Deal With Anxiety by Showing Curiosity
Due to the pandemic and the fact that it is an election year, 2020 has been a tough year for people suffering from anxiety – whether they have had an existing diagnosis or experienced this unwanted feeling for the first time (and its many side effects). Much of this stems from all the uncertainty we face: not knowing when life will return to some version of normal, and what might happen to us in the interim.
When we are uncertain about the future and what will happen next, it is easy to imagine all the bad things that can happen. This may sound like a good idea and can help you mentally prepare for something terrible, but it is not and can make your anxiety worse. One alternative to this is to approach the unknown with a sense of curiosity and surprise instead of fear. Here’s how to do it.
How to use curiosity to deal with anxiety
Rather than going for the worst-case scenario, clinical psychologist Dr. Iliz Dobrou DiMarco suggests looking at your uncertain future with curiosity, rather than a foregone conclusion. Here’s how she explains the concept in Psychology Today :
I do not want to say that there will be no catastrophe. For many of us, this has happened many times since the inception of this virus. But it is also possible that what you fear the most will not happen. If you allow yourself this opportunity, however small, do not slide into the pit of fear and despair. And if you’re not discouraged, you’re much more likely to find effective ways to deal with the situation in question, whether it be devising a quarantined school day schedule or figuring out how you can safely see your school friends outdoors for your children’s birthday party.
This will be especially important during the holidays this year, given that they will look a little different, but not necessarily a bad thing.