Why Your Brain Feels Threatened During Everyday Tasks: Understanding Anxiety
Have you ever thought, “Why does my body act like I’m in danger, even when I’m not?” Maybe your heart races before a meeting, your stomach churns when you open your inbox, or your mind spirals into worry before a simple presentation.
If you’ve asked yourself, “Why am I anxious?” or “How can I calm my anxiety?”, you’re not alone. Understanding the brain’s role in anxiety can help you regain control, and it’s not your fault. Anxiety often comes from your brain’s built-in alarm system reacting to perceived threats, even in safe situations.
This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, The Ultimate Toolkit to Rewire Your Anxious Brain, a science-backed guide to help you understand anxiety and worry, and learn practical tools to calm your mind.
What Causes Emotional Alarm in the Brain? Meet the Amygdala
“Why do I feel under attack?” Sarah asked. “When all I’m doing is preparing for a presentation?”
Lisa leaned back. “That, my dear, is your amygdala — your brain’s overzealous security guard. Always on alert, even when the threat is tiny... or imaginary.”
Imagine your brain as a city. In the middle sits the amygdala — a small, almond-shaped structure in the limbic system, your brain’s emotional center.
The amygdala is your fire alarm, constantly scanning for signs of danger. Sensing a threat, it sounds the alarm before your thinking brain has time to process it.
“It’s like someone burned toast in the kitchen,” Lisa said, “and the whole building gets evacuated.”
Sarah chuckled. “So my brain basically freaks out over toast?”
“Exactly. It can’t always tell the difference between a real fire and a false one. And in an anxious brain, that alarm goes off way too often — during a grocery run, a work meeting, or even while scrolling your phone.”
Lisa added, “The amygdala is part of a team. It works closely with the hippocampus, which stores emotional memories, particularly those related to fear. Together, they form part of the limbic system — your brain’s emotional core. The amygdala rings the bell, and the hippocampus reminds it why it’s scared.”
Grandpa John chimed in. “Like it flips open an old chapter and starts reading aloud. Without asking.”
From Science to Everyday Life
What does this mean for you? Those racing thoughts, muscle tension, and pounding heartbeats aren’t signs of weakness; they’re your brain’s ancient alarm system doing its job. The good news? By understanding how your brain triggers anxiety and worry, you can learn to spot false alarms and use tools to calm your mind before anxiety takes over.
You’re not broken, your brain is just trying to keep you safe, even if it overreacts. And yes, you can train it to respond differently.
Take Control of Anxiety Before It Controls You
If this resonates with you, you’re not alone. My upcoming book, The Ultimate Toolkit to Rewire Your Anxious Brain, provides practical, science-backed strategies to:
Reduce worry and racing thoughts
Calm physical symptoms of anxiety
Rewire your brain’s alarm system
Build resilience for long-term mental wellbeing
Want to be among the first to read it? Join my Advance Reader Copy (ARC) Team and get early access, exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, and the chance to help others with a simple review.
👉 Click here to get your FREE Early Copy
