How Worry Impacts Your Mental Health
Do you ever feel like worry is your constant companion? Like it's that nagging voice in the back of your mind, always reminding you of what could go wrong? You're not alone. Many women struggle with excessive worry and anxiety, but it doesn't have to rule your life. In this post, we'll explore how worry can sabotage your happiness and discover practical strategies to reclaim your peace.
Worry Keeps You Stuck
Worrying can trick us into thinking we're being productive, but it often keeps us trapped in a cycle of anxious thoughts. Instead of taking action to solve problems, we get caught up in "what ifs" and worst-case scenarios. This prevents us from moving forward and finding solutions.
Catastrophizing: Many times when we worry, we get caught up in catastrophizing. Catastrophizing is when our minds jump to the worst possible outcomes, even if they're unlikely. Our worries often develop their own themes. Here are some examples of what catastrophizing could look like in different areas of our lives:
Work:
Scenario: You make a small mistake on a project at work.
Catastrophizing thought process: "I'm not as smart as my coworkers. My boss is going to think they made a mistake hiring me. I'm going to get fired. All my friends and my partner will look at me with pity."
Impact: Increased anxiety, difficulty focusing on tasks, avoiding completing work projects, decreased job satisfaction.
Relationships:
Scenario: Your partner doesn't text back a few minutes after you send a text.
Catastrophizing thought process: "They must be losing interest in me. They're going to break up with me. I'm not good enough. I'm unlovable."
Impact: Increased insecurity, clinginess, arguments, difficulty trusting your partner, self-sabotaging behaviors.
Health:
Scenario: You experience a minor headache (after your physician has communicated you're in good health).
Catastrophizing thought process: "I have [insert feared health issue]. I'm not healthy. What if it's [insert another feared health issue]? I'm going to die young. I'll never achieve my dreams."
Impact: Heightened anxiety, frequent doctor visits, doom scrolling health-related research, avoidance of activities, decreased quality of life.
Worry Disguises Itself as Productivity
Worry can feel like we're doing something about a problem, but it's often a false sense of action. When we worry frequently without getting support to address our concerns, worry actually demotivates us and prevents us from taking action. Unproductive worry often leads to pessimism and mental traps that cause our thinking to become rigid. This rigidity makes it harder to see situations for what they are, problem-solve, or experience productive emotions. Worry often has the opposite effect of productivity. True productivity involves identifying concrete steps and taking action toward solutions or engaging in intentional action.
Worry Drains Your Energy
Constantly carrying the weight of anxiety is exhausting. Worrying depletes our mental and emotional resources, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and unable to fully engage in our lives. When we worry, we release stress hormones because excessive worry makes our bodies believe there's a threat we need to escape. If the threat is real, then we actually want to worry—it could save our lives! However, if the threat is not real, then we're putting our bodies and minds through the ringer. In severe cases, worry can contribute to heart disease, sleep problems, and compromise our immune systems.
Worry Robs You of Joy
When we're consumed by worry, it's difficult to be present and appreciate the good things in our lives. Research shows that worry increases negative emotions. Worry casts a shadow over our experiences, preventing us from fully enjoying the present moment. Worry can have a negative impact on our relationships and cause isolation. Often when people worry, they are more isolated from others, or the worry becomes the central theme of interactions with loved ones. Worry gets in the way of being mindful and savoring the positive aspects and experiences we have in life.
How Therapy Can Help
If you're struggling to manage worry and anxiety, therapy can provide you with the tools and support you need to break free. Through therapy, you can:
Identify the root causes of your worry.
Develop coping strategies to manage anxiety.
Challenge negative thought patterns.
Learn how to problem-solve and take intentional action.
Learn mindfulness techniques to stay present.
Build resilience and self-compassion.
