Did you ever have a competitor in life who challenged you in every test and every election for a leadership role? If so, today, I would like you to imagine that person and replace them with an emotion that we, as psychiatrists, frequently encounter during our practice – anxiety!
Much like that pushy competition, anxiety can feel overwhelming and challenging. However, it also has the potential to push us to achieve more than we thought possible. I came across a young adult male patient who was the captain of the basketball team, head of the school student council, consistently earned straight As, and worked two part-time jobs. Despite his impressive accomplishments, he exhibited severe symptoms of anxiety, such as stuttering, sweating, and palpitations when he visited me. After starting anti-anxiety medication, his symptoms improved. However, during a recent visit, he mentioned a persistent, nagging worry at the back of his mind. In response, I gave him some intriguing advice: I suggested he befriend this part of his anxiety, even humorously recommending that he give it a name.
The Yerkes-Dodson Law, introduced by psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dillingham Dodson in 1908, describes the relationship between arousal (or anxiety) and performance. Through experiments on mice involving electric stimulation, they discovered that performance improves with increased arousal up to an optimal point, beyond which performance declines due to excessive stress. This theory is illustrated by a bell-shaped curve, showing that moderate anxiety can enhance performance, but too much anxiety impairs it. Yerkes and Dodson hypothesized that a certain level of anxiety is necessary to motivate individuals to perform tasks effectively, with more challenging tasks requiring higher levels of anxiety to be completed successfully.
Our doctor, while conversing with the patient, used an analogy that if we decide to take two trips from New Jersey – one to go to Japan and another to go to Dallas – the flight to Japan would be 14 hours, and the one to Dallas would be 3 hours. Our patient, being the overachiever he was, frequently traveled to Japan. The doctor explained that pursuing bigger dreams often requires more hard work, longer hours, greater commitment, and dedication, which can be tiring and frustrating, triggering anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed. However, if we make anxiety our friend, instead of complaining about the long and difficult journey, we can acknowledge and honor our ambitions. Recognizing that uphill tasks are inherently challenging and that the higher we aim, the more difficulties we might face can help us see these obstacles as worthwhile efforts that lead us to our greater goals.
Farees Ahmad Khan, a graduate of Khyber Medical College in Peshawar, Pakistan, is an aspiring psychiatrist with a deep passion for the field. Growing up in a closely-knit family, she is known for her compassion, which is reflected in her patient care. As a good listener, she prioritizes the well-being of her patients. In addition to expanding her knowledge in psychiatry, Farees enjoys immersing herself in fantasy books, finding both inspiration and relaxation in their imaginative stories.
Farees is dedicated to making a positive impact in mental health, both through her clinical work and by sharing her insights with a broader audience. She believes in holistic care and strives to provide compassionate and effective treatment to all her patients.
Sarah Alnaher is a physician.
