The other day my little girl was so worried that a boy in her kindergarten class brought a pink colored Barbie pouch to school. Her main cause of worry seemed to be how on earth do boys like pink? So you see, worries come in different hues, sizes and packages.
Scientists say that worry may have evolved along with intelligence as a beneficial trait. It may make people take no chances which result in a higher survival rate. Now if a person is constantly worried about something which hampers his day to day functions then it should be considered seriously. Health professionals call this as general anxiety disorder.
Those who suffer from this disorder worry about every day matter. They worry that something bad will happen to them. A study found that women are more likely to feel worried, nervous or anxious than men. A friend of mine was so worried about her 7th grade son that she will talk only about his studies to whoever she sees on this planet. She just rings you up and mourns about her son’s school performance which at most times is really bugging.
A research study says that worrying can be so intrusive and obsessive that it interferes with the person’s life and harms the health of their social relationships. Harvard scientists say that physical symptoms of general anxiety disorder include racing heart, dry mouth, upset stomach, muscle tension, sweating, trembling and irritability.
For persons suffering from this disorder help is on the way by a therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy. Now this therapy helps people to recognize when they are misinterpreting events, exaggerating simple things and making pessimistic assumptions. This therapy helps people to learn new ways to respond to situations that cause anxiety.
This chronic worrying habit can be broken and you can train your mind to stay calm and look at your life from a positive perspective. Perceptions can make a world of difference as to how we see things in life. Instead of worrying see whether you can solve the problem, if you can’t do anything about it just let it go. If you believe in a higher power then just whisper all your worries towards the heavens.
Well to end on a philosophical note, Corrie Ten Boom in his Clippings From My Notebook says “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.
Take care,
Swarnam
Photo by Staurt Mills
Photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net
Take care,
Swarnam
Swarnam