Living in Fear of the Future: What to Do

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDreading the FutureAnticipatory FearWhat to Do

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Dreading the Future

Anticipatory Fear

What to Do

As the world works toemerge from a global pandemic,conflict and warare breaking out around the world, you notice people talking aboutthe rapturemore frequently, and you realize thatartificial intelligenceis no longer science fiction; it’s understandable if your fear of the future has reached an all-time high. That said, if you’re starting to find that it’s impacting your ability to function or make decisions, it may be time to seek help.

To learn more, we spoke withFrank Anderson, MD, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist who specializes in trauma treatment. This article examines how anticipatory fear, or the fear of the unknown, might manifest through a person’s habits and actions. It also outlines coping methods and tips for finding therapists to help with this issue.

“Dreading the future, more commonly known asanticipatory fear, is quite common and can be quite debilitating in extreme cases,” says Anderson. “People struggle with anticipatory fear when they worry about the outcome of a future event they have never experienced before.”

Anticipatory fear can also be linked to theintolerance of uncertainty, which can lead to indecisiveness about large and small decisions and an increased likelihood of constant comparison.This fear of the unknown can lead to anticipatory fear, as it causes people to continually overthink the possible outcomes of their decisions.

What Anticipatory Fear Might Look Like

Anderson explained three ways that people might experience anticipatory fear. This, it turns out, is the brain’s way of trying to help manage any negative outcomes in future events.

Avoiding Prior Painful Experiences

This is a common reason why people may experience anticipatory fear. Past negative experiences can make people feel worried that the same series of events will line up allowing the past to recreate itself.

Frank Anderson, MDWhen the anticipatory fear is rooted in a past event or experience, it is often associated with dread, which can be physiologically intense and frequently associated with something ominous or traumatic in nature. Some form oftraumais usually at the root of a dread response.

Frank Anderson, MD

When the anticipatory fear is rooted in a past event or experience, it is often associated with dread, which can be physiologically intense and frequently associated with something ominous or traumatic in nature. Some form oftraumais usually at the root of a dread response.

While it’s important to learn from past experiences to a certain degree, it’s also important to remember that situations can change for the better.

Protective Responses

Of course, nerves and anticipation that stem from past experiences are really just your brain’s way of trying to protect you.

One study that followed foreign exchange students during their first semester abroad found that moderate levels of anticipatory fear were associated with higher levels of adaptive outcomes in students.

That said, if you’re experiencing high levels of anticipatory fear, protective responses can lead to difficulty withthinking clearly,social withdrawal, or being afraid to leave the house (agoraphobia). This is when it’s time to seek out help from alicensed therapist.

The Best Online Therapy ProgramsWe’ve tried, tested and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain.

Preventative Preoccupation

Anderson callspreventative preoccupationthe reason why many people experience anticipatory fear. This is when people begin to obsess over potential risks based on something that happened in the past.

People withgeneralized anxiety disordertend to worry excessively about, well… everything. They spend time overthinking and over-planning to prevent something from going wrong.

Ways to Fight Anticipatory Fear

Below are some ways that can help you tackle anticipatory fear.

Practice Mindfulness

Research has shown thatmindfulnesscan improveemotion regulation, which is incredibly helpful in reducing stress.It has also been shown to improve present-moment awareness, which is particularly important for people who worry about future events. Research even found that mindfulness can potentially alter parts of the brain to help improve self-awareness over time.

Repeat Mantras

While Anderson notes that mantras are short-term fixes that aren’t associated with permanent relief, he says that they can “help mitigate the anticipatory fear response.”

You can repeat things like:

Anderson notes that saying things like this to yourself can be helpful as your search for a long-term solution.

Exercise

Exercising, especiallytrying new forms of exerciseor exercises that incorporate mindfulness, can help keep you in the present moment. This forces you to think about the task at hand rather than worry about the future.

Keep a Journal

Keeping a journal can help you combathindsight bias, which occurs when you think you have had better control over past events.

Journalingcan also help you stave off thoughts that the past was much more ideal. Finally, keeping a journal can help bring focus to the present moment and the positive aspects of the present and future.

Seeking a Therapist

Whether you have found yourself experiencing anticipatory fear as a result of past traumas or for another reason altogether, it is important to find a therapist who can help you. Specifically, it would be helpful to seek out atherapist who specializesin the treatment of anxiety, trauma, and PTSD.

Below, you can find some tips onfinding a therapistthat can help you manage anticipatory fear:

What to Expect During Your First Therapy Session

Final Thoughts

It is entirely normal to have some fear of the future, but take note if your concerns are starting to take up a lot of your mental space. It’s also important to notice if your worries are impacting your actions. That said, hopefully, you can rest a little easier knowing there are ways to get help and move past these fears.

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4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Butzer B, Kuiper NA.Relationships between the frequency of social comparisons and self-concept clarity, intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety, and depression.Personality and Individual Differences. 2006;41(1):167-176. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.12.017Chiu ML.The influence of anticipatory fear on foreign student adjustment: An exploratory study.International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 1995;19(1):1-44. doi:10.1016/0147-1767(94)00022-PNeumark-Sztainer, D.Excessive weight preoccupation: Normative but not harmless.Nutrition Today.1995;30(2): 68–74.Tang YY, Hölzel BK, Posner MI.The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation.Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2015;16:213–225.

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Butzer B, Kuiper NA.Relationships between the frequency of social comparisons and self-concept clarity, intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety, and depression.Personality and Individual Differences. 2006;41(1):167-176. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.12.017Chiu ML.The influence of anticipatory fear on foreign student adjustment: An exploratory study.International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 1995;19(1):1-44. doi:10.1016/0147-1767(94)00022-PNeumark-Sztainer, D.Excessive weight preoccupation: Normative but not harmless.Nutrition Today.1995;30(2): 68–74.Tang YY, Hölzel BK, Posner MI.The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation.Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2015;16:213–225.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Butzer B, Kuiper NA.Relationships between the frequency of social comparisons and self-concept clarity, intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety, and depression.Personality and Individual Differences. 2006;41(1):167-176. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.12.017Chiu ML.The influence of anticipatory fear on foreign student adjustment: An exploratory study.International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 1995;19(1):1-44. doi:10.1016/0147-1767(94)00022-PNeumark-Sztainer, D.Excessive weight preoccupation: Normative but not harmless.Nutrition Today.1995;30(2): 68–74.Tang YY, Hölzel BK, Posner MI.The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation.Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2015;16:213–225.

Butzer B, Kuiper NA.Relationships between the frequency of social comparisons and self-concept clarity, intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety, and depression.Personality and Individual Differences. 2006;41(1):167-176. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.12.017

Chiu ML.The influence of anticipatory fear on foreign student adjustment: An exploratory study.International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 1995;19(1):1-44. doi:10.1016/0147-1767(94)00022-P

Neumark-Sztainer, D.Excessive weight preoccupation: Normative but not harmless.Nutrition Today.1995;30(2): 68–74.

Tang YY, Hölzel BK, Posner MI.The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation.Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2015;16:213–225.

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