxiety remedies - You might ask, "how can taking anxiety remedies cause more anxiety?" The theory is this: If you ingest substances to suppress your anxiety, your body & mind's natural reaction is to push back against that external suppression. So, when you're off of your remedy, you might actually feel more anxious in the long run! A couple of studies may hint that taking anxiety increasing substances (e.g. yohimbe herbal drops, etc.) may have the opposite effect - sensing an external attempt at raising anxiety, your body & mind begins to work to suppress it. So, in the long run, taking substances which may increase your short-term anxiety may actually reduce your long-term anxiety!
Bad environment - People exposed to natural scenes (forests, etc.) hold much less stress. Try to surround you most frequented areas with nature as much as possible (e.g. windows looking out to a garden, computer desktop wallpapers with forest scenes, pictures, plants, sounds of nature playing, etc.), and try to be in nature as much as possible!
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May YHWH guide you on the path to healing.
