There is much to worry us in our daily lives, from imagining that will delay to a major commitment to remain in expectation will receive the good news that is waiting. The underlying issue of concern is almost always future-oriented. You do not worry about something that happened in the past, even if many things had not happened the way she wanted. It is concerned with something that has not happened, because they simply do not know the outcome.

You probably know some people who seem eternally calm even when faced with the agony of waiting for important results that will not be solved until a certain moment happening in the future. This type of people can bring you some irritation when they pass the message that you should relax. It can become even more annoying when they tell you they do not get anything concerned with similar situations those in which you are "terrified".

If you are one of the lucky ones who seem immune to concern, think about allowing you to be as calm and serene. Maybe you do not think it is worth spending your energy and precious time about the "what if ... this and that happens" the events that have not happened yet.

But it has a habit to project negative and anxious in the future, read:

Intolerance of uncertainty: a promoter of anxiety

The intolerance Uncertainty is the foundation of anxiety problems. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is what is most strongly related to intolerance uncertainty. People who have GAD spend an enormous amount of energy involved in thinking about events they can not control. People who have a high rate of intolerance of uncertainty can not stand not knowing what will happen in the future, but their anxiety is mainly due to the belief that something bad will happen. Increase your concern, looking for signs or omens of income, and constantly try to get information that confirms what they fear could come to pass.

So you can put yourself in the skin of a person with high intolerance of uncertainty, imagine you just interviewed for an important position or had a first date with someone you like. It seems that everything went very well, and you're expecting a return the next day. However, the hours pass and there is no phone call, email or message. Every hour that passes, you're sad and pessimistic. If the meeting had gone as well as it seemed to go to you, the person should have said something.

The uncertainty of this result may lead you to seek answers to sources of knowledge. You ask your colleagues if it is typical only respond back 2 or 3 days after an interview. However begins to fantasize and try to see what can be done to remedy the situation. Should you contact, instead of waiting to be contacted? So you begin to search the internet for answers, or back to ask for advice to your friends.

Now that you imagine the agony of uncertainty about an important result, you should be able to see what life is like for a person with high intolerance of uncertainty. However, that person is not only concerned with important events, anything with a dark resolution may produce similar levels of anxiety. The journey that always has an uncertain end, is like torture for the person with high intolerance of uncertainty, but also can be simple things like imagining the possibility of evening meal can be too cooked or that the child will get sick and therefore you can not go to daycare. The list of uncertain situations of life is potentially infinite.

Let's see how you score on the scale of intolerance Uncertainty (Carleton et al., 2007). Answer the 12 items from the value 1 (never); 2 (rarely); 3 (occasionally); 4 (regularly); 5 (completely):

1. unanticipated events upset me a lot.
2. I get frustrated by not having all the information I need.
3. One must always look forward to avoid surprises.
4. A small unexpected can ruin everything, even with the best of planning.
5. I always want to know what the future has in store for me.
6. I can not stand to be taken by surprise.
7. I should be able to arrange everything in advance.
8. The uncertainty prevents me from living a full life.
9. When it is time to act, uncertainty paralyzes me.
10. When I'm indecisive I can not work very well.
11. The doubt can prevent me from acting.
12. I have to stay away from all uncertain situations.

The total scores in the Uncertainty Tolerance Scale can range from 1 (low) to 60 (high). Among a sample of college students (average age 20 years), the total was relatively low, with an average of 26. In view of the variation of the college student's score, a total of 36-46 would be considered high and a score of over 46 very high. Among the clinical sample studied by Bomyea et al., The average was about 38. So if scoring 37 or above, is definitely someone who does not like undefined situations.

Evaluating top-down scale, the first 7 items are related to the prospective anxiety or worries about the future, and the last 5 items relate to the inhibitory anxiety, where you let your uncertainty hinder your daily life.

If you are a person who scores high on the Uncertainty Tolerance Scale, do not despair. You can relieve anxiety and extreme concern in people with generalized anxiety disorder with cognitive-behavioral treatment, where it helps people identify and then change their dysfunctional thoughts about future concerns. It is known through studies that people anxious score decreased on average from 39 to 32, and the scale scores for non-pathological concern also decreased.

The techniques and strategies used in therapy to relieve the symptoms of GAD, are also useful and effective for people whose concerns are not considered psychological disorder.

Free from concern

6 Practical Tips

1 - The next time you are feeling anxious about what might go wrong in a future event marked by uncertainty, try to understand the reasons why you are so anxious, and then try to create alternative ways of thinking about it. Instead of imagining the worst (catastrophe), ask why you're so sure that things will go wrong? Even identifying their intolerance of uncertainty, this can be an important first step to change it. It is comforting to know that do not have to get stuck with a tendency to worry.

2 - Instead of trying to know in advance whether it will work or believe that something bad will happen, focus your attention on the way of thinking that will help you find a solution to feel more prepared for what will face.

3 - When in a critical situation the anxiety symptoms become too bothersome, try to calm yourself using a slow breathing, light and deep and focus your attention on the air going in and out through the nose. Although this technique is very simple, do not belittle, apply it and see that your physiology will reduce.

4 - After calming and reassuring, focus your attention on the present moment, and tell yourself that has not happened nothing wrong. Their fears are merely projections built in your head.

5 - Identify some persistent negative thoughts. Start by identifying the disturbing thought, being as detailed as possible about what scares or worries. So instead of seeing your thoughts as facts, look at them as hypotheses you are testing in order to verify that they meet what you want for you and serves you.

6 - Accept uncertainty with something natural in life. Thinking about everything that could go wrong, it does not make more predictable life. You may feel safer activating their mental tendency to worry, but it's just an illusion. Focusing on the worst scenarios will certainly not prevent some bad things from happening.