Is Your Brain Listening to Anxious Dragons?
By Daniel G. Amen, MD
Ever wonder why you’re so anxious? It could be from Anxious Dragons that are breathing fire on the emotional centers of your brain, causing you to feel nervous, fearful, tense, or out of control. The Anxious Dragons are the most common of the 13 “Dragons from the Past” I write about in my new book Your Brain Is Always Listening. In the book, I reveal how your brain is always listening to these dragons, and unless you recognize and tame them, they will steal your happiness.
Ever wonder why you’re so anxious? It could be from Anxious Dragons that are breathing fire on the emotional centers of your brain, causing you to feel nervous, fearful, tense, or out of control. #YourBrainIsAlwaysListening
WHAT PROBLEMS DO ANXIOUS DRAGONS CAUSE?
When Anxious Dragons run wild in your brain, it contributes to a number of issues that make you feel awful. In particular, these dragons drive the following issues:- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Fears
- Stress
- Phobias
- Predicting the worst
- Conflict avoidance
- Sensitivity to rejection
- Physical symptoms—such as headaches, upset stomach, or insomnia
HOW COMMON ARE ANXIOUS DRAGONS?
The Anxious Dragons are the most common of all the Dragons from the Past, as 31% of the U.S. population will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in life. Living through the coronavirus pandemic has certainly spawned millions more of these dragons around the world. According to a report published in April 2020, the number of prescriptions filled for anti-anxiety medications spiked by over 34% in just one month during the pandemic.WHAT TRIGGERS ANXIOUS DRAGONS?
Many things can trigger the Anxious Dragons and make you feel uncomfortably nervous, panicky, or tense. Some of the most common triggers include:- Reminders of past situations that caused anxiety—such as someone getting angry, a disapproving look, a smell, or even a song
- Frightening events—such as a global pandemic, a natural disaster, or rioting in the streets
- Having to speak in public—such as giving a report at work, hosting an online event, or doing a sales pitch
- Hearing loud noises—such as a siren, a door slamming shut, or a whistle
- Being overscheduled—whether it’s at work, school, or home
ANXIOUS DRAGONS IN THE BRAIN
The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics shows that anxiety is often associated with increased activity in the emotional centers of the brain. At Amen Clinics we do a study called brain SPECT imaging that measures blood flow and activity in the brain. It looks at how the brain works. SPECT basically shows three things about the brain: areas with healthy activity, areas that are underactive, and areas that are overactive. SPECT shows that people with anxiety often have too much activity in the limbic or emotional parts of the brain. The most important lesson we have learned from over 160,000 brain scans from patients in 150 countries is that you’re not stuck with the brain you have. You can make it better to calm the Anxious Dragons.HOW TO TAME THE ANXIOUS DRAGONS
The good news is you can learn to take control of the Anxious Dragons and reset your emotional brain, so you can stop feeling so anxious, fearful, and nervous. My new book Your Brain Is Always Listening will help you do it. Here are just a few of the science-backed techniques you’ll learn to tame the Anxious Dragons:- Breathe in relaxing scents (including lavender and chamomile)
- Listen to soothing music
- Take calming natural supplements (such as GABA, magnesium, and theanine from green tea)
