Cornered theory

[dazza]

Hola!

I hope everyone's had a reasonably anxious-free weekend?

While pondering the other night... I came up with a theory, or at least a different perspective on anxiety and depression. In particular, how we get there in the first place.

I visualised a spider (nooo... I'm not crazy, hear me out lol). In particular, how it behaves when trapped or cornered.
Then I visualised a mouse. In particular, how it also behaves when trapped or cornered.

It was the word "cornered" that struck a chord with me.

When an animal or creature is cornered and has no-where to run or hide, it freaks out in a (possibly final) attempt to escape the seemingly unavoidable fate that is about to occur.

A spider, for example, will rear onto its back legs, thrust out its front legs & show off its fangs in an attempt to scare the predator.

A mouse will attempt to use its speed an agility.

In either case, both will be scared out of their witts at this point - their fight or flight mechanism kicking in.

Got me thinking - this is what happens to us anxious folk.
With all the negative, worrisome thoughts we have - we effectively corner ourselves, where our own minds are the predator.

We push ourselves so tight into a "virtual" corner that we're left with no-where to go, so we freak... and fight or flight kicks off, just as a spider or mouse would.

For us, however, the trick of course is to realize that there is no actual predator...


There... Dazzy's cornered theory :-)

[jhunter89]

I still have some presents to buy, I haven't wrapped a single thing, it's one day closer to the world ending and I have work in the morning. Wahhh!

[atethesun.]

That is a pretty interesting theory. And I can see it, cause that's how I feel most the time, I'm stuck, where do I go from here? Then... I freak.

[mw0929]

Sounds pretty damn acurate for me anyway. I almost always feel anxiety when I get the trapped/cornered feeling and I feel trapped by the anxiety....it's a vicious circle.