Do You Worry Too Much?

Anxiety and worry are normal and can be healthy emotions.  If you are facing a big decision like buying a house or changing careers, you may expect some anxiety or stressful moments. Anxiety can be helpful; it can help alert your mind to the risk and help you think through your choices.  It can help motivate you to do things that have a specific deadline or things you may have been putting off. How do you know how much worry is appropriate and normal and how much is excessive and unhealthy?

Do you constantly fret about everything and anything? Do you worry about things that are not likely to happen? Do you lose sleep or avoid social situations for fear that you might be judged?  Are these thoughts hard to shake? Are these thoughts and feelings interfering with your daily activities? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you may be worrying too much. Excessive worry is not only bad for our mental health it is dangerous on our physical well-being as well.  Too much anxiety can cause an upset stomach, inability to relax, tunnel vision, fat in your arteries, an increased pulse, sweating, dry mouth, and more.

Anxiety can make everyday things dreadful.  Why can’t you just stop worrying?  Why do these worries seem to follow you everywhere you go? Why do you feel so powerless when worries and fear seem to overtake your life?

Well fighting your anxiety will take work and motivation on your part, but it can be done!!!

Here are a few tips to help you get started!

• Make a list of everything you worry or have anxiety about, examine your list, and determine which of these things are productive and nonproductive worries

• Learn how to self-soothe: use deep breathing, positive self-talk, muscle relaxation

• Break big projects into smaller tasks

• Prove your anxiety wrong: Challenge your thoughts

• Accept the things that are not in your control

Anxiety can be a normal part of life, but can sometimes feel overwhelming.  If you think you would like help in managing your anxiety, seeking the help of a mental health professional can be a big relief.