Lions, Tigers, & Airplanes

Learn how an understanding of the neurobiology of anxiety can set you free.

Published in Psychology Today
Matthew MacKinnon MD
MindfulnessMD

For the purposes of today’s discussion, you will be afflicted with a dire case of aerophobia (fear of flying) for the next fifteen minutes.
A few months ago you booked a flight to that tropical getaway you’ve always dreamt about. Now the day of your trip has arrived and you are boarding your plane.

Your breath issues forth in smoke-like clouds made substantial by the crisp morning air and you daydream about lying on a warm beach. As you climb aboard the airplane your brain suddenly changes the channel and the image of the idyllic beach is overcome by an acute awareness of just how narrow the aisles are and the staleness of the cabin’s recycled air.

As you make your way to your seat you feel less like a passenger and more like a condemned man shuffling to the executioner’s scaffold. Beads of sweat collect above your eyebrows and you become keenly aware of the sensation of your heart as it does the rhumba in your chest.
By the time you find your seat and jam your over-packed bag into the under-appropriated headspace your breath is coming in short and rapid starts.

Let’s pause here to map the neurology of your iatrogenic panic attack.

First, the raw stimuli of the airplane arrive at a part of the brain known as the amygdala. Planes have long ago been associated with fear for you so upon stepping into the stimulus-rich environment of the metallic bird the amygdala flips through its panic rolodex, shrieking in fear as it finds the card marked: “Airplane = Danger!”

The amygdala passes along the danger signal to the hypothalamus, who, as dictator of the body’s autonomic nervous system, trips the fight-or-flight wire. The body’s sympathetic nervous system (SNS) steps on the metaphorical gas and your heart rate increases, your blood pressure rises, and your imaginary weatherman predicts perspiration with a good chance of flop sweat.

The physiological components of your anxiety attack are now now in full force and your brain begins to receive feedback from the southern territories regarding the bodily results of the SNS/”Gas” activation. The thalamus is the part of the brain that receives sensory information from your body, informing the rest of your brain about the thumping of your heart, the choking sensation of hyperventilation, and the slightly slippery texture of your skin.

Unfortunately, the information provided by the thalamus regarding the panic signals from the body only spurs on the anxious cycle kicked off by the danger signals from the amygdala. The brain reasons that your heart must be pounding for a reason and since fight-or-flight rarely connoted a pleasant experience in the primordial history of our evolutionary brain, the brain fans the amygdala-sparked flames of panic.

Now that I’ve given you an anxiety attack let’s insert mindful breathing and some good old-fashioned reality-testing so that you can enjoy your flight and relish your vacation.

Source: Matthew Williams, MD/MindfulnessMD.com

As you sit and draw your attention to your breath your muscles relax. Your breath becomes elongated and you emphasize your exhalation. As we discussed in a previous article your deep breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), or the body’s “brake” as I have referred to it as. The PSNS/”Brake” slows your racing heart and your breathing begins to take on a relaxed rhythm.

As before, the sensory signals from your body filter up through the thalamus to the rest of your brain, but this time they indicate a calm bodily state. Again, your brain reasons that the physiological calm must correlate with a safe environment (don’t try this in the proximity of a lion, tiger, or bear) and informs the amygdala that it can relax.

After you have calmed the fire of panic your rational dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is able to communicate the message previously drowned out by the cacophony of your panic circuit: planes are safe. In fact, your dorsolateral prefrontal cortex adds, per year you are about 1,500 times more likely to die in a car crash than in a plane crash (1).

The rationality-PSNS/”Brake” cocktail works quickly and your amygdala sheepishly stows away its panic rolodex…”

References
1. Williams, M. (2014). Risk Perception: From Ebola to Airplanes. Retrieved from https://www.mindfulnessmd.com/2014/10/25/risk-perception-from-ebola-to-airplanes/

How Meditation Can Help with Panic Symptoms

By Katharina Star, PhD

People with anxiety disorders are often prone to frequent worrying, feelings of nervousness, and negative thinking. For example, many people with panic disorder spend time worrying about the future or stressing about the past. Fortunately, relaxation techniques can help counteract these symptoms.

Relaxation techniques are practices you can learn on your own, or with the guidance of a professional. These activities are aimed at assisting you in slowing down your thoughts, letting go of stress and opening up to deep relaxation.

Such techniques can help counteract many of the cognitive and physical symptoms of panic disorder and anxiety.

Common relaxation techniques include deep breathing, yoga, visualization, massage, and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Mindfulness meditation is another common relaxation skill that can assist with stress and anxiety reduction.

What is Mindfulness Meditation?

Mindfulness meditation is a relaxation technique that brings your awareness back to the present. During mindfulness practice, the meditator allows thoughts to arise without trying to stop or judge them. For example, unpleasant thoughts related to fear, judgment, blame, and worry may come up. Mindfulness is the act of acknowledging these thoughts and allowing them to pass.

Mindfulness meditation is based on the idea that most people push away or ignore their present thoughts and feelings. Many believe that if they ignore negative thoughts, those thoughts will simply go away.

But mindfulness actually allows you to detach from negative thinking by facing thoughts without reaction. By letting uncomfortable thoughts pass without reacting, you can develop a new response to fear and anxiety. Over time, and with practice, mindfulness meditation can help create inner harmony, clarity, and peace.

Getting Started with Mindfulness Meditation

When you first begin to practice mindfulness meditation, it may be helpful to do so in a quiet, distraction-free area. The time of day you decide to meditate can be determined by your particular needs. For instance, some people prefer to start the day off with meditation, reducing morning anxiety and setting a clear and positive tone for the day. Others prefer to meditate at night, letting go of the stress of the day, and preparing for a good night’s rest.

Try to set aside at least 5 to 10 minutes to sit in meditation, gradually increasing duration as you become more comfortable with your practice. Start off sitting or lying down in a comfortable position. To help focus, begin your meditation with a breathing exercise, and with your eyes closed. Then, simply notice your thoughts, allowing any ideas to come to your mind. Keep a nonjudgmental attitude as you let yourself remain in the present with your inner voice. When your meditation feels complete, take a few deep breaths and open your eyes.

Mindfulness meditation may sound simple enough, but even routine meditators find it difficult from time to time. In fact, many people experience heightened anxiety when they first sit down to meditate.

Motivation and desire may also wane from day to day, so try to be patient with yourself and your meditation practice.

If you stick with your meditation practice, you will learn to sit with uncomfortable thoughts. Only through regular practice will mindfulness meditation become less challenging, help you to lower anxiety, and bring you a sense of inner peace.

(this post originally appeared at verywell.com  verywell.com is an online wellness and health  care site that complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. )

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