What is worry? Why do we worry? Can we prevent worry? Is worry good or bad?
Worry is the anticipation of something negative happening or has happened. It nearly always has no purpose and can do damage by causing stress and anxiety symptoms. If this progresses it can lead to serious life threatening health problems! At its best worry can be a motivator pushing an individual into action if, for instance, your child is late home from school. You will start worrying and be propelled in action by perhaps searching the neighbourhood or ringing round friends.
So, would we take that action if we did not suffer with worry? Indeed, from a police point of view, if your child did go missing and you showed no signs of worry, the police would suspect you of involvement in the disappearance. So a little worry may be necessary but the key question is do you suffer with worry?
No amount of therapy would stop a parent worrying about a missing child. Indeed they would be considered abnormal if they did not worry. And so worry has been established as something which is natural and part of human emotions.
It is where worry becomes a driving force in none life threatening matters, where to worry is not a warning or motivator into action. It is too late for that, the situation is a reality, nothing can be done to reverse what has happened. Then worry becomes a problem.
To look at that in reality many people worry they might lose their job. Why?
If they lose their job, they lose their income. If they lose their income they cannot pay the bills. If they cannot pay the bills they cannot feed and house their family. If they cannot feed and house their family they. What? Die? Get help? Find another job? Win the lottery? Inherit some money? Who knows? They have not lost their job yet!
This is the reality of worry. Full of “what ifs” and no “in that case I will”. Firstly to worry about something which is very unlikely is pointless. If there is something which justifiably causes concern then plan. Don’t allow worry to either stress you or console you. Take action!