Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction

by Judith Grisel

The demand for benzos is higher than ever. Excessive anxiety is estimated to be the sixth leading cause of disability across the globe.5 Anxiety differs from fear in that the latter is an emotional response to a clear and current danger, as opposed to apprehension about possible future events or unfocused or irrational worry. There are many ways anxiety disorders are expressed, including panic disorder, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Anxiety disorders are also linked to depression; these are sometimes thought of as two sides of the same underlying issue(s). Anxiety disorders tend to begin early in life and follow a recurrent, intermittent course, exacting costs on life satisfaction, income, education, and relationships. Anxiety is also a major contributor to suicide. On the other hand, at moderate levels anxiety actually improves performance by boosting our energy level and helping us work or focus longer and harder. And anxiety may be an important survival tool because without it we wouldn’t be as likely to stay safe. Like many mental disorders, it is thought to reflect an excess of some healthy tendency; neither too little nor too much anxiety is ideal, and we can tell if it is too much when it impedes a person’s living to her fullest potential.