Search

Anxious dogs have different brains to normal dogs, brain scan study reveals

Dog ownership is a lot of furry companionship, tail wags and chasing balls, and ample unconditional love. However, some dog owners are also managing canine pals struggling with mental illness. A newly published study <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0282087">in PLOS ONE</a> has examined the brain scans of anxious and non-anxious dogs, and correlated them with behaviour. The research team at Ghent University, Belgium, found that our anxious dog friends not only have measurable differences in their brains linked to their anxiety, but these differences are similar to those found in humans with anxiety disorders as well. <h2>Anxious friends</h2> Anxiety disorders in humans are varied and can be categorised into several main types. Overall, they represent high levels of fear, emotional sensitivity and negative expectations. These disorders can be difficult to live with and sometimes difficult to treat, in part due to how varied and complex anxiety is. Researching anxiety in animals can help us to understand what drives it, and to improve treatment for both humans and animals. The new study sought to investigate possible pathways in the brain that are associated with anxiety in dogs. Understanding this could both improve treatment for anxiety in veterinary medicine, and reveal similarities with what we know of human anxiety. Dogs with and without anxiety were recruited for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans of their brains. Dogs have been involved in awake fMRI studies before, but for this one, with dogs that might get easily stressed out, the dogs were under general anaesthesia. Owners of the dogs also filled out surveys on their pets’ behaviour. The researchers performed data analysis and modelling of brain function, focusing on regions of the brain likely to show differences related to anxiety. Based on previous research on animal and human anxiety, the team dubbed these brain regions the “anxiety circuit”. They then analysed whether there were differences between the brain function of anxious and non-anxious dogs, and if those differences actually related to anxious behaviours. <h2>Different brains</h2> The researchers found there were indeed significant differences between anxious and non-anxious dogs. The main differences were in the communication pathways and connection strength within the “anxiety circuit”. These differences were linked with higher scores for particular behaviours in the surveys as well. For example, anxious dogs had amygdalas (an area of the brain associated with the processing of fear) that were particularly efficient, suggesting a lot of experience with fear. (This is similar to findings from human studies.) Indeed, in the behaviour surveys, owners of anxious dogs noted increased fear of unfamiliar people and dogs. The researchers also found less efficient connections in anxious dogs between two regions of the brain important for learning and information processing. This may help explain why the owners of the anxious dogs in the study reported lower trainability for their dog. <h2>A difficult time</h2> Brains are exquisitely complex biological computers, and our understanding of them is far from comprehensive. As such, this study should be interpreted cautiously. The sample size was not large or varied enough to represent the entire dog population, and the way the dogs were raised, housed, and cared for could have had an effect. Furthermore, they were not awake during the scans, and that also may have influenced some of the results. However, the study does show strong evidence for measurable differences in the way anxious dog brains are wired, compared to non-anxious dogs. This research can’t tell us whether changes in the brain caused the anxiety or the other way around, but anxiety in dogs is certainly real. It’s in the interests of our anxious best friends that we appreciate they may be affected by a brain that processes everything around them differently to “normal” dogs. This may make it difficult for them to learn to change their behaviour, and they may be excessively fearful or easily aroused. Thankfully, these symptoms can be treated with medication. Research like this could lead to more finessed use of medication in anxious dogs, so they can live happier and better adjusted lives. If you have a dog you think might be anxious, you should speak to a veterinarian with special training in behaviour. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/anxious-dogs-have-different-brains-to-normal-dogs-brain-scan-study-reveals-201775" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Family & Pets

Pilot’s holy grail tips to overcome your fear of flying

A US pilot has shared her five top tips to help nervous travellers ease their pre-flight anxiety. The 32-year-old captain said there are a few things passengers can do, such as picking the perfect time to fly and selecting your seat carefully, to make air travel a breeze. The Boeing 737 pilot who calls herself “Captain Morgan”, said anxious travellers should always book a seat in the front of the plane. “Try to sit more towards the front of the plane,” Morgan said in a TikTok video. “You’ll feel the effects of turbulence less if you sit over the wing or towards the front.” She also said that flying early in the morning is bound to make a flight easier. “There’s usually less turbulence and airports and airplanes are less crowded, which gives you more personal space,” she said. For solo travellers, Morgan suggested a no-brainer way to distract yourself in the air. “If you can’t fly with a family member or friend, have someone on the ground you can text. Most planes have free texting. You’ll have someone for moral support and they can distract you from flying,” she said. “You can turn your phone to Airplane Mode but turn on the Wi-Fi. Then you text over the Wi-Fi with either iMessage or WhatsApp for free.” Morgan said you can mentally prepare yourself for what to expect by “learning the sounds the plane makes”. “Familiarise yourself with the sounds of the airplane,” she said. “For example, when you’re getting close to landing at the airport, the thud you hear is usually just the landing gear coming down.” Morgan said her number one tip for anxious flyers is to “introduce yourself to the flight crew”. “If the flight attendants know you’re nervous, they can check on you more during the flight,” she said. “If you go talk to the pilots, they can tell you a bit more about the flight. For example, if we are expecting any turbulence. Just ask the flight attendant in the galley if you can meet and talk to the pilots. It might not be a long conversation but we can still chat.” She added, “More than likely we will give you a tour of the flight deck and answer all your questions.” Image credits: TikTok

Travel Tips

Queen Elizabeth anxious over the release of Prince Harry's book

Image: Getty Queen Elizabeth is understood to be feeling “a lot of anxiety” around the publication of her grandson Prince Harry’s memoir, coming later this year. Last year Prince Harry revealed he was writing a tell-all book about his life, saying it would be an “accurate and wholly truthful” account of his royal upbringing. The Duke of Sussex said it would be about “the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned” from his life so far. The book will come in the wake of a rift between Harry and his wife Meghan, and the rest of the royal family following their controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey last year. In it, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a number of explosive claims, including allegations of racism and a lack of appropriate mental health support from the rest of the Royal Family. Prince Harry also claimed his brother Prince William, and father Prince Charles, were “trapped” inside the so-called “Firm”, and by moving away from the royal family he wanted to “break the cycle of pain and suffering.” Royal commentator and biographer Katie Nicholl has told Closer magazine that the book is causing a lot of concern for Queen Elizabeth, aged 95. “The book will no doubt be full of more intimate and shocking revelations,” Nicholl said. “Harry wouldn’t have got a multi-million pound advance without promising some juicy details. “There’ll be more shocking claims to come, perhaps their biggest yet. “I’m sure the Queen has a lot of anxiety over that and the royals will be braced for more bombshells.” Prince Harry’s memoir will be the first of a number of books published by the Duke and Duchess after they signed a lucrative deal with Penguin Random House. The book is expected to be available later this year, most likely in the Australian spring. The Queen’s former footman, Paul Burrell, told Closer it was not a good time for such a book to come out. “This should be a wonderful year for the Queen, and there’s no doubt she’ll be looking forward to the Jubilee enormously,” he said. “But I’m sure she’s also very aware of what’s in store. “The year will be bookended by two very difficult events for her. “In January, we have all the drama surrounding Prince Andrew and, towards the end of the year, we’ll have Harry’s memoir, no doubt with more intimate bombshells. “I’m sure she’ll be very apprehensive about the year ahead, and other royals – especially William and Kate – will step up to support her more than ever.”

Family & Pets

Anxious cats just want real cuddles from their human

<div> <div class="copy"> Anxious cats aren’t comforted by the scent of their absent human alone. It just reminds them that their human is gone. Most cats that love their human form a strong bond and feel less stressed in their presence. You might often see your kitty snuggling up in your clothes and enjoy being around things that smell like you. However, in a new <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159121002318?via%3Dihub" target="_blank">study</a> published in Applied Animal Behaviours Science, researchers found that the scent alone isn’t enough to keep them happy when they are alone. “Olfaction (smell) is an important sense for cats, and it’s related to their social behaviour. But in our study, [owner-scented objects] did not have a stress-reducing effect,” says Kristyn Vitale of Unity College, US, who was part of the study. “The smell might even make matters worse for some.” As part of the study, cat owners put an item of clothing with their pets in an unfamiliar testing room. The owner then sat on the floor for a while before exiting the room and leaving the scented item with the cat. Most of the kitties paid no attention to the scented item and acted just as stressed as when there were no ‘comfort items’ available. In fact, 38% of actually became more vocal when the scented item was in the room. This suggested that the scent reminded them of their absent human and made them sad. But when the owners returned, most of the happy cats rubbed against their owners in a display of bonding. This is a sign of the Secure Base Effect, where the cats felt happy and secure in the presence of their human. In this simulation, the researchers showed that a scented item did not elicit the same secure base effect. The researchers suggest that leaving an item with a cat just isn’t as good and a real cuddle. Instead, they encourage owners to be present with their cat as much as possible to reduce anxiety. If it lets you.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=166105&title=Anxious+cats+just+want+real+cuddles+from+their+human" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/anxious-cats-just-want-real-cuddles-from-their-human/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/dr-deborah-devis">Deborah Devis</a>. Deborah Devis is a science journalist at Cosmos. Image: VictorHuang/Getty Images </div> </div>

Family & Pets

Anxious pet owners ask vets to put down their pets over coronavirus fears

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Hysterical and anxious pet owners are preemptively asking vets to put down their pets over fears that their animals will contract the deadly coronavirus. Southern Cross Veterinary Clinic in St Peters, Sydney, has received three calls from owners asking to have their pets euthanised. "They’re scared their dog could catch coronavirus and bring it home and be a risk to their family," Dr Sam Kovac told <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://10daily.com.au/news/a200304hcuyk/vet-refuses-to-euthanise-pets-over-coronavirus-fears-as-misinformation-spreads-20200305" target="_blank">10 daily</a>. "I had one client say to me 'dogs are in lock down in China, should I be putting Cheto into quarantine at home?'," he said. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged for caution as the virus is unable to spread from dogs to humans. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Coronavirus?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Coronavirus</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>) Myth busters via World Health Organization (WHO) <a href="https://t.co/AEmAbgitac">pic.twitter.com/AEmAbgitac</a> — UNICEF New Zealand (@UNICEFNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNICEFNZ/status/1234313741988245511?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2020</a></blockquote> Dr Sam Kovac has said he has refused to put the animals down. “If you'd ask the same clients if they'd euthanise their grandma, they'd say no. Why have a pet and treat it differently to how you'd treat another family member?” he explained. "I am worried about people going elsewhere to euthanise pets because there are unscrupulous people out there that would profit from putting animals down." He also said that people shouldn’t stop taking their dogs to dog parks out of fear. “If my dog Clara had been infected with [COVID-19], I would isolate her, I would wear protective equipment while interacting with her and feeding her and isolate her for a few weeks.” "There’s a good chance that if she catches it, she’ll recover." </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

Doctor Google makes people anxious

It’s a busy day at the office and your left eye has been twitching uncontrollably. So, out of curiosity and irritation you Google it. Various benign causes — stress, exhaustion, too much caffeine — put your mind at ease initially. But you don’t stop there. Soon, you find out eye twitches could be a symptom of something more sinister, causing you to panic. You ruin the rest of the day trawling through web pages and forums, reading frightening stories convincing you you’re seriously ill. For many of us, this cycle has become common. It can cause anxiety, unnecessary contact with health services, and at the extreme, impact our day-to-day functioning. But our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088761851930218X">recently published research</a>, the first to evaluate online therapy for this type of excessive and distressing health-related Googling, shows what can help. I’ve heard of ‘cyberchondria’. Do I have it? The term “cyberchondria” describes the anxiety we experience as a result of excessive web searches about symptoms or diseases. It’s not an official diagnosis, but is an obvious play on the word “hypochondria”, now known as health anxiety. It’s obsessional worrying about health, online. <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs11920-008-0050-1.pdf">Some argue</a> cyberchondria is simply a modern form of health anxiety. But <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27497667">studies show</a> even people who don’t normally worry about their health can see their concerns spiral after conducting an initial web search. Cyberchondria <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1586/ern.12.162">is when searching is</a>: <ul> <li> excessive: searching for too long, or too often </li> <li> difficult to control: you have difficulty controlling, stopping or preventing searching </li> <li> distressing: it causes a lot of distress, anxiety or fear </li> <li> impairing: it has an impact on your day-to-day life. </li> </ul> If this sounds like you, there’s help. We tested an online therapy and here’s what we found We tested whether <a href="https://thiswayup.org.au/how-we-can-help/courses/health-anxiety-course/">an online treatment program</a> helped reduce cyberchondria in 41 people with severe health anxiety. We compared how well it worked compared with a control group of 41 people who learned about general (not health-related) anxiety and stress management online. The online treatment is based on cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), which involves learning more helpful ways of thinking and behaving. Participants completed six online CBT modules over 12 weeks, and had phone support from a psychologist. The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782916300379">treatment</a> explained how excessive web searching can become a problem, how to search about health effectively, and practical tools to prevent and stop it (see a summary of those tips below). We found the online treatment was more effective at reducing cyberchondria than the control group. It helped reduce the frequency of online searches, how upsetting the searching was, and improved participants’ ability to control their searching. Importantly, these behavioural changes were linked to improvements in health anxiety. Although we don’t know whether the program simply reduced or completely eliminated cyberchondria, these findings show if you’re feeling anxious about your health, you can use our practical strategies to reduce anxiety-provoking and excessive online searching about health. So, what can I do? Here are our top tips from the treatment program: <ul> <li> be aware of your searching: don’t just search on auto-pilot. Take note of when, where, how often, and what you are searching about. Keep track of this for several days so you can spot the warning signs and high-risk times for when you’re more likely to get stuck in excessive searching. Then you can make a plan to do other things at those times </li> <li> understand how web searches work: web search algorithms are mysterious beasts. But top search results are not necessarily the most likely explanation for your symptoms. Top search results are often click-bait – the rare, but fascinating and horrific stories about illness we can’t help clicking on (not the boring stuff) </li> <li> be smart about how you search: limit yourself to websites with reliable, high quality, balanced information such as government-run websites and/or those written by medical professionals. Stay away from blogs, forums, testimonials or social media </li> <li> challenge your thoughts by thinking of alternative explanations for your symptoms: for example, even though you think your eye twitch might be motor neuron disease, what about a much more likely explanation, such as staring at the computer screen too much </li> <li> use other strategies to cut down, and prevent you from searching: focus on scheduling these activities at your high-risk times. These can be absorbing activities that take your focus and can distract you; or you can use relaxation strategies to calm your mind and body </li> <li> surf the urge: rather than searching straight away when you feel the urge to search about your symptoms, put it off for a bit, and see how the urge to search reduces over time. </li> </ul> And if those don’t help, consult a doctor or psychologist. If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, check out resources about anxiety from <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety">Beyond Blue</a>, the Centre for Clinical Interventions <a href="https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Health-Anxiety">Helping Health Anxiety</a> workbook or <a href="https://thiswayup.org.au/">THIS WAY UP</a> online courses.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125070/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jill-newby-193454">Jill Newby</a>, Associate Professor and MRFF/NHMRC Career Development Fellow, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414">UNSW</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eoin-mcelroy-858386">Eoin McElroy</a>, Lecturer in Psychology, Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-leicester-1053">University of Leicester</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-dr-googles-making-you-sick-with-worry-theres-help-125070">original article</a>.

Technology

Aussies less worried about debt, but still anxious about money

Money – and making enough of it – continues to be a pressure point for many Australians. In fact, one in four households struggle to get by on their current income. Even more people are worried about losing their income altogether. Almost half (44%) are concerned that they or their partner could be out of a job. The proportion of the population worried about debt is also high, at 42%. Yet this is the lowest it’s been in more than four years of our nationwide CHOICE Consumer Pulse surveys. Private health insurance has topped the list of cost concerns for the third time running. But the number of consumers baffled by the various policy options – which spiked in our <a href="https://choice.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=270103a13e38b9f6643b82a8e&id=2c3ef6d60c&e=7f9260877c">previous quarterly survey</a> – has fallen. The previous survey ran in March, when there was a buzz around <a href="https://choice.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=270103a13e38b9f6643b82a8e&id=a1f9233753&e=7f9260877c">new tiers of health insurance</a> being launched by the Department of Health in April. Health insurance still the biggest financial concern The cost of private health cover is the biggest worry for most people (82%), followed closely by fuel (80%) and electricity (79%). In March, we recorded a high of 62% of people who said that finding a health insurance policy to suit their needs was too complicated. The June survey brought this proportion back in line with previous results, at 53%. The result comes as <a href="https://choice.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=270103a13e38b9f6643b82a8e&id=eccd56a971&e=7f9260877c">the latest statistics</a> from APRA show more than 28,500 people have ditched their hospital cover in the three months to 30 June. Young people aged between 20 and 24 made up the largest proportion of those turning away from hospital cover. Over the same period, almost 18,500 people have dropped their extras health insurance covering services such as dental and optical. The total number of people with health insurance cover dropped 0.3 percentage points compared to the previous quarter. Meanwhile, health insurance premiums have risen 2.8% in the past year. Our survey reveals that health insurance has kept its status as the trickiest financial choice people make. It ranks above the 12 other major product categories we researched, including superannuation and mortgages. Most households ‘uncomfortable’ on their incomes Concerns over which products and service providers to choose are mixed in with other financial stresses. Two-thirds of households are either just getting by or struggling to get by on their current incomes. WA has the highest number of people really feeling the pinch. There, 33% of households find it hard to live on their incomes – up from 30% this time last year. NSW and Queensland come in second. In both states, 26% of the population lives with financial stress. Half of people living in NSW have the added worry of losing their jobs – the highest proportion of all states and territories with this concern. The percentage of people in NSW finding it hard to get by on their earnings has risen from 19% this time last year. By contrast, Victoria has experienced almost an exact reversal in fortunes. A fifth of Victorian households now struggle – down from a quarter a year ago. Victoria also has the lowest rate of people struggling on their incomes, along with the ACT, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. Debt worry slowly easing A large proportion of people – two in five – are worried about their level of debt, but our research shows this worry is easing. In surveys before 2017, people worried about their debt were always the majority. But from 2018 onwards, this group has shrunk to a large minority, averaging 45%. Written by Saimi Jeong. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.choice.com.au/money/budget/consumer-pulse/articles/debt-worry-declining-but-many-australians-still-anxious-about-money" target="_blank">CHOICE</a>.

Retirement Income

Body language expert says Prince Harry is more "anxious"

Despite having been in the limelight of the world since he was born, it appears that Prince Harry has started showing visible signs of anxiety since he met his wife, Duchess Meghan. Body language expert, Judi James, told <a href="https://uk.style.yahoo.com/kate-thornton-presents-yahoo-uks-new-video-series-royal-box-152715457.html?guccounter=2">Yahoo! UK’s The Royal Box</a> that showing signs of visible anxiety is common for the Windsor men, and Prince Charles started it off: “Charles, pocket-pat, looks for his wallet that he doesn’t carry, fiddles with his cuff and he will do those rituals quite frequently,” explained James. “William to a certain extent inherited it, but Harry did not have any. “He has now, since he met Meghan. He’s started to look incredibly nervous. Anxious, I think is more the word rather than nervous.” James also explained that the signs of anxiety have come from Prince Harry’s visible shift in responsibilities in his life. “He’s gone from being the eternal son into being the husband and the father-to-be. “As he’s taken on more responsibilities, we’re seeing less of his naughty smile.” James has noticed that Prince Harry is particularly fond of a “paperclip” gesture, which involves the Prince using his hand as a paperclip to hold his jacket together. <img style="width: 340.3608911802615px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7823171/gettyimages-1082804516.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/486bacfeef104f9a86d9c5d8c5a060a8" /> “That was just a little bit of wanting to create a protective barrier to a certain extent,” she adds. “You can see it in his face quite a lot, he’s smiling less, you see him sucking his lips and you can see him puffing slightly at different events.” It’s clear that the Prince is maturing into his role as a Prince, husband and father-to-be. Do you think he's matured? Let us know in the comments.

Body

“I’m a little bit anxious”: Erin Molan reveals her biggest fear about motherhood

The NRL Footy Show host Erin Molan is just weeks away from welcoming her first child into the world with her fiancé Sean Ogilvy. Now, the 35-year-old has revealed her biggest fear about becoming a mum on 9Honey’s podcast Honey Mums. Speaking to Nine newsreader and host of the podcast, Deb Knight, Erin revealed that she has fears about raising her child in the spotlight. “It’s funny isn't it, because I kind of think… I don't think that it affects me, people saying things about me or judging me, because I've had so much of it over 12 or 13 years in television. But they say when it involves a child it's a different thing, so I'm a little bit anxious about how it will be perceived," she said. "[But] I kind of think, why should I have to be? And I hate that element of it." Erin revealed that she plans to return to hosting Nine News and The NRL Footy Show very soon after the birth. <img width="446" height="447" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7818733/3.jpg" alt="3 (33)"/> "Whatever is best for bubba we will do, and the plan at the moment is to come back [to work] very soon. But I'm very blessed in that my schedule is so good that I go from a Thursday afternoon to a Sunday afternoon, and then I'm a full-time mum from Sunday arvo to Thursday arvo," she said. "I think we'll get the balance right, but there's probably mothers out there laughing at me thinking, 'God, you've got absolutely no idea'." Erin’s pregnancy hasn’t been smooth sailing, with the presenter being rushed to hospital earlier this month after falling in a Sydney shopping centre. Thankfully, the fall didn’t cause any injury to her unborn baby as she landed on her side. "I had another little episode this week, unfortunately," Erin said during an appearance on the Jonesy and Amanda Show. "I got my whooping cough and flu shot and had a little ... faint is a strong word, but a little fall in the Randwick shops." Erin was still able to poke fun at the scary incident by joking that the fall stopped her from getting the doughnut she had paid for. "I'm just filthy because I'd ordered a chocolate doughnut and a milkshake, and I kind of went [to hospital] after I'd paid but before I'd got the doughnut," she said.

Caring

3 reasons being an anxious person is a good thing

If you’re the kind of person who finds themselves lying awake at night, long after bedtime, pondering, wondering and yes, worrying about the next day and the chores/meet and greet/kindergarten pick up you have scheduled, then the chances are good that you identify as being on the “anxious” side. Unsurprisingly, many people, especially women, do. While there is a marked difference between a diagnoses anxiety disorder and your more everyday, run of the mill anxiety, both can be frustrating and even debilitating at times. If you’re anxiety is manageable however, there is a silver lining (or three) to your tendency to fret. <ol> <li>You’re a great problem solver – In some situations, your ability to mentally prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario can actually be a good thing. Researchers call it “defensive pessimism” or “proactive coping” and it allows anxious people to get ahead of the game in that they’ve already identified the worse case scenario and are prepared to deal with it, if it happens as opposed to being completely blindsided.</li> <li>You’re smart – A study in 2014 which surveyed more than 100 college students found that those who scored highly on the worry and stress scales also scored highly on the verbal intelligence scale.</li> <li>You’re intuitive – Your anxious brain, if nothing else, is always looking out for you. For people on the anxious end of the scale, the brain registers threatening emotions and reactions in the ‘motor cortex’ or action centre of the brain. This means you’re quite literally ready to spring into action. In less anxious people, those same negative emotions are processed in the temporal cortex, associated with facial recognition, not action.</li> </ol> Tell us, do you have anxious tendencies? How do you keep them in check? Related links: <a href="/health/mind/2016/06/the-moving-image-thats-instantly-calming-people-down/">The moving image that’s instantly calming people down</a> <a href="/health/mind/2016/05/how-to-beat-self-doubt/">How self-doubt holds you back</a> <a href="/health/mind/2016/05/is-this-the-cause-of-most-peoples-unhappiness/">Is this the cause of most people's unhappiness?</a>

Mind

Hero cat shows anxious dog how to escape

A classic video has recently resurfaced of a cat showing a little white pup how to sneak out through a small hole in a wall. At first the dog tries to push himself through the small hole but to no avail. The cat watches on and decides to teach her canine charge the art of feline movement. Encouraged by his feline friend’s example, the dog manages to pop through the hole. What helpful friends cats can make (when they want to be!). Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2015/11/cats-are-like-psychopaths-gallery/">11 ways cats are like “psychopaths”</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/dogs-with-no-concept-of-personal-space/">Dogs with no concept of perosnal space</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/photos-of-animals-hitchhiking/">Hilarious photos of animals hitchhiking</a>

News

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Anxious dogs have different brains to normal dogs, brain scan study reveals

Pilot’s holy grail tips to overcome your fear of flying

Queen Elizabeth anxious over the release of Prince Harry's book

Anxious cats just want real cuddles from their human