The Personality Trait ‘Intolerance of Uncertainty’ Causes Anguish during COVID
Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental disorders in the U.S. But a simple diagnosis of generalized 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.
Difficulty dealing with uncertainty was first identified in the early 1990s as a distinguishable personality trait. It is one we all have to some degree, but many of us have it at an elevated level. Like perfectionism or rigidity, it is really a predisposition, not a diagnosable disorder. People who have high levels of perfectionism, for example, are at greater risk of developing anorexia. And someone with a high level of intolerance of uncertainty may end up developing an anxiety disorder.
When filling out this questionnaire, people indicated how they might react to statements such as “Unforeseen events upset me greatly” and “It frustrates me not having all the information I need.” The scale accurately assessed subjects’ reactions—cognitive, emotional and behavioral—to uncertain situations in which they felt they did not know vital information or could not control the future.
One of her studies, published last year and entitled, in part, “I Told You It Was Safe,” produced intriguing results. The subjects were told that they would receive a shock at a certain time, at an unknown time, or not at all—or, more emphatically, that they definitely would not get shocked. The surprising result is that those with high IU scores showed the greatest physiological distress during the certain-to-be-safe period.
Bredemeier adapts treatments for these patients at his clinic. To help a client feel more comfortable with uncertainty, he first has them list situations that feel mildly to intensely uncomfortable. Let’s say someone dislikes ordering from a new restaurant without first reading reviews or avoids taking a different route to work. The worst situation of all would be delegating an important task at work. The person just cannot do it.
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