People Who Suffer From Anticipatory Anxiety

People who suffer from anticipatory anxiety are faced with uncertainty and worry that makes it difficult to breathe. They are victims of their disturbed minds, and always imagine the worst. There are few experiences that are worse than feeling trapped by permanent anxiety, where your body and head are gripped by fear.

Simply put, anxiety of expectation is when the brain tries to predict the future and creates a negative projection of something that has not happened yet. Most of us have experienced this at one time or another. So why do we do it? Why has this type of anxiety become more and more common in our society?

To answer this question, you need to understand two simple things about human nature. The first is that people instinctively want everything under control. The second is that people are completely terrified of uncertainty. Maybe we can not tolerate it, or we do not know how to deal with it in a good way. It’s more exhausting and frustrating than you may realize.

People who suffer from anxiety anxiety have difficulty in job interviews, tests, medical examinations, etc. Even just asking themselves if they have enough money next month to pay the bills can send them on a dangerous path . They expect the worst, which prevents any attempt they can make to cope and overcome the obstacle. 

Those who suffer from anticipatory anxiety let fear take control

These days, people spend a lot of time worrying. It is not a problem in itself, as long as you know how to deal with worries properly. Believe it or not, you can find balance and the right levels of anxiety that work to your advantage. This allows you to take advantage of the heightened awareness that anxiety brings with it, and is combined with a flexible and positive vision to cope with everyday challenges.

However, all this is easier said than done, since the brain follows instincts more than reason. Therefore, your imagination can lead you to imagine the worst when you are faced with uncertainty. This anxious feeling stimulates the amygdala immediately, which is the area of ​​the brain that works with fear. It is responsible for triggering the body’s physiological responses. It triggers the release of hormones such as cortisol to help you act fast.

The reason why some people suffer from anticipatory anxiety, and others do not, can be found in the amygdala. A study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison published in the scientific journal Nature , showed that some people’s brains are more “reactive” to uncertainty and threats. In other words, some people are neurologically less tolerant of this type of situation, so they react with elevated anxiety levels.

Symptoms and characteristics that those who suffer from anticipatory anxiety may experience

If you live with anxiety, you are not really living. Instead, you find yourself in a kind of purgatory, watching all the terrible possibilities of the future unfold before you. It makes no difference if you have planned what you are going to do today, tomorrow and in five years. At some point, everything will go wrong. Here are some of the symptoms:

• A feeling of constant alertness and insecurity. Feelings of sadness and helplessness, but also anger, as you do not know what to do.
• Obsessive thoughts and cognitive disorders. Your view of reality is hazy, you can not see the present because you are always looking towards a negative future.

• Living with constant fear. Always feeling scared means that you also constantly experience symptoms that go hand in hand with fear, such as trembling, sweating, stomach cramps and palpitations. This mental illness often leads to panic attacks.

How to reduce expectation anxiety and live better?

Horace, the great Roman poet, said that adversity was a gift to awakened talents where flourishing circumstances would lie in the den. Your world and your life will always be dynamic. You will always have to deal with unforeseen changes. There will always be pressure, and things will often be out of your control. Dealing with adversity is a part of life.

Yet most of us are not trained in how to deal with this reality properly. One is not even “connected” to dealing with uncertainty. It is normal to be afraid. The mistake is to let that fear take over your life. The key to overcoming anxiety anxiety and having a good life is to reflect on these points:

• The emotions you feel do not have to define your behavior. It is normal to feel scared and anxious. Accept your feelings and normalize them, but do not let them dictate your behavior.
• The only one who can control your mind is you. Do not let your head spend too much time in dark places. Do not be paralyzed by your fear. Ventilate things, focus on your surroundings, and find the balance in the present. The most important thing is to be here and now. After all, tomorrow has not come yet.
• Practice spontaneity. Say goodbye to your old patterns. Fear and negative thoughts creep into you when you stay calm. Routine can make you rusty, which can cause your brain to lose motivation to redirect obsessive thoughts. Get up and move. Do not think, just feel. Exercise, perform mindfulness, and encourage your heart to connect with the world around you. Meet new people and meet new people!

Suffering from anxiety of expectation does not have to decide over your life

To conclude, everyone has experienced anxiety of expectation at some point. Today’s world makes it easy to give in to these negative thoughts. But do not think that anxiety makes you weaker. Rather, look at it as an opportunity to become a stronger person. Use the experience as an opportunity to try out your new skills and live a happier life.