How to Stop Worrying When You Have Anxiety

How to Stop Worrying When You Have Anxiety Panic Disorder Symptoms Print How to Stop Worrying When You Have Anxiety By Sheryl Ankrom linkedin Sheryl Ankrom is a clinical professional counselor and nationally certified clinical mental health counselor specializing in anxiety disorders. Learn about our editorial policy Sheryl Ankrom Updated on May 17, 2019 Russell Johnson / EyeEm / Getty Images More in Panic Disorder Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Coping Related Conditions It’s normal to worry from time to time. Given life’s many unknowns and challenges, worry could be considered a very natural response to many situations. Chronic and all-consuming worry, though, can be troublesome and interfere with our ability to function freely and calmly in our daily lives. More importantly, it can make recovery from panic disorder or agoraphobia more difficult. In 1967, researchers Liebert and Morris suggested that anxiety has two main dimensions: Worry, which covers the ruminating or repetitive thoughts that are generally focused on potential failure or some other type of negative resultEmotionality, which refers to the excessive physiological arousal, such as sweating, heart racing, etc., that accompany states of anxiety. Other researchers have studied this two-dimensional model of anxiety and generally concur with the findings of Liebert and Morris, so it’s safe to say that worry is a main component of anxiety. Worry and Fear Worry can be normal and even beneficial in certain circumstances. If you’re worried about taking an upcoming exam, you may feel a sense of anxiety. Hopefully, this type of worry will motivate you to study harder. On the other hand, chronic worry tends to do the opposite, keeping you from doing what you need to do. Worry becomes a problem when it is chronic, consuming, and leads to anxious avoidance and inhibition. In other words, worry becomes fear. It distracts you from important matters, and it can inhibit action or problem-solving. Using the above example, lets say youre worried that you wont do well on an upcoming exam. Instead of the exam motivating you to study harder, though, your worry consumes your mind, you cant concentrate on the task at hand and you are unable to prepare properly for the test. Your fear of failure now becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Are Your Worrisome Thoughts a Problem? You may have a problem with worry if you: Consistently worry about future failures, dangers, or other types of negative outcomesRuminate, or repeat in your mind, the same worry or worriesTry to stop worrying by anxious avoidance of certain situationsBecome paralyzed with worry and are unable to focus on, or implement, constructive solutions to your problems. The 7 Best Online Anxiety Support Groups