Uncontrollable Worrying and Over Thinking
Do you find yourself worrying a lot? Are you always stuck in your head, playing out worst case scenarios? Do you struggle to pull back from these worries and put them into perspective? If so, keep reading here to understand why we worry, how we get trapped in worry cycles that feel uncontrollable, and some top tips on how to get your worries in check.
Why do we Worry?
Worrying about the future is a very normal thing to do, and is something everyone does to different extents. Worrying can help us to anticipate and plan for the future, and if we are worrying to solve an actual problem where some action can be taken, then worrying can be a very healthy thing to do. Our brains are even hard wired to do this.
A part of the brain known as the pre frontal cortex is responsible for planning, preparation, delegating, and organising. If all types of worrying were simply bad or unhelpful, we wouldn’t have evolved to develop this capacity. For example, if you have an important presentation coming up at work, you may experience some anxiety leading up to this. This feeling creates a sense of urgency or need to organise the content and prepare the presentation in time, motivating you to optimise your performance and delivery. This is an example of when worrying can be helpful, as it creates the sense of urgency needed and there are concrete actions you can take to prepare yourself for an actual upcoming event.
When we are worrying about potential hypothetical worst case scenarios on the other hand, it’s usually because we are perceiving the situation to be threatening and beyond our coping skills. In this case, worrying can be unhelpful and just make us even more anxious or panicky about a worst case feared event that probably has a very low chance of actually occurring.
How to Deal with Worrying
- Detective Thinking. Not every thought we have will be true, but we often react to thoughts as being facts, rather than just one possibility. Ask yourself if you are assuming the worst, and whether the facts of the situation support this thought as being true or very likely. Try to think back to other times you were in a similar situation and reflect on what happened then. Notice how your anxiety levels shift when you are able to challenge your thoughts.
- Problem Solving. If your worry is about something you have control over, take actionable steps to solve the problem you have or to seek out the information you need to come to a solution. Taking action can help you feel more in control and empowered to address the source of your anxiety.
- Calm your body. When we start to worry excessively, our anxiety can also feel very physical. You may notice a sense of restlessness, tense muscles, headaches, and other symptoms. Deep breathing, gentle stretching or exercise, or listening to calming meditations or music can help you to relax your body.
- Seek professional support with a Psychologist. If you are still struggling to manage your worries and it’s impacting on your life, your work, or your relationships, then it may be time to invest in consulting with an expert. Therapy can help you to explore the sources of your anxiety, identify the cycles of worry you feel yourself stuck in, and help you to gain effective coping strategiegs that are personalised especially for you.
