Anxiety has received such a bad reputation, that most people tend to overlook its positive sides. Of course, every condition is a challenge, but what if we overcame that challenge and learned to use the powers it brings?
Every condition comes with a set of gifts that ‘normal’ people can’t possess. In fact, it has been shown time and time again that the greatest minds in history have all suffered from some kind of mental illness.
So, to say that anxiety comes with a set of powers should not come as a surprise. In fact, the positive sides are so strong, that if one learned to use them to their advantage, anxiety would never be seen as a disability.
Here are the 4 superpowers that are hiding behind anxiety and what it means to possess them.
1. Life-saving instinct
Anxiety has been an evolutionary part of humankind since forever. Its evolutionary roots served to help humankind survive in a world so dangerous, that if it weren’t for it, we wouldn’t be here today.
However, today anxiety seems irrelevant in a world that doesn’t offer so much danger and insecurity as it did to our ancestors. So, as a response to non-existent dangers, anxiety may seem useless and irrelevant. Or does it?
According to a French team of scientists, people with anxiety possess a unique life-saving sixth sense. In fact, these people have regions of their brains able to detect threats in just 200 milliseconds. This potential is indeed one that could make a difference between life and death.
2. Increased IQ
The heightened awareness and the ability to process such quantities of information in a matter of milliseconds is bound to be an indicator of a higher IQ. And this is what researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York confirm.
In their research, they have found that the higher one’s anxiety, the higher their IQ was. And it’s no wonder, really, bearing in mind that you do need a higher IQ to analyze the environment to such detail as an anxious person does.
3. Increased empathy
It’s an accepted idea that people with anxiety are obsessed with how others feel. What if anxious people did, in fact, feel how others feel? Psychologists at the Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel say that it’s true.
As the research points, people who suffer from social anxiety possess “elevated empathy tendencies.” And not only do they possess this increased sense of empathy, but they are also able to pinpoint people’s emotions with a high level of accuracy.
Is this why socially anxious people prefer to avoid people? Bearing in mind that empathy can be exhausting and completely disappointing, it wouldn’t come as a surprise really. Whatever the reason, though, one thing is certain: a socially anxious person can read your emotions with high accuracy.
4. Sensing other people’s energy
This one may not have been scientifically measured or tested, but it’s highly likely that it’s an ability that anxious people possess. When you bear in mind that socially anxious people aren’t always affected by anxiety when around people and that this anxiety is triggered when being with some but not with others, one can only ask: How come?
Could it be that socially anxious people can sense other people’s energy and react accordingly? It’s true that there are people who radiate with positivity and calmness while at the same time. there are those who emit low-frequency vibrations that feel utterly disturbing.
So, while anxiety comes with its challenges, could it be that it’s more of a state of mind rather than a disorder?
Do you have anxiety? Have you noticed these abilities in you? Share your experiences in the comments!
