Addicted to Anxiety?

A recent study by psychologist Maya Tamir of Hebrew University in Jerusalem on the effects of anxiety on performance she found that when given an anagram to solve, neurotics would had just written about an event that gave them anxiety did better than those told to recall a happy memory. Non-neurotics were not affected one way or the other after recalling events. Full story at the Daily Beast.

As well all know, a "neurotic" is basically someone who is prone to anxiety and emotional unrest as a result of anxiety and other emotions. Another study at the University of Denver showed that among people who define themselves as "trait fear" (which means they are usually anxious, afraid or nervous), they actually prefer to feel that way. According to the researchers it doesn't mean people "like" being stressed or nervous, but it is what they are used to, so it feels natural. This need to feel anxiousness to be comfortable can sometimes seems like addiction. For instance we all know people who run around all stressed-to-shit for no apparent reason.

Well said, 1950's housewife

This is a pretty cool field of research in my mind. All you anxiety people better be listening up. You know who you are, you run around doing all sorts of shit that shouldn't bother you in the least but you panic to get it done for seemingly no reason. You are addicted to stress. I feel like most Americans are. Take a deep fucking breath and smoke a joint people.

He is the master, after all.