Daily Times

If you live with anxiety, you’re probably familiar with the vicious circle of being anxious about being anxious. A helpful way to break the cycle may be to remind yourself of the benefits of being anxious. New research highlights such a benefit, as “anxiety raises the chances of survival after heart attack”.

Anyone living with anxiety knows how terrible it is to worry about worrying, and how this can send you spiraling into a full-blown anxiety attack.

During such times, some people – including myself – may find it useful to focus on the benefits of anxiety.

Some previous studies have suggested that anxiety can help people to make better decisions, perform better under stressful circumstances, and even lead a more healthful lifestyle overall.

New research adds to this list, as those who are extremely anxious about their health are found to seek medical help more promptly after a heart attack, thus drastically improving their outlook. The findings were published in the journal Clinical Research in Cardiology.

None of this, however, is to say that living with anxiety is a walk in the park, or that the condition isn’t serious.

Often debilitating, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a psychiatric condition that affects almost 7 million people across the United States, many of whom are reluctant to seek help because they feel that their condition isn’t “real” if it doesn’t have any physical symptoms. However, if you’re prone to anxiety and tend to berate yourself for it, the next time you’re in a dark moment, you may benefit from remembering that your anxiety can sometimes be your friend.

The new research – led by Prof Karl-Heinz Ladwig, from the Technical University of Munich in Germany – used data from the Munich Examination of Delay in Patients Experiencing Acute Myocardial Infarction (MEDEA) study.

“Individuals with anxiety disorder are at greater risk of having a heart attack but are more likely to survive it,” said Prof Ladwig, adding: “Our data revealed an important factor. Individuals with anxiety disorder often react more sensitively to their health needs.”

Published in Daily Times, March 6^th 2018.