Understanding the Impact of Anxiety on Our Choices

Anxiety does have a significant impact on an individual’s executive functions, like decision-making skills. When people feel anxious, the brain detects it as a threat and works in overdrive.

So, one cannot think rationally at that moment since their flight-or-fight response becomes active. Such an increased state of alertness can cause cognitive distortions, and that might affect their decision-making process.

Anxiety can cause an individual to go into a state of decision paralysis. Here, the person loses their capacity to make any decisions at all because they feel too overwhelmed with the potential consequences of their choices. While avoiding making decisions can give some relief from anxious thoughts, it is only temporary. In the future, the problem can metastasize into a more serious issue.

How Anxiety Impairs Decision-Making

In the human brain, the parasympathetic nervous system is the portion of the autonomic nervous system that counteracts stress and causes relaxation. With a sudden increase in stress hormone levels, the parasympathetic nervous system might fail to operate correctly. Then, the person might not feel emotionally balanced, which can impact their decision-making.

Here is how anxiety influences the decision-making process:

• It can shut down or weaken executive function (i.e., the ability for high-level thinking and making decisions).
• Anxiety might shut down reflective functions (i.e., the ability to introspect and understand internal mental processing). The brain might process imaginary situations or scenarios as objective reality and make incorrect decisions.
• Individuals may start denying reality in situations that they do not want to face, overwhelmed with anxiety.
• Anxiety can cause psychosomatic symptoms like heightened breathing, higher heart rate, tension, perspiration, etc.
• A person might delay their decision-making process since certain aspects of the problem trigger their anxiety. Alternatively, they might make impulsive decisions without proper research or planning just to overcome the process of decision-making.

Tips to Overcome Anxiety in Decision-Making

The good news is that there are a few things you can do to try to quiet your mind and overcome your anxiety about a decision-making process.

The following tips will help you in making any decision confidently and clearly.

Reduce your load

Too many options at times overwhelm people, and they tend to get anxious. There are too many choices, and a person may feel overwhelmed about picking the best possible option. Thus, one needs to make a conscious attempt at reducing the choices.

For instance, say that you are freaking out about which take-out to order. You should have a rule wherein the choices will have to be among the first three restaurant options that would cross your mind. This way, you won’t be wholly responsible for the decision, and there won’t be that much stress.

Reduction of choice can be applied to so many things in life. Limiting the options while choosing a movie, a location for vacations, or even deciding on a career reduces much of the anxiety related to the decision at hand.

Create a visual structure

Now, focus on structured decision-making to get over the hump of anxious thoughts. This means you write the problem and possible strategies down for a view, such as on a whiteboard or paper. Once you specifically map out your options on the whiteboard, you can then sit back and see the bigger picture.

Especially, visual aids such as mind maps, flowcharts, and decision trees are useful. They allow for clarification of thoughts and the relationship of the different elements in your decision that are not evident when everything is merely in your head.

Check for past actions and repeat them

When you have too much choice or the information overload hits you, you may feel bewildered or apprehensive, and such feelings may impede the process of decision-making. In such cases, your past actions or choices can be helpful in guiding you on what the right choice may be.

In other words, if you made choices in the past and they turned out to be good choices, then you can make those same choices again if you ever find yourself in a similar situation. For example, say you are out shopping and there are just so many options that you know you’re going to be overwhelmed—just go with designs you have tried before and liked. You can gradually step out of your comfort zone at a later time by purchasing one piece of clothing in a completely different style or brand than you’re used to buying.

Set Clear Priorities

You must carefully ascertain which is the problem at hand and exactly pinpoint the main point of contention. If you dwell only on the crux of the issue, you can minimize the stress of making the big decision.

Priority helps winnow out much of the noise and really key in on what’s most important. Maybe that just means asking yourself, “What is the most important consideration in this decision?” Once you do that, other aspects of the decision more or less fall into place.

Be easy on yourself in decision-making

This is difficult to decide when perfectionism intervenes in one’s mind, and some even feel imposter syndrome. They, in turn, become overly analytical about themselves and develop a bad relationship with their own cognitive abilities. Be easy on yourself in this regard.

Learn to accept that perfection is not the goal. Practical or sufficient choices are, at times good enough. Indeed, set attainable standards and turn a blind eye to minute details. Secondly, be kind to yourself. When you start to feel overwhelmed regarding the problem at hand, set a specific time limit for overthinking.

For instance, allow five minutes to worry about all the possible consequences. Upon the passage of time, get back to work at hand.

This type of acceptance and kindness toward the self can be very empowering in reducing anxiety related to decision-making. It is, in essence, acknowledging that good decisions do not have to be perfect decisions.

Consider the pros and cons

You should categorize both the benefits and drawbacks of the decision you are going to take. Note down or make a chart of both columns, adding each pro and con you can think of. After you’ve added all the points, you will begin to see a clear picture of the situation. You can then plan some reasonable solutions for each of the drawbacks listed.

Such an analytical attitude will help to objectify the decision-making process. It will systematically compare the different sides of your choices, lessening the role of the emotional reactions that, more often than not, feed anxiety.

Try to get grounded

You really need to take a minute to ground yourself when you first start to feel that wave of anxiety or nervousness. “I have always encouraged my clients to step back and breathe,” says Dr. Nick Bach, CEO of Grace Psychological Services. “When I feel anxious, what I do is engage in some simple grounding techniques—like bringing myself back to the present moment by focusing on my five senses.”

Grounding techniques can be very effective in managing immediate symptoms of anxiety. They draw your attention away from the anxious thoughts to the present, refocusing it on what is happening around you and allowing you to make decisions with a clearer head.

Recenter into core values.

If thus crippled by anxiety over serious situations that require decision-making, refocus on core values. For example, while making decisions for your business, first understand the mission and the values that built your company. Add some value-based questions thereafter, such as “How will the decision affect customer satisfaction?” if customer satisfaction is one of the core values. Finally, make a decision.

It may help in delivering more aligned decisions and give one a sense of direction. Bound by your values, decisions a times do not evoke feelings of anxiety as that is something attached to the important things in your life.

Seek support from loved ones

You can share your problems with your close ones like family, friends or coworkers. Even they can support you in making your decisions. You can rely on them to share your fears and hence decrease the stress that way. Alternatively, you can share the problem with them and listen to what they have to say about the problem. Sometimes, listening to another viewpoint or solution might lead you to a better decision.

Your support network can provide you with some emotional solace but often some real practical advice. It sometimes takes only a chat to clear things up and make it easy to make a decision. Always remember that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.

Conclusion

Anxiety management in decision-making is a developed skill. Its incorporation will help a person de-stress, enhance the quality of decisions, and boost confidence in the choices made. Remember, it is not about eliminating it but rather learning how to manage anxiety so that it won’t impede your decision-making process.

The more you practice these techniques, the less overwhelming decision-making will seem. Begin with smaller, less-consequential decisions, which build up your confidence, then apply such strategies to bigger choices.

If this persists and affects major life decisions or daily activities, do not hesitate to seek mental health professional help. They would be able to furnish you with individual activities and support to help overcome the situation. Remember, asking for help is a sign of being strong, not weak.