Why The CIA Considers This Undesirable Trait A Superpower, According To Former Agent
The Central Intelligence Agency actively recruits people who possess this unwanted quality.
cheapbooks | Shutterstock According to a former CIA operative, the agency specifically recruits people with an unexpected trait: anxiety. Though many people assume anxiety is a weakness, the foreign intelligence agency strongly disagrees. In fact, they view it as a superpower.
A former agent explained why the CIA considers anxiety to be a superpower.
Andrew Bustamante is a former covert CIA intelligence officer and U.S. Air Force veteran. He is also the founder of EverydaySpy, an online platform that teaches real-world espionage techniques that can be used in everyday life. In an episode of "The Diary Of A CEO" podcast with Steven Bartlett, Bustamante explained why anxiety is not a disadvantage, but rather, a strength.
"Anxiety is a superpower through the eyes of the CIA," he said. "Anxiety keeps you alive. Anxiety keeps you sharp. Anxiety keeps you learning. It keeps you attentive. It's a good thing."
"The CIA wants people [who] carry a certain level of anxiety because when you carry anxiety, you're naturally paranoid, which means you have heightened observational skills," he explained. Anxious people are naturally more attentive, suspicious, and observant, and tend to have a stronger recollection — all qualities the CIA actively seeks out.
According to the CIA's website, the agency protects U.S. national security by collecting foreign intelligence, producing objective analysis, and conducting covert action. All of these tasks certainly require strong observational skills and an attentive nature.
Bustamante described hypervigilance, a common symptom of anxiety.
According to Healthline, "Hypervigilance is a state of increased alertness. If you’re in a state of hypervigilance, you’re extremely sensitive to your surroundings. It can make you feel like you’re alert to any hidden dangers, whether from other people or the environment. Often, though, these dangers are not real."
Of course, if you are a CIA agent working undercover in a covert operation, these dangers are very real, and your hypervigilance may just save your life.
That's not to say that anxiety is purely beneficial, though. People with anxiety often have trouble sleeping, experience gastrointestinal problems, and have difficulty controlling worry. They are also prone to physical symptoms, such as an elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating, trembling, and feeling weak.
The CIA trains agents to manage their anxiety.
Speaking with Francesca Tighinean, the host of "The Francesca Psychology Podcast," the former CIA agent noted that anxiety can be damaging without proper training.
"Anxiety is a superpower in the world of espionage; however, if it goes untrained, it can be very damaging because anybody who has anxiety knows the spiral that comes out of anxiety," Bustamante said. "[The CIA] teaches us how to recover, recuperate, and maintain our energy reserves, our mental health, because they also know that they're tapping into our anxious tendencies."
He stressed the importance of getting adequate sleep, eating a proper diet, staying hydrated, and getting exercise. "These are all things that counter and combat anxiety," he said. "Sunlight or vitamin D combats anxiety. Routines and schedules combat anxiety."
Bustamante is absolutely correct. Aside from seeking professional medical help, stress management and lifestyle changes like these are incredibly helpful for combating anxiety. Research shows that physical activity reduces anxiety, as does quality sleep and a healthy diet.
While anxiety may impede our day-to-day life, filling our minds with unnecessary worry, if you are aiming to be a CIA agent, it might just give you a leg up. As one commenter joked, perhaps we should start listing anxiety on our resumes under skillset.
Audrey Jaber is a writer and associate editor with a bachelor's degree in journalism.
