“These are troubling times.” How often have we heard some variation of that statement? Our news feeds would seem to bear that out, with one study in the journal Nature finding that “Negativity drives online news consumption.” It appears there is indeed a lot to worry about.

Unfortunately, sometimes our anxiety about future events can become an obstacle or even debilitating.

What is anticipatory anxiety?

Anticipatory anxiety frequently manifests itself as a worry about the negative consequences of future actions that might be taken by myself or others. The worry often manifests itself in “what if” questions. What if I throw a party and no one shows up? I want to ask my teacher a question, but what if I sound stupid? What if I ask for a raise and my boss fires me?

Outside events are also a source of stress in our lives, leading us to worry about theoretical future events that lie beyond our control. What if I get sick next week just before my wedding? I want to book my vacation, but what if there is a hurricane? What if that new virus I read about is even worse than COVID?

Of course, many of these worries are grounded in reality, however tentative. Events like wars, economic downturns, and natural disasters are all too frequent, alas. Our news and social media feeds are frequented by experts who frequently point to warning signs of various negative outcomes. A person who suffers from anticipatory anxiety, however, will take that knowledge and envision the worst possible outcomes, and allow those thoughts to intensify the anxiety they feel.

"Anticipatory anxiety is something that so many people struggle with. It's so common... (It) comes down to our unwillingness for things to be unpredictable, to be uncertain, and for us to be uncomfortable." - Shannon Jackson, A Healthy Push podcast

Identifying anticipatory anxiety disorder

Signs of anticipatory anxiety mirror those for a general anxiety disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms include:

Excessively worry about normal things

Awareness that you worry too much

Trouble focusing

Difficulty keeping your anxious thoughts and feelings under control

Sufferers may also experience physical symptoms such as headaches, excessive sweating, and fatigue.

If you think you may be suffering from an anticipatory anxiety disorder, you should consult with a doctor, counselor, or mental health professional. There are proven therapies that can help you deal with your worries and get your life back on track.

Some helpful resources

There are also a number of online resources that can help you or your loved ones identify and cope with anticipatory anxiety disorder. Here are a few:

The podcast A Healthy Push by anxiety coach Shannon Jackson has an episode devoted to anticipatory anxiety disorder that is full of practical tips. It’s definitely worth a listen.

This article from the Anxiety & Depression Association of America defines anticipatory anxiety as “how we feel when we buy into our own creative worry stories.” The authors explain how such fears are a primary driver of anxiety in general.

Music can be a great way to carry you away from your worries. Aleteia has a terrific sacred music archive curated by Jack Mauro. Most of the articles have sample tracks or videos that can help you find an inner space of peace and serenity.

3 Last things to keep in mind during times of crisis

Navigating problems with anticipatory anxiety can be particularly challenging during times of crisis, when there seems to be nothing but bad news out there. Here are three things that may be helpful to keep in mind:

1It’s normal to worry

Certain amounts of stress and anxiety are normal and even healthy. Disasters do occur and it makes sense to be prepared. For instance, FEMA recommends that everyone have an emergency disaster plan in place and prepare a basic disaster supply kit for unforeseen emergencies. Such preparations should help lessen our anxiety.

It’s also perfectly normal to experience some worry over things like an upcoming job review, your family’s future, your economic situation, etc. When those anxieties start to consume your time and energy, however, it is a sign you should probably seek help.

You may also find some comfort in knowing that more than 90% of the things we worry about never come to pass in any form, according to a 2019 study. And even for the worries that weren't false alarms, the outcomes were often better than foreseen.

2There is a worry industry

Turning on the news or scrolling through social media, we see a lot of bad news out there, often to an overwhelming degree. While we don't want to shield ourselves from unpleasant news, we know that while bad news is generally accurate, it can often be overhyped. Outlets and organizations do this for a variety of reasons: to increase ratings, to spur people to action, to raise money, to get you to keep scrolling, etc.

It is often in the best interest of these outlets to make you as worried as possible, with little concern for your mental health. Understanding that, it is perfectly logical and acceptable for you to disconnect once in a while. Stay off your smartphone for a day. Take a walk or do some gardening. Doing so, you may discover that even though you have been told the world is falling apart, the sun still rises and sets, kids are still playing outside, birds are still singing and maybe things aren’t quite as dire as you were told.

3Prayer is essential to combat worry

Of course, the last word on anticipatory anxiety was uttered by Jesus:

“Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?” (Matthew 6:27)

In this one sentence, 2,000 years of history are bridged, and we see that the world has not really changed that much. Apparently, people were just as worried about the direction of the world 2,000 years ago as they are today.

Just a few verses before this, Jesus has some crucial advice. He tells us to go to private place and pray:

“In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:7-8)

The Lord’s Prayer is the help that Christ gives us for facing the ups and downs of life, an essential tool for those of us who worry about the future too much. We would be wise to make use of it each day -- and especially when we are worried about what tomorrow may bring.

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