Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental disorders in the US. But a simple diagnosis of generalised anxiety disorder may not capture the specifics of what bothers some people. A subgroup of anxiety sufferers may experience extreme distress when confronting the inherent uncertainties that turn up in any life circumstance, whether helping a relative with a severe illness or choosing a new route to work that is safe and easy to navigate.
Such people may respond to their feelings by leaving nothing to chance. At work, they appear polished and prepared when giving a presentation because they consider every question that could be posed by colleagues beforehand and memorise possible answers in the days leading up to a meeting. Still, all of the prep work may do little to relieve feelings of painful anxiety.
Psychologists, though, are learning new ways to treat these sufferers, who can be identified through their answers to a psychological measurement known as the intolerance of uncertainty scale (IUS). Patients can then benefit from specialised treatment.
These patients are typical of the ones psychologist Keith
