Worrying has a very bad reputation in our society. Ideally, people who do not worry and are easy going are considered sane. On the other hand, people who worry and with mildest anxiety are considered imbalanced and crazy. It is crucial that we do not support such stereotypes. While I agree that, in general, anxiety is definitely a mental illness but worrying doesn’t necessarily amount to anxiety. It is a grey area, a very thin line and we are going to explore it. Coming back to the real question- Is it okay to worry too much? I think will have to rephrase the question in order to honestly address one side of this coin.
Is It Okay To Worry?
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Well, there is research that says yes. It is!
You can actually develop a practice called “healthy worrying”. It sounds absurd, but the more you know about it the more it makes sense. In right doses, worrying can actually help you live a healthier lifestyle. How? It’s very logical, actually. What worry does is alert you to the reality that there’s something wrong and maybe you should do something about it. This way, worrying actually motivates you to take action. Worrying can drive you to prepare more thoroughly. In fact, research shows that worrying has a lot to do with recovery from trauma and depression too.
So the challenge is not to NOT WORRY, it is in fact to keep yourself from going over the edge.
There can be a lot of healthy ways of worrying. You can worry about your career and get motivated to take necessary steps. You can be worried about your relationship and initiate the necessary conversations. You can be worried about your eating habits and consume a balanced diet.
One more peculiar advantage of worrying is that it can soften the emotional blow of a bad outcome. Because, if you are worrying, you have already thought of the worst outcome!
The important thing is to know when you are falling over that edge. It can be a grey area but if you truly look, you will find that line. Which brings us to our real question-
Is It Okay To Worry Too Much?
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No, of course it is not. Worrying too much can cause too many problems in your life. I don’t mean to scare you but the truth is that you can literally worry yourself to death.
Worrying too much can be extremely unpleasant, both for you and your family. If worrying is not complimented with appropriate action, it gets very damaging. You know you have crossed that line if your worry escalate anxiety, unnecessarily intensifies a threat, doesn’t allow good judgment, makes you feel lonely, and makes you physically ill.
Worrying too much can lead to really serious health problems like heart diseases, high blood pressure, depression, and addictive behaviors. Worrying too much simply influences your thinking in a negative way which in turn can cause a plethora of problems.
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So the solution to worrying is not to stop worrying (As if??). I don’t know why even people suggest that. Imagine if I tell someone who is blind to stop being blind. I would be called an evil monster. Because, that’s insensitive and obviously NOT A SOLUTION! Well, exactly my point.
The solution to worrying is ‘understanding it’. Try to understand your worry and see if it really needs a solution. And if does, do not hesitate from seeking professional help.
