Is Social Anxiety Caused By Some Chemical Mind Dysfunction?

[CK23]

Any ideas?

 

[Livingwithoutlivin]

I think the chemical crap that's in our food , water and air are jacking up our mind and body's normal processess. Like, when we were little kids we could have anxiety when we were gonna be in trouble and what not and just shrug it off, but now that we are older, we can't even control our own thoughts, we can't shrug off ideas we dont' want to think about. I think this is part of the problem, and the other half is habit and what we've been made to believe about who we are by what other people tell us.

 

[carsickcars]

i think so. i was never abused, teased, or neglected as a child, but i've had SA and depression for as long as i can remember.

 

[hoddesdon]

Yes, a deficiency in the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin.

 

[Kiwong]

I don't think it is as simple as that. There would appear to be a multiple number of factors that can contribute, such as abuse and trauma, environment, personality.

 

[hoddesdon]

Yes, that's right - it is a multi-step thing. It is caused only partly by deficiency in brain chemicals. Brain chemistry is a necessary pre-requisite.

 

[kihira]

 

[forksandspoons]

^ That picture sums it up.


Imagine somebody pulls a gun on you, your brain will trigger a response that says something is wrong. With social anxiety, that trigger goes off too easily, and at the wrong times.

 

[R3K]

yeah that diagram is... scary... and true. and Hoddedson's got the chemicular part nailed. question is, does taking medication (balancing the chemicals) fix the problem? or does it just alter the chemicals and leave your reaction to it (and your fate) in the hands of god/chaos?

 

[freestylemonster]

i think so. i was never abused, teased, or neglected as a child, but i've had SA and depression for as long as i can remember.

Same. I have a loving family, a couple great friends, I like myself, I've even had a girlfriend. Yet I can't shake this depression or this SA. It must be some sort of physical problem with our brains :S

 

[Kiwong]

For me certain people and situations trigger the flight or fight response and alter my brain chemistry.

I have spent the happiest days of my life in the last two years pursuing the things I love to do, with no social anxiety at all. I have been able to transcend my anxiety.

So I will say that my anxiety is caused by interactions with negative people and environments.

 

[Aussie_Lad]

It must be some sort of physical problem with our brains :S

The Amygdala is what provides the fight or flight response that comes from anxiety. It is believed that the Amygdala has memories stored, probably from emotional events in the past. When you then face a similar situation in the future, it is ready to kick into action straight away rather than going through the analytical process. This is good when the danger is real, but for anxiety this is not the case, but the Amygdala doesn't know this, and will continue to work the way it should.

So overcoming any anxiety is a case of overriding the amygdala's response enough times that it no longer perceives the threat as being dangerous.