We have evolved the ability to respond to a fight or flight situation not once or twice in a lifetime, but once or twice a day. And in the grand scheme of human history, not to mention the history of our primate ancestors and even earlier progenitors, that’s a millisecond. This comfort - the taking for granted of safety from predators and safety from starvation and many other kinds of life threatening deprivation - this is new, and our biology is old.
It’s no wonder we walk around panicking about banal, everyday situations. Whereas when we face real life-and-death crises, we often find that we can spring into action without thought, without angst. We are wired for it.
How do we learn to turn these ancient instincts off so that we don’t burn ourselves out? We start by becoming aware of these facts about our fight or flight instincts. The rest depends on the individual, but CBT is a powerful tool in talking ourselves down from panic.
But what if you’re anxious about real threats? What if you’re a young man of color worrying about being misidentified as a threat by a police officer, who, himself, is wired to avoid threats?
Let’s talk about your anxieties and figure out which ones are protecting you and which ones are killing you?