What exactly is the difference between a threat and a challenge? No, it’s not a question from trivial pursuit, but rather a dilemma I have found myself pondering over recent weeks. And the more I reflect on the subtle difference between the two, the more persuaded I am of its relevance to anxiety.
As a therapist, I have seen a progressive rise in incidence of anxiety over the past 25 years, making it one of the most prevalent mental health conditions in the UK for which people seek support. While for some, anxiety is merely an inconvenience that robs life of its vibrance and colour, for others it can prove paralysing, greatly reducing their quality of life and placing significant limits on what they can achieve. The pervasive sense of foreboding that some describe prevents them from feeling truly safe. One client described the sensation like being continually stalked by a very slow sabre-toothed tiger: slow perhaps, but deadly nonetheless. So how might the language of threats and challenges illuminate our understanding of anxiety?
Of course, as a former academic, my natural instinct was to reach for the dictionary for some much-needed clarity. A threat, I discovered, is defined as ‘a person or entity likely to cause damage, danger or ruin’. Those suffering from chronic anxiety have a tendency to see such threats all around, even in unexpected places. This hypervigilance triggers the sympathetic nervous system to elicit the familiar ‘fight or flight response’ which typically induces the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that prepare the muscles for action. While such a response may have been helpful in the past to evade the prowling tiger, today’s threats are far more insidious: the chronic release of stress hormones may maintain their levels inappropriately high for prolonged periods of time, dealing a heavy blow to organ systems such as the gut.
In contrast to a threat, a challenge is defined as ‘an invitation to participate in a competitive situation to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength’ or, to put it more succinctly, ‘a call to prove or justify something’. When we perceive a situation to be a challenge rather than a threat, it has a galvanizing effect, making us eager to prove that we are up to the task. As such, it doesn’t trigger the fight or flight response or, more importantly, induce the complete shutdown or paralysis, familiar to those suffering from panic attacks. Instead, we approach the situation with the motivation and resourcefulness to deal with whatever may lie ahead. By perceiving the issues we face, not as threats that might lead to our ruin, but as challenges to be overcome, it is possible to pacify the sympathetic nervous system and prevent the uncontrolled release of stress hormones. The prowling tiger is certainly out there but it can be tamed!
(Image courtesy of Clovis Wood and Unsplash)