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The Evolution of Anxiety: Why We Worry and What to Do About It

The mismatch between our old brain and our new surroundings has a big role in how much chronic anxiety and stress we have now.

Stress and worry were helpful emotions thousands of years ago when humans lived in an Urgent Return Environment since they helped us take action in the form of immediate challenges.

Worry, anxiety, and stress evolved in your brain in this way. Anxiety served as a protective emotion in an Immediate Return Environment. It was designed to address immediate, short-term issues. There was no such thing as chronic stress since in an Immediate Return Environment, there aren’t any chronic issues.

Chronic stress is uncommon in wild animals. A deer may be scared by a loud noise and flee through the forest, but as soon as the threat is gone, the deer instantly calms down and begins grazing. and it doesn’t look to be tangled up like so many other people.

What to Do About It

Continuous uncertainty is one of the most stressful aspects of a Delayed Return Environment. Working hard in school does not ensure that you will get a job. There’s no guarantee that investments will increase in value in the future. Going on a date does not guarantee that you will meet your soulmate. You are surrounded by uncertainty if you live in a Delayed Return Environment.

So, what are your options? How can you succeed in a Delayed Return Environment that is so stressful and anxiety-inducing?

The first thing you may do is to take a measurement. You can’t predict how much money you’ll have in retirement, but you can take some of the guesswork out of the equation by tracking how much you save each month. You can’t guarantee that you’ll obtain a job after graduation, but you can keep track of how often you apply for internships. You can’t forecast when you’ll fall in love, but you can keep track of how often you introduce yourself to new people.

Rapid feedback is also one of the most critical differences between an Immediate Return Environment and a Delayed Return Environment. Animals receive regular input about the things that stress them out. As a consequence, they can tell if they should be stressed or not. There is no feedback without measurement.

Shift Your Worry

The second thing you may do is “shift your worry” away from the long-term issue and into a daily habit that will fix it.

  • Rather than stressing about living longer, focus on taking a daily stroll.
  • Worry about how much time your child spends studying today rather than whether or not they will receive a college scholarship.
  • Rather than stressing about reducing weight in time for the wedding, focus on preparing a nutritious supper now.

The key to make this technique work is to make sure that your daily routine both pays you right away (instant return) and solves your issues in the future (delayed return). You should see the best therapist or doctor move your anxiety away. You can visit in-focus.com.sg to see an anxiety therapist.

Our brains did not evolve in a Delayed Return Environment, yet that is where we are now. Our goal is that by assessing what is essential to you and changing your focus to everyday habits that will pay off in the long term, you will be able to minimize some of the unpredictability and chronic stress that is inherent in modern life. We hope you would find this article helpful and this would help you in getting rid of your confusions.

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