Anxiety is arguably one of the most unpleasant emotions we experience. Physical symptoms like a racing heart, shortness of breath, and tense muscles can make us feel like we’re losing control of our body and send us into a stream of consciousness where we imagine the worst. But as the film shows, anxiety has a purpose: it makes us pay attention to the things that matter most to us. Even if we’re not in physical danger, anxiety alerts us to situations that are important to our self-esteem and future well-being, spurring us to act.
The ideal anti-hero
For an animated film, Riley Anxiety (played by Maya Hawke) is the ideal anti-hero: a bubbly redhead with a crooked smile, desperate to please and prepared for any and all threats to Riley’s self-esteem. The more her plans backfire, the more domineering she becomes, leading Riley to abandon her old friends and ruthlessly pursue a spot on her high school ice hockey team. She begins to believe that if she fails in this mission, no one will like her. This backfires, alienating her existing friends and ultimately putting her under so much pressure that she has a panic attack. We’ve all been there – trapped in a vicious cycle of anxiety and self-doubt, convinced that one disappointment or failure will be enough to destroy the whole world.
But even at her worst, Anxiety clearly has Riley’s best interests at heart. The havoc she wreaks on Riley’s mind — including robbing her of her “sense of self” — is all the result of a misguided attempt to ensure Riley will be safe and loved in the future. “I was just trying to protect her,” she says tearfully, before other emotions eventually convince her to cede control.
How anxiety can help
In real life, it’s easy to forget the fact that there are good reasons for anxiety, and being reminded of the benefits seems to be beneficial to our health. A one-year study of doctors and teachers In Germany, people who viewed anxiety as a source of energy (those who agreed with statements such as “feeling somewhat anxious about a situation at work makes me more proactive in solving the problem”) were less likely to suffer from mental fatigue at the end of the year than those who viewed anxiety as a sign of weakness or a threat to performance.
another experiment The research team recruited US students taking the Graduate Record Examinations, a part of the university entrance exams for advanced degrees. Before the mock test, some participants were given a short reminder that anxiety can have a positive effect on performance: “So if you feel anxious about taking the GRE today, don’t worry. If you feel anxious, tell yourself that being excited might lead to a better performance.”
They then performed better on mock exams and the real thing, especially in math, the subject most likely to cause them anxiety. The scientists called this change of mindset “reappraisal” and noted that it’s a way to “let go of the knot in your stomach,” an emotion that fits well with carefree joy.
