A Simple Method for Combating Anxiety Has Been Revealed

Vivid images of "frightening future" damage self-esteem and increase anxiety, scientists found

As reported by TUT.AZ, British psychologists from York St John University came to this unexpected conclusion. The research results were published in the respected scientific journal Psychological Reports (PR).

Psychologists have long considered the concept of "possible selves" – our ideas about who we might become in the future – as a crucial factor affecting human motivation and emotional state. This concept includes both bright prospects and frightening scenarios. Notably, people with increased anxiety usually have negative images of the future that are particularly vivid and realistic. Until recently, specialists considered this merely a consequence of an anxious state.

The authors of the new study proposed a revolutionary hypothesis: detailed frightening images of one's own future don't just reflect anxiety but actively intensify it. The researchers identified self-esteem – one of the most reliable predictors of anxiety disorders – as a key element in this vicious circle.

An experiment involving 68 students confirmed the researchers' assumptions. In the first phase, participants completed special questionnaires on anxiety and self-esteem, after which they described their "frightening possible self," evaluating the clarity of this image in their imagination. The results revealed expected correlations: high levels of anxiety correlated with low self-esteem and more distinct frightening images. Particularly significant was the fact that low self-esteem by itself was associated with greater "visual" clarity of the negative future.

Statistical analysis fully confirmed the scientists' central hypothesis: self-esteem acts as a mediator between anxiety and the vividness of frightening images. Put simply, the more "real" a frightening future seems, the more it undermines one's sense of self-worth – and lowered self-esteem, completing the circle, increases anxiety.

During a further experiment, all participants were asked to perform the Best Possible Self exercise – to imagine in detail and describe their most successful future. The results were impressive: anxiety decreased in all subjects, with levels falling even below the initial baseline.

The researchers intend to verify the discovered mechanism in larger and longer-term studies involving patients suffering from anxiety disorders. According to the authors, such simple and inexpensive techniques could become a valuable addition to traditional methods of psychological assistance.