Worry, a negative, repetition of emotions or thoughts that typically feel like we have no control over. Psychologists explain that worry is not only a symptom of depression or anxiety but is also a part of our survival mechanism.
Currently, there is an endless list of worries that 2020 has brought upon us such as the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, our health and safety, economic security, climate change, wars, violence, and so much more. While it may feel like there's endless negativity in this lifetime, experts say that there is a better side of worry.
Psychotherapist Margaret Cochran from California said that "we're wired to worry." Our brains have not drastically evolved in the past thousands of years, she explained, and worry helps us stay alive such as remembering more where the danger lies compared to knowing how we'll get our next meal.
Worry activates our cortisol levels, which is responsible for our "fight-or-flight" response. However, it is meant to be a short-term reaction where the brain chemicals go back to normal levels after the threat is gone.
However, people's constant worry from uncertainties has resulted in high levels of stress-related hormones like adrenaline and cortisone. As a result, millions are affected by high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, depression, and many other illnesses.
With the pandemic ongoing and many countries entering the second round of lockdown or have undergone circuit breaker lockdowns, the changes have made people very uncomfortable. As the old saying goes, people fear change. Here are three simple dos and don'ts when dealing with worry:
Do: Focus on the Present
While it is important to plan for the future and have dreams, being focused on the future and forgetting about the present is not healthy. Things to help with our present worries and attention include meditation, mindfulness, and awareness practices.
Psychologist Ryan Jane Jacoby from Harvard Medical School said that it is important to "[absorb] activities [that] keep you immersed in the here-and-now," such as physical activity, meditation, reading, or playing an instrument. It's important to have activities that are not just routine, but require all your attention on things that we have control over instead of what we cannot control.
In a study this year, the worry was associated with working memory performance. Researchers from the University of Zurich and Northwestern University concluded that worry affected cognitive processes such as reaction times and accuracy.
Don't: Dwell on Worst-Case Scenarios
Pessimism is a common mindset for people diagnosed with depression or the "hyper-certainty that things will be bad," said Jacoby. People typically think that "presuming the worst is easier to manage than not knowing," because of our survival instinct to avoid danger, but has negative consequences to the health. Moreover, a study this year by Australian researchers determined that pessimism increased the chances of cardiovascular mortality.
Read Also : Pessimists vs. Optimists, Who's Healthier?
Do: Have Healthy Optimism
Healthy optimism is about recognizing that things can be okay and not assuming that only good things will happen. It is healthier to take a step back and have a positive outlook in life without being in denial or avoiding the bad.
Positive thinking, or thinking that you'll get through the bad circumstances, births resilience. Those who view things positively not only have lower levels of anxiety but also have a greater sense of confidence and control, said psychologist Roseanne Capanna-Hodge.
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