Chapter 4 - Anxiety

Anxiety

Composed by: Cori Kassib

Although I’m interested in how exercise affects our brain chemistry, I don't necessarily use BDNF, GABA, and ANP in my daily lingo. What I do know is that anxiety is an unpleasant state of inner turmoil. When a person feels anxious, they often exert nervous behaviors, such as pacing back and forth, bodily systems of tension such as butterflies in the stomach, or focusing on bad feelings and experiences from the past.

“I just! I need! I have! A red marker! And I need! A green marker! Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! MOMMY HELP”

I found it interesting when Dr. Ratey shared the story of Amy and how her husband won full custody of the kids. Many people view anxiety as a illness that affects one’s ability to function on a daily basis. There is also a judgement that if people are medicated for anxiety or depression, they are “less of a person” or are seen as being weak.

When Amy quit taking her medication because she found exercise as a valid substitute the court judged her and said she did not want to get better. Ratey discovered that by using exercise to combat the symptoms of anxiety one can treat the state (of anxiety) and as your level of fitness improve, you chip away at the trait. “Over time, you teach the brain that the symptoms don't always spell doom and that you can survive; you’re reprogramming the cognitive misinterpretation.” Basically what they are saying is that exercise produces calming chemicals and if the body is calm, the brain is less likely to worry. Science show’s there is a clear connection between how much you exercise (your body) and how anxious you feel (your brain).

I love the section “Outrunning the Fear,” because it is simple and straightforward.

1. Moving (exercising) provides a distraction. You are thinking about what you are doing and not about what is making you anxious.

2. The “tranquilizing effects of exercise” reduces muscle tension by reducing the electrical patterns in their muscle spindles. The more relaxed one actually feels (no knots in your muscles or kinks in your neck) the less anxiety one feels.

3. BUILDS BRAIN RESOURCES….. scientific talk for increasing Serotonin, increasing Norepinephrine, GABA and BDNF…..aka neurotransmitter’s are firing!

4. Exercise teaches a different outcome, meaning we are giving the brain the “old switc-a-ro.” When someone is having an anxiety attack, they are experiencing an increase in heart rate and breathing becomes more difficult…..sound familiar. Yes, when we exercise the same symptoms occur, so now when people exercise they associate those symptoms as something that is controlled and positive.

5. Exercise reroutes your circuits….again more brain talk. The sympathetic nervous system is activated when exercising and it prevents a part of the brain (amygdala) from running wild and freaking out about what life is presenting.

6. Exercise improves resilience. When making a conscious effort to exercise, you are makign the decision to do something for yourself, and then you begin to realize that you CAN do something for yourself!

7. Exercise sets you free. People who suffer from anxiety feel trapped, exercise means taking action, going out and exploring, and moving through the environment.

So what does this mean for our “kids,” classroom, and ourselves? Many people and kids today suffer from anxiety. Our world is faced paced, crazy and is constantly changing. If we don’t deal with anxiety or teach our kids how to deal with anxiety than this world will eat them alive. Not coping with stress is yet another reason that these kids lifespan is less than their parents. I say, we reduce anxiety through movement and rely on the science to support you!