Great News: Your Anxiety Might Actually Be Keeping You Alive

Finally.A win for the people who rehearse fake arguments in the shower and check if they locked the front door six times before leaving the driveway.

A new study suggests that certain types of anxiety may actually help people live longer. Which means your most anxious friend might not be spiralling… they might just be evolution’s favourite employee.

Researchers looked at data from more than 400,000 people and discovered there are basically two kinds of worriers.

The first type is the rough kind tied to chronic stress, emotional instability, and poor mental health. You know, the version where your brain treats replying to an email like you’re diffusing a bomb in an action movie.

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But the second type has a very official-sounding label called “Emotional Reactivity and Internal Stability,” or ERIS.

Which sounds less like a personality trait and more like a skincare serum Gwyneth Paltrow sells for $412.

People with ERIS are cautious, alert, and anxious… but without the emotional chaos. So basically the human equivalent of someone quietly whispering, “Maybe don’t eat gas station sushi,” and then living to 104.

According to the study, people with this type of anxiety had a 35% lower risk of death over 15 years.

Why?

Because they’re apparently the kind of people who:
• go to the doctor before something falls off
• actually read warning labels
• exercise regularly
• avoid risky behaviour
• and never trust potato salad that’s been sitting outside since noon

Researchers believe this cautious mindset may come from ancient survival instincts in the brain. Thousands of years ago, the anxious caveperson was probably the one saying:
“Maybe don’t pet the giant wolf with knife teeth, Greg.”

And honestly? Greg probably lasted three episodes.

Meanwhile, the ERIS people survived because they packed snacks, checked the weather, and sensed danger from 400 metres away.

So if you’re the type who:
• googles symptoms immediately
• checks flight prices 14 times before booking
• arrives at the airport six hours early
• or says “text me when you get home” to literally everyone

Congratulations. You may not be dramatic. You may simply be biologically optimized for survival. 🫠