How Can I stop Worrying?

Good Ways to stop Worrying and Reduce Stress?

Are you a worry wart? Everyone worries. It is a simple fact of life. Whether it’s an approaching deadline, an upcoming exam, a job interview, a first date or a whole host of other reasons, worry is a completely natural emotion.

It’s only when the worry becomes more frequent and more painful that alarm bells should start to ring. Questions such as “what if?” and worst-case scenarios begin to control your thinking. If it continues unabated, constant worry can have a knock-on effect on your everyday life.

Emotional and physical health can be negatively affected by constant worry. Your emotional strength can be drained, you can be made to feel restless and jittery and it can bring on complaints such as headaches and insomnia.

Your levels of concentration can be affected and you may be tempted to direct your negative feelings onto those around you. You may find solace in alcohol or drugs, which can lead to dependencies and even addictions.

How do you feel about worrying? For the majority of people who worry chronically, the anxiety they experience is fuelled by the beliefs and conceptions they hold about worrying. For example, you may be concerned that your worrying will eventually take over your whole life, drive you round the bend or otherwise have a negative impact upon your life. Understandably, constantly feeling like this will quickly lead to a downward spiral. But there are others who feel more positively about their worrying and this can be harmful too.

They may feel that if they continue to worry over a particular problem for long enough, they will eventually uncover a solution. They may also feel that their worrying is a protective shield; that it prevents them from making mistakes or taking risky decisions. Seeing positives in the act of worrying can make it even harder to break the cycle. However, it should always be realized that excessive worrying is always a problem and never a solution.

Once you have realized that you have a problem with worrying and want to change it, what can you do? There are several ways in which you can combat your worrying. For a start, you could consider creating a worry period for yourself. That is, you could set a specific time of the day where you allow yourself to worry, with the rest of the day being worry-free.

You should choose a time that is not too late so as to negatively impact your sleep. At the same time, you should make a list of everything that worries you, in the knowledge that you can think about them in the time you have designated. Writing is a more complex activity than merely thinking, so by doing this you could also rob your worries of a lot of their power. During your worry period, you should go over this list. Looking through your worries one by one can enable you to adopt a more pragmatic approach to them. If in time, your worries lose their importance during your period, you are free to reduce your worry period until you no longer need it at all.

Worrying tends to exaggerate the problems you face in life and make them seem more perilous than they really are. You may automatically assume that the worst-case scenario will come to pass and regard every negative thought you have as an undisputed fact. A lack of self-esteem may lead you to underestimate your ability to handle the problems you face and assume that you will fold at the first sign of trouble. Such thoughts are known as cognitive distortions. Thoughts like these can be challenged however.

Start by asking yourself what actual evidence you have that your worry is true and then compare it with evidence to the contrary. Ask yourself also if there is a more realistic way of approaching the issue that is also more positive. Consider also the probability of the worry coming to pass. If the likelihood seems low, consider other, more likely outcomes. Lastly, think about what advice you would give to a friend who was having the same trouble. Would it differ in any way from what you would advise yourself?

Temporarily at least, worrying reduces anxiety. It distracts from emotions and gives the impression of getting something done. But it is very different from actual problem solving. Putting problem solving into action can help to beat worrying. To begin with, you need to determine whether the problem can be resolved. List of all potential solutions you can and focus on things that can be changed, rather than things that can’t or don’t have any corresponding action. Many “what if” scenarios are among the latter. Once your list is ready, begin to plan what course of action you will take to tackle each worry. Being productive and busy helps to reduce anxiety.

Constant worry can produce a vicious cycle of negative thoughts running through your head on a permanent basis. It is possible to break this cycle through a range of different options. First, exercise is a natural treatment for anxiety and worry and it is completely free. Exercise releases endorphins which help in the relief of tension and stress. Additionally, they boost energy and create a sense of well-being. In addition, you could take up yoga or tai chi. Concentrating the mind on breathing and movements helps to keep the present clearly in focus and brings about a state of relaxation. Meditation is also very helpful in this regard. Focusing on the present breaks the cycle of constant worry and negativity and all it requires is a quiet place and a relevant app that can guide you.

These are only a few training methods of overcoming worry and especially mental health stress reduction located here but there are many more. Although worrying is an overwhelming emotion and can consume you entirely if given half a chance, there are always steps you can take to counter it and lead a more relaxed and less stressed life.

Disclaimer

This article is for educational and informational purposes only and must not be used or taken as a substitute in any form for any medical advice, medication you are currently taking or any alternative treatments without the prior advice, guidance and consent from your medical doctor. Please speak with your doctor fist before making any changes to your diet or medicine as a result of reading any information laid out on this website or in this or any other articles.

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