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Worry Is Rarely Helpful, and Is Often Counter- Productive

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Worry Is Rarely Helpful, and Is Often Counter- Productive BEHAVIOUR orry has become a ourselves to act responsibly. ‘People think modern-day epidemic, worry is helpful,’ he says. ‘They think “I need infecting our lives with to worry to be protected” – they look at it as a THERE’S NO different strains – from way of avoiding a problem.’ Yet worry is rar- SUCH THING AS A sweating the small stuff ely helpful, and is often counter-productive. BORN WORRIER W(did I lock the car?) to imagining the worst Leahy distinguishes between productive 1 ‘I worry about everything. I always (is this headache a brain tumour?). worry – the concerns that prompt us to act have,’ says Eileen, 42, a healthcare And it’s a habit we are teaching our children: – and unproductive ‘what-if’ worry, when we manager from Nottingham. But research shows that today, levels of anxiety imagine worst-case scenarios. ‘What-if’ wor- is there such a thing as a ‘born in high school students in the US are as high rying often occurs because we overthink worrier’? According to personal as those of psychiatric patients in the 1950s, situations and feel a need to control the uncon- construct psychology, worry is a while the UK’s Mental Health Foundation esti- trollable. The key is to isolate what we can behaviour, not a personality trait. mates that 10 per cent of us are likely to have a control and to rigorously question just how ‘What determines our behaviour disabling anxiety disorder at some point. Mean- plausible are our other concerns. Challenging is not what happens to us but while, research shows that women are more irrational worries in this way exposes just how we interpret it,’ explains likely than men to brood on their worries. how unfounded they are. Dorothy Rowe, psychologist and ‘I put unnecessary pressure on myself by If we don’t do this, our worries can, over author of Beyond Fear (£12.99, worrying,’ admits Karen, 35, a scriptwriter time, suppress the immune system, raise HarperCollins). So by believing you from London. ‘I worry that my work isn’t blood pressure and lead to anxiety-related are a born worrier, you will be good enough and I worry about the small conditions such as generalised anxiety disorder more likely to interpret your things, such as the friend I haven’t emailed. (GAD). We also run the risk of stunting our experiences from that perspective. Instead of taking action, which might curb the emotional intelligence. Research by Joseph Research by Joseph LeDoux, worry, I feel paralysed by my anxiety.’ LeDoux, professor at the Center for Neural Sci- professor at the Center for Neural So, if we know it doesn’t ence at New York University, Science at New York University, serve us, why do we worry? shows that worry suppresses also suggests it is ‘nurture’ rather ‘Worry is a normal thought Worry is rarely the amygdala (the area of the than ‘nature’ that creates worriers process – a survival instinct,’ helpful, and is brain that provides a fast, emo- – he found that unconscious, explains Adrian Wells, pro- tional reaction to threatening fear-related memories from the fessor of clinical and often counter- stimuli and teaches the brain to past imprint on the brain. Eileen experimental psychopathol- mediate a better response next admits that this could be true ogy at the University of productive time). Instead, abstract, unemo- for her. ‘My mother was very ill Manchester. ‘But it becomes tional brain areas, such as the a lot of the time when I was NO NEED abnormal when it is excessive and interferes frontal cortex, are activated, delaying our abil- growing up, so there was always with meeting important personal goals. I have ity to process and learn from our emotions. something to worry about. I known people who refuse promotion, or stay But LeDoux also insists it is possible to suppose that my fearful, worried in unhappy relationships because they were ‘rewire’ the brain. Quite simply, you can cure way of thinking became a habit.’ too worried about what might happen if they yourself of worry – with transformational Using worry profiles or tests to changed the situation.’ results. ‘People who take control of their wor- learn more about your attitudes Robert Leahy, president of the International ries are freed up to enjoy an active life. They towards worry can be a first step TO WORRY Association of Cognitive Psychotherapy, avoid fewer situations and, as a result, have to breaking the worry habit (see Worrying is a good and useful tool – up to a point. It helps keep us safe and reminds believes that many of us worry in the mis- a richer life with more experiences,’ says the panel on page 68). us to get things done. But when it spirals out of control, it turns into an energy-sapping, taken belief that it helps us to prevent our Wells. Read on for advice from the experts sleep-stealing anxiety cycle. What, asks Victoria Read, are we so worried about? worst fears from happening, or to motivate on how to stop worrying and start living. 64 PSYCHOLOGIES PSYCHOLOGIES 65 BEHAVIOUR CHALLE NG E RECOGNISE THAT consider the possible benefits, RESOURCES NAME YOUR FEAR YOUR NEGATIVE A study YOU CAN COPE advises Leahy. Vivienne, 34, an ● THE WORRY Many people feel they BELIEFS found that, ‘In life we actually have architect from Leeds, lost her CURE by Robert can’t tolerate the fact 2Robert Leahy, president of the 4 very little control over what mother in her twenties. ‘I used to Leahy (£10.99, that something is worrying them, 7 International Association of on average, happens. Unexpected things think, “how am I ever going to get Piatkus) and cope by pretending their Cognitive Psychotherapy, believes happen all the time,’ says Dorothy married or have kids? How will I ● COPING WITH feelings don’t exist rather than we each have a core belief about 85 per cent Rowe. Every day, millions of people know what to do?” Now I’ve done A STRESSED expressing them. Leahy calls this ourselves, formed in childhood, of negative become bankrupt, lose their home, both – and though I miss my mum, NERVOUS ‘repressive coping’ – when you that determines what we worry their health or someone they love, I never had to put up with the kind SYSTEM: find it hard to even identify how about. If your core belief is that you predictions do and live to tell the tale. Rather than of interference friends of mine get AUTONOMIC you feel about something, and are sloppy, your worries will centre not come true viewing ‘worst-case scenarios’ from their mums over wedding OVERLOAD may feel a need to remain rational. around your work not being of a as total disaster, you should plans or having kids. I do it my way.’ EXPLAINED by A much healthier approach is high enough standard. If you believe Kenneth Hambly ‘expressive coping’. Say how you you are boring, you will focus on and Alice feel, let yourself cry or be upset. what others think of you. Try noting Muir (£7.99, In a study by the psychologist down your most common worries. Sheldon Press) James Pennebaker, students For example, if they are things CHANGE YOUR BANISH YOUR ● COGNITIVE wrote about an experience that such as ‘I’m sure my boss thinks I’m BEDTIME HABITS NIGHT-TIME THERAPY OF had upset them. Immediately less efficient than my colleagues’ or Pre-sleep worriers have WOR RIE S ANXIETY afterwards, they felt worse. But, ‘I’ll never finish that evening course’, 5a deep-seated belief that it is ‘The darkest hour really is before DISORDERS: a few weeks later, the students 6 then your core belief may be that helpful to dwell on worries at the dawn,’ says chartered A PRACTICAL actually felt better than another you are lazy. Once you’ve identified night, and necessary to stay psychologist Alice Muir. ‘If you GUIDE by group who hadn’t been asked your core belief, the next step is organised, according to clinical wake early morning, or in the night, Adrian Wells to write down their feelings. to challenge it. For example, look psychologist Allison Harvey at your mind is depressed due to (£29.99, Wiley) Leahy recommends keeping an back over the past week and ask: the University of California. If increased levels of melatonin – ● EMOTIONAL emotion diary for a few weeks, ‘how much time did I actually you are stressed and busy, your the hormone which triggers DISORDERS AND in which you note down what spend being lazy?’ Next, act levels of the stress hormone both sleep and low mood.’ On METACOGNITION: is worrying you and why. Initially against that belief: ‘Is it possible to cortisol remain high when you waking, sleep inertia, a temporary INNOVATIVE you may feel worse, but over be lazy a little bit of the time without go to bed, stimulating the frontal impairment in concentration, means COGNITIVE time you will feel better for it, being a slob?’ Finally, develop a cortex area of the brain. Without we are initially 50 per cent less able THERAPY by and will be able to put your worries more positive belief: ‘I have the the activities of the day to to make good decisions and still 20 Adrian Wells into better perspective. A related right to relax once in a while.’ occupy it, it starts to race, like per cent less able half an hour (£60, Wiley) trick is to set aside 30 minutes the momentum that throws after waking. Yet we often spend daily to list everything worrying passengers forward when a car this time going over our worries, you.
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