Soothing the Worrywart
Author: Dr. Beverly Potter

Soothing the Worrywart

Dr. Beverly Potter

Worrying is good because it helps you to anticipate danger before it arises, identify - possible perils, come up with ways to lessen the risks, and rehearse what?ou plan to do. But there are some people, worrywarts, who get?tuck in identifying danger. Perhaps you manage such an individual. They?mmerse themselves in the dread associated with the threat, which may be - real or, more likely, imagined. They spin out an endless loop of - melodrama, blowing everything out of proportion. "What if I can't handle?his new responsibility?" "What if I don't sleep well the night before my - presentation?" "What if I don't reach that sales quota?" "What if my new - staff member can't fit in?"

While worrywarts insist worrying is helpful, little is solved. They are- tormented by their thinking ruts, and stop living in the present moment.Worrywarts waste important time and energy. Worse yet, worry begets more?orry, setting into motion a vicious cycle of anxiety. Many of these?eople want to analyze everything; they become perfectionists. But their - analysis gets in the way of getting things done, moving ahead. Excessive - worrying tends to crowd out everything else, spoiling the day and sometimes?isrupting sleep. You get nowhere by merely telling them, "Don't worry."?owever, if you understand the worrywart, it will be easier to help him or?er.

Thinking Habits

Worrywarts have some bad thinking habits. They are not born with a?redisposition to anxious self-talk. They learned it! They also can?hange bad thinking habits in the same way they would change any other habit.

Smart worriers, on the other hand, avoid becoming consumed by anxiety by - studying the perils associated with a worrisome situation, by recognizing - their distress as anxiety, and by bringing themselves back to the balance.Worrywarts do the opposite. They keep themselves in a state of agitation. Smart worriers soothe themselves, while worrywarts rile themselves up.

Worry is an inner dialog called "self-talk," a talking it over with oneself?s a way to cope with bothersome situations. The nature of that dialog is?remendously powerful in shaping how you feel and what you do. Worrywart's - self-talk is judgmental, critical and scary, keeping them off-balance and - unnerved as it triggers more worry.

Smart worriers talk to themselves the way a friend would. Friends - encourage, give permission and challenge extremes. Thus, smart worriers - become hopeful, think flexibly and look for solutions, even if they are - only partial solutions. And smart worriers accept what can't be changed.

Help for the Worrywart.

If you recognize the worrrywart type in your group, show him or her (or them) this article. Or, perhaps, you will want to provide your own?ecommendations in getting out of this mental habit. Here are some hints - that have actually helped worrywarts.

Watch How You Worry.

Don't make the mistake of trying to change your - worrying before you understand it. Keep a record of the themes of your?orries, your worrying times and the triggers that initiated the worries.

Rate the degree of each worry and the sensations you feel. List the fears?iding in that worry. As you write about the worry, you are taking action?nd gaining control. You are doing something other than worrying. You'll begin to understand your habit.

Friendly Talk.

Your ever-present companion-you-causes the worrywart habit. Get that companion to help you, and talk to you as a friend would. This?s a technique that psychologists find to be quite effective. Have an internal dialog to help you stop criticizing yourself. Use the internal?ialog to support yourself and make decisions or set goals. The best way to do this is to imagine what a friend would say. What would he or she say to soothe you and bring you back to balance? You may want to write your"companion's" suggestions in a notebook.

The worrywarting habit took years to develop; therefore, it's not surprising that the self-talk method will take time and effort. Talk to yourself in an undemanding and pleasant way, just the way a good friend?ould talk to you.

Challenge Your Worry.

An unchallenged worrisome thought, repeated over and over, gains persuasive power through a kind of brainwashing. It becomes so compelling you forget it is only one way of looking at the situation. Soon you believe the worry is an established fact. Then, you are convinced of the truth of your worry. And that's where you're stuck.

However, there's always more than one way to view things. Challenging a worrisome thought by contemplating a range of equally plausible points of view keeps the worry from being taken as true. If you see yourself trapped and helpless, you'll feel depressed; whereas if you look at the situation as a difficult, but surmountable, challenge, you're likely to feel hopeful determination.

While it doesn't seem so, it is actually a matter of choice. You can choose among ways of viewing a worrisome situation by the way you think about it. You may not be able to control a disturbing event, but you can control what you say to yourself about it. That's what smart worriers do, they change their view and how they feel. They actively challenge worrisome thoughts.

>From the notes on your worrying habits, you'll become more aware of anxiety-provoking automatic thoughts as they occur. Review the "data" and ask yourself what went through your mind at the time. Then under the worrisome thought, write the word "Challenges." Do some brainstorming for alternative views of the situation. You don't even have to be logical. The main thing is to catch worries and get in the habit of challenging them.

Look for Solutions.

Worry is beneficial provided you worry smart. Smart?orry leads to action, to doing something to improve your situation. Worry that doesn't lead to action is useless, even destructive. You can be worrying and not really be aware of it. It just seems to go on automatically while you're doing something else. You must bring that worry to your conscious attention before you can find a solution. Then ask yourself, "What am I really worrying about?" Then ask, "Is there anything I can do about this?"; If the answer to this question is "No," then there is no gain, no benefit in continuing to worry about it. To continue worrying is worrywarting.

But worry can lead to something productive, so don't be too quick to answer "No", for this can lead to the feeling of powerlessness and damage motivation. The fact is, there is almost always something you can do.

If the answer to the question is "Yes," then begin to look for solutions.?nce again, there's no reason to continue worrying about it. So let go of?he worry and find the solution.

Distract Yourself from the Worry.

The smart worrier focuses on things other than the worrisome event. There are a number of ways to do this. Engage yourself in something routine that is pleasant to you, such as taking a walk, driving, cooking or doing crossword puzzles. There's a fair chance that you'll arrive at a solution to the problem while disengaging yourself from it.

Another approach to soothe your anxiety is to imagine positive possibilities to the worrisome problem. Just the change of attitude can get you thinking in new ways.

My favorite technique is through humor. Think about something funny related to the problem. Or make a joke out of the uncomfortable situation. Use your imagination. What you'll be doing is getting off the negative and focusing on something positive, laughter (or maybe just an?nternal giggle). This is a good way to release anxiety.

The main thing, however, is to recognize the worrywart. It could be you, or it could be someone you supervise. Once you recognize this debilitating habit, then do something to reverse it. The above hints are just a start.








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Copyright 1997: Beverly Potter.All rights reserved. From The Worrywart's Companion: Twenty-One Ways to Soothe Yourself and Worry Smart, Wildcat Canyon Press, 1997. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. To copy or reprint for any other purpose permission from Beverly Potter is needed. Contact her at PO Box 1035, Berkeley, CA 94701, email beverly@docpotter.com http://www.docpotter.com

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