Why does the fear of the unknown trigger anxiety?

Anxiety has been a persistent presence in my life, often manifesting as a nagging, underlying tension. It typically centres around one simple yet powerful question: What if? This question is the starting point for countless scenarios that my mind conjures up, each one more uncertain and anxiety-inducing than the last. The fear of what might happen, what could go wrong, or what is lurking just around the corner is a constant source of worry. This, I’ve come to realise, is rooted in the fear of the unknown.

What is the fear of the unknown?

The fear of the unknown is a primal instinct, deeply ingrained in our psyche. It’s the anxiety we feel when faced with situations where the outcome is uncertain or unknown. This fear dates back to our earliest ancestors, who had to navigate a world filled with unpredictable dangers. In prehistoric times, not knowing what lay beyond the next hill or inside a dark cave could be a matter of life and death. Thus, this fear became an evolutionary survival mechanism, sharpening our senses and keeping us alert in the face of potential threats. But why do we feel this fear and how does it affect us today?

The causes: lack of predictability and control

At its core, the fear of the unknown stems from two primary factors: a lack of predictability and a lack of control. When we cannot predict what will happen next, our minds spiral into overdrive, trying to anticipate every possible outcome. This constant speculation leads to anxiety. Similarly, when we feel we have no control over a situation, our fear intensifies. We are hardwired to seek control and predictability in our lives, and when these are absent, our anxiety levels skyrocket.

Fear of the unknown in daily life

We encounter the fear of the unknown in various forms every day. Whether it’s starting a new job, moving to a different city, or even something as seemingly trivial as trying out a new hobby, the uncertainty of the outcome can provoke anxiety. We may hesitate to take risks or step out of our comfort zones because we don’t know what to expect. We’ll ask ourselves questions like “what if I’m not good enough?”, “what if they don’t like me?” or “what if I don’t like it?”. This hesitation is a direct result of our natural aversion to uncertainty.

The fear of the unknown is also a popular and powerful tool that is used to great effect in horror and thriller films. Movies like It Follows and Alien masterfully exploit this primal fear. In It Follows, the terror comes not from a tangible monster, but from the unseen, ever-present entity that could be anywhere and anyone. Alien, on the other hand, uses the vastness of space and the isolation of its characters to heighten the fear of what might be lurking in the darkness.

These films masterfully use this fear to create suspense and dread. Rather than relying on graphic depictions of monsters or gore, these films often keep the threat just out of sight or leave it ambiguously defined. This ambiguity forces the audience's imagination to fill in the blanks, often with far more frightening images than anything shown on screen. The uncertainty about where or when the danger will appear next keeps viewers on edge, making the experience of fear more intense and visceral.

The science behind it: intolerance of uncertainty

The fear of the unknown is rooted in our brain's response to uncertainty. Psychologists like Nicholas Carleton have measured this through the "intolerance of uncertainty" (IU) scale, which gauges how uncomfortable we feel when faced with unpredictability. This scale assesses how much discomfort we feel when faced with unpredictability. Most people fall somewhere in the middle, experiencing moderate stress from uncertainty. However, those with high IU are particularly sensitive, reacting with anxiety, irritability, and a strong urge to avoid or control uncertain situations. For instance, if statements like "Unforeseen events upset me greatly" or "The smallest doubt can stop me from acting" resonate with you, you may have a higher intolerance for uncertainty.

This intolerance can manifest in behaviours like overplanning, excessive information-seeking, and avoiding anything unfamiliar. For example, someone with high IU might obsessively plan out conversations, check driving routes multiple times, or even look at restaurant menus in advance to avoid surprises. While being alert to uncertainty can be beneficial in genuinely threatening situations, when it dominates how a person interacts with the world, it can lead to chronic anxiety and avoidance behaviours.

Jayne Morriss, a psychology lecturer at the University of Southampton, explains that while most people experience some stress from uncertainty, those with high IU find it nearly unbearable. This constant need to mitigate uncertainty can prevent them from enjoying spontaneity and lead to impulsive actions just to resolve unknowns quickly.

The fear of the unknown can significantly affect our mental health and well-being. It can lead to chronic anxiety, stress, and even avoidance behaviours. When we constantly fear what might happen, we limit ourselves, missing out on opportunities and experiences that could enrich our lives. This anxiety can also affect our relationships, work, and overall quality of life, as we become more focused on avoiding potential threats rather than embracing new possibilities.

What can be done to relieve this anxiety?

While the fear of the unknown is a natural and instinctive response, there are ways to manage it. Mindfulness and grounding techniques can help bring our focus back to the present moment, reducing the power of those “what if” scenarios.

Things like counseling, exposure therapy, and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) can also be effective, helping us reframe our thoughts and challenge our negative assumptions. Embracing uncertainty, rather than fearing it, is key. By gradually exposing ourselves to uncertain situations and seeing that the outcome is often not as catastrophic as we imagine, we can begin to reduce our anxiety.

In my experience, 99% of the time, the result is never as bad as I predict. The fear of the unknown tends to magnify potential dangers in our minds, making them seem insurmountable. But when we face these fears head-on, we often find that reality is far less terrifying than we anticipated. By acknowledging this and learning to live with uncertainty, we can reduce the grip that anxiety has on our lives.