The Waste of Worry

Those of us who have done enough of it know that there’s nothing to be gained from worry. And yet we also must accept that worry is a normal part of our life.

It’s inevitable that we’ll worry about the people and circumstances that surround us. We can worry about what has been, what is and what is to come.

But while we realise that there’s nothing to be gained from worry, we must acknowledge that there’s a lot that can be lost.  Back in the mists of time the definition of the word “worry” was “annoy, bother, vex” and it came from a sense of harassing by rough or severe treatment “as of dogs or wolves attacking sheep.”

Fast forward to the present time and it’s not all that difficult to see that unimpeded,  unhindered and uncontrolled worry can develop into a serious and vicious attack on our psychological wellbeing…our sanity.

Worry is early stage anxiety. Anxiety is one of the main scourges now being faced by society. It’s the most common mental health condition in Australia with estimates that as many as one in four people (one in three women and one in five men) will experience anxiety at some stage in their life.

It makes good sense then to work on tackling what could be a potential problem at its root cause before it develops into a major health concern.

There are things that can be done when worry threatens to overwhelm; actions both physical and mental that can prove to be valuable tools in controlling the situation. They include physical activity and concentrating on a healthy state of mind through positive thought and the pursuit of peace and reassurance.

Not everything works for everybody but one thing remains certain…inaction can only result in escalation; the minor becomes major and life can be made considerably more difficult.