How does worrying help things?

Ludi · Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:35 pm Post subject: How does worrying help things?

I always wonder about folks who worry so much, who wake up in the night worrying about whatever (death, etc). How does this healp you?

I have an anxiety disorder, I used to find things to worry about until I realised it was a disorder.

Now I don't know - should I be worrying? How does worrying help things? Does it help you make better decisions, take action more effe ctively? What?

I told my husband I would start worrying when he does.

Shannymara

I don't think worrying ever helps anything. It's good to think things through, but not to worry. I've struggled with worry and anxiety my whole life. I gave up worrying last September, especially worrying about other people's problems. I still slip up now and then, but I'm doing much better, and I'm happier. I find my productivity is significantly higher, because I'm not expending energy on worry. And, equally important, I'm sleeping better and more. Smile

I can't think of a situation where worrying would be an asset.
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"Every junkie's like a setting sun..." - Neil Young

TheTurtle

Worrying solves nothing. There is power in calmness.

Recognize the possibilities. Work towards a solution for yourself and those you love. Accept whatever comes, knowing you have prepared as best you could.
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“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.” (Ted Perry)

Waterthrush

I have found some benefits to worrying. It causes one to turn over many possible outcomes in one's mind and have responses ready. People who don't worry tend to assume that everything will fall into place. Usually, but not always, they are right.

It has a downside as well - the expenditure of energy required.

There's often a side problem attached to worrying though. Other people, those in authority over us, can make us insecure about our ability to support ourselves. Losing a job has far-reaching consequences. Although we read more often about the minority who lose jobs and find themselves better off, I see far more people who lose a job and then have heavy consequences and compromises follow.

I worry a lot about the planet. And there's so little I can do. But it seems a terrible thing that the only living planet we know of will be destroyed so that more and more people crowd everything else out of existence.

cipi604

Fear is your friend. Makes you feel alive.

Shannymara

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1422

One of my grandmother's favorite sayings was, "Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but doesn't get you anywhere."

To that, I will add - unless you get your butt out of the chair and DO something about your worry.
Kathy

Laurasia · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 10, 2004 Posts: 534

Thanks for starting this thread, Ludi. I'm a chronic worrier, and I find it quite paralyzing at times. So it's nice to read others' responses, so maybe I'll find some pearl of wisdom to apply to my own situation.

Regards,

L.

SILENTTODD

Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. ~Mark Twain
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Skeptical scrutiny in both Science and Religion is the means by which deep thoughts are winnowed from deep nonsense-Carl Sagan

SILENTTODD

Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable. ~Theodore N. Vail
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Skeptical scrutiny in both Science and Religion is the means by which deep thoughts are winnowed from deep nonsense-Carl Sagan

Niagara

Worrying is like paying interest on a loan you never took out.

Nano

Worrying is not so bad, i agree with the poster above who says worrying gives energy. The only thing you should never do is worry in bed. My grandmother used to say: leave your troubles at the side of your bed, because you can be sure they will be there in the morning! (nobody will steal them in your sleep) Worrying in bed so that you can't sleep is one of the worst kinds of torture there is and the greatest danger to your sanity, bar none, IMHO.

bl00k

Worrying is wasted energy.
Worrying is your mind putting up barriers. It's amazing what the human mind is capable of.

zzzpeakoil · Tar Sands Joined: Dec 27, 2007 Posts: 40

Worrying is a critically important human trait. Without it, most humans would really barely make it through life.
Those who say that's "it's bad" or "it's wasted time" ... really have it wrong as any other pshychologist would know.

It is not only necessary to worry. It is healthy. A man without worries is probably a lazy man who's being taken care of by somebody else or a rich man who can afford whatever he desires, or somebody who is apathetic, and cares little about most things around him.

Worrying is a normal, healthy aspect of human life, but clearly, it can become pathological if it crosses the line... but hey... even drinking too much water can kill you. Most good things become bad in too large quantities.

It's probable that some chose to deny that worry is good like others deny that crying is good. Crying is also a very important ability by which some negative feelings are eliminated from withing the body. But there's the idea that crying makes you look silly, or "a true man does not cry", or other missconception that i'm sure you all heard of.

Crying is also very healthy but overcrying is not. Worry - the same.

Restricting one's own worries may lead to frustrations, anxiety and other afflictions, so I would advise against refraining from worrying.
Just don't let it cross the line and become a burden to the morale..

PhebaAndThePilgrim

Good evening from Pheba, from the farm:

As I write this I am fighting another wave of dizzy spells. I suffer from migraines. The migraines come from anxiety. The anxiety triggers the headaches which manifest as dizzy spells.
Right now I am deeply anxious because my daughter has been diagnosed with the same auto-immune disease that I have.
The difference between us is that I developed the disease at age 40. My child was grown, and I was only responsible for myself. My daughter is 30, and has 3 small boys.
I was finally able to fall asleep last night by asking myself a question; Okay, what can I do to help my daughter tonight, right now? The answer of course was nothing. So I went to sleep.
Tomorrow I will go visit her. I have helped her set up physician appointments, and am helping her in any way that I can.
When you get caught up in worry ask yourself; what can I do to solve the problem right now, this minute, this day, this evening?
Then if the answer is nothing, move on to something else.
Also, if something is bothering me in the middle of the night I get up out of bed and write it down. I keep a large marker and a piece of blank paper on my desk.
When I write it down I leave it on my desk and I can usually fall asleep right away.
Only a moron would not be "concerned" about the catastrophic problems descending on us.
There are times when I have trouble defining the difference between worry and concern.
Some wise person once said: "A worried person sees a problem, and a concerned person solves a problem." What a pile of cowpoo.
I am concerned about peak oil, global warming, habitat destruction, and population overshoot. I am also worried about the futures of all of planet earth because of the above problems.
What is the difference? I don't see any.
Pheba.