Anxiety According to Neuroscience
Uprooting The Source of Fears and Anxieties
When I bought my house some 26 years ago, the bank loan (home mortgage) officer found me eccentric because unlike every other loan applicant who pushed for maximum loan amount to buy the highest-priced house they could afford, I told him I needed a smaller house and did not borrow the entire amount he qualified me for. My attitude of “Yes, I can borrow more, But I Won’t!” surprised him because they were used to people “competing” for higher income-based borrowing and spending, defined as “quality” of life. Actually, borrowing less helped me pay off my mortgage early. My decision to be “content” was wise because a few years later, after I lost my high-paying job, I was less “anxious” than many of my coworkers about “maintaining” my life and expenses1. That meant I did not have to be constantly on edge and make rushed (bad) career or life decisions out of necessity and desperation. Anxiety begets anxiety!
Debt means future risk. In fact, anxiety and debt are related both economically and neurologically. Neurologically, anxiety is “sensing an uncertain or unknown risk or danger ahead.” It happens when we are always planning ahead (forward looking life) but don't have all the facts. It happens when we are unsure about our own preparedness and ability to fight the unknown dangers ahead. It's feeling "alone" and "vulnerable" in an unpredictable journey. It's like driving an unreliable car into dark on an unknown terrain full of chasms and valleys. Except in the terrain of life, we are that unreliable vehicle full of self doubts. For those who read the Bible (or watched a blotched version of this verse by Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction) the following verse aptly explains the feeling of anxiety, and how it goes away when we feel we are in good hands: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want .. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." Psalm 23:4
Interestingly, contentment (I shall not want) and trust (in a higher power that guides us like a shepherd), both listed in this verse for alleviating anxieties, are shown to be associated with two neuropeptides in the brain that alleviate anxiety, i.e., serotonin (for contentment, gratitude and curbing our desires) and oxytocin (in building trust in our mother, or someone that unconditionally loves and protects us). These two neuropeptides are shown to balance other neuropeptides and hormones. Serotonin curbs excesses of dopamine (forward-looking plans and goals) and oxytocin is shown to downregulate the effect of cortisol (stress/anxiety) and restless competition (testosterone). It is in the balance that we find joy and happiness.
In my previous article “The Neuroscience of Gratitude, The Benefits of a Backward Outlook,” I explained how modern humans often walk a tightrope between fatigue or burnout, depression or addiction, anxiety or recklessness, all rooted in the forward-looking (prospective) nature of our motivations. The “motivating” neuropeptide in the brain associated with forward-looking rewards and pleasures is dopamine. New research shows increased levels and frequency of dopamine release in the brain will make us more impatient (anxious)2, and relentless reward-seeking leads to psychosis.
Easing our Anxieties
That backward-looking neurotransmitter which curbs our anxieties and addictions is called serotonin. It’s in the same family of neurochemicals as melatonin, the sleep, relaxation and healing neurotransmitter. Serotonin plays a key role in our sense of contentment and gratitude. Contrary to the “temporal discounting” effects of forward-looking neural circuits, serotonin slows down our perception of time and makes us more patient and less anxious. The more we slow down to practice gratitude, contentment and self-control (The “Yes I can, but I Won’t” attitude), the more our brain becomes adept in naturally releasing serotonin. Synthetic anti-depressants, alcohol and anxiolytic drugs have a bad track record (ineffective, addictive and/or creating suicidal thoughts).
Although many people seek security in competing for money and income (releasing more testosterone), neurologically, it is not the testosterone but Oxytocin, the trust and caring neuropeptide, that is a strong antidote to anxiety. In fact, research shows the more competitive we become (testosterone-driven) the more difficult it becomes for our body to release oxytocin (the pause and care molecule). Many competitive adults, particularly males, are oxytocin-deficient. After we grow up and start our competitive adult life, we are often detached from the trusting caring love of mothers who unconditionally love and protected us. But to people who whole-heartedly follow Holy scriptures, we are never without a loving, caring, protector even if we are orphans or born in loveless families.
According to the Bible, for example, once we understand the eternal love of God and his plans for us as our main protector, we would not feel anxious or fearful. We read in John 4:18: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.” In other words, this trust in the joy and reward of a loving relationship with Goodness (God) will outweigh our fears and anxieties. Elsewhere in John 14:27, we learn God's peace does not come with trying too hard for the world and material wealth: “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you… I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” In other world, it’s a different kind of security and mindset than financial rewards. One brings joy, contentment, calm and trust, another anxiety and restlessness.
I have seen this calming effect of trust in a loving, caring, protecting God in true believers who are joyful, kind, unselfish and giving even in extremely difficult times. Many of our friends who are true believers, even those who have low incomes, don’t even lock their doors. Remember the opening scenes of Les Misérables and the charitable Christian priest? “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. ..; He will quiet you with His love.3”
Non-believers who mock believers for their trust in an “imaginary” friend do not realize the presence of this powerful, caring, loving and protecting force in anyone’s life can have an extremely calming effect. Here are some other interesting verses from the Bible about fear and anxiety:
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24
“For where your treasure is, there your heart [and fears and anxieties] will be also.” Luke 12:34
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” Psalm 55:22
19. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
A simple trick to break down the self-reinforcing goal-driven (dopaminergic) feedback loops is to “disrupt” our routine paths (of pursuit) randomly, occasionally and temporarily with a “random walk” (away from the usual tightropes) so our brain is conditioned with a new reward/risk pattern that help release more serotonin and oxytocin. Many successful athletes and business people define discipline as steadfastness on a certain path. But that could also place us on a path to habituation (thoughtless routines like zombies), anxieties and addictions. My definition of beneficial discipline is the ability to drop, randomly, occasionally and at will, our rewarding routines in favor of a behavior or activity that balances us.
Also Related:
Contentment: The Ultimate Virtue
Borrowing and debt are now the main drivers of the so-called economic growth. Most people blame the $37 trillion national debt on politicians without realizing that the national debt has been spent mostly by Americans inside the country. In other words, that huge debt is a reflection of all of us living beyond our means.
The impatience and “temporal discounting” in our prospective perception of time is explained in more depth in my book and articles.
Zephaniah 3:17