That ominous feeling of stress and worry has a huge impact on your life, so you shouldn’t suffer in silence. Instead, discover how to kick that chronic worrying habit – for good.
1 Ditch the stress-inducers
Stress is a big contributor, as it gives you reasons to worry and gets you in the negative mood spiral that makes you more likely to worry. You can’t totally avoid it, but you can learn to say ‘no’ more, work fewer hours or clear the air on a troubled relationship.
2 Don’t be a perfectionist
People who won’t settle for less than perfection tend to be big worriers because they think an issue through until they have reviewed and exhausted all possibilities. In addition, perfectionists are never happy with what others find acceptable, which fuels more worry. Remember, good enough is good enough!
3 Think molehills
Fearing all the possible implications of a problem, or ‘catastrophising’, can make things seem insurmountable. Get some perspective using techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy; try www.oflikeminds.com.
Healthy readers share their tips:
‘Go for a run! Any anxiety that I have at the start of the run has melted away by the end of it.’ — Magdalen Smith, 37, Hampshire
‘After a holiday in India, I worried less about my own life. It was a beautiful trip, but the daily struggle I saw on the streets put my worries in perspective.’ — Alice Canning, 42, Berkshire
‘Ban screens in the bedroom. I’d check email last thing at night, then lie awake worrying about a work issue I couldn’t deal with till the next day anyway.’ — Jo Jobson, 40, East Yorkshire
‘Talking to my sister about my worries really helps as she flips them and says “What would you say to me?” so I find it easier to rationalise them.’ — Miriam Pardoe, 45, Buckinghamshire
‘Leave Facebook. I felt anxious about why my life didn’t look like my loved-up and babied-up friends’. Then I worried about the time I spent on it!’ — Natalie Whiting, 35, Hertfordshire