Telltale Signs You Worry Too Much And How To Chill

It’s natural to worry about things, especially if life has thrown you a stressful situation that you have to work through. However, if you’re always freaking out even about the small stuff, the problem could be that you’re a chronic worrier. Here’s how you know this is you, as well as some tips to help you calm down a bit.

1. You play the “what if?” game.

If you’re a chronic worrier, chances are that you play the “what if?” game. You might think, “What if I fail?” or “What if I have an incurable disease?” These thoughts play to your fears and can intensify your worries. You never seem to imagine the positive outcomes, which is pretty sad.

2. You worry about little things.

You tend to worry about things that other people don’t even consider. You stress about small, everyday things, like if you’re going to find your favorite yogurt brand at the supermarket or if you’ll feel anxious during your work meeting. This could be happening because worrying is becoming an engrained habit, so your brain’s finding small things to scratch the itch, so to speak.

3. You’re addicted to worrying.

If you’re always worrying about something, you might find that it’s weird not to worry. In this way, fixating and stressing on potential outcomes of situations in your life can become addictive. Your brain’s used to you entertaining negative thoughts, and so it keeps dishing them out to you.

4. You worry even when the situation improves.

Maybe you were worried about your blood test results or if the person you were dating was into you like they said they were. Now that the situation’s improved and everything’s fine, you don’t feel like celebrating. Instead, you’ve chosen a different part of the situation to stress about. Maybe you’re doubting the good outcome because persistent worry has made you skeptical of happiness.

5. You replace one worry for another.

When one worry passes, your brain will hand you a new one. To your loved ones, you always seem to have something new to stress about. They might even express concern that you’re always on a hamster wheel of anxiety. It’s like you don’t know what to do with yourself when things are going too smoothly.

6. You feel like you can’t control your worry.

You’re a chronic worrier if you feel like it’s a struggle to control your feelings. When anxiety strikes, you feel like you’re helpless in the throes of it. You might even feel like a prisoner of uncertainty. It can be helpful to still your mind through meditation, which will also calm down your body’s response to the stress and anxiety you’re feeling.

7. Your stressful thoughts are on a loop.

Intrusive thoughts are common with worry. You might feel like your mind is racing with visions that are super-negative and make you worry that something bad’s going to happen. It’s useful to try to be aware of what the thoughts are saying so you can replace them with positive ones.

8. You struggle to concentrate.

If you’re always worrying about stuff, it can take up a lot of brain space that should be going to your daily work and tasks. You might struggle to focus. Try to engage in calming activities to clear your mind before you work like listening to classical music or doing some breathing exercises.

9. You can’t relax.

It’s not easy to relax when you’re always consumed by worry. You might associate relaxation with surrendering, which is scary, but your level of worry doesn’t affect the outcome of your situation. Things are uncertain, but they don’t have to stop you from self-care and doing things to refill your rapidly emptying cup.

10. You experience restlessness.

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You might also feel restless, especially when you’re supposed to be chilling out or trying to go to sleep. It can help you to write down your worries and look at them objectively. Tell yourself that you’ll deal with them the next day so you can give yourself a bit of a break.

11. You feel guilty if you don’t worry.

If worrying has become such a habit, you might feel guilty when you’re not freaking out about something. Maybe you associate worrying with being on guard, as though you can prevent bad things from happening, but this obviously isn’t true. Gently remind yourself that guilt is a way for you to punish yourself unnecessarily and that you should treat yourself with kindness.

12. You’re easily irritated by others.

If your patience is running out quicker these days, your excessive worrying could be causing you to feel more irritable with the people around you. Take this as a red flag that you’re spending too much time and energy worrying and it’s making you unpleasant to be around. Talk about your worries with people you trust so you can get them off your mind and grab some chill.

13. You’ve got physical symptoms.

If you’re a chronic worrier, you might experience health-related symptoms because your worrying is making you sick. Maybe you experience nausea, headaches, or gastrointestinal symptoms. These are signs that you have to take care of your mental health, such as by trying mindfulness.

14. You focus on problems, not solutions.

The thing about chronic worry is that it can cause you to focus too much on your problems instead of solutions that can help you work through them. So, try to flip the script! When excessive worry strikes, think about what’s triggering it and brainstorm some creative solutions. You’ll feel so much more empowered.

15. You think of the worst-case scenarios.

You always think about the worst-case scenarios in every situation. It’s like you’re expecting bad things to happen, but you’re not that powerful, and that’s a relief! See your inner worst-case scenario voice like a child who’s trying to scare you. Instead of taking it as reality, see it as fiction so you don’t let it get to you. Your thoughts aren’t real!

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