How to deal with anxiety: Researchers discover this writing technique may help

In a study conducted at the York St John University, researchers tried to understand the causes and treatment of anxiety

If you are dealing with anxiety, one way to reduce it could be through a simple exercise – writing. Researchers at York St John University tried to understand the causes behind anxiety. They discovered that the main reason for people falling prey to this condition is their fear of what they might end up becoming.

A writing technique may help people deal with anxiety.(Representative image/Unsplash)

As per the research, published in the journal Psychological Reports, people have, in their minds, a picture of what they might end up becoming. This version of themselves that individuals create is known as ‘possible selves’. When people have a vivid picture of ‘possible selves’ that is not to their liking, they develop anxiety.

Link between anxiety and possible selves

The study was conducted on a group of 68 university students and was led by Jennifer Shevchenko. It was focused on the link between fears regarding what a person thinks they might end up as and anxiety.

The researchers found that anxiety is linked both to the vividness of our ‘feared selves’ and to low self-esteem. But how does one deal with it? That’s where the writing exercise comes to the rescue.

The ‘best possible self’ technique requires people to write about a future scenario where everything has gone as well as possible in their lives. After performing this exercise, it was noticed that there was a clear decrease in the anxiety of the participants.

While this is not sufficient to prove that the ‘best possible self’ writing technique is a sure-shot way of controlling anxiety, it does suggest that it is a possible means of dealing with this problem. More research could follow along these lines.

How to deal with anxiety?

According to the NHS' website, a person is clinically suffering from anxiety if they experience symptoms like irregular heartbeat, loss of appetite, sweating, breathlessness, being unable to sleep, intrusive disturbing thoughts, etc.

The solution is to seek professional help, talk to someone about your problems, exercise, among other means. It is also important to have a healthy diet and get a good sleep.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.