If we want to get to the core of anxiety, tracing it back to its first principles of existence, we might start with the delta symbol. In chemistry, delta (Δ) represents heat, and if we think about life in terms of physics, heat and pressure have defined everything of interest within space-time. For anxiety, this journey might begin with the sun—the source of heat and pressure, the instigator of everything interesting on Earth.
From an evolutionary perspective, early life was attracted to heat. Heat meant energy, and energy meant survival. Our ancient ancestors sought out heat and pressure as these forces signified food, shelter, and reproduction—basic elements that life depended on. As these organisms evolved, their ability to sense and respond to these stimuli blossomed into what we now call cognition. Pressure and heat were central to how they navigated existence. But as life became more complex, so too did their responses.
With the advent of sight, particularly among land creatures, came the capacity to perceive threats and rewards at a distance. Time shifted in perception. When an animal could see a predator from miles away, it didn’t have to react immediately. It had options. This new ability transformed cognition. Early life could now process potential threats and rewards from a distance, giving it time to weigh its decisions. This was the precursor to what we now experience as fear and anxiety.
Fear, in its essence, is a survival mechanism. It’s a communication system, warning us of impending danger and helping us make quick decisions in life-threatening situations. This evolutionary tool kept us alive. But over time, as humans developed complex societies, fear became something else—a broken communication system for some of us.
The Birth of Social Anxiety
As civilization grew, so did our need to rely on each other. The division of labor meant that we depended on the skills of others for survival. No longer were we solitary hunters or gatherers; we relied on bakers, potters, soldiers, and builders. This new interdependence fostered a different kind of fear—the fear of social exclusion. Status, social norms, and acceptance became critical for survival in this new world.
In this context, anxiety took on a new form. It was no longer about immediate survival in the wild; it was about survival in a complex, interconnected society. We needed each other to survive, but this reliance introduced vulnerability. What if we weren’t accepted? What if we didn’t fit in? These fears lingered, creating a climate of constant tension. Anxiety became a persistent state, always on, never allowing us to relax.
The Role of Blindsight and the Amygdala
Recent studies on blindsight offer a fascinating glimpse into how anxiety may operate in the brain. Blindsight occurs when a person, despite being blind in part of their visual field, can still respond to visual stimuli they aren’t consciously aware of. This phenomenon has revealed something extraordinary about the brain—specifically, the role of the amygdala in processing threats.
Before the brain fully renders an image through the visual cortex, the amygdala—the brain’s threat detection center—takes a shortcut. It analyzes visual data before the brain forms a conscious image. This split-second processing allows us to react to danger before we’re even aware of it. But what happens when this system goes into overdrive? What if the amygdala starts perceiving everything as a threat, even in situations where no real danger exists, like in a classroom or a social gathering?
For many of us, this hyper-vigilant system is always on. It becomes a filter through which we view the world, amplifying small social challenges into life-threatening scenarios. The result is a constant state of anxiety, where the brain’s survival mechanisms are no longer serving us but betraying us.
Anxiety, Addiction, and Evolutionary Mismatch
For those struggling with substance use disorder, anxiety often precedes addiction. Substances like alcohol or nicotine may feel like a solution to this relentless anxiety. Bill Wilson, the author of Alcoholics Anonymous, experienced this firsthand. His drinking was preceded by anxiety, loneliness, and a sense of inadequacy—feelings that alcohol seemed to temporarily soothe.
From an evolutionary standpoint, fear and anxiety were meant to motivate us toward survival—fight or flight. But in today’s world, the threats we face are rarely life-or-death situations. Instead, they are social, emotional, or internal, which makes anxiety feel disproportionate to the actual stakes. We’re using an ancient alarm system in a modern world, where the threats are less immediate, but the responses are just as intense.
A Personal Experience with Anxiety
I’ve experienced all kinds of anxieties—social anxiety, general anxiety, and even panic attacks. In moments of overwhelming stimulation, my body responded to perceived threats with no clear action available. I would hyperventilate, feel my body temperature rise, my heart would race, I’d break into sweats, and at times, even lose consciousness. It felt like my body was in overdrive, but there was no obvious exit, no tangible predator to flee from.
Coming to terms with this condition, I began to realize that anxiety was less a conscious decision and more a biological reflex—a part of my brain that I had no physical access to. It was as if this anxious state existed without my awareness, operating on a level beyond my control. It was only through deeper understanding that I began to see my anxiety as something external to my identity—a function of my brain, not of my true self.
From there, I began a practice of stoic meditations on death and time, coming to a humorous realization that I wasn’t here for most of time anyway. This shift in perspective gave me a new paradigm to operate from—one where my anxiety began to release its grip on my ego. It became clear that my ego (the self I’d manufactured for protection from the world) wasn’t actually me. Through a mix of psychedelic experiences and non-psychedelic ego-death moments, I began to see life through the lens of non-duality.
This shift in awareness allowed me to observe anxiety before identifying it as “me.” It became a background noise, something I could watch without letting it take over my identity. I was no longer trapped in the cycle of anxious thoughts—I could simply recognize them as another part of the human experience, not something that defined me.
A New Relationship with Anxiety
If anxiety is the price of being alive, how do we manage it? For some, traditional methods like therapy and mindfulness practices can help us get to the root of this broken system. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can challenge the distortions that fuel anxiety, helping us reshape our relationship with fear. Mindfulness practices can ground us in the present, reducing the power that anxiety holds over us.
In recovery, many find solace in the 12 steps, which offer a structured approach to facing fears and uncertainties. For others, the journey requires more exploration. The key is to realize that anxiety, like fear, is not inherently bad. It’s a signal, a system designed to keep us safe. But in our modern world, we need to learn how to tune this system—how to recognize when it’s firing unnecessarily and how to turn it off.
Conclusion: We’re All in This Together
As we navigate this modern world, it’s important to recognize that none of us are alone. Civilization, in all its complexity, means that we are more interconnected than ever. We rely on each other for survival in ways that our ancestors never could have imagined. And while this can sometimes feel overwhelming, it’s also a source of comfort.
We are not isolated. We are part of a larger system, where our survival is tied to the cooperation and contributions of others. Anxiety, in this context, is not a signal that something is wrong. It’s a reminder that we’re alive, that we’re still part of the show. There’s no rehearsal. This is it.
References and Solutions to Anxiety:
- Blindsight and the Amygdala: Studies on blindsight (Weiskrantz, 1986) reveal how the amygdala processes threats before conscious vision. Explore Emotion and Consciousness by Ralph Adolphs for more on this.
- Donald Hoffman’s Interface Theory of Perception: Hoffman’s work suggests that our perceptions are evolutionary tools for survival, not for seeing reality. Check out his book The Case Against Reality for insight into how perception and anxiety are linked.
- Substance Use Disorder and Anxiety: Bill Wilson’s story in Alcoholics Anonymous offers a personal perspective on how anxiety fuels addiction. See also The Craving Mind by Judson Brewer for a modern take on addiction and mindfulness.
- Evolutionary Mismatch: The theory that our evolutionary tools, such as anxiety, are mismatched to modern life is well-explored in Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky.
- Mindfulness-Based Anxiety Reduction: Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Wherever You Go, There You Are provides practical techniques for managing anxiety through mindfulness.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Anxiety: Feeling Good by David Burns is a foundational book on using CBT to challenge anxiety and cognitive distortions.
- Clayton, N. S., Bussey, T. J., & Dickinson, A. (2003). Can Animals Recall the Past and Plan for the Future?. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 4(8), 685-691. This article discusses how cognition evolved to process time and how animals use memory and foresight in decision-making.
- Corballis, M. C. (2011). The Recursive Mind: The Origins of Human Language, Thought, and Civilization. Princeton University Press. This book explores how time perception plays a role in cognition and the evolution of higher-order thinking.