Anxiety is normal and only considered a disorder when it significantly interferes with day-to-day living. A critical element of treating most anxiety disorders is exposure. Basically, exposure involves facing what you fear. Depending on your specific fear, this exposure can either be real or in the imagination. For example, someone with a deep fear of cats might start out by thinking about cats, talking about cats, and looking at pictures of cats. Then after those situations become routine, that person might go to a shelter and look at cats, then progress to touching cats.

Treating some fears, like fears of getting cancer, obviously can’t be combated by real exposure. You wouldn’t suggest that someone expose themselves to cancer-causing chemicals to beat a fear of getting cancer. A common way of getting around the issue would be to imagine or talk about “the worst case scenario.” That technique involves exposure in the imagination. So, someone with overwhelming fear about getting sick might be asked to describe the most feared outcome. Exposure might involve several sessions of describing, imagining, and thinking about that worst case.But what happens if the worst case really happens? What happens to those who lived their lives fearful of illness when they actually become seriously ill, or those who have feared abandonment and then their partner or spouse dies or leaves them, or those that spend lifetimes building financial security only to lose their jobs or retirement nest eggs. Many people who face adversity find ways of coping that lead to better adjustment. However, some wallow in self-pity and become depressed or hopeless. What makes the difference?

There are many reasons that some people are able to cope better than others, such as support from friends and family, availability of community or spiritual resources, and prior levels of adjustment. However, certain ways of thinking about adversity seem to improve coping skills. The following are some of the more beneficial ways to consider the worst-case scenario:

• I will take each day as it comes.
• I need to let go of my desire to control how things turn out.
• This experience makes me think about what is important to me.
• I will live the best I can in each moment.
• I can learn from this experience.
• With time, this will pass.
• I am grateful.
• My life has more meaning as a result of this challenge.
• I need to accept what is.
• I can only change what I can change.

Think about how you’ve coped in the past. Consider writing down how you got through your own times of trouble. When the worst case happens, pull out what you’ve written down. It may not seem possible when adversity strikes. But you can handle the worst of life’s difficulties by finding some sense of meaning, giving enough time, or letting go.

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Prof.Lakshman (February 26, 2010)

Carrie Arnold (February 26, 2010)

From Psych Central's website:
PsychCentral (February 26, 2010)

Tara Rodden Robinson (February 26, 2010)

    Last reviewed: 26 Feb 2010