What can you do if you are haunted by "what-if" thoughts

Excessive thinking about what the future holds for many people causes concern: rising prices, potential new pandemics, global warming, international conflicts, the economic situation, the instability of the workplace... All of this incites in us a very unpleasant anticipatory anxiety, because the future is essential itself uncertain.

Trying to tame such thoughts and anxiety is like wrestling with something formless, which can easily make any person feel powerless.

"It is quite natural that we have a greater influence on our own life than on the global image of the world," says Dr. Mirriam Priess, a specialist in psychosomatic medicine and a coach for coping with stress, writes Hina.

For example, to help you overcome your fear of heights, you can face it by trying to gradually climb the observation deck.

But anticipatory anxiety is very unpleasant. However, there are ways to help alleviate it. The first step is to better understand the function of fear and anxiety.

Experiencing both fear and anxiety in uncertain times is perfectly normal, because it is a reaction to situations that pose a threat to us, says psychiatrist and psychotherapist Dr. Andreas Hagemann, as well as Priess, a specialist in psychosomatic medicine.

"In human evolution, fear was extremely important because it helped the individual to protect himself from real or expected danger. Today, fears and anxiety appear in our 'inner world', usually as a result of some negative experiences and based on them we evaluate external situations." says Priess.

For example, if you've been laid off before in your life, you're more likely to be worried if you hear that your company may be downsizing.

Your personality also plays a key role in the tendency to anticipatory anxiety. "The first years of our lives are formative," says Priess. "That's when we experience the first experiences in relationships, which later affect our self-confidence."

Personality is important because it affects how we evaluate a challenging situation - whether we believe we will be able to overcome it or react insecurely and feel powerless.

What can you do if disturbing "what-if" thoughts run through your head and you feel increasing tension in your body? Priess advises accepting and honoring your anxiety.

"So, accept the fact that you are anxious instead of trying to suppress the anxiety, because that way it will only increase. Sometimes you can reduce the feeling of anxiety if you manage to at least mentally distance yourself from that unpleasant feeling. Try saying to yourself: "I feel anxiety inside, but it's not me, it will pass," suggests Priess.

Also, you should try to assess the situation with a cool head. What exactly is at stake? What are you worried about? How realistic is the negative scenario you imagine? What are the possible solutions?

Another way you can apply in suppressing anxiety is to introduce activities in your life that will help you get rid of stress, because anxiety, according to Hagemann, is basically just stress.

It can be running regularly, hanging out with friends or practicing relaxation techniques like autogenic training.

Nevertheless, some people, regardless of everything mentioned, are overcome by anxiety in certain situations.

If you focus on your anxiety, it will completely 'swallow' you, absorb you and that is the beginning of the disorder. Many people in such situations react by withdrawing into themselves and not facing the source of the anxiety, and such behavior only increases it even more. The solution is to talk openly about your anxiety, get support from family or friends, and if necessary professional help, instead of withdrawing into yourself.