Anxious or Excited? How to tell... and why it can be tricky for neurodivergent folk

Anxiousness and excitement - how it feels in our bodies

Your heart is racing, your palms are sweaty and prickly, you are taking shallow breaths and there are butterflies in your tummy. What are you feeling? Is it anxiousness, is it excitement? Sometimes it can be hard to tell - interestingly, these two emotions feel psychologically very different and appear life opposites to us, but they have a lot more in common than we might initially think…. Let's dive in.

As I sit here working on the new business launch and writing my first blog, I have had these physical sensations a lot over the past few weeks and months. Sometimes I have struggled to identify what I am feeling. Is it excitement? Is it Anxiety? Could it be both? Is this possible? So, I got curious, looked deeper and found out that yes, it can be.

Both anxiety and excitement trigger chemical reactions in our body which help to prepare us for a 'fight or flight' situation. That is why sometimes you are really excited about something (maybe a birthday, a holiday or even a date) you may have trouble sleeping, have an butterflies or even a racing heart. Your physical symptoms are the same as what we experience when we bungee jump or speak in public, but we psychologically feel very different. How can this be?

what studies show us about how we interpret feelings

A 2015 study from the journal "Emotion" may shed some light. Researchers found that when our bodies go into overdrive, pumping out stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, it's the interpretation that makes all the difference. In this study, they discovered that when people perceive these physical responses as negative or threatening, they label it as anxiety. On the flip side, if they interpret the same jitters and increased heart rate as a positive anticipation of something fun or thrilling, it's dubbed excitement.

This insight highlights the power of the mind in shaping our emotional experiences. It's like a mental switch that determines whether you're going to be a bundle of nerves or a ball of bubbling enthusiasm when faced with a challenging situation or an upcoming adventure. Changing how you think about situations, can and does change how you feel about them.

what is interoception and how does it impact feelings for neurodivergent people?

Interoception is one of our 8 (yes there are 8) senses. It is our ability to sense (or feel) and interpret what is happening within our bodies. In neurodivergent people, this sense can often be a bit dulled meaning it is harder to recognise what is happening in our bodies. We may not notice hunger until we are hangry, thirst until we could drink the ocean or even recognise feelings until they are really big. When dealing with feelings like excitement and anxiousness, which feel so much the same - this can be even more confusing, so it is really important to check in with what we are thinking when we notice something happening in our bodies.

So what can I do to feel more excitement and less anxiousness?

Be curious about the sensations in your body, rather than labelling them. If you are having difficult thoughts, take a moment to check them for fact and reframe them. For instance, if you're about to give a big presentation and your heart's racing, rather than labelling it as anxiety, try to view it as a surge of excitement. Consciously telling yourself that your body is gearing up for something thrilling can actually shift your emotional experience. This aligns with findings from a 2016 study published in "Psychological Science," which showed that reappraising anxiety as excitement can improve performance in stressful situations.

Another strategy, as highlighted in a 2019 article in "Frontiers in Psychology," is mindfulness. Mindfulness helps you stay present in the moment and reduce rumination on past or future events. By practicing mindfulness, you can avoid spiralling into anxiety and focus on the current, exciting aspect of a situation.

In essence, these mindset techniques underscore the dynamic nature of our emotional responses. It's not just about being at the mercy of your physiological reactions; you have the power to steer your emotions by changing your mindset and perception. So next time your heart races and those butterflies start fluttering, remember, you can choose to dance on the fine line between anxiety and excitement with a shift in perspective. Just pause, take a breath and notice what is happening around you. What you can see, feel, hear and touch. This takes us out of our heads and into the now. Stimming while we do this, also helps us neurodivergent folk to slow our minds and bring us back to the moment.

How to build interoception capabilities

If you are finding it tough to understand what your body is telling you that is OK, you are not alone. Take a big breath and just try to check in with your body more often. Even if you pick up a warm cup of tea, note the warmth and texture of the mug. Have a cold drink do the same and note how it feels as you drink it. Set an alarm to have a body break each hour and just notice what is happening in your body. Is your throat dry (it may mean your thirsty). Is your stomach feeling empty (you might need to eat). Are you hot or cold? Noticing and tending to these needs helps us to stay regulated. The more time we spend observing these sensations in our body, when we are calm, the easier it gets. I love the amazing work of Kelly Mahler who is an occupational therapist and self proclaimed interoception groupie. She has a heap of great resources and you can check her out here. https://www.kelly-mahler.com/

Feeling flutters and choosing excitement

So as I put myself out there in this new capacity - and I feel some flutters. I choose excitement, I choose opportunity. I hope you join me.

Freya Corboy is the founder and director of mumshine. She is an tertiary qualified Counsellor and Life Coach. You can subscribe to her free weekly blog, get self-help worksheets or even book an appointment to see her via www.mumshine.com.au