Written by: Abby Dizon
Editor’s Note: The following articles are written by counseling professionals from Counseling Services in partnership with the Southern Accent.
It is widely recognized that college students experience a lot of anxiety and worries. According to a 2022 study on the prevalence of anxiety in college students, more than one in three students reported being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Whether it is about an upcoming presentation or prepping for an exam, college students experience a lot of anxious thoughts every day. These thoughts can become debilitating, giving rise to feelings of anxiety or depression.
What typically comes with anxious thoughts are doubts and resorting to worst-case scenarios, usually out of proportion to how difficult a situation truly is. When anxious thoughts intrude your mind, one key tool to battle them is fact-checking those thoughts. Checking the facts allows you to take a step back and analyze the “what if?” questions to determine if they are valid.
The first thing you can do to fact-check your thoughts is to challenge them, according to a Psychiatry Northwest article. Ask yourself: “Are these thoughts based on facts or assumptions?”, “How have things turned out in prior similar situations?” and “How might someone with a different perspective handle this situation?” Challenging your thoughts is a great way to engage in a reality check. This allows you to differentiate between genuine and irrational concerns, developing a more accurate outlook of the situation.
Another way to fact-check anxious thoughts is by seeking counsel from a friend, according to an article on the Paige Pradko website. A friend’s perspective of your situation can provide external viewpoints, challenge irrational beliefs and minimize the tendency to over dramatize the situation. Outside input and reassurance can help guide you away from distortive standpoints and toward a more realistic perspective.
Finally, according to a Via Vitae Counseling article, the most effective way to tear down anxious thoughts is by conducting a probability assessment, analyzing the realistic likelihood of your negative thoughts becoming a reality. Ask yourself, “What is the worst thing that can happen, and what is the likelihood of it happening?” and “Can I realistically cope with the worst-case scenario?” Utilizing probability assessments helps counteract the tendency to imagine worst-case scenarios by settling individuals into a more realistic evaluation of the actual risks present, diminishing unnecessary anxiety and worries.
Because our minds tend to play tricks on us due to mood and perception biases, we must remember that our thoughts are not facts, but only interpretations affected by our emotional state. By applying the checking-the-facts technique, we can modify our response to the situation with clarity, rather than depending on baseless assumptions and emotional reactions.
