172 Don’t Let A nxiety Run Your Life
instruments of harm (for example, a piece of rope is seen as a
snake). These cognitive biases can make confronting your
fears much more daunting than it need be. For instance,
consider the social anxiety example mentioned above.
Normally, it could be difficult enough entering a room filled
with people. You might agonize over what you want to say or
pay attention to your appearance to guarantee that you make
a good impression. These difficulties can be compounded
by a natural tendency to turn neutral cues into threats and
focus on threats to the exclusion of positive experiences.
W hen introducing yourself to a new person, you may be
more inclined to interpret his reaction as one of dissatisfac-
tion. His face may bear a stronger resemblance to a scowl
than to a neutral expression; his voice may seem more criti-
cal; and his behaviors that you interpret as negative may
loom larger in your mind than do his affable gestures of
cordiality.
The way you attend to your environment governs your
experience. Therefore, it makes sense that you should try to
ensure your interpretations are accurate prior to entering an
anxiety- provoking situation. Scientific literature has identi-
fied some core areas of attention that are affected in people
with high levels of anxiety. Let’s review them.
Disengagement from Threat
Several studies have suggested that individuals with
anxiety have trouble directing their attention away from
threat. Therefore, if your environment contained multiple
types of things— some positive, some neutral, some threat-
ening—then you would be more likely to look at the threat-
ening aspects for longer periods of time, which would