7 keys to managing anticipatory anxiety in the face of uncertainty

Anticipatory anxiety is a psychological alteration consisting of the person experiencing Feelings of very intense fear or panic in the face of impending disaster or failure, whether real or perceived.

In a situation like the current one, in which social and health alarm prevails, these types of problems are becoming widespread among the population and are increasingly present in all types of people.

The truth is that this form of anxiety can seriously alter the life of those who suffer from it, and even prevent them from carrying out their daily obligations normally. Luckily there are a series of measures and strategies to apply in cases of anticipatory anxiety caused by fear of contracting a virus or by any other real or imagined fear.

• Related article: "Types of Anxiety Disorders and their characteristics"

Tips for managing anticipatory anxiety in the face of uncertainty

If you are interested in knowing what are the most recommended keys to manage anticipatory anxiety well in times of uncertainty, read on and apply these guidelines to your personal case.

1. You don't want to totally eliminate anxiety

When it comes to managing the anticipatory anxiety that a person may experience when faced with a contagious disease, mainly due to the fear of contracting it, it is advisable not to obsess over the fact that you want to completely eliminate the symptoms of anxiety.

And it is that often, obsessing over eliminating the negative thoughts associated with this alteration is usually counterproductive and aggravate anxiety symptoms even more, since it predisposes us to give them more attention.

Keep in mind that anticipatory anxiety is often accompanied by symptoms such as tachycardia, sweating, dizziness, tremors, and muscle tension, among others. When they express themselves, recognize them for what they are, nothing more and nothing less. The measures to be adopted must be applied under the premise that we cannot fully control what crosses our mind.

• You may be interested in: "Rumination Disorder: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment"

2. Try to anchor yourself in the present with mindfulness or mindfulness

In times of uncertainty it is more important to be in the here and now than to try to project into the future and allow our anxiety to become oversized and block us in our day to day life.

Mindfulness or Mindfulness facilitates the moment by moment management of stressful situations and helps us to become aware of our mental, emotional and physical state, opening the possibility of acting in a less reactive way, deciding more Liberty.

Mindfulness is a mental training and a process of self-knowledge through mindfulness that empowers people in difficult situations, from the opening, reducing the effort with which anticipatory anxiety confronts us with the future, abandoning the idea of ​​fighting against what we really cannot change.

3. Learn relaxation techniques to use at key moments

There are some relaxation techniques that have proven effective in controlling the symptoms of anticipatory anxiety.

Easy-to-learn techniques and practices, such as Mindfulness, progressive muscle relaxation, or controlled breathing They can reduce anxiety levels and bring us to a state of serenity and relaxation from which it is easier to let go of intrusive thoughts.

4. Live a healthy lifestyle

A good way to cope with anticipatory anxiety is to adopt healthy activities and start taking lead a healthy lifestyle, as a hectic pace of life and wear and tear can increase symptoms of anxiety. Worse bodies are more prone to psychological problems, including anxiety disorders.

Some of the most recommended healthy habits are: exercising regularly during the week to release endorphins, maintain a healthy diet rich in the necessary macronutrients and vitamins and based on little processed foods, have a good level of daily hygiene and also maintain a stable and satisfactory sleep routine of more than 7 hours at the day.

5. Keep a self-log of thoughts

Keep a detailed record of your own thoughts During the day it can be a good tool to detect recurring thoughts that are negative and cause discomfort in time.

Recognizing those thoughts that generate anxiety is the first step to change that negative dynamic and initiate a conversion towards more adaptive thoughts that are a source of well-being.

6. Take steps to fix the root problem

Sometimes it is not possible to do anything “beyond oneself” to eliminate the source of anticipatory anxiety, but at other times, it is. For example, if we have an exam in two weeks and we suffer because we think we will go wrong, start To prepare ourselves and make good use of time is essential to prevent anxiety from paralyze.

The most useful way to achieve this is to establish a clear schedule and behavior guidelines. that we must comply strictly, even if we do not feel like it, so as not to postpone that task and not let problems accumulate. Of course, it must be a realistic schedule and one that we are able to comply with, since if not, we will turn our back on it in a matter of a couple of days.

7. Go to a psychologist

Since anticipatory anxiety is a psychological problem that can severely affect the correct functioning of a person in their day to day, the idea of ​​attending psychotherapy is worth considering to give you a solution from professionals who see our case and offer tailor-made solutions.

Are you looking for psychotherapy services?

If you are considering going to the psychologist to treat problems such as discomfort linked to anxiety or a low mood, get in touch with our team of professionals. On Psychotools We perform psychotherapy both in person at our center in Barcelona, ​​and through online therapy. On this page there is more information about us.