Good and bad anxiety

66Mustang

This is probably obvious but I thought I’d mention anyway.

I think I realised something the other day which is an obvious difference between “good” or “helpful”, and “bad” or “unhelpful” anxiety.

It occurred to me while driving behind a slow vehicle and an opportunity presented itself to overtake safely. I get a kind of “butterflies” feeling, a bit nervous about driving on the other side of the road. I assume this is useful anxiety: my body telling me to make doubly sure it is safe, check again, etc.

The initial “butterflies” in this situation started off quite prominently years ago and I have found they get less and less over time. Presumably each time I safely overtake I learn there’s little to worry about.

Now I may be making this up as I’ve not otherwise experienced “good” anxiety for a long time, but I am guessing this is the same as the “good” anxiety that you are meant to get before doing something like speaking publicly or attending a job interview. People say this anxiety also gets less the more you do the thing that causes it.

If I compare this anxiety to the usual problem anxiety I get, I would describe my normal anxiety as a stagnant pool in my stomach; unhelpful, pointless anxiety that is there for no good reason.

What I want to point out is that this unhelpful anxiety doesn’t diminish after each time I experience it, it stays constant. I can do things that set it off as many times as I want and still am just as anxious as the first time.

I don’t really know why I am mentioning all this but I just thought it was interesting to identify good anxiety for once, it is actually quite a nice feeling in comparison to my day-to-day anxiety.

I wonder if this is worth mentioning to my doctor. Or perhaps is there a way to convert “bad/unhelpful” anxiety into “good/helpful” anxiety. That way I could work on it and hopefully get it to disappear over time.

Alex_Alumni

Some really interesting thoughts here @66Mustang thanks for sharing

I think the good anxiety you describe could also be similar to the 'fight or flight response', but I'm certainly no expert. I imagine getting the same good anxiety feeling before diving into water, but then again, I wouldn't dive from a board or anything, I don't like heights- perhaps that part is the bad anxiety!

66Mustang

That makes perfect sense @Alex_Scope

I just found it refreshing to notice a different kind of anxiety and I’m not saying I’ll go looking for it like some kind of adrenaline hunter but it is a nice feeling in comparison to the constant daily anxiety  

Alex_Alumni

Yes, I can understand that, I think it's a really good distinction to make @66Mustang

Danielle_2022

Good afternoon,
I just wanted to drop by and thank you for sharing this insight, I’m sure that it will be helpful for so many people — myself included!

I think being able to distinguish between the different types of anxiety is a great way to start regaining power back over it, too. For example, when you start to experience anxiety that you’re able to recognise as being bad or unhelpful, it will hopefully make it easier to rationalise ourselves out of negative thought patterns. All important conversations to have!

leeCal

So am I correct in thinking @66Mustang That good anxiety is what we feel when say next to a fearsome creature like a rattle snake, and bad anxiety is what we feel when we think about going out to the shops? The former is seemingly innate but the latter is seemingly learnt?

66Mustang

Thanks everyone and sorry for not posting earlier, I tend to forget when I make a thread outside of the coffee lounge  

@leeCal I’m not really sure actually but I think that would make sense.

What I had in mind was “good anxiety” is anxiety you get when there is potentially opportunity - something you are best not to avoid like a job interview. With a rattlesnake I think the avoidance would just kick in as there is no good reason to go near it.

Not really sure though, maybe that’s a different kind of good anxiety as it makes you avoid something when it is indeed a good idea to do so. 🤔