As offered by The Beatles..."When you find yourself in times of trouble, there will be an answer - Let it be." When you have stressful events in your life, worry is normal. When someone you love is sick, you worry. When the doctor tells you a lump that you have is cancer, you worry. When you lose your job, you worry. When a disaster causes you to lose your home, you worry. When weather forecasts are terrifying, you worry.
Guess what...you're not sick. You are normal. These are the kinds of things that would be stressful to most people. When the things about what you are worried go away, your worry goes away. Your worries are an ordinary and temporary part of your life
On the other hand, you may be one of those people who worries about everything and the worry doesn't go away. Then, to make matters worse, you may get headaches, stomach aches, sore muscles and extreme fatigue. If this is the case, you may have an anxiety disorder. You find that you worry more often than others and no matter how much you tell yourself to "let it be," you feel like you cannot do so. You become increasingly tired and irritable. You have trouble concentrating or sleeping. Your worry is constant and overwhelming.
In some cases, medication may be helpful. We can talk to your primary care provider about this possibility. Discussing these matters with a therapist will also be useful in assisting you to better understand your feelings. Cognitive behavioral therapy will help you in recognizing thought patterns that tend to trigger your anxiety. It is best to seek professional help as early as possible. You will be able to learn to associate your your thought patterns with your tension and you can then begin to replace them with healthier, more realistic, alternatives.
Are you one of the people who always thinks about "the worst that can happen" rather than considering a more optimistic outlook? Meditation and mindfulness can be beneficial for those who feel crippled by worries. You can learn more about using the above techniques from your therapist. Progressive muscle relaxation will additionally reduce the strain that is becoming an unwelcome part of your life.
Many people also find it useful to cut down on foods that tend to increase anxiety. Foods with caffeine tend to aggravate worry. Reducing the amount of coffee, tea, cola, chocolate and energy drinks can often help you. Generally, your health care provider can provide a healthy diet, an exercise routine and good sleep hygiene which includes a relaxing bedtime ritual. Do avoid over-the-counter medicines that claim to assist sleep. Many of them contain chemicals that can increase your anxiety.
You may not have always listened to your parents, but, heed the reflections of the father of our country, George Washington.
"Worry is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble."