Anxiety is something most people experience. The body uses it as protection, but sometimes the alarm system fires in the wrong situation or with too much force. In this post, I share a childhood memory, explain what anxiety is, and show how CBT and ACT can help you handle it. You’ll also get a checklist of common anxiety symptoms and a simple exercise to explore your own reactions.

Anxiety. For many, it is a loaded word linked to worry, limitation, and feeling held back. In reality, anxiety has one purpose: to keep us safe. It makes us alert and ready for danger.

The problem is that lions on the savannah rarely chase us. In Värmland, it’s not wolves either—more likely, a large dog.

A Childhood Experience of Fear and Anxiety in the Body

One morning on my way to school, a large dog ran loose and circled me on the road. For a seven-year-old who had been bitten in the face by a chow-chow the year before—after hugging it too tightly—it was terrifying.

The white dog with brown spots, likely a hound, only wanted to play. It ran in circles and jumped on me with its paws. To me, it was panic. My heart pounded, I cried, and I tried to push it away, afraid it would bite.

I ran up the hill toward Sättraskolan in Hagfors. Halfway up, a red car stopped. A kind woman leaned out and asked if I wanted a ride. Relieved, I said yes. My body slowly calmed—heartbeat slowed, breathing deepened. Fear had done its job: it made me alert and moved me to safety.

Fear, Worry, and Anxiety – What’s the Difference?

Fear is a response to a real danger here and now—for example, when a dog charges at you.

Worry is thought-based. It plays out in endless ‘what if’ scenarios. It can prepare us, but often turns into rumination that keeps us stressed.

Anxiety is the body’s alarm reaction. The sympathetic nervous system fires: the heart races, muscles tense, breathing shortens. Unlike fear, anxiety is often triggered by expectation or thought, not by an actual threat. That’s why strong anxiety symptoms can appear even when nothing dangerous is happening.

Table 1. Fear, Worry, and Anxiety – Key Differences

Reaction	What triggers it?	How it shows up	When it helps
Fear	A real, immediate danger.	Strong emotion, racing heart, adrenaline.	Protects in emergencies.
Worry	Thoughts about future threats.	Rumination, restlessness, tension.	Can prepare, but often becomes excessive.
Anxiety	Expectation of danger.	Alarm system fires: fast pulse, tense muscles, short breath.	Useful as a signal, harmful when constant.

CBT and Anxiety: Why Avoidance Makes It Worse

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT for anxiety) shows that avoidance keeps anxiety alive. When something scares us—as the dog scared me—escape works in the short term. The body calms, and the pulse slows.

But repeated avoidance creates a trap. If I always stay away from dogs, I never learn that most situations are not dangerous. Avoidance gives relief now but strengthens anxiety later.

My Adult Relationship with Anxiety and Dogs

Even today I am uneasy around large dogs. Childhood left its mark. Yet I long to have a dog—for companionship, unconditional love, and motivation to take longer walks.

Owning a dog would mean meeting many others too. Step by step, I could become more used to large dogs—and less afraid. And just like with dogs, facing our anxiety begins with noticing how it shows up in daily life.

Exercise: Map Your Anxiety Symptoms

The first step is not to fight anxiety but to observe it. Notice when it appears, what triggers it, and how it feels in your body. Write down your observations in your phone or a notebook.

✔️ Which situations trigger anxiety?
✔️ What thoughts appear?
✔️ What physical symptoms of anxiety show up?
✔️ What do you do to stop it (avoidance, flight, distraction)?

By practicing this kind of awareness, you begin to see anxiety as a body reaction rather than a sign of real danger. Step by step, you stop being automatically driven by it.

✨ This way, anxiety is not only an obstacle but also a guide. It can point to your wounds and show you where you have the chance to grow.

Common Physical Symptoms of Anxiety

• Racing heart or rapid pulse
• Tightness or chest pain
• Shallow breathing or shortness of breath
• Dry mouth or difficulty swallowing
• Sweaty palms or cold sweat
• Trembling in hands, arms, or legs
• Tense muscles (neck, shoulders, jaw)
• Cold skin, cold hands and feet
• Tingling or numbness in fingers or toes
• Upset stomach, nausea, or ‘butterflies’
• Diarrhea or frequent bathroom visits
• Dizziness or faint feeling
• Head pressure or headache
• Dilated pupils, light sensitivity, tunnel vision
• Trouble concentrating or memory gaps
• Restlessness, inability to sit still
• Feeling unreal or detached from the body