Do you suffer from anxiety? If so, you’re not alone. Anxiety is running rampant in society today.
More than 18 percent of the adult population in the U.S. alone suffers from an anxiety disorder (that’s over 40 million people). Millions more suffer from less severe manifestations of the disease, which nonetheless affects their mental health and daily lives.
In other words, if you are anxious, you have lots of company
So why are we talking about anxiety with mindset?
These two are very connected.
If you have a fixed mindset, you aren’t more prone to anxiety than others with a growth mindset. However, researchers have shown that people who already have issues with anxiety find some relief when they start developing more of a growth mindset. These people end up with much less anxiety – and less depression as well.
Researchers have studied this extensively, using mindset interventions to help cultivate a growth mindset in the subjects. This effect has been seen in many studies, in both men and women, and in both adults and adolescents.
These effects are persistent as well. That is, they don’t disappear after the study ends but last for the long term. One study found them persisting almost a year later.
To put it another way: cultivating a growth mindset can reduce your anxiety over both the near and long term.
The mindset interventions used in these studies were generally the same ones recommended to help anyone cultivate a growth mindset. Journaling, affirmations or confessions, trying new things, and prayer.
As expected, different treatment methods worked better on different people; everyone is a unique individual who responds differently to different stimuli.
Cultivating a growth mindset had other benefits besides lowering anxiety in the studies. It reduced stress, increased resilience, and encouraged participants to keep trying difficult tasks.
There’s no downside to trying to change your mindset. You don’t have to worry about side effects or other problems popping up.
If you suffer from anxiety, working to cultivate a growth mindset is one of the best ways you can manage your anxiety and reduce it over the long run. It may not cure your anxiety, but it will make it significantly better.
Start today and begin living the life you were born to lead!
(Important note: if you have a genuine anxiety disorder and not just anxiety, it’s unlikely that cultivating a growth mindset alone will be enough to treat your anxiety. Please seek help from a licensed healthcare professional as well.)
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