Alice Park's article in TIME magazine, entitled "The Two Faces of Anxiety", describes the main positive effects and negative effects that anxiety can have on the individual and humanity. in its entirety. Due to the steady increase in diagnoses of generalized anxiety disorder and similar mental illnesses, assessing the origins of anxiety as well as its effects are crucial steps in developing both medical treatments and methods. alternatives to deal with this disorder. While many of the 40 million American adults suffering from anxiety believe that eliminating the feeling altogether is ideal, they fail to take into account what psychologists support with a wealth of empirical evidence: anxiety does not is not inherently harmful and can, in many cases, be beneficial. . Anxiety is generally considered a biological process in which specific symptoms, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, manifest in response to stressful scenarios. In these life-threatening situations, the fight-or-flight response is an evolutionary response developed to prevent species from engaging in behavior that could result in extreme negative consequences, while also preparing them for possible conflict. Overall, this response is a constructive adaptation, but a problem arises when individuals are faced with stressful, although non-life-threatening, situations. The body still experiences the same symptoms despite the absence of any "real" danger, and the person suffering from anxiety feels like they have little control over the behaviors caused by the illness. Triggered by both genetic and environmental factors, there appears to be wide variation in the severity of anxiety as well as effective treatment methods for each individual. However, many psychologists...... middle of paper...... anxiety and it is not a negatively adapted trait, but rather an instinct that can sometimes seem primitive in such an advanced culture. Reading this article didn't give me any new approaches to managing my anxiety, but the statistics on the disorder's prevalence on page 56 helped me feel less alone. Before reading Park's article, I had never really considered the possibility that anxiety might have positive outcomes or an evolutionary basis intended to improve chances of survival. For those who suffer from anxiety and are looking for alternative methods to alleviate these feelings or a deeper understanding of the sources of their anxiety, this article may prove valuable reading. People who do not suffer from anxiety themselves might also benefit from reading this article, as it provides insightful insight into the difficulties someone with anxiety experiences..