Conspiracy Theories and Anxiety: The Psychology Behind the Connection
Conspiracy Theories and Anxiety: Why Our Brains Search for Answers When We Feel Afraid
Have you ever fallen down an internet rabbit hole?
You start by watching one video. Then another. Before you know it, you're reading 47 comment threads, watching documentaries, searching for evidence, and wondering whether everything you thought you knew might be wrong and maybe the world really is run by the Illuminati.
Hold up before we go any further. Y'all. I love conspiracy theories. My goal in this blog isn't to talk you out of them. It's more to suggest that sometimes - just sometimes- some of us are more prone to falling down those rabbit holes. And sometimes - just sometimes - the obsession with conspiracies can negatively impact our mental health.
Maybe you're trying to understand a confusing world event. Maybe a video suggests that something isn't what it seems. Or maybe you've stumbled across a theory that connects several seemingly unrelated events in a way that suddenly makes everything feel different.
And now you can't stop thinking about it.
For some people, exploring conspiracy theories is little more than an interesting internet rabbit hole. For others, it can become an exhausting cycle of fear, suspicion, reassurance-seeking, and constant research.
So, what is the connection between conspiracy theories and anxiety?
Psychological research suggests that anxiety, uncertainty, and feelings of threat can be associated with stronger conspiracy beliefs. At the same time, conspiracy beliefs may sometimes reinforce the very fears that made them appealing in the first place. Researchers are still investigating exactly how these relationships work, and the findings do not mean that everyone who believes a conspiracy theory has anxiety or a mental health condition.
Understanding this connection can help us approach the topic with curiosity rather than judgment—and recognize when our search for answers is actually making us feel worse.
What are conspiracy theories?
Conspiracy theories generally explain important events or circumstances as the result of secret plans carried out by powerful groups or individuals.
Some real conspiracies have occurred throughout history. Governments, corporations, and other organizations have sometimes concealed information or engaged in coordinated wrongdoing. Questioning information, asking for evidence, and holding powerful institutions accountable are not inherently unhealthy.
The distinction is between evaluating a claim based on credible evidence and becoming convinced that hidden, malicious forces are responsible for events regardless of what the available evidence shows.
Conspiracy beliefs can involve politics, public health, celebrities, technology, historical events, or everyday experiences. They can also vary considerably in their content, intensity, and impact on a person's life.
Researchers Karen Douglas, Robbie Sutton, and Aleksandra Cichocka reviewed the psychology of conspiracy theories in Current Directions in Psychological Science. They identified three broad motivations that can make these explanations appealing:
* Understanding: Wanting to make sense of confusing or complicated events.
* Security and control: Wanting to feel safer in an unpredictable world.
* Social connection and identity: Wanting to feel connected to a group or protect a valued sense of identity.
These motivations are understandable human needs. The problem is that a particular explanation may feel emotionally satisfying without being accurate—or may leave us feeling more threatened rather than less.
1. Anxiety makes uncertainty harder to tolerate
Imagine that something frightening happens, and no one can give you a clear explanation.
You don't know why it happened. You don't know whether it will happen again. You don't know who to trust or what you should do to protect yourself.
For someone already experiencing anxiety, that uncertainty can feel almost unbearable.
Anxiety often involves anticipating potential threats and trying to prepare for what might go wrong. When we don't have enough information, our minds may work overtime attempting to fill in the gaps.
This is where conspiracy theories can become appealing.
A conspiracy theory may offer a seemingly clear explanation for a complicated situation. Instead of accepting that an event has multiple possible explanations—or that some questions remain unanswered—a person may encounter a theory that appears to connect all the dots.
Suddenly, the world feels more understandable.
Unfortunately, an explanation that feels complete is not necessarily an explanation that is true.
Research on *intolerance of uncertainty*—the difficulty of tolerating situations in which the outcome is unknown—has linked this psychological process to anxiety-related difficulties. A systematic review published in Cognitive Therapy and Research found evidence supporting intolerance of uncertainty as a contributing mechanism in anxiety, although the strength of the evidence varied across conditions and studies.
In other words, sometimes the hardest part of not knowing isn't the unanswered question itself. It's the uncomfortable feeling we experience while the answer remains unknown.
And when uncertainty feels threatening, almost any explanation can become tempting.
2. Our brains are wired to look for patterns
Human brains are remarkably good at recognizing patterns.
This ability helps us learn, solve problems, identify danger, and make predictions. If we notice a familiar pattern in our surroundings, we can often use it to anticipate what might happen next.
But our pattern-recognition abilities aren't perfect.
Sometimes we connect events that are unrelated. Sometimes we interpret coincidence as evidence of a larger plan. And sometimes, once we suspect a particular explanation, we begin noticing information that appears to support it while overlooking information that challenges it.
This can happen to anyone.
For example, imagine watching several videos suggesting that a series of unrelated events is connected. You begin noticing similarities between those events, and each new video seems to provide another piece of the puzzle.
The more connections you notice, the more convincing the theory feels.
But noticing a pattern is not the same as demonstrating that a meaningful connection exists.
Anxiety may make this process particularly exhausting because a threat-focused mind is already paying close attention to potential danger. When we are worried, ambiguous information can seem more threatening than it would otherwise.
This does not mean that every person who notices patterns is anxious or that pattern recognition automatically leads to conspiracy beliefs. Rather, it helps explain why uncertainty, threat perception, and the desire for a coherent explanation can interact.
3. Conspiracy theories can create a sense of control
One of the most uncomfortable aspects of anxiety is feeling powerless.
We cannot control everything that happens in the world. We cannot predict every outcome, prevent every disappointment, or guarantee that the people and institutions around us will always behave as expected.
That lack of control can be frightening.
Conspiracy theories may offer an alternative: the belief that there is an identifiable explanation behind confusing events and that discovering the truth will help us understand what is happening.
In some cases, this can feel empowering. A person may feel that they have access to information other people don't have, or that they can protect themselves by recognizing a hidden threat.
But there is an important distinction between feeling in control and actually being safer or better informed.
If a theory encourages someone to believe that danger is everywhere, that trusted people cannot be trusted, or that ordinary events are evidence of a hidden threat, the world may begin to feel less safe.
The search for control can become a source of ongoing fear.
A 2023 publication of longitudinal research examining conspiracy beliefs, anxiety, uncertainty aversion, and existential threat reported findings from two studies involving 405 and 1,012 participants. People who were generally more anxious and less comfortable with uncertainty tended to report stronger conspiracy beliefs. Increases in conspiracy beliefs did not reliably predict reductions in anxiety or perceived threat; in one study, they predicted increases in these experiences over time.
The findings suggest that conspiracy beliefs may sometimes contribute to a self-reinforcing cycle rather than provide lasting emotional relief. However, the results do not establish that this happens to everyone or that conspiracy beliefs are the sole cause of anxiety. <
4. The anxiety–conspiracy theory cycle
For some people, conspiracy-related content can become part of a cycle that looks something like this:
Step 1: Something creates uncertainty.
A frightening news story, a personal experience, or a confusing event leaves you with unanswered questions.
Step 2: Anxiety increases.
You feel unsettled. Your mind keeps returning to the situation, searching for an explanation that will make you feel safer.
Step 3: You encounter a theory.
A tik tok, reel, Reddit post, or online community offers a seemingly convincing explanation. For a moment, having an answer may feel reassuring. Of course so and so politician is a reptilian.
Step 4: You start searching for more evidence.
You watch more tik toks & reels, read more posts, and search for information that confirms or challenges the theory. You may feel compelled to keep researching because you are afraid of missing something important.
Step 5: New information creates more questions.
The theory introduces additional threats, possible consequences, or reasons to distrust other sources. Instead of feeling reassured, you feel compelled to investigate even further.
Step 6: The cycle repeats.
You return to the internet to find relief from the anxiety that the research itself may now be reinforcing.
Not everyone who explores a conspiracy theory experiences this cycle. But when research becomes compulsive, sleep is disrupted, relationships suffer, or fear grows instead of settling, it may be time to examine what the behavior is doing for you.
The important question isn't simply, "Am I reading about conspiracy theories?"
It's also, "How is this affecting my mental health?"
5. Why social media can make the problem worse
Social media makes it easy to encounter information from people with vastly different perspectives. It also makes it easy to spend hours consuming content about a single topic without realizing how much time has passed.
When a particular subject captures your attention, you may encounter increasingly similar content. Recommendation systems can personalize what appears in your feed, and emotionally charged material can attract substantial engagement.
This can create the impression that a particular theory is everywhere, that everyone is talking about it, or that new evidence is constantly emerging.
But repeated exposure is not the same as independent confirmation.
Ten videos repeating the same unsupported claim do not necessarily represent ten separate pieces of evidence. They may all be relying on the same original source, which could be totally AI generated or fictitious.
And if the content is frightening, your body may respond as though you are repeatedly encountering a genuine threat. You might notice muscle tension, a racing heart, irritability, difficulty concentrating, or trouble falling asleep.
Over time, a steady stream of threatening content can make it harder to mentally disengage.
Consider paying attention to what happens after you scroll:
* Do you feel informed and able to move on, or increasingly frightened?
* Are you learning something useful, or repeatedly checking for reassurance?
* Can you stop researching when you want to?
* Is your online activity interfering with sleep, work, parenting, or relationships?
You don't need to avoid every difficult topic to protect your mental health. You can, however, make intentional choices about how much distressing content you consume and when you take a break.
6. Does believing in conspiracy theories mean someone has an anxiety disorder?
No.
This distinction matters.
Research has identified associations between conspiracy beliefs and factors such as anxiety, uncertainty aversion, perceived threat, and other psychological and social influences. These findings do not mean that everyone who believes a conspiracy theory has an anxiety disorder.
They also do not mean that a person with anxiety will believe conspiracy theories.
People arrive at beliefs for many reasons, including their personal experiences, social environments, political and cultural identities, trust in institutions, and the information available to them.
Likewise, questioning an official explanation or asking for stronger evidence is not, by itself, a sign of mental illness.
We should be careful not to use mental health language as a way to dismiss people whose opinions differ from our own.
Instead, it may be more helpful to consider the person's level of distress, how firmly they hold a belief despite contradictory evidence, whether they can consider alternative explanations, and how the belief affects their daily life.
For example, there is a meaningful difference between someone who enjoys discussing unusual theories and someone who feels constantly watched, cannot sleep because they fear a hidden threat, or has become increasingly isolated because they no longer trust anyone.
The concern is not simply whether someone believes something unusual. It's whether fear, distress, or rigid thinking is interfering with their well-being and functioning.
7. How can you tell when researching a theory is becoming unhealthy?
Curiosity is not inherently harmful. Wanting to understand the world is normal. Wishing to prepare for the worst isn't inherantly wrong either.
However, it may be worth taking a closer look if you notice:
*You cannot stop researching
You intend to spend five minutes looking something up but lose hours following increasingly alarming claims.
*You need constant reassurance. You repeatedly check 33 websites, videos, or discussions to make sure you haven't missed a threat.
*Your anxiety increases with every search. Instead of feeling more informed, you feel more afraid, suspicious, or overwhelmed.
*You struggle to sleep or concentrate. Your mind keeps replaying what you've read, even when you're trying to focus on other things.
*Your relationships are suffering. You find yourself arguing frequently, withdrawing from loved ones, or feeling unable to trust people because of what you've encountered online.
*You feel responsible for uncovering or preventing every possible danger. You believe that stopping your research, even briefly, could put you or your family at risk.
These experiences don't automatically indicate a mental health diagnosis. They are simply signs that the way you're engaging with the information may be causing distress.
If these patterns feel familiar, you deserve support rather than shame.
8. How to break the cycle of anxiety and conspiracy-related content
You do not have to resolve every unanswered question to feel better. In fact, learning to tolerate some uncertainty can be an important part of managing anxiety. Let's be real - if Freemasons do control the world, if the earth is flat, and if dinosaurs never existed... what are we going to do about it? The feeling of control - in this case, that feeling of control is largely an illusion.
Here are several strategies that may help.
Set boundaries around research
Decide in advance how much time you want to spend exploring a topic. You might choose to check a reliable source for a few minutes rather than watching videos late into the night.
If you notice yourself repeatedly revisiting the same material without gaining useful information, consider that a cue to stop.
The goal isn't to prevent yourself from learning. It's to make sure your search for information remains intentional rather than driven by fear.
Evaluate the evidence, not just how convincing a story feels
When you encounter a claim, pause before accepting or sharing it.
Ask yourself:
* What evidence supports this claim?
* Is the source credible and transparent about where its information came from?
* Are there independent sources that verify the central facts?
* What evidence might challenge this explanation?
* Does the claim distinguish between established facts, speculation, and assumptions?
You do not need to become an expert on every subject. Sometimes the most reasonable conclusion is that you don't yet have enough reliable information to know.
Practice tolerating uncertainty
Hard, right??
Try noticing the urge to find an immediate answer without automatically acting on it.
You might tell yourself, "I don't know the full explanation right now, and I can tolerate not knowing."
This may sound simple, but allowing uncertainty to exist without immediately seeking reassurance can take practice, particularly if anxiety has taught you that unanswered questions are dangerous.
Start small. Let a minor question remain unanswered for a while. Notice the discomfort, allow it to rise and fall, and remind yourself that feeling uncertain does not necessarily mean you are unsafe.
Pay attention to your body's stress response
If you've been consuming frightening content for a long time, take a break and reconnect with the present moment.
Try taking a short walk, stretching, slowing your breathing, eating a meal, or spending time with someone you trust.
These activities will not determine whether a theory is true. They can, however, help you regulate your stress response so that you are less likely to make decisions while feeling overwhelmed.
Reconnect with the parts of life that are happening right now
Anxiety can pull your attention toward hypothetical futures and hidden dangers.
Ask yourself what needs your attention in the present moment. Is there a child who wants to play? A meal to prepare? A friend you haven't called? A task you can complete?
You can care about what happens in the world without spending every available moment trying to anticipate what might go wrong.
In short, go outside and touch grass.
Talk to someone you trust
If your thoughts are becoming overwhelming, consider discussing them with someone who can listen without ridiculing you or automatically agreeing with every fear.
A helpful conversation creates room for questions, evidence, alternative explanations, and emotional support.
If you are experiencing persistent anxiety or feel unable to disengage from frightening thoughts, a licensed mental health professional can help you explore what is happening and develop healthier ways of coping.
9. Can therapy help with anxiety related to conspiracy theories?
Yes. Therapy may be helpful when anxiety, fear of uncertainty, repetitive checking, or distressing thoughts begin to interfere with daily life.
The goal is not to shame someone for what they believe or to argue them into changing their mind. Therapy can instead focus on the underlying distress, the patterns maintaining it, and the person's ability to respond to uncertainty in a healthier way.
Depending on the individual's needs, therapy may help with:
* Understanding anxiety triggers:
Identifying the experiences, thoughts, or situations that lead to increased fear.
* Recognizing thinking patterns: Exploring catastrophic predictions, assumptions, and the tendency to interpret ambiguous information as threatening.
* Building tolerance for uncertainty: Learning that you do not need complete certainty to make thoughtful decisions or continue with daily life.
* Reducing repetitive checking: Addressing the urge to repeatedly search for information or reassurance when it provides only temporary relief.
* Improving emotional regulation: Developing practical strategies for managing distress without becoming consumed by it.
* Rebuilding trust and connection: Working through relationship difficulties or isolation that may have developed alongside persistent fear.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), for example, can help people examine the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. When repetitive checking or reassurance-seeking is part of the problem, a therapist may also help the person gradually change those patterns. Treatment should be tailored to the individual's symptoms, circumstances, and goals.
Importantly, therapy is not about telling you that you must accept every official explanation or stop asking questions. It's about helping you evaluate information thoughtfully while protecting your mental health.
You can be curious, skeptical, and informed without feeling as though you must investigate every frightening possibility.
You don't have to know everything to feel safe
We live in a world where information is available almost constantly. There is always another headline, another video, another person claiming to have uncovered something important.
And when you are already anxious, the promise of a definitive explanation can be difficult to resist.
But sometimes, the search for certainty becomes another source of distress. The more we try to eliminate every unknown, the more attention we may give to the things that frighten us.
You are allowed to ask questions. You are allowed to evaluate evidence. You are allowed to change your mind when new information becomes available.
And you are also allowed to close the browser, put your phone down, and return to your life without having every answer.
Your mental health matters more than winning an endless search for certainty.
If anxiety, overthinking, or persistent fear is making it difficult to enjoy your daily life, you don't have to navigate it alone.
Looking for anxiety therapy in Greensburg, PA, or anywhere in Pennsylvania?
At Caring Conversations Therapeutic Services, LLC, we believe therapy should be thoughtful, individualized, and built around the person sitting in front of us—not a one-size-fits-all approach.
We offer in-person therapy in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and secure virtual therapy throughout Pennsylvania for children, teens, and adults. Our clinicians help clients navigate anxiety, trauma, stress, overthinking, and other challenges that can make everyday life feel overwhelming.
You don't have to wait until you're in crisis to reach out. If you're ready to explore what's contributing to your anxiety and find healthier ways to cope, we're here to help.
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This blog is written by non-clinical staff and should only be taken as psycheducation and opinion only and not as medical advice or a replacement for therapy. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911. For a mental health crisis that is not life-threatening please call 988.
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## Research and references
1. Douglas, K. M., Sutton, R. M., & Cichocka, A. (2017). *The psychology of conspiracy theories.* Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26(6), 538–542. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721417718261
2. Liekefett, L., Christ, O., & Becker, J. C. (2023). *Can conspiracy beliefs be beneficial? Longitudinal linkages between conspiracy beliefs, anxiety, uncertainty aversion, and existential threat.* Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 49(2), 167–179. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672211060965
3. Rosser, B. A. (2019). *Intolerance of uncertainty as a transdiagnostic mechanism of psychological difficulties: A systematic review of evidence pertaining to causality and temporal precedence.* Cognitive Therapy and Research, 43, 438–463. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-018-9964-z
4. *Contemporary trends in psychological research on conspiracy beliefs: A systematic review.* (2023). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9945548/
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