It’s common to feel troubled by stress, uncertainty, or a sense of danger, but worrying too much can affect your state of mental health and contribute to anxiety, stress, and physical health issues. There are some techniques that can train your mind to stop worrying by applying psychological, cognitive, and behavioral methods. This article discusses practical steps to help you break the cycle of overthinking so that you can live worry-free.
Understanding Why We Worry
Anxious thoughts can turn into a number of worries that feel difficult to escape, including worries about the future, worrying about the past, and worrying about what others are thinking about us. Some of us worry so much or overthink things that it has become a part of our normal lives. Many people will worry, thinking it will help prevent bad outcomes, that they will feel control over uncertain situations, or that they’re showing they care about the issue at hand. But worrying too much does the opposite, it uses up mental energy, adds to anxiety, and creates stress and tension. However, there are strategies you can adopt to help you overcome excessive worrying and break this cycle of worry.
What are the Effects of Constant Worrying?
The effects of constant worrying can have negative impacts on both physical and mental health. It can lead to elevated levels of stress and anxiety that can make daily challenges harder to cope with. Worrying too much over extended periods can cause insomnia and problems with sleep, leading to feelings of fatigue and drained energy. Over long periods worrying can also weaken the immune system to make it easier for your body to be compromised by illness. It can also contribute to an increase in blood pressure, leading to conditions of heart disease. Next, constantly worrying can lower concentration and productivity, causing a person to perform poorly in multiple realms of life. Realizing the impact of worry is the first step in the process of controlling worry and preserving overall health.
What's actually happening in our minds while we worry?
When we are in a state of worry, our brains shift into a state of hyper-alertness often in response to a perceived threat or uncertainty. This triggers the amygdala, which is the emotional center of the brain, and can sometimes promote the release of stress hormones such as cortisol. The consequence of this is a preoccupation with negative outcomes, or even “worst case” scenarios, and a tendency to magnify perceived danger. We become somewhat fixated on the thoughts which repeat and are not able to be regulated as we would normally. The anxiety pattern can create both mental and physical tension, displacing energy and creating more stress, anxiety, and worry.
Learn How to Train Your Brain to Stop Worrying
1. Recognize Your Worrying Patterns
The first step to combating worry is awareness. Start observing your thoughts and identifying the source of your worry. Take a moment to ask some questions like, What am I worried about? and Is this worry real? You have to challenge the validity of your anxious thoughts by asking yourself, What evidence supports or contradicts my worry?
Identifying these patterns can help you figure out if your worries are fact or assumption based. A worry journal is the most effective way to help with this. A worry journal can track your anxious thoughts, recognize patterns of worry, and give you a clearer scope of things to worry about and things you don’t have to worry about. This self-awareness is important to divert your thinking out of chronic worry mode.
2. Challenge Negative Thoughts
Most of the time, worries come from irrational fear rather than facts, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) suggests managing worries by challenging negative thoughts with rational thoughts. For example, you may worry, “What if I fail my exam?” You could challenge that thought by thinking, “I have studied, and if I don’t do well, I can learn from it.” The idea is to question the specific worry further by asking, What is the worst that can happen? How likely is it to happen? and Can you handle the worst that could happen? When you directly question the meaning behind your worries, you lessen their hold on your mind and regain a sense of control and sometimes relieve stress.Â
3. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness means noticing what’s happening in the here and now without judgment, helping you stay rooted rather than being swept away in their worries about the future. Practicing meditation regularly is a helpful way to train your brain to stay present. You can practice mindfulness by starting to breathe intentionally and paying attention to the flow of your breath as it enters and exits your body.Â
You may find that thoughts arise, and you can examine them without following the thought or judging them. If you can engage in mindfulness practice regularly, you will create a quiet and clear space that will limit your opportunity to remain submerged in anxiety-provoking thinking.
4. Limit Your Worry Time
If you are going to worry for 8–10 hours a day, consider setting up a worry time instead for 10–15 minutes. Write down everything that you are worried about during your worry time. When that time is up, move on to another productive activity. This will prevent you from worrying for 8–10 hours a day.
5. Practice Gratitude
Gratitude is an excellent practicing tool of shifting perspective from what’s wrong with us to what’s right in my life. When you notice that you are worrying, take a moment to remember three things you are thankful for in the earlier day. For instance, say to yourself, “I am grateful for my family who is always supportive.” “I am grateful for my good health,” or “I am grateful for all of the opportunities I have.”Â
Practicing gratitude regularly helps rewire your brain to be able to see the positive things in your life, which will help ease the cycle of negative thinking. Keeping a gratitude journal will be even greater to shift out of anxiety, as you can reflect on the good things going on in your life and create a mindset of gratefulness, while we stop worrying about our anxiety.
6. Always Surround Yourself with Positive People
People who are negative and anxious can add to your worries. Spend time with positive and supportive people who will help you remain optimistic. If your worries are debilitating, you may want to consider counseling or therapy for professional assistance.
Conclusion
Worrying may feel like it happens automatically, with some practice, you can teach your brain to move away from ruminating for too long on anxious thoughts. Through techniques such as mindfulness, cognitive reframing, or intended professional anxiety treatment in NYC, you can regain feelings of peace, and more likely live a happy life. If you feel as though worry has become an obstruction to your daily satisfaction, you might want to contact an excellent anxiety specialist in NYC for support that fits your own challenges. Psychological treatment for anxiety in NYC can be a supportive guide in learning how to let go of a worry cycle, and build a healthier mindset.
Reference
- https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/self-help-cbt-techniques/tackling-your-worries/
- https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/9-ways-to-tame-anxiety-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
- https://crpf.gov.in/writereaddata/images/pdf/How_To_Stop_Worrying_And_Start_Living.pdf
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health
