Anxiety and Mental Health: Understanding the Connection

Anxiety affects millions of people, making it one of today’s most common mental health concerns. But it’s not just an isolated issue. When anxiety shows up, it can affect everything from how we think to how we connect with others.

Anxiety symptoms can exacerbate symptoms from other mental health challenges that affect everything from cognitive function to social relationships. In addition, other mental health disorders can create the perfect storm for anxiety to flourish, creating a cycle can be difficult to break.

New technologies offer hope for people struggling with anxiety and other mental health concerns. These innovative approaches address the underlying neurological patterns that contribute to anxiety, offering a path to healing that doesn't rely on prescription medications.

In this article, we’ll explore how anxiety impacts mental health, and explain how modern treatment technology like qEEG brain mapping, neurofeedback therapy, biofeedback, and neurostimulation can help you overcome anxiety-produced symptoms or disorders in a relatively short period of time compared to other treatments.

The Drake Institute understands the complexity of treating anxiety disorders, and how every patient has their own unique history or circumstances. Our qEEG brain mapping process can identify each patient’s unique dysregulated brain activity linked to anxiety so that treatment can be most specific for optimal improvement. For over 40 years, we have provided non-invasive, drug-free treatment designed to address the needs of patients suffering from anxiety disorders and stress-related medical illnesses.

The Relationship Between Anxiety and Mental Health

Anxiety is frequently a comorbid symptom in many mental health issues. Anxiety can be the first visible symptom of other mental health disorders. When anxiety levels become elevated, it can dominate how you think, feel, and behave, keeping you stuck in persistent states of hypervigilance, worry, and physiological arousal that can diminish cognitive functioning and reduce quality of life.

Anxiety often develops as a protective mechanism, as our brains attempt to keep us safe from perceived threats. However, if this system becomes frequently overactive when no current threat is present, it can undermine the very mental health it was designed to protect and become a source of major distress. That’s why lasting improvement often requires calming the overactive systems that fuel anxiety.

How Anxiety Affects Different Aspects of Mental Health

Anxiety affects every part of our mental health and influences how we think, how we relate to others, and how we see ourselves. If we look at different effects, we can better understand why anxiety can become so consuming. 

Cognitive Function and Mental Clarity

Anxiety fundamentally changes how our brains process information and directly affects our executive function. The cognitive effects can be frustrating because they impact our ability to think clearly and function optimally in day-to-day life.

• Concentration, decision-making, and memory: Anxiety hijacks cognitive resources, making it difficult to focus on tasks, retain information, or make confident decisions. Some studies even indicate that older adults with high anxiety levels have an increased risk of dementia.
• Racing thoughts and mental fog: Your thoughts may uncontrollably race while simultaneously feeling unclear or disorganized, creating a sense of mental chaos that can be exhausting.
• Problem-solving difficulties: Anxiety impairs our cognitive flexibility, making it harder to find solutions to problems or think creatively.

Emotional Regulation and Mood Stability

Anxiety disrupts the brain's ability to maintain emotional balance, creating mood-related difficulties that persist long after the initial trigger has passed.

• Heightened emotional reactivity: Under the influence of anxiety, emotions become more intense and harder to control. Small stressors may trigger disproportionate emotional responses.
• Mood swings and irritability: Anxiety may cause mood swings and persistent irritability that can strain relationships and create additional stress.
• Difficulty handling everyday stressors: Anxiety reduces our ability to tolerate stress, making routine challenges feel overwhelming.

Social and Interpersonal Mental Health

Fear and worry that stem from anxiety can significantly impact our ability to connect with others and maintain healthy social and interpersonal relationships.

• Social withdrawal and isolation: Anxiety often leads to avoidant behaviors, like withdrawal from social situations, activities, and relationships. This isolation can further add to mental health challenges and may even contribute to declines in physical health, according to an article published by the American Medical Association.
• Relationship difficulties: Anxiety can create communication barriers, increase conflict, and make emotional intimacy more difficult.
• Interpersonal difficulties: Hypervigilance can miscolor our perceptions, leading to misinterpretation of social cues and difficulty forming meaningful connections.

Self-Esteem and Self-Perception

Anxiety affects how we view ourselves and our capabilities, often creating distorted perceptions that can undermine confidence and self-worth. In fact, studies showed that young people with both anxiety and depression tended to have the lowest self-esteem compared to those who suffered from one or the other.

• Negative self-talk and self-criticism: Harsh self-judgment and inner criticism can become a constant source of stress that reinforces feelings of inadequacy or failure.
• Perfectionism and control issues: Perfectionist tendencies or the excessive need for control makes it difficult to cope with life's inevitable uncertainties.
• Impact on confidence and self-worth: Worry and self-doubt associated with anxiety can erode confidence over time, making it difficult to pursue goals, or believe in your own abilities.

Common Mental Health Disorders That Co-Occur with Anxiety

Anxiety rarely exists alone. Instead, it often appears with other mental health disorders, creating complex presentations that require comprehensive understanding and treatment approaches.

Depression and Anxiety

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, an estimated 60% of people with anxiety, also experience symptoms of depression.

• The overlap between anxious and depressive symptoms: Both can involve sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and feelings of hopelessness.
• How anxiety and depression reinforce each other: In this cyclical relationship, one disorder feeds into the other. Anxiety can lead to depression through chronic stress and exhaustion, while depression can exacerbate anxiety through feelings of helplessness and uncertainty.
• Shared underlying brain activity: Studies have shown that are both linked to reduced serotonin and dopamine levels.

ADHD and Anxiety

According to clinical and epidemiological studies, rates of co-occurrence between ADHD and anxiety is over 25%. The relationship between the two disorders is complex, because both disorders can cause similar symptoms, but from different neurophysical mechanisms. 

• Misdiagnosis concerns: Anxiety symptoms like difficulty concentrating, restlessness, and distractibility often mimic ADHD, and ADHD difficulties can trigger anxiety. The symptom overlap between ADHD and Anxiety can lead to misdiagnosis or delayed recognition.
• How attention difficulties can mimic or worsen anxiety: The inability to focus that commonly comes with ADHD can create performance anxiety, while anxiety may make it harder to concentrate, creating a disruptive cycle.

At the Drake Institute, we use qEEG analysis to identify biomarkers for anxiety or ADHD that help with a more accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. 

Sleep Disorders and Anxiety

Sleep disorders and anxiety can significantly impact each other and take a toll on your mental health. In fact, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, research shows that “some form of sleep disruption is present in nearly all psychiatric disorders.”

• The cyclical relationship between poor sleep and anxiety: Anxiety can make it difficult to sleep well, while lack of sleep can increase anxiety, making it harder to cope with stress and creating a self-perpetuating cycle that aggravates both disorders.

• Impact on mental health: Quality sleep is essential for mental health stability, emotional regulation, and recovery. When anxiety disrupts sleep patterns, it can negatively affect your overall mental health. And disturbances like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, and night terrors can disrupt normal sleep, reducing one’s frustration tolerance, making you more irritable and contributing to a decline in overall mental health and possibly physical health as well.

Stress-Related Medical Conditions

Anxiety can manifest in physical symptoms and contribute to other medical conditions.

• Psychophysiologic symptoms: Chronic stress and anxiety can cause physical symptoms like headaches, digestive issues, muscle tension, and cardiovascular problems. These symptoms may trigger additional anxiety about physical health.
• Impact on physical health and mental wellness: Over time, chronic anxiety may weaken one’s immune system, increase inflammation, and cause other physical health problems that can, in turn, affect mental health and your overall quality of daily life.

Warning Signs That Anxiety Is Severely Impacting Your Mental Health

Recognizing when anxiety has shifted from normal worry to a serious mental health concern is crucial for knowing when to seek professional help. When anxiety becomes severe enough to disrupt daily functioning, relationships, work performance, and overall quality of life, it's time to seek professional help.

Some warning signs to look for include persistent anxiety that lasts for weeks or months, anxiety that interferes with sleep for extended periods, inability to concentrate, and physical symptoms like panic attacks or muscle tension headaches. The development of safety behaviors such as avoiding certain places, people, or activities, can also occur.

When individuals become anxious about their anxiety, worried about their worry, or fearful of their fear, it is especially concerning and creates additional layers of distress disrupting one’s quality of life and should be addressed with professional help. This level of anxiety can lead to increased isolation, hopelessness, and a sense of being trapped in an endless cycle of worry and fear.

Long-Term Mental Health Benefits of Addressing Anxiety

Getting effective treatment for anxiety can lead to positive mental health improvements that extend far beyond simply feeling less worried or fearful. When anxiety is properly treated, overall executive function and emotional regulation can be significantly improved, making it easier to maintain stable moods and be able to more effectively handle life’s challenges.

Relationships typically improve with successful anxiety treatment. With reduced social anxiety and better emotional regulation, individuals can communicate more effectively, be more present, and develop deeper, more meaningful connections with others. The ability to engage socially without constant worry can open up new opportunities for support, growth, and enjoyment.

Cognitive function often improves as anxiety levels decrease. You may experience better concentration and executive functioning, clearer thinking, and improved memory. This cognitive clarity can lead to better performance, and increased productivity and confidence.

The Neuroscience of Anxiety and Mental Health

Anxiety symptoms typically result from dysregulation in specific brain networks. When these neural circuits become overactive, underactive, or simply dysregulated, they cause the physical and psychological symptoms associated with anxiety disorders.

Brainwave patterns play a crucial role in anxiety symptoms. People with anxiety typically have excessive beta brainwaves associated with racing thoughts, mental restlessness, and hypervigilance, and fewer alpha waves linked to relaxation. Poor connectivity in the brain measured by coherence can also be associated with anxiety patterns.

At the Drake Institute, we use advanced diagnostic technology like qEEG brain mapping to identify specific brainwave dysregulation networks, and look for biomarkers correlated with anxiety. We then treat anxiety via brain map-guided neurofeedback, which trains the brain to develop healthier, more functional patterns.

In some cases, we also provide neurostimulation to help improve overactive brain regions, providing targeted relief from anxiety symptoms. These neurologically-based treatments address the root cause of anxiety rather than just managing symptoms, offering hope for lasting improvement and recovery.

Drake Institute’s Non-Drug Treatment for Anxiety

Conventional treatment for anxiety disorders usually includes psychotherapy and medication. However, for over 40 years, the Drake Institute has successfully treated anxiety and stress disorders using advanced, non-drug technologies including biofeedback, qEEG brain mapping, brain map-guided neurofeedback, and neurostimulation.

Here’s how our treatment works:

First, we use Biofeedback instrumentation to measure physiologic indicators of anxiety, including muscle tension, hand temperature, skin conductance response, brainwave activity, and heart rate variability.

Next, we develop a personalized treatment program designed to help the patient reduce tension levels to normal. Our treatment provides real-time visual and/or auditory feedback to teach you how to reduce abnormal tension levels to a healthier physiologic balance.

While traditional relaxation techniques like meditation may help you feel calmer, they cannot confirm whether or not you’re reaching the stable and deep levels of psychophysical relaxation that optimize healing. Our clinical biofeedback treatment can help patients confirm that they are consistently reaching deeper levels of relaxation needed to break up stress patterns that can lead to symptoms and illness. By developing self-regulation ability and skills, our patients become empowered in achieving lasting improvement in how one’s body and mind responds to stress.

Unlike medication, which only works while you're taking it, our treatment helps you develop lifelong skills you can use to reduce anxiety via self-regulation techniques. In short, we will teach you to shift out of “fight or flight” mode naturally so that you can maintain better emotional balance and prevent anxiety from taking you over again and disrupting your autonomic nervous system.

After Biofeedback, We Then Use Brain Map-Guided Neurofeedback

Once we’ve analyzed your brainwave patterns through qEEG brain mapping, we can then enable you to train the brain towards healthier, optimal balance and functioning via brain map-guided neurofeedback treatment.

Neurofeedback is a non-invasive, drug-free treatment that uses real-time feedback to help your brain learn  healthier, more optimal brain functioning through self-regulation. During a session, sensors monitor your brainwaves and display them on a computer screen with auditory and visual feedback so you can learn to produce healthier brainwave patterns.

Over time, neurofeedback can help:

• Calm an overactive stress response.
• Improve sleep and restore mental clarity.
• Enhance focus, mood regulation, and emotional flexibility.
• Promote long-term improvement by stabilizing optimal brain functioning.

Contact The Drake Institute Today!

Our comprehensive non-drug treatment helps address the psychophysiologic reactions that produce anxiety, allowing you to reduce or resolve symptoms without medication.

If you or a loved one are experiencing anxiety, please call us at 1-800-700-4233 or fill out our free consultation form to get started. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Anxiety and Mental Health

How does anxiety affect mental health?

Anxiety affects how you think, feel, and behave. It can disrupt focus, mood, sleep, and relationships, and makes it harder to deal with daily stress and maintain emotional balance. It also can affect your physical health.

How do I know if my anxiety is chronic?

Anxiety may be considered chronic if it lasts for several months, feels constant or hard to control, and interferes with daily life, work, or your relationships. 

What is the best way to fight anxiety?

The best way to fight anxiety is through professional help such as counseling, biofeedback, brain map-guided neurofeedback, neurostimulation, and improving one’s sleep. As a last option, you can always consider medication. 

What are the 5 main symptoms of anxiety?

Five common symptoms of anxiety are excessive worry, restlessness or feeling on edge, feeling overwhelmed with racing thoughts, sleep problems, and physical symptoms like muscle tension headaches, stomach upset, and rapid heartbeat. 

How do I know if my anxiety is a mental health concern?

If your anxiety is frequent, intense, or interferes with daily life, then it should be of concern. If you’re avoiding activities or feeling stuck in a cycle of worry, consider seeking professional help. 

Can anxiety cause physical symptoms?

Yes, anxiety often shows up in the body with physical symptoms like muscle tension, headaches, digestive issues, rapid heartbeat, palpitations, and trouble sleeping. 

Is it possible to have anxiety and another mental health disorder at the same time?

Yes. Anxiety frequently coexists with other disorders like depression, OCD, ADHD, insomnia, PTSD, or substance abuse. 

What are some ways to reduce anxiety without medication?

There are many effective, non-drug anxiety treatment options. Clinical treatments such as qEEG brain map-guided neurofeedback and neurostimulation, biofeedback, and psychotherapy can improve symptoms. 

Can anxiety go away on its own?

Sometimes mild anxiety can improve on its own over time, with rest and lifestyle changes. Persistent or chronic anxiety usually requires professional treatment. 

When should I seek professional help for anxiety?

If anxiety is disrupting your sleep, mood, concentration, relationships, or daily routines, or causing physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach upset, or panic attacks, you should reach out for professional help.