Worrying is one of the most futile or purposeless things that most people can do. Unless your worry can tangibly help you to identify solutions that you could implement to prevent a negative outcome, worry is often something that people do to feel as though they are being productive when really they’re only creating more distress for them self.

Since I work quite frequently with anxiety disorders, most of the time I end up having discussions with my patients about worry. People tell me things such as “I can’t control my worry,” “I worry about things that I know will not happen,” “I have a hard time getting these ideas out of my head,” etc.

And that is exactly what worry is. The first step to reducing the amount of worry in your life is recognizing that it is purposeless. Again, unless your worrying is going to lead you to identify a great solution that you can implement in order to prevent something from happening, most of the time worry is:

1. Concern about something that does not even actually exist (possibly yet, but probably ever)
2. Concern about something that does exist, but that is entirely out of your controll
3. Nothing more than an “action” that we as humans engage in to feel as though we are being productive

With regard to number three, many times people actively worry because they believe that they are actually doing something by giving their attention to a perceived or actual situation. But again, unless you can actually do something that will have influence on the outcome, what is the real purpose of worrying?

In reality, unless you can do something and your worry is going to get you to the point that you identify what that something is, worrying only leads you to feel stress, anxiety, discomfort, and discontent.

Treating Worry

For those individuals who tell me that they have a hard time getting their worries out of their head, I totally understand (really, I do).

There are specific strategies that therapy can help you to learn and implement to reduce the amount of worry that you experience. At a minimum, the strategies are helpful at getting your worry under control. Rather than allowing those worried thoughts to spiral, these techniques help you to reel in your thinking and recognize when your thoughts are not realistic or helpful. This, in turn, leads to recognizing that these thoughts do not need to be focused on or continue to plague your mind.

WE CAN HELP

If you are looking to make important changes in your life, such as reducing the amount of worry you engage in and therefore, your quality of life, we would love to help. We can provide the tools and strategies needed for reducing worry, lessening anxiety, and increasing your life quality. In addition to strategy, we provide continued support and a realistic framework to keep you motivated and progressing.

Whatever the reason, give us a call.  Remember, there are many reasons why people seek therapy. Professional mental health assistance can greatly benefit you in many ways, including making important changes in your life.

We are committed to providing therapy and counseling services in a comfortable, relaxing, encouraging, and non-judgmental environment to yield the most realistic and best outcomes.  Give us a call or email us today to schedule an appointment.