People with anxiety disorder — and women in particular — may recover more quickly after a heart attack, suggests new research.
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.
Trust me, there are benefits to being anxiety-prone; at least from an evolutionary standpoint, anxiety may have evolved as a useful response to that predator hiding in the bushes.
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.