How to Switch Off Your Worrying

Sharon Moore October 31, 2012

We people worry about many things – bills, business, family, children, health, etc. Worry is a natural emotion that occurs whenever we feel threatened, just like the antibodies produced by our system when a foreign substance enters our body. Worrying makes us more alert and protects us from potential perils. But too much of it can do more harm than good. It boosts our stress levels (which leads to various health problems), reduces our concentration abilities, and keeps us from doing our usual routines properly.

Why do we worry so much?

In an article written by David Ropeik for the New York Times, he explained that our brains are hard-wired to worry first and think second. This often results to taking actions that are less useful in countering a situation that keeps us worried.

According to Joseph LeDoux, an NYU neuroscientist, connections from the emotional systems to the cognitive systems are stronger than the connections from the cognitive systems to the emotional systems. He was referring to the limbic system – the structure deep within the brain that is activated whenever we are faced with situations that have implications on our well-being and survival. Whenever we feel delighted or frightened, the limbic system shoots information to the cortex where these sensations are processed.

This interaction between the limbic system and the cortex is a two-way street, explains LeDoux. That is to say, the cortex has also the capability to take control of the limbic system. By learning how to take control of this structure in your brain, you can prevent your emotions from leading your life. And unless you decide to be in charge of your emotions, they will take over you.

Managing worries and negative emotions

Just because worrying is hard-wired in our brain, doesn’t mean we can no longer do something to eliminate, if not reduce it. When taken with caution, worrying can be an essential tool that will keep you protected from life’s perils. Here are some things you can do to manage your worries and some other negative emotions:

· Learn to change your emotions by changing your thoughts

Perhaps the reason why cognitive therapy is very effective in helping people address anxiety and other behavioural disorders is because it is centred on changing one’s perspective. Your behaviour is the product of your mind. If you have negative thoughts, it will reflect on your actions. In cognitive behavioural therapy, the rational part of the cortex is trained to take control of the irrational part of the limbic system. Remember, human beings feel before they think. By strengthening the cortex’s natural ability to manage emotions, we can actually change how we feel even before it affects our behaviour. Many people think that the only way to change the brain chemistry is through medication. But the brain is more powerful than what we think it is.

· Instead of focusing on the negative, give more attention to the positive possibilities

On her book “Why Worry? Stop Coping and Start Living”, Kathryn Tristan, a researcher from the Washington University School of Medicine, cited several ways on how to retrain the brain to reduce worrying. She recommends eliminating an energy-draining habit called terribilizing (the act of envisioning terrible catastrophe) and focusing on possibilizing (giving emphasis to positive possibilities). For example, instead of worrying about the bills and visualising losing your home and other properties, focus on the possible ways to get enough funds to settle your financial issues. When you let worries take control of your brain, it is less likely that you will be able to think of strategies to resolve the problems at hand.

· Examine your irrational beliefs and eliminate them.

Most worries that plague us are none but irrational beliefs. For instance, you might be worried of pursuing your application to study in a prestigious university because you believe that you are not intelligent enough to pass the admission test. Maybe you have tried this before and you did not pass that’s why you fell into the belief that you can’t make it. But did you fail the last time because you are not intelligent or is it because you did not have enough time to review and prepare for the exam? By eliminating those irrational beliefs, you are giving yourself more chance to maximise your potential.

· Redefine your concept of “perfection”

Who doesn’t want to live a perfect life? No worries, just pure happiness. No hardships, just comfort. No hatred, just love. But no matter how many times we wish for it to happen, there is no such thing as a “perfect” life. Bad things happen just like good things do. Sometimes we’re on top, sometimes not. Sometimes we get what we wanted, sometimes we fail. By knowing that life is a complex process, it will be easier to accept disappointments and frustrations. Instead of feeling bad about them, learn from them.

· When making important decisions, try to set aside your emotions

Most trial lawyers succeed by appealing to the emotions of the jurors to free their clients from criminal liabilities despite the weight of evidence against them. In ordinary life situations, it is easy to say and do things in the heat of an argument. But often, we end up regretting our actions. The more you can separate your emotions when making decisions, the better choices you will make.

· Learn to overcome feelings of anger, anxiety, or guilt

These powerful negative emotions intensify our worries. They make us more disoriented, preventing us from making sound decisions. There are mental exercises such as yoga and mindfulness meditation that train our brain to cope with negative emotions. Another way to overcome these negative emotions is to harness the positive ones that counter them. For instance, developing the value of forgiveness makes you overcome anger and guilt while learning how to relax counters the effects of anxiety.

· Don’t hesitate to seek help

If we can only take control of our cortex in a snap of the finger, there will be no need for cognitive therapists who spent years studying the brain. These people can help you see things in a different perspective. They can design a program that specifically addresses your needs.