For higher intelligence, worry on
MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 11:04 AM

Anxiety and worry are generally thought of as negative things. Worrying too much can certainly cause stress, and such feelings are linked to health consequences. However, worry may not be all bad. According to a study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, people who experience chronic worry tend to have higher verbal IQ scores than those who do not. While this may give people with anxiety something to be glad about, certain kinds of worry can cause negative effects, so don't get too excited.

Studying students
Researchers from Lakehead University in Ontario, Canada, asked 100 students to participate in their study. Each student answered questions rating how often and to what degree they worry. For instance, they might answer agree or disagree to "I usually have something I am worrying about." The questions covered depression, anxiety, test anxiety, social phobia, rumination, mood and dwelling on past social events. Researchers compared those answers to scores students received on IQ tests. The results indicated that students who had generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression were more likely to receive high scores on verbal intelligence tests. On the other hand, students who tended to dwell on negative past experiences had a lower non-verbal intelligence than those who did not.

Researchers attempted to understand this phenomenon by noting that people with higher verbal IQ have the capacity to analyze their situations, leading to an increase in worrying and rumination. They can recall events in great detail, which could lead to experiences of strong anxiety. Those who scored high on non-verbal IQ pick up more non-verbal signals, so they don't need to process events once they've occurred to the degree others do. For this reason, they may worry less.

Reducing worry
Although worrying is linked to higher verbal IQ scores, people who have GAD don't need to endure these symptoms. To mediate anxiety, people can do the following:

• Take deep breaths.
• Try to look past the worry and realistically evaluate a situation.
• Drink calming tea (like chamomile).
• Stay active. Sitting around all day gives your mind a chance to ruminate. Instead, find a hobby, join a club or hang out with friends to ?give your mind a break. 
• Acknowledge fears and accept them.
• Make plans. Surprise occurrences could stress you out. 
• Seek help from a professional who specializes in anxiety.

While many adults experience anxiety, children and teens can have GAD too. Encourage your children not to focus on the negative things in their lives and instead think of the good. Analyzing the past may be a sign of intelligence, but it can also cause high stress levels.