If you are an anxious person, you likely are constantly perceiving potential threats around you. Being aware of your surroundings is a great thing for your own safety, but when you are too tuned in, you are likely spiraling into unnecessary worry when there really is no danger. Tel Aviv University’s Omer Azriel and colleagues have set out to help you understand how to know when you are being too cautious.
Azriel and his colleagues explain that if you are high in “threat-related attention bias”, you would approach situations by directing your attention toward threatening stimuli, instead of the benign stimuli in your environment. This implies that you likely focus on possible sources of harm instead of possible sources of positivity. Having this bias can be safe for you, but it can get out of hand and lead to the development of depression and anxiety, as well as other hindrances in your daily life.
The researchers administered an online sample of 350 adults from the ages eighteen to sixty-seven years old. After performing the requisite statistical tests, the team discovered the following nine-item Attention Bias Questionnaire (ABQ), which had the participants answer either 0 (“not at all”) to 4 (“to a great extent”).
It is difficult for me not to look at threatening things.
Sometimes, I notice threats even before I have looked at them directly (e.g., from the corner of my eye).
My attention tends to “get stuck” on threatening things.
I notice threats quickly.
I am vigilant and alert toward threats in my surroundings.
When I arrive somewhere new, I scan my surroundings and check for threats.
If I notice a threat, I will focus on it for a long time.
It is difficult for me to concentrate on other things when I know there is a threat in my surroundings.
When I notice threats, it is difficult for me to stop focusing on them
Statements 1, 3, 7, 8, and 9 fall into the group difficulty to disengage from threat, while statements 2, 4, 5, and 6 fall into the group engagement with threat. The average score among the participants was 1.74 for difficulty to disengage, and the average score for engagement with threat was 1.8.
In the following studies, the researchers wanted to dissect the relationship between ABQ scores and multiple measures of personality, trauma-related symptoms, hypervigilance, and psychopathy. It was discovered that those who scored highly on the ABQ also had higher scores on a posttraumatic checklist scale, neuroticism, overall anxiety, and social anxiety. These individuals also reported more symptoms of depression.
ABQ scores not only relate to behavior, but also correlate to overall mental health. Taking a moment to think about your own relationship with hypervigilance might be a healthy first step to take. Go through the statements listed in the questionnaire and think about how automatic each response is to you. Being on the lookout for potential harm is natural, but it might not always be the right approach.
Preparing for the worst could be an accumulation of your past experiences. You might be inclined to prepare for the worst even if it hinders your ability to enjoy life because you deem it necessary. However, it is possible to let go of some worry in order to live in the moment as much as possible. Even if you start small at first, you might be surprised how much more you’re enjoying your experiences.
Without completely throwing caution to the wind, looking for the positivity surrounding you rather than seeking out threats in your environment can help preserve your mental health. Lowering your perception of constant danger can allow you to have more fulfilling experiences, and you will be able to enjoy happiness in every moment instead of perceiving possible negativity.
References:
Azriel, O., Britton, J. C., Gober, C. D., Pine, D. S., & Bar, H. Y. (2022). Development and validation of the attention bias questionnaire (ABQ). International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research. doi:10.1002/mpr.190
Whitbourne, Susan. “9 Signs You May Be Too Tuned in to Threat.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fulfillment-any-age/202204/9-signs-you-may-be-too-tuned-in-threat.