A Bad Habit that Causes Anxiety

There are many habits anxious people do that can provide immediate relief. But these often only provide short-term relief, in the long-run they reinforce anxiety and worry. One of these habits includes seeking reassurance. For example…

If you worry about your health a lot you may continually go to your doctors, even though he’s already given you the all- clear. Or if you continually worry about your partner getting involved in an accident you may end up phoning them every hour, just to make sure. Perhaps you have to buy something but you’re worried you might by the wrong one. You spend hours and hours on the internet seeking out the best solution, trying to get assurance that you’re buying the right one.

Before long, seeking reassurance becomes a crutch which you keep using over and over again, preventing you from ever being able to deal with worry feelings properly. It becomes a bit like a drug… “Just a little bit of reassurance and I’ll be ok in minute.”

Another problem with this behavior is we all tend to interpret information and advice in a way that supports our pre- existing beliefs. Sooner or later you begin to doubt the reassurances and need to find more assurances from other sources. By learning not to depend on reassurances you learn a healthier way of handling your anxiety…

First you need to become aware of any reassurance seeking behaviors. When you have identified these behaviors create a new ones. For example…

Old: Going to the doctor’s every week to see if I’m still healthy. New: Limit check-ups to an amount of time that your doctor recommends, and only go to the doctor’s when you have genuine concern, i.e. a real symptom.

Old: Spending hours of research before buying something. New: Give yourself a set amount of time to decide, then make a decision and stick with it.

By learning to stop always seeking reassurance not only do you start to undo the automatic cycle of anxiety, but you also learn that you can cope just fine without the need for constant assurance. This in turn creates a sense of self-confidence and self-esteem, which are two other vital ingredient for overcoming anxiety.