Anxiety – Why is My Mind So Restless, and How Can IFS Therapy Help?

Have you experienced anxiety, "trembling," and the feeling that your thoughts are racing, analyzing various negative scenarios: what could happen? What if...?

Maybe you have trouble falling asleep because your thoughts constantly circle, or the opposite—falling asleep is easy, but after waking up at night, it's impossible to fall asleep again?

Or perhaps you experience a feeling where it's not even clear what this anxiety and worry are about? There's simply a general emotional and physical agitation that doesn't go away...

Unfortunately, anxiety in today's world affects many people and is one of the most common complaints brought to psychologists, psychiatrists, and family doctors. Usually, anxiety has been long-term—lasting months or even years—and might have begun as something not too disruptive, eventually becoming a significant limitation to quality of life.

🚩 Early Signs of Anxiety:

🔹 Physical Symptoms:

Difficulty falling asleep or frequent awakenings at night due to excessive thoughts
Persistent muscle tension, restlessness, or unexplained fatigue
Accelerated heartbeat, digestive issues, dizziness

🔹 Mental Symptoms:

Constant worry, anxiety
Difficulty concentrating
Catastrophic thinking

🔹 Emotional Symptoms:

Easily irritable, tense
Feeling that something bad will happen, even if there is no clear cause
Avoidance of social situations and events to prevent discomfort

What is Anxiety? When is it Adaptive, and When is it Excessive?

✅ Adaptive Anxiety: Anxiety is a natural evolutionary reaction of the human body. In small doses and at the right time, it's adaptive and vital. It prepares us for tasks, increases focus—for example, adrenaline released before a presentation allows for better concentration and energy. Anxiety also alerts us to real dangers.

⚠️ Excessive Anxiety: Anxiety becomes harmful if it is chronic or excessive. Then it feels like the mind is working against us. Common signs include:

Persistent anxiety lasting more than 6 months (generalized anxiety), disrupting daily functioning
Body's stress response is excessive and inappropriate to the situation
Avoidance of daily situations (work, social life) due to fear
Heart and digestive issues, dizziness, sleep disturbances, fatigue, muscle tension

🧠 The Biology of Anxiety

From a biological standpoint, in excessive anxiety, the amygdala (the brain's fear center) becomes hyperactive, and the HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis releases too much cortisol, causing chronic stress, chronic fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and reduced immunity. Even minor stresses feel overwhelming.

Long-term anxiety dysregulates the autonomic nervous system, making it increasingly difficult to return to a calm and relaxed state, even when circumstances allow it. The body continuously remains in "fight or flight" survival mode. In the long run, this leads the nervous system to enter a shutdown-freeze state, characterized by depression, dissociation, and a complete lack of energy and motivation.

📌 Causes of Anxiety

Chronic anxiety is often linked to:

Unprocessed trauma experiences
Prolonged stress (sometimes lasting years)
Personality traits such as avoidance, emotionality, fearfulness
Thinking patterns (catastrophizing, black-and-white thinking)
Certain medications or drug use
Life changes, crisis situations, prolonged isolation, and relationship issues

Anxiety and IFS (Internal Family Systems) Therapy

IFS offers a new perspective on anxiety. Contrary to traditional approaches, which mainly focus on symptom reduction, IFS seeks to identify and heal the root cause of anxiety.

In the IFS view:

Anxiety is a protective part of the psyche, ensuring safety/survival
Symptoms protect parts of the psyche holding emotional pain
Encourages understanding and "befriending" these parts

IFS encourages compassionate dialogue with these parts to reveal the deepest wounds they're protecting. According to IFS, this pain is rooted in emotional experiences from the past, which can be uncovered and healed.

✨ Typical Anxious Parts in IFS:

Perfectionist – fears making mistakes, thus constantly tense
Worrier – always expecting something bad to happen
Avoider – encourages avoidance of situations and people to prevent discomfort
Inner Critic – harshly criticizes and judges internally

How to Reduce Anxiety Using IFS Strategies:

Name anxiety as a part of yourself. Adopt the perspective: "A part of me feels anxious."
Get curious: Ask, "What are you (anxiety) protecting me from? What do you need right now?"
Connect with Self – the calm, compassionate center of the psyche capable of comforting anxious parts internally.

The Self: The Core of Psyche and key to healing

IFS therapy explains that the core of the psyche—Self—is your unchanging essence, naturally filled with peace, clarity, compassion, courage, and creativity. When connected to this state, you can listen to, accept, and compassionately heal your anxious and wounded parts. The primary goal of IFS therapy is to strengthen this inner leadership or Self, restoring deep inner harmony and peace.

➡️ If anxiety excessively impacts your quality of life and the IFS approach resonates with you, sign up for a free call. 📞

🌟 Remember: Anxiety is not your enemy, but a part of the psyche aiming to protect you. By understanding these parts, you can achieve deeper peace and clarity.