Anxiety sufferers often PREFER worrying to relaxing ‘because it softens the blow when something bad happens’
- Some people with anxiety did it to minimise how much their feelings fluctuated
- People were shown upsetting videos and taken through relaxation exercises
- Those with anxiety were less able to relax during the relaxation sessions
- Generalised anxiety disorder is thought to affect one in 20 people in the UK
Some people with anxiety may prefer to be slightly worried all the time than to relax, scientists claim.
The researchers suggested constantly being uncomfortable could buffer someone’s emotions in the case of something actually going wrong.
In these cases, a sudden spike in anxiety when someone was upset would be smaller because they had already been a bit stressed.
But psychologists say it’s much healthier to let yourself experience the full range of emotions so you can learn to embrace both relaxing and reacting.
Some people with anxiety might prefer to remain slightly nervous all the time so that, if something bad does happen, their spike in negative emotions wouldn’t be as large (stock image)
‘People may be staying anxious to prevent a large shift in anxiety, but it’s actually healthier to let yourself experience those shifts,’ said Michelle Newman, a psychology professor at Penn State University in Pennsylvania.
‘The more you do it, the more you realize you can do it and it’s better to allow yourself to be relaxed at times.
‘Mindfulness training and other interventions can help people let go and live in the moment.’
Anxiety, more specifically known as generalised anxiety disorder, is a mental health problem in which people find it difficult to control their stress and worry.
The condition is common and thought to affect around one in 20 people in the UK, although its causes aren’t well understood.
It may be triggered by over-activity in certain areas of the brain, a chemical imbalance, or having a traumatic past.
Some people develop it for no apparent reason at all, according to the NHS.
The researchers, Professor Newmand and her colleague, Hanjoo Kim, a postgraduate student, quizzed a group of 96 people on their reactions to videos.
In the group, 32 people had anxiety, 34 had depression and 30 had neither.
They were taken through relaxation exercises then shown videos intended to produce feelings of fear or sadness, then answered questions on a survey about how they felt.
They then did the relaxation exercises and answer the questions again, but didn’t watch the videos.
People with anxiety were more likely to remain on edge or stressed when doing only the relaxation sessions, the study found, and to experience sharper spikes in emotion in general.
The findings suggest people who were particularly anxious tried to exert some control by remaining anxious even when they were supposed to relax.
Professor Newman said: ‘The theory revolves around the idea that people may make themselves anxious intentionally as a way to avoid the letdown they might get if something bad were to happen.
‘This isn’t actually helpful and just makes you more miserable. But, because most of the things we worry about don’t end up happening, what’s reinforced in the brain is, “I worried and it didn’t happen so I should continue worrying”.’
People with depression showed similar responses but to a less extreme level, the research found.
The study was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
