We all worry, worry is a natural part of the human condition, noticing what could go wrong can be helpful and help us plan and reduce problems but worry sometimes becomes a problem and then unhelpful.
In this blog, I am going to be running through some CBT strategies for recognising when worry is becoming excessive and strategies to manage it. CBT is the most effective treatment for excessive worry.
Signs that your worrying is becoming excessive
Racing thoughts about ‘what if’ scenarios
Struggling to concentrate on other things
Feeling irritable and exhausted
Feeling anxious and on edge a lot of the time.
Noticing your worry signs and signals
Spotting the early signs of a worry cycle can help you better manage your thoughts and feelings, and prevent them from becoming overwhelming or time-consuming.
It is not uncommon to notice you have been worrying after the process has been going on for a while and your anxiety is heightened, at this stage it can be really difficult to disengage from the worry process.
Becoming aware of and noticing your worry signs and signals allows you the opportunity to step away from the cycle or break it down before your anxiety increases and worries have snowballed together.
Worry signs and signals differ between people and situations however some common signs are:
Noticing racing ‘what if’ thoughts
Noticing that you are having trouble concentrating
Feeling restless and anxious.
Separating your worries into current problems and hypothetical situations
Low to medium levels of worry about current problems for short periods can prompt action/problem-solving. Current problems are defined as circumstances that are happening in the present. Often worries can chain together and what may start as a concern about a current problem can lead to worrying about a number of hypothetical scenarios. Categorising the worries can help to reduce feelings of overwhelm and refocus attention on what you can control.
Examples of current problems
My deadline is approaching and I have not completed my work
My mortgage term has ended and the interest rates have gone up
I have just argued with my friend and I said something I didn’t mean that upset her.
Hypothetical worries
Worrying about hypothetical scenarios, things that have not happened and may not happen on the other hand is not useful as problem-solving skills cannot be applied to situations that have not happened effectively. Worrying about hypothetical scenarios tends to lead to hypothetical worries progressing in catastrophic and unlikely directions.
Examples of hypothetical worries and how they progress
What if I get in trouble at work? What if they decide to fire me? What if I can’t get another job?
What if my friend won’t speak to me? What if she never speaks to me again? What if she tells our other friends about the disagreement and they also stop speaking to me?
What if I can’t afford the mortgage? What if I lose my house? What if I end up with nowhere to live?
Problem-solving the current problems
Taking action to resolve current problems can help to reduce worry. Through taking this action the situation may be resolved or be on its way to being resolved. The level of anxiety may also reduce when you know you have done what you can to remedy the problem. The therapy process involves building skills in problem-solving and overcoming barriers to putting this skill in place.
How to practice letting go of the hypothetical worries
Worry postponement
Resolving not to engage with the worry process now and setting time aside to worry later in the day if you still feel that you want to, whilst In the meantime focussing on being in the present moment. It is likely that the worry may pop into your head before the scheduled worry time, in these circumstances, it can be useful to gently remind yourself of the scheduled worry time that is coming later and return to the present. Often people find that removing their attention from the worry for a period of time removes its fuel and the scheduled worry time does not need to be used.
The therapy process involves practicing this skill and learning techniques and skills to bring your attention back to the present moment.
Detached mindfulness
Detached mindfulness is a process whereby you become the observer of your thought processes as opposed to becoming entangled with them or feeling that you need to solve or engage with every thought.
Detached mindfulness helps you to build the skill of noticing your thoughts and taking a step back from them should you choose. The therapy process involves learning specific strategies to build skills in being able to do this.
Getting help
If you would like more information about CBT therapy or to book an appointment my email address is contact@eatonpsychotherapy.co.uk