How does it work?

Different parts of your brain give messages about fear

Your fear brain is a powerful part of your brain deep inside that protects you. It’s a danger alarm that sends the message: “It’s time to protect yourself, danger is coming!” The fear brain is a different part than your thinking brain, which is the outside part of the brain. In anxiety, the fear brain turns on accidentally because a thought or feeling tells it that there is a threat. But in anxiety, no real danger is coming, the thinking brain is tricked into believing the threat is true. The thinking brain doesn’t realize it is just a thought or feeling. So, the danger alarm stays on and you feel alarmed. You are tricked into looking out for danger and paying a lot of attention for signs of danger. You may have thoughts feelings or urges, which tell you to do something to make it better. Never getting used to a fear means it never gets better. And sometimes it gets worse because it feels so good to stay away from it. Carefully facing a fear helps.