Adaptive function of anxiety and fear

Although anxiety and fear are often experienced as unpleasant emotions, it is crucial to recognize that, at their origin and at moderate levels, they serve an adaptive function that is fundamental to survival.

They are natural responses that have evolved to protect us from dangers and help us face environmental challenges.

Anxiety as a Warning Signal

Anxiety, in its adaptive form, acts as an anticipatory warning signal.

It prepares us for possible future threats, allowing us to assess risks and mobilize resources to confront them.

This anticipation can be useful for planning and taking precautions.

For example, feeling a certain anxiety before an important exam can motivate us to study and prepare better.

Fear as a Response to Imminent Dangers

Fear, on the other hand, is a more immediate response to a present and clearly identifiable.

Its function is to quickly activate the body's defense mechanisms, such as the "fight or flight" response, to ensure survival in the face of a real threat.

Without the ability to feel fear, we would be much more vulnerable to physical dangers.

Components of the Survival Mechanism

Both anxiety and fear are part of a complex survival mechanism that involves several components:

• Cognitive: Identification and evaluation of the threat (real or perceived).

• Physiological: Activation of the autonomic nervous system, with changes such as increased heart rate, accelerated breathing, muscle tension, etc.

• Behavioral: Preparation for action, either facing the threat or avoiding it.

This system, although designed to protect us, can become maladaptive when it is activated excessively, too frequently, or in the absence of real danger, as occurs in anxiety disorders.

Understanding its original function helps normalize the experience of anxiety and differentiate it from its pathological manifestations.