Accepting Uncertainty

Acknowledge uncertainty. Often times I talk about accepting uncertainty with my patients who come to me for treatment of anxiety or OCD.  These conditions are rooted in the difficulty of tolerating uncertainty. In therapy I teach my patients that they can handle uncertainty and they can face what they fear the most. 

Notice the anxiety spiral. You may find yourself searching for certainty about whether you will contract the COVID-19 virus. You may be googling to try to find the date on which fertility treatment centers will be permitted to re-initiate treatment. You may feel the need for the date you will return to your office. Sometimes we find ourselves watching the news and reading social media, and then washing, cleaning, and worrying. For people with anxiety disorders this cycle can become all consuming. Even those who have never experienced clinical levels of anxiety symptoms may find themselves sucked into a loop of anxiety.  We feel like if we fully understand something and take every possible precaution, we will be able to control the future. However, we can’t so all we can do is accept uncertainty. 

Self Compassion. Accepting uncertainty is hard and we need to give ourselves compassion. Sometimes we will find ourselves in the anxiety spiral. It’s okay to be find yourself there sometimes. When you do, just notice the spiral, take a few deep breaths, and gently remind yourself that you are working toward tolerating the uncertain.