What is happening physiologically during severe anxiety?
The client shows evidence of hyperarousal i.e. there is an inundation of adrenaline and other stress hormones resulting in the client reacting confused and threatened. The brain structures mainly involved in rational thought and memory are short-circuited so to speak. The client’s sympathetic nervous system is in overdrive, presenting muscle tremors, a dry mouth and a pounding heart as a result. The limbic system, the hippocampus and the amygdala handle emotion and danger. The limbic system also is the mid brain area accountable for the initiation of the freeze, fight, flight response. The amygdala and the hippocampus are deeply involved in responding to perceived traumatic events too. The more rational outer layer of the brain, the cortex is where our ability to judge, deliberate, contrast and compare is seated as part of the thinking capacity. The hippocampus, amygdala and the cortex are in constant communication.

The amygdala is the early-warning system. Here emotion is processed even before the cortex is knowledgeable about the event. The amygdala on receipt of stimulus from the sensory nervous system, immediately generates an emotional response by releasing hormones that stimulate the visceral muscles of the autonomic nervous system, which are felt in the stomach or elsewhere. Then the amygdala initiates the accompanying somatic nervous system response (musco- skeletal) e.g. trembling legs.

The amygdala is unaffected by the effects of stress hormones and may continue to alert even when it is inappropriate. Meanwhile, the hippocampus is passing the information to the cortex, the seat of rational thought. Once this happens, the rational thought will take precedence in the decision for action or not as the case may be. However, this assumes that the hippocampus is able to function and is not being paralysed by large amounts of adrenaline and noradrenaline that would make it impossible for it to instruct the amygdala to stop sounding the alarm.

I have been setting up a specialist anxiety clinic. For many years I have been working with patients suffering from a variety of anxiety based disorders and have found at 6 month follow-up irrespective of the type of therapy, something was lacking for some. So, I started to look outside the box and found an extensive amount of research around the reduction of anxiety using exercise.

As a result of the research of people like Oeland AM, Laessoe U, Oleson AV, Munk-Jorgenson P C. Barr Taylor, MD James F. Sallis, PhD RNeedle, PhD, I have integrated exercise (with a personal trainer) with specific type of CBT to form a new type of evidence based therapy for clients suffering from anxiety related illness. This integrated therapy will float under a positive Therapeutic Relationship. I still believe that it is the Therapeutic Relationship that far outweighs any other factors in therapy and it is from there that one needs to integrate whatever therapy will meet the need of the client.

This therapy model works with the client from both body and mind perspectives.  I also feel that the effects of exercise which are similar to the symptoms of anxiety i.e. shortness of breath, elevated heart rate, tightness around the chest, sweating will be reframed into a positive experience with the help of therapy and therefore on an experiential level their angst about feeling anxious will be brought under control a lot faster.

Do the free Anxiety test on my main website under the “Do I need Therapy” tag.

This course will end next Monday. The life changes in the members are remarkable. Just to think that implementing such small changes can bring such huge  change in their quality of life is incredible. The changes they have implemented as a result of this course has a ripple effect on enhancing the quality of life of their immediate families.

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New intake for 2010 workshop is starting now. This is a small workshop designed for people suffering from low serotonin. Aggression, Anxiety, Bulimia, Carbohydrate Cravings, Chronic Pain Disorders, Depression, Chronic Headaches, Hyperactivity, Insomnia, Muscle Twitching, Obesity, Panic Disorders, Premenstrual Syndrome, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Suicidal Thoughts and Tendencies are all associated with low serotonin levels.For more information about what this is and how these workshops work, take a look at www.terrifictransformations.co.uk The information that you will be able to access from that page will allow you to see whether, a) you might be a sufferer and b) how this workshop based course works.

The forum itself is closed to non members. Client confidentiality is protected at all times.