Do you have excessive worry?

Now I know we all get nervous, especially when there is a new situation we are facing. However, there is a difference between those who can handle their nerves and those who have high anxiety. Meaning, they get nervous about something new and just cannot seem to let it go. This impacts how they sleep, how they eat, or the tension in their bodies. Someone who has this high anxiety and is always ‘keyed up’, has excessive worry.

Excessive worry is always expecting the worst. This is being hyper aware and looking out for scary situations. The problem is that having nerves every day is harmful to your health. However, excessive worry becomes a coping strategy. Worrying all the time might become a habit to deal with those stressful events that come up in our life. Now, if something helps us live our life and protect our mind, it is hard to let go.

Unfortunately, having excessive worry does harm our relationships, school and work. If you have excessive worry and you find yourself using it to cope with life’s challenges, then you might be experiencing Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

It would be terrible to live day after day with anticipation of terrible things happening to you or your loved ones. The connection between excessive worry and coping strategy is a tough one to break. However, I am confident that we can work on it together.

Reach out to The Lighthouse Emotional Wellness Center to work virtually with me, the anxiety coach!

-Angela Zender, QMHP