Take our Generalized Anxiety Disorder Test

Find a therapist to overcome anxiety

People with higher emotional sensitivity often find uncertainty more distressing than confirmed bad outcomes.

Uncertainty intolerance is rooted in personality, and research shows this trait can shift.

Small, deliberate exposures to uncertainty build tolerance over time better than reassurance does.

A client of mine once described the week she spent waiting for a biopsy result as the worst of her life. She couldn't sleep, she couldn't concentrate, and she kept checking her phone for a call that didn't seem to be coming. When her doctor finally reached out with bad news, she said she was surprised to find that she felt relieved.

She didn't want bad news, of course. But it felt better to have an answer, rather than wait in limbo.

Why the Unknown Is Harder Than Bad News

Researchers who study intolerance of uncertainty have found that people differ substantially in how well they can........

© Psychology Today