Embracing the Anxious Mind: Are There Positives to Anxiety?

Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the U.S. Over 40 million adults (19.1% of the population) suffer from an anxiety disorder. In 2023, 6.8 million adults were diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), affecting everything from work to relationships.

We hear a lot about anxiety, most of it negative. We’re bombarded with articles and books detailing the negative effects of anxiety and stress, usually accompanied by advice on achieving a stress-free and anxiety-free life. But, is it possible to make life entirely stress-free, and should we?

Are there potential benefits to anxiety that we might be overlooking?

Anxiety is a familiar guest in my mental house. An adult child of alcoholic parents, I grew up in a tumultuous, at times chaotic household. As a way to cope, my body learned fight, flight, and freeze at a very young age. These experiences etched the effects of anxiety deep into my body and mind, shaping my response mechanisms and forever influencing the way I navigate the world.

As a therapist, my mission revolves around reshaping perceptions of anxiety and stress, rooted in personal experiences.

Guided by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk's "The Body Keeps the Score," I recognize the embodied nature of trauma's impact on both mind and body. This highlights that anxiety and stress extend beyond only thoughts, becoming visceral experiences, with emotional and physiological responses.

In her book "Future Tense: Why Anxiety is Good For You (Even Though It Feels Bad)," Professor Tracy Dennis-Tiwary advocates for a shift in our attitude towards anxiety, asserting that "The emotion of anxiety is not broken; it’s how we cope with anxiety that’s broken."

Now, how do we reevaluate our approach to anxiety? Here are a few benefits of stress and anxiety.

1 Motivation:

We've all found ourselves at that deadline, after days, weeks, or months of procrastination, when anxiety kicks in. A burst of motivational magic happens, and we stay up all night finishing a work project or writing the term paper that’s due by 8 am.

Anxiety doesn't only manifest as restlessness; research on anxiety's positive aspects shows it can be a powerful force pushing us into action, saving us from negative consequences like flunking a test. Long before the days of Canvas or Google Work, I remember printing papers at the last minute— once, even driving across Eugene to a professor’s house to drop one off before midnight

For us procrastinators, anxiety is often the much-needed kick in the ass to get things done.

2. Building Resilience:

Contrary to expectations, stress and anxiety can act as builders of strength. At the 2019 APA convention, psychologists discussed stress's unexpected benefits. Dr. Lisa Damour highlighted how stress from challenging situations can fortify resilience, helping us face new hurdles. Moderate levels of stress, according to Dr. Damour, “can have an inoculating function, which leads to higher than average resilience.” Moderate levels of stress, according to Dr. Damour, “can have an inoculating function, which leads to higher than average resilience.”

The next time life throws you unexpected challenges, try to see them as opportunities to strengthen your inner resilience. Moreover, handling these stressors can reveal unexpected skills, like finding out you're surprisingly good under pressure—maybe it shows you can make quick decisions or stay calm when it counts.

3. Cautiousness and Warning Signs:

Anxiety, at its core, serves as our internal alarm system, alerting us to potential dangers. Whether it's jitters before a new job or prepping for disaster, anxiety prompts caution. Think of anxiety as your evolved internal alarm system, signaling areas of your life that need attention. Studies in the UK have even shown that anxious teenagers statistically experience fewer accidents. Learning to strike a balance between healthy caution and excessive fear is essential.

This internal signal isn’t about stopping us in our tracks—it’s more about making us pause and consider our next steps carefully, which is a handy skill in both personal and professional settings. The 'pause and check' response that anxiety triggers isn't just protective—it also cultivates a deeper awareness of our surroundings, helping us make more informed choices in the moment.

4. Anxiety and a Longer Life:

An 80-year study at Stanford University found a link between conscientiousness and a longer life. Recent research from the University of Edinburgh and University College London revealed that highly anxious (neurotic) individuals are more likely to live longer. How? Their worrying disposition makes them vigilant about health, pushing them to take proactive steps.

Alice Boyes, author of “The Anxiety Toolkit,” notes that anxious people tend to be cautious, and meticulous, channeling their anxiety into conscientious behavior as a way to cope with their fears, which may contribute to a longer and more fulfilled life. An unexpected bonus to neuroticism?: “It may be linked to a longer life.”

5. Empathy:

Let's explore the softer side of anxiety.

Personal battles with anxiety can transform us, enhancing empathetic capacities. Emerging research suggests that overcoming anxiety contributes to increased kindness and empathy. This heightened sense of empathy creates greater sensitivity, love, and acceptance for others facing challenges, making our collective human experience better.

Our shared struggles, and understanding create a collective empathy that contributes to making the world a better place. The challenges we face become bridges that connect us, creating a profound sense of compassion for the human experience.

In the words of health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, “Your stress response has a built-in mechanism for stress resilience, and that mechanism is human connection. When life becomes challenging, your stress response urges you to seek the support of those who genuinely care about you.” Recognizing our inherent social nature, McGonigal likens us to pack animals, acknowledging our need for both emotional and physical support from friends and family. In this human dance of connection, oxytocin, known as the "cuddle hormone," plays an important physiological role, making the significance of nurturing bonds and connections even more important in navigating life's adversities.

Redefining Anxiety:

Conclusion:

The key takeaway? There are potential benefits to anxiety that can help us make changes in how we perceive, approach, and experience stress. While acknowledging that excessive anxiety can be harmful, embracing its positive aspects may contribute to our personal growth and overall well-being. From Kelly McGonigal's perspective, "If we stop believing that stress is the enemy, we might actually live longer."

So, next time you feel that anxiety start to simmer, maybe take a moment to recognize it as a sign of your body’s built-in readiness system. Instead of pushing it away, let’s ask what it’s trying to tell us. After all, listening to what our stress and anxiety have to say might just be the first step towards using them to our advantage.

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Please Note: "Corbett Corner - Chronicles of a Rebel Healer" is designed for teaching and entertainment purposes only. It does not substitute professional therapy. If anxiety is significantly impacting your daily life, seeking professional help from a licensed therapist is advised.