Cognitive Distortions of Anxiety and Their Impact

Anxiety’s impact on the brain has been carefully documented by research: It can cause fluctuations in neurotransmitters, change activity in different regions of the brain, and, according to new research in the field, may even impact our brain’s chemical patterns.

When someone struggles with anxiety, it alters their perception of the world around them. Their brain may seek out—and more easily notice—information that supports whatever threat they’re currently struggling with, making it incredibly difficult to move past the intrusive thoughts that accompany their worries. That can lead to interpreting neutral situations as threatening in some way, which only serves to increase agitation.

Far-reaching impact of distortions caused by anxiety

The cognitive distortions that accompany anxiety can cause anxiety sufferers to fall into vicious cycles of worry and distress: They sense a potential threat, view information around them in a way that suggests that threat is viable (even when it is not), and interpret situations as hostile, threatening, or unsafe. From there, anxiety quickly eats away at not just a sense of self but also at relationships, social interactions, and more. When the world around you is perceived as threatening, you’ll gradually withdraw from it to protect yourself.

Anxiety sufferers typically struggle with intrusive thought patterns that just won’t go away, no matter what activity they engage in. Those thoughts beat steadily in the background of their lives, but they steal so much more than just a sense of security. They detract from life’s best moments as well, sacrificing the present for fears of what “could” happen in the future.

Anxiety's self-fulfilling prophecy

Individuals who overthink situations due to anxiety often fall into self-fulfilling prophecy: They believe a situation will turn out poorly, they act on that belief, and that action can influences the situation to turn out poorly. Their reactions to other people can be impacted as well, disrupting trust, potentially causing conflict, leading to hurt—and adding to the anxious cycle. The net effect is to convince anxiety sufferers that their fears were indeed based in reality.

When reality becomes distorted due to perceived threats and intrusive thoughts, it makes the healing process exponentially more difficult, particularly if anxiety has negatively impacted a person’s available support system. For those who do not experience anxiety, it can be challenging to understand its pervasiveness: It can feel as if a monster, is devouring individuals from the inside, until it lays waste to everything—and everyone—in its path.

Perceptual biases are incredibly difficult to address because they are so internal and personal—and, when it comes to anxiety, many people are reluctant to voice those fears and worries. They may be afraid of judgment from others; sharing their worries could make the concerns feel more real or they could feel incapable of putting their distress into words.

New research, with promising results

Comprehending the interactions between anxiety and the brain is crucial for discovering new methods to address and treat the condition. In addition to therapy recent research indicates that nutritional approaches might help alleviate symptoms and reduce the burden on those affected.

A recent meta-analysis identified a potential link between choline deficiency and anxiety. Researchers observed decreased choline levels in several cortical regions of the brain. They suggest that the heightened arousal levels characteristic of all forms of anxiety put excessive demands on choline, affecting neuron function.

Anxiety is a pervasive disorder that, if untreated, can escalate to affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life.