You may often hear that someone has anxiety or you may have anxiety yourself. The most challenging thing about managing anxiety are the triggers we experience from it. Anxiety triggers can be brought on when we are faced with a stimulus in our environment that provokes our fight or flight response.
The amygdala is where the fight or flight response in the brain is activated.The amygdala not only regulates our emotions, but is responsible for memory storage. Why is this important when we think about triggers? Well, the amygdala also connects your memories with specific emotions. This is also why triggers occur. It is responsible for how we approach our decision-making in those moments.
The frontal lobe is responsible for impulse control, problem solving, and attention. During an anxiety attack, this part of the brain becomes temporarily disabled and controls the emotional responses you have in those moments. This part of the brain is supposed to rationalize your experience, but finds difficulty doing so.
This is why it is important to regulate your emotions by using grounding techniques and shifting your thought process. Grounding techniques allow you to regain control of your mental state and become aware of your senses. Shifting your thought process can also help you regain control of your negative thoughts and transition them into neutral and positive thoughts. This can assist with managing triggers caused by anxiety.