The recent kids’ movie Inside Out 2 beautifully illustrates how Anxiety (a character in the movie) can create stress and chaos in a person’s life…..while also helping us understand how anxiety can shape core beliefs and identity. The movie reminds us that anxiety does serve a purpose, helping us anticipate and prepare for future events.
One common way anxiety appears is through anticipatory anxiety, which involves feelings of unease or apprehension about upcoming situations. This form of anxiety can be helpful in motivating us to prepare for potential challenges, such as studying for an exam. However, it’s crucial to differentiate it from anticipatory catastrophizing, which involves projecting worst-case scenarios—such as fearing failure on an exam will ruin your entire future. Understanding this difference is essential for managing our emotional responses. Recognizing when we’re catastrophizing, rather than just preparing, can help us break unhelpful thought patterns and reduce anxiety.
The Difference Between Anticipatory Anxiety (or Preparedness) and Catastrophizing
Anticipatory anxiety is the sense of discomfort or mild stress about future events, and it has a constructive purpose: it keeps us alert to potential risks and encourages preparation. In cases where it’s motivating us to align our efforts with our goals, we might even think of it as “Anticipatory Preparedness.”
However, when anticipatory anxiety crosses the line into catastrophizing, it can become overwhelming and counterproductive.
Examples of Anticipatory Preparedness:
- School-Related: “I hope I do well on this test. The college I want to attend has high standards.” This thought promotes awareness of the desire to do well without attaching a sense of dread.
- Social Situations: “If I go to the party, I might feel awkward.” This thought may cause some anxiety, but it can also lead to planning or ideas on how to use coping strategies.
Examples of Anticipatory Catastrophizing:
- School-Related: “I have to do well on this test, or I’ll never get into college. If I don’t go to college, I’ll probably struggle financially forever.” This thought spirals from a concern, into an overwhelming and unrealistic worst-case scenario. It could leave the person feeling paralyzed and unable to study properly, possibly leading to a lowered grade on the test.
- Social Situations: “If I go to the party, everyone will think I’m dumb, and I’ll be humiliated. I’ll end up being known as the awkward kid forever.” This type of catastrophizing can lead to avoiding social events altogether. Even if they do attend, the person may feel trapped in their own head, constantly replaying worst-case scenarios, which can create a self-fulfilling effect—they might appear withdrawn or shy simply because they’re preoccupied with fears of embarrassment.
Tools for Managing Anxiety and Catastrophizing
Recognizing catastrophizing thoughts can be challenging. These thoughts often trigger physical responses in our bodies, creating a sense of real threat. This can lead to a “shutdown” or a spiraling of thoughts, where our nervous system treats our imagined fears as immediate dangers. Our bodies respond as though the feared scenario is happening now, activating the amygdala (our brain’s fight-or-flight center). Once triggered, it becomes difficult for the brain to distinguish between actual threats and imagined ones, which perpetuates the cycle of catastrophizing.
To start breaking this cycle, first tune into your somatic markers—or physical signs of distress. These might include a racing heart, quickened breathing, sweating, or heightened sensitivity to sound and light. Becoming aware of these markers can help you recognize when your nervous system is reacting to catastrophizing thoughts.
1. Grounding Techniques
After noticing these markers, use grounding techniques to help calm your nervous system. Here are some examples, but feel free to use what you know can calm your nervous system best.
- Deep Breathing: Slow, deep breaths can help lower your heart rate and signal safety to your brain.
- Hand on Heart: Place one or both hands on your heart and focus on the warmth and pressure, which can activate calming hormones. This gesture also promotes self-compassion and soothes the nervous system.
- 5-4-3-2-1 Exercise: This sensory awareness technique helps you return to the present moment by identifying:
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can touch
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste This exercise can quickly disrupt spiraling thoughts and provide a sense of grounding.
2. Embracing Self-Compassion
Once your nervous system is calmer, practicing self-compassion can help reinforce a healthier response to anxiety. Psychologist Dr. Kristen Neff’s research on self-compassion outlines three key elements: awareness, kindness, and common humanity.
- Awareness: Recognize when you’re experiencing anticipatory anxiety or catastrophizing. Acknowledge these feelings without judgment. For instance, you might tell yourself, “I’m feeling anxious about this situation, and that’s okay.”
- Kindness: Treat yourself as you would a friend in the same situation. Rather than criticizing yourself, try using gentle affirmations or self-soothing techniques.
- Common Humanity: Remember that anxiety and fears are universal. Many people experience similar worries, and understanding this can reduce feelings of isolation and enhance your sense of connection to others.
For some, practicing self-compassion may feel difficult, as there’s often a belief that self-criticism is motivating. However, Dr. Neff’s research has shown that self-compassion is far more effective in encouraging growth and resilience. By offering yourself compassion, you can improve your motivation and ability to face challenges.
Through grounding and self-compassion, you can start to shift from catastrophizing toward a healthier relationship with Anticipatory Preparedness. With practice, Anticipatory Preparedness can become a useful tool, helping you prepare without getting overwhelmed by worst-case scenarios!
