Uncertainty is our constant companion today. No matter what type of worry you have – unprecedented political instability, terrorism, stock market volatility, climate change, you name it, the current situation is filled with topics for concern. The 24-hour news cycle continues to feed the unease generated by the growing uncertainty and unpredictability in the world. This is a particularly difficult time for those prone to anxiety in general.
My job as a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area means I constantly hear about stress, frustration, and helplessness. Those affected the most, such as furloughed government workers or contractors, began reporting symptoms of depression and hopelessness as a result of growing anxiety and existential fear.
In an uncertain world, we fear the possibility of negative events becoming reality. Insufficient knowledge causes us to worry. How can we manage uncertainty without becoming overwhelmed by it? Based on the science of psychology, here are a few suggestions:
Be aware that the mind tricks us into thinking the worst
The human mind is not good at predicting how it will react to positive or negative events in the future. Psychologists describe us as very poor at “affective forecasting.” In the face of uncertainty, our minds imagine a range of negative outcomes. There is then a tendency to overestimate the extent of the emotional impact of these extreme events. This “impact bias” has been found to be prevalent in a variety of situations by psychologists Daniel Gilbert and Timothy Wilson from Harvard. Even as we fret over losing money in the stock market or traveling during tense times, we must remember that we are generally stronger than we think. In reality, most of us will not be as hurt as we had anticipated.
The reason we suffer from impact bias is that the things going on in our future life are not accurately accounted for. Future events are likely to attenuate the impact of any one negative event. A second cause of impact bias is an underestimation of the natural human tendency to adapt to whatever life throws at us. Both positive and negative changes usually result in quick returns to pre-change life satisfaction levels for most people. Life events are influenced by this process, which experts call “hedonistic adaptation”. We are likely to cope better than we anticipated with whatever happens in the future.
Dividing and conquering
Free-floating worry is the most difficult to overcome. It is time to put our thoughts on paper when our mind jumps from one topic to another. It is a good idea to keep a list of worry topics, such as dwindling college savings accounts, rising terrorism, etc. Set aside time to review the list, eliminate redundancies, and review each item using the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) method: Think through the best, the worst, and the most realistic outcomes. The last step is to prepare for the worst possible outcome. The next time you feel worried, this will help prevent it from snowballing.
Concentrate on what you can do now
Problem-solving should not be confused with unproductive worry. How could you reduce the uncertainty about the future if you had some control over it now? This requires problem-solving skills. For example, you could find alternative sources of income, reduce spending or speak with family members about how they can help. If you are concerned about your upcoming international travel, remember to factor in extra time to get through their airports. A focused method of problem-solving is best, namely, defining clearly the goal, generating multiple solutions, choosing the most effective one, and making a detailed implementation plan. Do this for each new goal.
Worry is any activity that doesn’t fall under problem-solving but keeps your mind preoccupied for minutes or hours. Worry is cyclical and repetitive. Worry leads to anxiety and is completely pointless. CBT can help you deal with worry effectively by scheduling a daily worry time of 20 minutes. Whenever worry appears in your mind, notice it, write down the topic of your worry time, and then redirect your attention toward something else.
View it from a broader perspective
Many aspects of our lives are already characterized by uncertainty, so we should recognize that. It’s impossible to predict what we will see on the road when we drive a car – terrible traffic, unsafe drivers, potholes, and so on. It’s impossible to predict what the weather will be like when we venture out. For example, even though the stock market has been unstable before, we continue to invest in it. We therefore accept its unpredictable and uncertain nature. Perhaps seeing the current situation as just a little worse than usual, rather than catastrophic, will help us see this period as normal.
For the same reason, we could calibrate how bad things really are by using an imaginary uncertainty scale between zero and 100. It is important to visualize what uncertainty zero looks like, especially since it does not exist in reality, as well as what 100 entails. 100 might indicate that you have no idea whether you’ll be able to eat today or whether you’ll be safe at night, for example. Cognitive Therapy founder Albert Ellis suggested that it is helpful to realize whether a current situation is really serious or if we are making it so with our thinking. The next time we are fretting over uncertainty, we should ask ourselves: “On a scale of zero to 100, how bad is this?” We might come to realize that things aren’t as bad as they could be, or as bad as others might be experiencing at the moment. The latter is called “downward social comparison.”
Don’t just think, but feel
There is nothing better than concentrating on our bodies when we are stuck in our heads worrying about uncertainty. Behavioral therapy has shown that moving more often, preferably outdoors, can significantly improve mood and reduce anxiety. Furthermore, we know that being aware of our own bodily sensations in any given moment can help us center and interrupt the ruminative cycle. Consider your five senses or perform a body scan, paying attention to each part of your body in turn.
Additionally, body-related relaxation techniques can reduce tension and alleviate anxiety. You can try diaphragmatic breathing or progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Diaphragmatic breathing involves moving your stomach as much as possible while remaining still in your chest. The best way to accomplish this is to place one hand on your stomach and another on your chest for seven minutes. In PMR, muscles are tensed and relaxed sequentially and gradually from the toes to the top of your head.
Be aware of avoidance behaviors and reduce them
There are times when we just want to run away from uncertainty and the negative thoughts and feelings that come with it. Humans are naturally prone to distract themselves from pain. Examples of avoidance behaviors include binge-watching Netflix, eating unhealthy snacks, drinking, and browsing the web for too long. The less obvious ways to avoid stress include excessive information searching, checking, and procrastinating. Even though all of these behaviors may temporarily alleviate the hard emotions, they all make them return with a vengeance. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps us recognize avoidance patterns and change them to improve our lives.
There is nothing wrong with occasionally engaging in some distraction or escapism. If we avoid things continuously, we will only feel worse and lose our meaning and vitality. The psychological adage goes, “what you resist persists.” And what you find courage to confront directly can change your life.
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