Over-populated-be it a shopping mall, concert, on a busy train, bus, at the airport, or even on a busy street. These can all be a nerve-racking prospect at the best of times for a neurotypical individual but can easily spark panic or acute stress in anyone suffering from anxiety disorders.
They may lead to the person feeling trapped, over-stimulated, afraid of being judged, making everyday life more of an obstacle to overcome. This ultimate guide will cover why certain locations induce anxiety in individuals suffering from the condition, what exactly is happening in your brain and your body, and strategies that will enable you to deal with such scenarios.
Anxiety in crowded spaces often stems from a combination of psychological, physiological, and social factors. Understanding these triggers is the first step toward coping effectively.
1. Overstimulation
Over stimulating environments trigger a range of sensory experiences; brightly colored lights, loud noises, crowds of people talking, smells, and lots of movement.
An overwhelming range of stimuli can overload the brain and nervous system of someone experiencing anxiety, causing the fight or flight response to be triggered and the body to react with symptoms such as rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, sweating, and feelings of panic.
2. Fear of Losing Control
An overwhelming amount of anxious people find the experience of feeling stuck or being unable to escape extremely frightening. This includes those with claustrophobia, social anxiety, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. When the brain is convinced that something threatening is going to happen (even if there's nothing there) then hormones are produced which tell the body to prepare for some action.
3. Social Evaluation
A sense of being judged can accompany crowds. You may fear that people will judge the way you look, behave or even breathe. The fear of judgment can exacerbate the feeling of anxiety.
4. Past Experiences
Negative events previously experienced in crowded environments (panic attack, loss of control, fainting, getting lost etc.) can condition you to experience anxiety in similar settings. You learn that crowds are "dangerous".
