Worry
Worry
is thoughts, images and emotions of a negative nature in which mental attempts
are made to avoid anticipated potential threats. As an emotion it is experienced
as anxiety or concern about a real or imagined issue, usually personal issues
such as health or finances or broader ones such as environmental pollution and
social or technological change. Most people experience short-lived periods of
worry in their lives without incident; indeed, a moderate amount of worrying may
even have positive effects, if it prompts people to take precautions (e.g.,
fastening their seat belt or buying fire insurance) or avoid risky behaviours
(e.g., angering dangerous animals, or binge
drinking).
Excessive
worry is the main component of generalized anxiety
disorder.
Theories
Mental state in terms of challenge level
and skill level, according to Csikszentmihalyi's flow model.
One theory of
anxiety by Liebert and Morris in 1967 suggests that anxiety consists of two
components; worry and emotionality. Emotionality refers to physiological
symptoms such as sweating, increased heartbeat and raised blood pressure. Worry
refers to negative self-talk that often distracts the mind from focusing on
solutions to the problem at hand. For example, when students become anxious
during a test, they may repeatedly tell themselves they are going to fail, or
they cannot remember the material, or that their teacher will become angry with
them if they perform poorly. This thinking interferes with focusing on the test
as the speech areas of the brain that are needed to complete test questions are
being used for worrying.
Dr. Edward
Hallowell, psychiatrist and author of Worry, argues that while "Worry serves a
productive function", "anticipatory and dangerous" worrying—which he calls
"toxic worry"--can be harmful for your mental and physical health. He claims
that "Toxic worry is when the worry paralyzes you," whereas "Good worry leads to
constructive action" such as taking steps to resolve the issue that is causing
concern. To combat worry, Hallowell suggests that people should not worry alone,
because people are much more likely to come up with solutions when talking about
their concerns with a friend. As well, he urges worriers to find out more
information about the issue that is troubling them, or make sure that their
information is correct. Another step to reduce worry is to make a plan and take
action and take "care of your brain" by sleeping enough, getting exercise, and
eating a healthy diet (without a "lot of carbs, junk food, alcohol, drugs, etc).
Hallowell encourages worriers to get "regular doses of positive human contact"
such as "a hug or a warm pat on the back". Finally, he suggests that worriers
let the problem go rather than gathering them around
themselves.
In positive
psychology, worry is described as a response to a moderate challenge for which
the subject has inadequate skills
is thoughts, images and emotions of a negative nature in which mental attempts
are made to avoid anticipated potential threats. As an emotion it is experienced
as anxiety or concern about a real or imagined issue, usually personal issues
such as health or finances or broader ones such as environmental pollution and
social or technological change. Most people experience short-lived periods of
worry in their lives without incident; indeed, a moderate amount of worrying may
even have positive effects, if it prompts people to take precautions (e.g.,
fastening their seat belt or buying fire insurance) or avoid risky behaviours
(e.g., angering dangerous animals, or binge
drinking).
Excessive
worry is the main component of generalized anxiety
disorder.
Theories
Mental state in terms of challenge level
and skill level, according to Csikszentmihalyi's flow model.
One theory of
anxiety by Liebert and Morris in 1967 suggests that anxiety consists of two
components; worry and emotionality. Emotionality refers to physiological
symptoms such as sweating, increased heartbeat and raised blood pressure. Worry
refers to negative self-talk that often distracts the mind from focusing on
solutions to the problem at hand. For example, when students become anxious
during a test, they may repeatedly tell themselves they are going to fail, or
they cannot remember the material, or that their teacher will become angry with
them if they perform poorly. This thinking interferes with focusing on the test
as the speech areas of the brain that are needed to complete test questions are
being used for worrying.
Dr. Edward
Hallowell, psychiatrist and author of Worry, argues that while "Worry serves a
productive function", "anticipatory and dangerous" worrying—which he calls
"toxic worry"--can be harmful for your mental and physical health. He claims
that "Toxic worry is when the worry paralyzes you," whereas "Good worry leads to
constructive action" such as taking steps to resolve the issue that is causing
concern. To combat worry, Hallowell suggests that people should not worry alone,
because people are much more likely to come up with solutions when talking about
their concerns with a friend. As well, he urges worriers to find out more
information about the issue that is troubling them, or make sure that their
information is correct. Another step to reduce worry is to make a plan and take
action and take "care of your brain" by sleeping enough, getting exercise, and
eating a healthy diet (without a "lot of carbs, junk food, alcohol, drugs, etc).
Hallowell encourages worriers to get "regular doses of positive human contact"
such as "a hug or a warm pat on the back". Finally, he suggests that worriers
let the problem go rather than gathering them around
themselves.
In positive
psychology, worry is described as a response to a moderate challenge for which
the subject has inadequate skills
