Some people just can’t stop worrying. They import non-existent “phantom hazards” and become a destructive nosedive. Studies show that 1/20 adults suffer from General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and 2/3 of these are women.

Worry is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘to strangle’ or ‘to choke’. Norman Vincent Peale likened him to someone grabbing a person’s neck tightly to cut off the air supply. Worry works in the same way, incapacitating a person for a period of time.

“The concern is not based on facts but on assumptions,” says Paul Stolz. So borrowing problems from the future is a pure waste of time and energy.

Signs of a worried:

• Agitated by nothing. The expression ‘cat on a hot tin roof’ or ‘walking on pins’ is an apt description. A woman from my neighborhood qualifies. Her husband cannot leave the house for more than half an hour, when she imagines that he has had an accident. A slight stomach upset leads her to the doctor to rule out stomach cancer. If she can’t find anything to worry about, she borrows other people’s problems and reflects on them. Others avoid her because her nervousness catches on.

• Unexplained fatigue, headaches, muscle tension.

• Hypochondria.

• Depression.

• High blood pressure, heart attacks.

• Insomnia.

Dale Carnegie used to worry well into life. He started in childhood. One day, while picking cherries on a Missouri farm, he began to cry: “I’m afraid they’ll bury me alive.”

During storms, he worried that he would be struck by lightning. During hard times, he was sure he would have to go hungry. He was worried about going to hell after he died. He was worried that no girl would marry him, and even if she did, he would be dumbfounded after the ceremony.

As an adult, he discovered that by the law of averages, the chance of being killed by lightning was 1/350,000. Similarly, only 1/10 million would be buried alive.

Worry is toxic to the mind and body. Bunyan called it “the swamp of despondency”, and St. John Cross saw it as the “dark night of the soul”.

Consequences of worry:

• Worry is debilitating. It causes loss of vitality and leaves one physically and mentally fatigued and unable to cope with the ordinary problems of life. No job can be done satisfactorily.

• Change in Personality. A worried person walks around looking gloomy and embarrassed. You lose the joy of living or interacting with other people. Irritability, moodiness, and impatience are characteristic.

• Loss of Creativity because the mind is never free of tension.

• Loss of logical thinking and decision-making ability. “Worry can prevent the body from flexibly coping with environmental stresses,” says psychologist Thomas Bercovec.

• Loss of ability to keep friends. Relationships flood and break. People avoid contact and keep their distance.

• Worry leads people to an early grave. They are prone to peptic ulcers, hypertension, heart attacks, or even suicide.

Causes for concern:

– It could be genetic. Some say that in 30% of cases the ‘worry wart’ is inherited. An anxious mother often has an anxious daughter.

– Certain experiences in childhood or adolescence. It can be due to poverty, unhappy environments, illnesses, traumatic incidents that happened a long time ago.

– Personal tragedies due to loss of loved ones, accidents, frequent changes of residence.

– The overprotection or pampering of parents hinders the normal development of children. They are fearful when making decisions, distrustful of strangers, shy and insecure.

– Push prematurely to adult responsibilities through early marriages, unwanted pregnancies, maintenance of siblings or parents, or overload of work.

– Lack of faith in God.

How to overcome worry:

1. Be informed: Of all creation, human beings are the only ones who care. Almost everyone goes through brief periods of worry. These are usually real problems and go away when the problem is fixed. Some like to call it “good worry,” because it’s constructive in action. It helps us take precautions or positive steps to eliminate the problem. “Every problem contains seeds of its own solution,” says the American thinker Stanley Arnold, and if properly thought through and resolved, it could benefit us all. But “toxic worry” has psychosomatic repercussions such as shortness of breath, increased blood pressure, increased pulse, and is detrimental to both physical and mental health. “The mind that is anxious about the future is miserable,” says Seneca.

2. Be introspective: analyze your worries and look them in the face. Examine each aspect of the problem from different angles. What is the worst that can happen? How can the problem be prevented or managed? Is there a way to fix it permanently? Then think of solutions. Observe how others approach such problems.

3. Try the positive image: A person who anticipates trouble subconsciously expects the worst and anticipates failure. One must learn to think differently and create a positive image in the mind. This brings confidence that the problem is not insoluble. One needs to visualize success and work towards it creatively. Anticipating the worst has a paralyzing effect on the senses. The incredible power of positive images can change the direction of your life. Psychologist William James says: “The greatest discovery of this generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering the attitude of their minds.” Reconditioning your mind to think differently is an important step in overcoming worry. However, some people may need the help of a cognitive behavioral therapist.

4. Distract the mind through reading, gardening, music, pursuing new hobbies, or social work.

5. Relaxation through meditation can empty the mind of worries.

6. Good physical health through regular exercise, nutritious diet, and adequate sleep.

7. Make friends with happy people who are fun to be around and who have a positive outlook on life.

8. Find God. He tells us not to worry. “Don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will take care of itself. Every day has enough problems of its own.” (Matthew 6:34) Cast your concern on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7) The person who believes that the Creator of the Universe loves and cares for him is someone who is free from self-doubt and is Able to overcome worry Faith gives courage to take risks and the ability to face problems.