What is Worrying?

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Worrying

Worrying is what happens when the mind keeps running “what if?” stories about the future, usually about bad things that might happen. It often feels like trying to prevent danger by thinking about it over and over.

What worrying is

Worry is a chain of thoughts and images about possible problems, often focused on “What if this goes wrong?” or “How will I cope if…?”.

It usually aims to feel safer or more prepared but often ends up making you more tense and stressed, not less.

Why people worry

Worry can give a brief sense of control, like “At least I’m thinking about it, so I’m doing something.”

Many people also grow up learning that being over-careful, scanning for danger, or expecting the worst is how you stay safe or avoid mistakes.

When worrying is useful

A small amount of worry can prompt sensible action, like checking you locked the door, preparing for an exam, or planning for a bill.

This kind of worry tends to be focused, time‑limited, and leads to a clear step you can take.

When worrying becomes a problem

Worry becomes unhelpful when it is constant, hard to switch off, and mostly about things you cannot control or that may never happen.

Then it can cause trouble with sleep, concentration, mood, and can feed anxiety and physical tension (like tight shoulders, upset stomach, racing heart).

Common signs of unhelpful worrying

• Replaying the same “what if?” situations without getting to a decision or action.
• Struggling to be present (for example, during conversations or relaxing) because the mind keeps jumping ahead.
• Needing repeated reassurance from others but only feeling briefly better.
• Lying awake going over possible disasters or trying to “solve” future problems at 2 a.m.

When worrying turns into constantly thinking or ones problems; often called rumination. Especially when done with a pessimistic frame of mind, where the blackest, and worst outcomes become the focus (catastrophising), then it becomes a kind of self-traumatisation. A negative spiral that often overwhelms people.

Simple ways to manage worry

Name it: Instead of “I’m just thinking,” label it as “This is worry” to create a bit of distance.

Ask: problem or no‑problem?

• If it is a real, current problem you can influence, write down concrete steps you can take.

• If it is a “what if?” about something you can’t control, practice gently letting it go or postponing it.

Set a “worry time”: Choose a short, fixed time each day (for example, 15 minutes in the afternoon) to write down and think about worries. Outside that time, if a worry pops up, remind yourself “I’ll park this for worry time.” Write it down, so that you know you won’t forget it. Bit also, realise that many worries are not really your problem.

Come back to the senses: Use grounding skills (for example, notice 5 things you can see, 4 you can feel, 3 you can hear, etc.) to bring attention back to the present moment.

Check your questions: Shift from “What if everything goes wrong?” to “What is most likely, and what is one sensible step I could take now, if any?”.

When to seek extra support

It can help to talk to a professional if worry feels nonstop, is hard to control, or comes with strong physical anxiety (like panic attacks, constant tension, or severe sleep problems).

Support can teach more structured ways to work with worry so it stops running the show and becomes just one part of your mind, not the boss of it.