Would you rather get an electric shock now or know that you might get one at some point over the next couple of days? I didn’t need to think about this: shock me now, baby. And most people feel the same.
Presented with an actual choice like this, I do think the obvious reaction is to just want to get the discomfort over with. Worrying about the uncertainty of the future is inherently human, and if we can get one concern out of the way – great. People who suffer from anxiety (like me, hi) take this to extremes though.
When I’m faced with uncertainty, I can – and I will – make it my job to worry about all the ways that this situation can go south. My brain is overheating like my laptop trying to handle Chrome, Zoom and Audition at once. I am creating catastrophic scenarios in my head that would probably make a good, dark Netflix thriller.