Emotional reactions such as anxiety and fear of the unknown are heightened in states of anticipation, because when we lack a clear picture of the future, our minds prepare for the worst-case scenario, and the ambiguity only intensifies the sense of threat.

The Shadows of Uncertainty

Emotional reactions such as anxiety and fear of the unknown are heightened in states of anticipation, because when we lack a clear picture of the future, our minds prepare for the worst-case scenario, and the ambiguity only intensifies the sense of threat. This is manifested through several mechanisms reflected in the provided materials.

Firstly, when the outcome or event remains uncertain, the feeling of alienation and the inability to control the situation is intensified. As noted: "We are always afraid of the unknown, of mystery… Fear is always the fear of something alien to us—the unknown. The more defined the possibility we anticipate is, the less fear it evokes, the more fear gives way to apprehension and, finally, recedes to the point of freedom." (source: link txt) This shows that uncertainty directly generates a more intense sense of fear.

Secondly, anticipating a negative event forces us to emotionally relive scenarios that may even be hypothetical, as illustrated by the example from domestic cinema: "The experiencing of some mythical, invented problems or of events that have not yet occurred significantly poisons the lives of those prone to anxiety and nervous disorders. The anticipation and experience of any unpleasantness can be much worse for them than the unpleasant event itself." (source: link txt) This underscores that actively imagining a negative outcome makes the state of anticipation particularly painful.

Furthermore, a person’s own experience, when their thoughts constantly return to a possible catastrophe, further heightens anxiety. In one excerpt, the inner state of awaiting misfortune is described: "Meanwhile, my anxiety intensified. I could not sleep like others… When I mentally return to [the event], my breath catches." (source: link txt) This example clearly demonstrates how the incessant flow of anxious thoughts in anticipation of a potential threat leads to an amplified emotional reaction.

Thus, in a state of anticipation, the uncertainty of the future, the inability to predict outcomes, and the active projection of possible negative events intensify our emotional reactions, transforming them into a powerful experience of anxiety and fear of the unknown.

Supporting citation(s):
"We are always afraid of the unknown, of mystery. This is the basis of children's fear of the dark. Yet even non-childish fears are always connected with the feeling of mental darkness, inscrutability. The fear of death is terrifying precisely because it comes with the feeling of closeness to something completely alien, something that has no name in our language. Death is a leap into some unfathomable, bottomless dark chasm. If we could know for sure what awaits us after death, we would indeed grieve greatly, but we would not experience such intense fear. Fear is always the fear of that which is alien to us. The more defined the possibility we anticipate is, the less fear it evokes, the more fear gives way to apprehension and, finally, recedes to the point of freedom." (source: link txt)

"The experiencing of some mythical, invented problems or of events that have not yet occurred significantly poisons the lives of those prone to anxiety and nervous disorders. The anticipation and experience of any unpleasantness can be much worse for them than the unpleasant event itself." (source: link txt)

"Meanwhile, my anxiety intensified. I could not sleep like others. '

But what if the storm indeed happens,' I asked myself, 'will we manage to survive?