Worry arises when we are overly concerned about things that may happen to us.
We worry about things that may be beyond our control; the weather, a possible traffic jam, our health, other people’s opinions of us.
Some people get obsessively worried about something that may never go wrong, for example, a spouse being unfaithful.
The most common worry is about money. Since money problems cause stress, distress, and harm on a family, attaining financial security or financial independence must be a primary responsibility.
Worry drains our confidence and can perpetuate the problem. However, worry is actually an important mechanism; you can understand the repercussions of your actions, put other things into perspective and give you a high attention to detail.
It’s a very empathetic emotion; if you are a worrier, you worry so that other people don’t have to and it is likely that your family trusts your judgement. You don’t tend to supress your emotions and everyone will feel safe around you. Worry teaches us to learn from past mistakes and plan for the future.
In fact, worriers are thought to have high verbal IQs and high levels of imagination.
However chronic worrying can cause great distress; it creates anxiety and can make us irrational. You may feel a sense of impending doom; no matter how simple or straightforward the issue. By believing that the negative outcome is an inevitable possibility, we mentally transform it into reality. Our body then responds emotionally to the reality and we unavoidably experience anxiety.
More serious problems occur when fight or flight is triggered daily by excessive worrying and anxiety. The fight or flight response causes the body’s sympathetic nervous system to release stress hormones such as cortisol. These hormones can boost blood sugar levels and triglycerides (blood fats) that can be used by the body for fuel.
The hormones also cause physical reactions such as:
Difficulty swallowing and dry mouth
Dizziness
Fast heartbeat
Fatigue and headaches
Concentration issues
Irritability
Muscle aches and tension
Nausea and sweating
If excessive worrying and high anxiety go untreated, they can lead to depression and even suicidal thoughts, as well as more serious health issues such as heart attacks, digestive disorders and immune system breakdowns.
We can prevent worrying from happening by keeping our mind fully occupied. One good way is to immerse ourselves in something we have to do or are enthusiastic about. This should enable us to maintain firm control of our mind so that it does not have time to dwell upon the things that cause us unease or anxiety but focuses on pleasant or joyful thoughts.
Relaxation and meditation techniques are also valuable.
However worry is best overcome by identifying its cause. We need to believe that things can happen either way, not necessarily negatively or the assumed negative consequence may not occur.
This is where therapy might help. Counselling can help you develop appropriate coping strategies to deal with issues that trigger excessive worrying.
A therapist will help you identify what types of thoughts and beliefs cause the anxiety and then work with you to reduce them. The therapist can help you by suggesting ways that may help you change.
If you have a constant, niggling worry which is starting to cause problems, or are a chronic worrier, talk to Jarvis Hypnotherapy about options today.