- "Likelihood" of harm: Following guidelines on physical distancing, wearing personal protective equipment in public, quarantining, and other precautionary measures lowers the probability of becoming infected. 
- "Awfulness" of harm: The mortality rate of COVID-19 for the general population remains low. Most cases are not life-threatening illnesses. 
- "Coping" ability: Most people with COVID-19 are able to care for themselves at home. 
- "Rescue" by others: Successful treatment in a hospital is possible.  

City University of New York

The anxiety equation below is used in cognitive behavioral therapy to help individuals understand the source of their anxiety by breaking it down into four components: the likelihood of harm ("likelihood"), the perceived awfulness/seriousness of harm ("awfulness"), the ability to cope if it were to happen ("coping"), and the level of anticipation about receiving help and support from others if it did happened ("rescue"). The higher the individual's perception of likelihood and seriousness of harm and the lower they perceive their own coping abilities and confidence in being rescued, the more anxious they feel about the situation/outcome. This equation connects cognition and emotion and serves as a first step to evaluating perceived danger.

Anxiety = $$\frac{(Likelihood)(Awfulness)}{(Coping)(Rescue)}$$


The Anxiety Equation in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 

Shafran, R., Coughtrey, A., & Whittal, M. (2020). Recognising and addressing the impact of COVID-19 on obsessive-compulsive disorder. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(7), 570-572. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30222-4
https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2215-0366%2820%2930222-4 

Learn Before

Related