Anxiety — the what-if machine

(Secondary emotion)

At a glance

  • What it’s saying: “Something might go wrong — get ready.”

  • What it wants: Check the risk, make a plan, take a step, then stand down.

  • Use it well: Turn worries into small actions; practise safe-but-scary things in steps.

  • Watch-outs: Endless reassurance, avoidance, over-prep that never ends, using booze/caffeine to cope.

What anxiety is

Anxiety is the hum in your chest when your brain runs future problems. It’s the edge before a talk, the loop at 3 a.m., the urge to double-check the door again. A little helps you prepare. Too much shrinks your world.

Anxiety is a time-machine emotion—your system runs “what if?” to protect tomorrow, then stands down once you take a small, sensible step today.

It’s not the same as fear (danger now), stress (load that exceeds your capacity), or panic (a sudden spike that feels like you’ll pass out). Naming it right helps you do the right thing.

Biogenic lens

Primary domain: Self-Correction.

In the triad: Anxiety mainly serves Self-Correction — it scans for possible trouble and pushes you to change behaviour to prevent damage. It also taps Self-Production for short, useful energy to prepare, and it nudges Self-Organisation to adjust plans, roles and routines so you’re better set next time.

What it’s optimising
Self-Production: A mild rev so you can prep — pack the bag, check the route, rehearse the lines. Useful in doses; draining if you stay keyed up. Basics (sleep, food, less caffeine) keep the dial sensible.
Self-Organisation: Tidy the plan: leave earlier, ask for help, share tasks, set reminders. Anxiety is saying “organise this so it’s less risky.”
Self-Correction: Turn fuzzy worry into a concrete step: an if/then plan, one exposure on the ladder, one call you’ve been dodging. Then let the alarm stand down.

How it feels in the body

Tight chest, quick breath, stomach flip, restless legs, sweaty palms, a buzz of “do something.” Thoughts speed up; attention narrows to problems.

Common triggers & what they’re really about

  • Uncertainty: results, money, health tests → need for information and a plan.

  • Social risk: speaking up, meeting new people, saying no → need for practice and fair expectations.

  • Responsibility: exams, deadlines, caring for others → need to chunk tasks and share the load.

  • Old shocks: reminders of past scares → need for gentle exposure and support.

Low sleep, heavy caffeine, pain and scrolling disasters make anxiety louder.

Look-alikes (so you don’t treat the wrong thing)

  • Fear: danger now; act first, think later.

  • Panic: fast, intense; peaks in minutes. Ride the wave, don’t fight it.

  • OCD contamination/checking: anxiety glued to rituals; get help early.

  • Hyperthyroid/arrhythmia/too much caffeine: body-driven buzz — see your GP.

  • Depression with worry: heavy + hopeless + worried — different plan needed.

How people have explained anxiety (very briefly)

Think of it as your “prediction engine” flagging possible threats. Helpful when it leads to a proportionate fix; unhelpful when it gets stuck in loops. The practical move is the same: check, plan, act, stand down.

A clip that shows it well

Inside Out 2 — Anxiety packing for the future. It’s funny and accurate: lists, over-prepping, trying to control everything at once. Watch how useful turns unhelpful when it never ends.

Try this when anxiety bites

The 60-second grounder

  1. Name it: “This is anxiety.”

  2. Breathe out longer than in for a minute (in 4, out 6).

  3. One-line next step: “For the next 10 minutes I’ll ___.” Then do just that.

The 10-minute “worry → plan”

On paper, three quick boxes:

  • Worry (facty, one line): “What if I blank in the meeting?”

  • If/then plan: “If I blank, I’ll pause, check my notes, and keep going.”

  • Prevention step today: “Rehearse opening line twice; print notes.”

The daily rep (shrink avoidance kindly)

  • Build a ladder (5–7 steps) for the thing you dodge; do the easiest rung until boring, then move up.

  • Limit reassurance (set a cap, e.g., one check then stop).

  • Cut stimulants late (coffee/energy drinks). Sleep and move on purpose.

Using anxiety without making a mess

With yourself

  • Swap “What if…?” for “Even if…, then I’ll…” — it gives your body a plan.

  • Keep tasks small and visible: timers, checklists, one thing at a time.

  • Don’t wait to feel calm to act; action often brings the calm.

With family and friends

  • Ask for help, not certainty: “Can you sit with me while I make this call?” beats “Promise me it’ll be fine.”

  • If your child’s anxious, praise effort and steps, not avoidance.

  • Agree on a “one reassurance” rule, then do the step together.

At work

  • Time-box worry: 15 minutes to list risks, 15 to make if/then plans, then ship the first step.

  • Share early if you’re blocked; swap “sorry” for specifics: “I’m stuck on X; I need Y.”

In the community

  • Balance bad-news feeds with local facts and practical action. Anxiety loves vague doom.

Myths to retire

  • “I must get rid of anxiety to do well.” Most people perform with some nerves on board.

  • “Checking again will finally calm me.” It usually makes checking bigger.

  • “Avoiding it proves I’m safe.” It proves nothing and keeps the fear alive.

Keep a simple eye on it (two-minute log)

  • Top worry today:

  • One action I took:

  • Avoidance or approach? (tick one)

  • Did the alarm stand down after action?

  • Next rung on my ladder:

When to worry (and what to do)

  • Anxiety most days for weeks, shrinking your life.

  • Panic attacks you fear and avoid.

  • Heavy reliance on alcohol or benzos to cope.

  • You’re house-bound or can’t face essentials (work, school, medical care).

If that’s you: talk to your GP or a psychologist. In Australia call Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. If there’s immediate danger, call 000.

A short story

Sienna avoids driving over the bridge. Meetings get missed; work gets tricky. With a friend, she makes a ladder: sit in the parked car near the bridge; drive the quiet route at 10 a.m.; over and back once with music; over at rush hour with a podcast. She sets one if/then: “If I panic, I’ll pull off at the lookout, breathe out for a minute, and try again.” Four weeks later she still prefers the early slot, but the bridge isn’t the boss anymore.

Wrap-up

Anxiety is the what-if machine. Let it help you prepare, then take a step and let the alarm switch off. Small, steady approaches beat big, brave avoidances every time.