Tips for Reducing Worry

Worry zaps precious energy and motivates us to act against our best interests. When worry takes hold, our mental filter becomes clouded. Our mental filter allows our brains, when properly activated, to focus on relevant life-sustaining tasks and growth-seeking opportunities. When clouded, our mental filter negates what’s truly relevant and important for healthy growth and development.   Our brains function like computers, storing, processing and sorting through data at lightning speed, often on automatic pilot or on a subconscious level. However, when we are riddled with anxiety and worry, our capacity to think and act rationally is impaired.  It’s as if our brains, our human computers, are offline. When this occurs, our logical, reasonable, analytical and problem-solving higher self (mediated through our forebrain) is hijacked by our mid-brain. Our mid-brain contains our amygdala which regulates our emotions and survival instincts.   Functioning at optimum level, the amygdala governs healthy emotional regulation and our fight-or-flight response. The amygdala can help us to assess real dangers and take appropriate action. On the other hand, if you suffer from excessive anxiety and worry, your amygdala is most likely functioning in an overactive state, assessing danger when there is none or overestimating the probability of danger.    Worry, Anxiety & Stigma Excessive worry or anxiety can lead one to feel great shame and fear of stigma.  The whole world seems nor...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Anxiety Relaxation and Meditation Self-Help Sleep Stress anxious thoughts Insight journaling Personal Growth Self Improvement Stress Reduction worry Source Type: news