Linking A nxiety, Emotion, and Mindfulness 31
events because you seek to relieve or reduce the tension from
your anxiety by preparing for that future threat. Imagine
that your friend arranges for you to go on a blind date one
week from today. At first, it might sound like a great oppor-
tunity to meet someone new, but as you think about making
small talk, where you’ll go for the date, and whether you
should split the check at dinner, you might begin to feel
anxious. As the day draws nearer, you might even obsess
over what to wear, how you will feel if the person doesn’t
show up, or whether you and your date will have a good con-
nection. On the day of the date, you might feel nervous or
full of too much energy, you might criticize yourself through
negative self- talk, or you might even consider canceling.
Your anxiety in this scenario is all future- focused and helps
you prepare for the date; however, when your anxiety is
excessive or out of control, it quickly becomes problematic
because it interferes with your ability to realistically and
accurately appraise the actual threat of the situation.
Distinguishing Fear from Anxiety Indicate whether each of
the following scenarios is more characteristic of fear or anxiety.
You are walking alone at night and you see a man walking
toward you. The man is wearing a ski mask. You suddenly
feel frightened and notice that your heart is racing. You
reach for your phone in case you need to call for help, but
your hands are shaky and you drop it. Fear or Anxiety?You have been asked to give a toast at your best friend’s
wedding , and you feel compelled to accept the request,
despite your fear of speaking in public. You put off writ-
ing your speech for as long as possible; you persistently
worry about being judged by those attending the wedding