The desire to feel more in control is something we can all relate to. The world can be an overwhelming place at the best of times, and feeling like you can’t get a grip on things can be incredibly anxiety-inducing.

But there’s a difference between wanting to be in control and fearing that loss of control before it actually comes to fruition. And according to a new study, the latter could have a big role to play when it comes to our mental health.

The new research – which appears in the Journal Of Behavioural And Experimental Psychiatry – suggests that “new insights and therapeutic potential” could be unveiled by digging deeper into the relationship between someone’s fear of losing control and mental health conditions such as OCD and social anxiety disorder.

Mental health: why a fear of losing control could be fuelling your anxiety – and what you can do about it