It's easy to see why we evolved to experience anxiety. If our ancestors had rushed head-first into every situation, they probably wouldn't have survived very long. Anxiety is your brain's way of saying, "Hang on a minute, are you sure this is safe?".
Most experts agree that a modest degree of anxiety and anticipation of potential negative consequences is normal and helpful. It can become problematic, however, when it gets out of hand, and when your predictions become overwhelmingly negative, which is what's happening when you catastrophise habitually.
This story is from the August 2023 edition of BBC Science Focus.
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This story is from the August 2023 edition of BBC Science Focus.
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