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You may not realize that some of our seemingly harmless habits are actually the source of our anxiety, which gradually erodes our hearts.

Anxiety is a common emotional state.

In psychology, anxiety is defined as the worry and fear of future uncertainty, which stems from our powerlessness in the face of the unknown.

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Anxiety creeps in when we focus too much on future risks and pressures, or even make up threats that don't exist.

According to the World Health Organization, about 264 million people worldwide are affected by anxiety disorders.

Many people think that anxiety is caused by some major events in life, such as workplace crises, interpersonal tensions, or financial problems.

But in fact, some seemingly insignificant daily habits may be the breeding ground for anxiety.

Specifically, people who are prone to anxiety have five unhealthy habits.

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Over-reliance on "perfectionism"

Once known as the "Japanese workaholic", advertising director Hayao Miyazaki personally supervised and even drew almost every shot in his pursuit of perfection in animated films.

During the production of his classic work "Spirited Away", his extreme requirements for every scene caused the originally scheduled production schedule to be repeatedly delayed.

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Miyazaki even repeatedly revised a landscape shot, causing the entire team to work overtime for several months.

His extreme perfectionism not only put a lot of pressure on himself, but also put the team into a constant high-pressure atmosphere of anxiety.

Although "Spirited Away" has become a classic and won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, Miyazaki admitted that this pursuit of perfection made him feel physically and mentally exhausted.

The sense of accomplishment brought by perfectionism is short-lived, but its harm to health and the destruction of team atmosphere are long-lasting.

In his later years, Hayao Miyazaki gradually realized that perfectionism had made him drift away from his original intention, and anxiety and pressure had gradually worn away his passion for animation.

Pursuing perfection does not always bring true satisfaction, but may instead put us in the opposite direction of happiness.

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Always "imagining future disasters"

I have a colleague, Wang Min, who once received a text message from her boss notifying her of a meeting. She immediately thought that there might be a problem with the project she had recently submitted.

Before the meeting started, she had already played out in her mind the "disaster" of being criticized by her boss, losing her job, and even not being able to find the next job.

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Although the actual content of the meeting was just a small adjustment, she fell into a long period of anxiety while waiting.

Psychologists believe that catastrophic thinking is one of the main drivers of anxiety.

Because we constantly predict possible bad results, we put ourselves in a state of long-term tension and worry.

This habit makes us unable to focus on the things in front of ustornadoo, but instead immerses us in fear of the future and cannot extricate ourselves.

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Unable to let go of dependence on mobile phones

In this era of information explosion, many people are used to staying "online" all the time.

When we open our eyes in the morning, the first thing we do is check our phones: social platforms, news, work emails, message notifications... These fragmented information constantly stimulate the brain and make it impossible for people to completely relax.

The dopamine cycle is the main reason why we feel pleasure when we keep checking our phones.

When we refresh social media or receive new messages, the brain secretes dopamine, giving us a short-term sense of satisfaction.

But this pleasure comes and goes quickly. Over time, we will become dependent on mobile phones. Once there is no message push, we will feel anxious.

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Actor Chen Kun once shared his troubles with mobile phone dependence on the variety show "Amazing Life".

In his daily life, his phone has become an indispensable part. The first thing he does when he wakes up every day is to check messages and social media. He will feel anxious even if he does not check his phone for a few hours.

The same is true at work. Whenever there is a work notification or unread message on his phone, he will quickly open it to check, for fear of missing any important information.

This high frequency of phone use makes it difficult for him to concentrate on thinking and creating. The boundaries between life and work are blurred, causing his mood to fluctuate and his mental state to be exhausted.

During a trip, Chen Kun tried a "digital withdrawal period" where he did not touch his phone for a few days and fully immersed himself in natural and real interpersonal interactions.

At first, he felt extremely uneasy and seemed to be missing a certain "sense of security". However, as time went ontornadoo, he gradually felt calm and regained the power of concentration.

He said: "We are too easily manipulated by the pleasure of the virtual world, but forget that real life is not on the screen."

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Excessive concern about other people's evaluation

In social situations, many people will unconsciously enter a state of "social anxiety": worrying about saying the wrong thing, performing poorly, being misunderstood by others, or not getting enough recognition.

In psychology, this is called "self-evaluation tendency", that is, excessive emphasis on others' evaluation of oneself.

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This psychological mechanism makes people live in the eyes of others all the time, afraid of being criticized and blamed, so they will have strong social anxiety.

The more we care about others' evaluation, the more likely we are to ignore ourselves, and the anxiety will increase.

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Uncontrollable procrastination

Many people think that procrastination is a manifestation of "laziness", but psychology believes that procrastination is more often a means of coping with anxiety.

When people are under pressure, they will subconsciously avoid tasks that make them feel uncomfortable. The essence of procrastination is to temporarily avoid the anxiety caused by tasks, but it also allows anxiety to accumulate, forming a vicious cycle.

Procrastinators feel at a loss when tasks pile up, and the moment of anxiety is often accompanied by strong self-blame and powerlessness.

They know what to dotornadoo, but always choose to postpone it, resulting in a concentrated outbreak of stress and anxiety at the last minute.

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Famous writer Douglas Adams is famous for writing "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and is also recognized as a representative of "procrastination".

Adams once laughed and said, "I like the sound of deadlines - it feels great when they whiz by."

In the creative process, he is always used to procrastinating, even if the contract has been signed, he will postpone the deadline again and again.

He attributed his procrastination to the anxiety and pressure during the creation. He was afraid that the final work would not meet his high standards, so he chose to temporarily avoid it and started to work hurriedly until the last minute.

The consequences of procrastination are obvious. Although Adams' final work was widely praised, he also paid a huge mental price for it.

Frequent rush and pressure often made him stay up late, mentally exhausted, and even affected his health.

He later reflected: "Procrastination does not allow us to escape anxiety, but instead allows us to accumulate anxiety until it is uncontrollable.

How to adjust these unhealthy habits?

When we realize that these habits fuel anxiety, the first step to change begins.

The root cause of anxiety is often hidden in daily behavior patterns, and psychologists recommend the following methods to gradually reduce the source of anxiety.

These methods are not only effective, but also help us regain peace in life.

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1. Let go of perfectionism

Psychology Philosopher Carl Rogers advocated "complete self-acceptance", that is, understanding and accepting one's own imperfections.

When setting goals, you might as well focus on what is controllable, set reasonable and achievable goals, and allow yourself room for improvement, rather than pursuing one-time "perfection".

2. Analyze reality rationally

Catastrophic thinking is a cognitive distortion that makes people immersed in the worst possible scenario. It makes people exaggerate the severity of the problem, which in turn creates unnecessary fear and stress.

When you find yourself starting to anticipate the worst outcome, stop and ask yourself: "What is the probability of this outcome really happening? ” 

List the worst-case scenario and the most likely reality, and compare them. This can help you get back on track with rational thinking.

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3. Embrace the real world

Excessive use of electronic devices is closely linked to anxiety. Set up a few "mobile-free hours" every day, such as the first hour after waking up or the hour before going to bed,

Shift your focus to reading, taking a walk, or interacting with family, and slowly cultivate a healthy relationship with electronic devices.

4. Don't try to please everyone

Social anxiety often stems from our excessive concern for the evaluation and expectations of others. We are afraid of being criticized, afraid of performing poorly, and even worried about disappointing others.

However, psychologist Carl Jung's self-individuation theory emphasizes that everyone should pursue Seek inner self, not external recognition.

By accepting ourselves and staying true to ourselves, we can reduce the impact of external pressure on our hearts, and anxiety will also be reduced.

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5. Avoid anxiety caused by procrastination

Procrastination is often a disguise for anxiety. Many people choose to temporarily avoid certain tasks because they are worried that they cannot cope with them, but this behavior will lead to greater accumulation of stress.

Psychologist Timothy Pitcher believes that procrastination is closely related to the ability to manage emotions. Learning time management can not only improve efficiency, but also greatly reduce the source of anxiety.

In this challenging world, anxiety seems to have become our shadow. But remember, we can choose not to be controlled by it.

Starting todaytornadoo, learn to manage anxiety, find inner peace, and take the first step to change.

-The End -Author-Su Shisan First Psychology Writing Group | A group of young people who like to look up at the stars This site only provides storage services, all content is posted by users, if you find harmful or infringing content, please click Report.