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CIA loves to hire people with anxiety because of mental-health induced skills, says former covert agent
A former secret agent has argued that the “best spies are people with high anxiety” as he revealed why institutions like the CIA love to employ those battling anxiety disorders.
Mental health is a huge talking point in 2024, and there are no conditions talked about more than anxiety. It increases your heart rate, sends spiraling thoughts through your brain, and can even force you to crave salt.
The former agent said the CIA needs paranoid people
Anxiety is up in America right now due to the incoming presidential election, but that might not be the kryptonite you think it is. In fact, some jobs want to hire you because of it.
Andrew Bustamante was the youngest US Air Force Officer in history to command 200 nuclear ICBMs from an underground bunker. He had the highest level of military security clearance, which he put to work “chasing bad guys, shutting down terrorist plots, and stealing foreign secrets right under the nose of world leaders.”
He married a fellow agent, who he described as a “big-hearted hippie chick”, so they were basically the real-world Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
During a recent appearance on the Francesca Psychology Podcast, Andrew shocked viewers by revealing that the CIA is interested in people with high levels of anxiety.
“The CIA actively recruits people with anxiety because anxious people are naturally more attentive,” he explained. “They are naturally more suspicious. They are naturally more observant. They naturally have a stronger recollection. It’s a superpower, anxiety is a superpower in the world of espionage.”
Now, here’s the important bit. While the CIA does look for people with high levels of anxiety, left unchecked, it can spiral into something damaging to the person and useless to the government. Anyone with anxiety will know that slippery slope all too well.
To combat the negative effects and reap the rewards of anxiety, CIA leaders help their agents “recover, recuperate, and maintain” their energy reserves and mental health. This is done through a number of ways including proper sleep, diet, and exercise.
Andrew’s wife uses a tried and true mental health technique
For Andrew’s wife, a fellow CIA operative, routine is something that maintains her mental health. For instance, she knows she can always boil an egg and make tea.
“It’s a very predictable, calming, anti-anxiety routine,” the spy added. Francesca noted, “That’s amazing because it’s such a simple thing that you can do, just having a routine, but it’s so effective.”
We have long heard of the benefits of a proper routine, and while we are not suggesting you follow impractical suggestions like a Green Beret’s morning routine, it’s important to nail one down.
In response to Andrew’s interview, one person screamed: “S**t I’m still waiting I’m the textbook perfect candidate for spy school.”
“So you are telling me I am James Bond, but I wasted it with a civilians job?” someone else questioned.
