Anxiety is defined as “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” Anxiety triggers the fight-or-flight response, also known as the acute stress response. This response refers to the automatic physiological reaction that occurs when in the presence of something mentally or physically terrifying and activates the sympathetic nervous system that prepares the body to fight or flee. It causes the brain to send a surge of adrenaline (which amplifies energy output by expanding the airways, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, and redistributing blood to muscles) and cortisol (which rapidly increases blood glucose, providing a prolonged burst of energy to cope with acute stresses more effectively) throughout the body. Research shows that anxiety is one of the major predictors of academic performance at all levels of education. Although wide-ranging, some of the effects of anxiety on academic performance may include:
- Impaired concentration: Anxiety and inability to focus appear to be interconnected. As anxiety symptoms escalate, the mind struggles to stay on task which interrupts one’s ability to pay attention in class or while studying.
- Memory problems: Anxiety can cause the hippocampus (area of the brain connected to learning and memory) to shrink. The hippocampus connects to the amygdala, and together they control emotional memory recalling and regulation. Damage to the hippocampus can harm long-term memory and interfere with one’s ability to form new memories. This can hinder a student’s ability recall key concepts or facts and impede his or her ability to retain information.
- Physical symptoms: Anxiety can adversely affect one’s excretory and digestive systems, leading to loss of appetite, stomachaches, nausea, diarrhea, and other digestive issues. These physical sensations can be distracting and prohibit a student from allocating their undivided attention to learning.
- Truancy: Prolonged stress and anxiety can alter protective immune responses, increasing one’s susceptibility to infections, such as colds, the flu, and other viral and bacterial disease, which can interfere with a student’s ability to attend class, complete assignments, etc.
While repeated stress and chronic anxiety can have a substantial impact on every facet of one’s life, feeling sporadic bouts of anxiety is inevitable. Still, it is atypical to experience consistent and pervasive symptoms of anxiety related to everyday situations, and such anxiety could be indicative of an anxiety disorder.
Treatment In Calabasas
Calabasas is a city in California. It is a well-known suburb of Los Angeles, located west of the San Fernando Valley and north of the Santa Monica Mountains. Over the past decade, the city of Calabasas has grown in its reputation for luxury as well as for privacy which makes it a hidden gem for residential living for society’s elite, and one of the most desirable destinations in Los Angeles County. It is also home to a plethora of highly qualified mental health clinicians providing an array of therapeutic services and treatment options.
The information above is provided for the use of informational purposes only. The above content is not to be substituted for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, as in no way is it intended as an attempt to practice medicine, give specific medical advice, including, without limitation, advice concerning the topic of mental health. As such, please do not use any material provided above to disregard professional advice or delay seeking treatment.
