The 7 keys to manage anticipatory anxiety in times of uncertainty.

Some useful tips to prevent anticipatory anxiety from making us lose control.

Anticipatory anxiety is a psychological disorder in which a person experiences very intense feelings of fear or panic in the face of a possible imminent disaster or failure, whether real or perceived.

In a situation like the current one, in which social and health alarm reigns, this type of problem is becoming widespread among the population and is increasingly present in all types of people.

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

Tips for managing anticipatory anxiety in the face of uncertainty.

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

1. Do not want to totally eliminate anxiety

When it comes to managing the anticipatory anxiety that a person may experience in the face of a contagious disease, mainly due to the fear of contracting it, it is advisable not to obsess about it, it is advisable not to become obsessed with wanting to completely eliminate the symptoms of anxiety..

Often, obsessing about eliminating the negative thoughts associated with this disorder tends to be counterproductive and further aggravate the anxious symptoms, since it predisposes us to pay more attention to them.

Keep in mind that anticipatory anxiety is often accompanied by symptoms such as tachycardia, sweating, dizziness, tremors and Muscle tension, among others. When they are expressed, 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 totally control what crosses our mind..

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 yourself into the future. and allow our anxiety to become oversized and block us in our day to day life.

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

Mindfulness is a mental training and a process of self-knowledge through mindfulness that empowers people in difficult situations, from openness, reducing the possibility of acting in a less reactive way and deciding more freely.It is a process of openness, reducing the effort with which anticipatory anxiety confronts us with the future, abandoning the idea of fighting against what we cannot really change.

3. Learn relaxation techniques to use them in key moments.

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

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

4. Lead a healthy lifestyle

A good way to cope with anticipatory anxiety is to adopt healthy activities and start leading a healthy lifestyle, as a frenetic, wear-and-tear pace of life can increase anxiety symptoms. Bodies in poorer condition are more likely to give way to psychological problems, including anxiety disorders.

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

5. Keep a self-record of thoughts

Keeping a detailed record of one's thoughts during the day can be a good tool to detect in time recurrent thoughts that are negative and generate discomfort.

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

6. Adopt measures to solve the root of the problem.

Sometimes it is not possible to do anything "beyond oneself" to eliminate the source of anticipatory anxiety, but sometimes it is. For example, if we have an exam in two weeks and we suffer because we think we will do badly, starting to prepare ourselves and making good use of our time is essential to prevent anxiety from paralyzing us.

The most useful thing to achieve this is to establish a clear schedule and behavioral guidelines that we must follow to the letter, even if we do not feel like it, so as not to postpone the task and not to let the problems accumulate. Of course, it must be a realistic schedule that we are able to meet, otherwise we will turn our back on it in a couple of days.

7. See a psychologist

Since anticipatory anxiety is a psychological problem that can severely affect a person's day-to-day functioning, it is worth considering the idea of seeing a psychologist, it is worthwhile to consider the idea of attending psychotherapy to give it solution of the hand of professionals who see our case and offer solutions to measure.

Are you looking for psychotherapy services?

If you are considering going to a psychologist to treat problems such as anxiety-related discomfort or low mood, contact our team of professionals. At Psicotools we carry out psychotherapy both in person at our center in Barcelona, as well as through online therapy. In this page there is more information about us.