The following is from a book by Mary Ellen Copeland, M.S., M.A. called “The Worry Control Workbook.”
It became a problem when we become obsessed with things that haven’t happened yet, only assume they will. You feel you’re in the movie “Ground Hog Day.” In the movie the same situation keeps happening over and over again. Nothing changes. The actors can’t escape the repeated event. They find themselves doing this without coming up with a solution. In real life you can experience fatigue, difficulty concentrating, being irritable, and even physical issues like muscle tension. Are you obsessed with it? Find local professional help.
Participants in the studies she did find they were doing more harm than good. They had a lot of self-doubt. Some fell asleep and woke up to the same worries. I see myself in this just like many will. Some found themselves not able to live a full and satisfying life. Some had physical illness. People found themselves overwhelmed. Just like many in the study I found a lack of an ability to stay focused on the task at hand. If you do fall asleep you find it difficult to stay asleep.
The author of the book then goes into analyzing your personal worry patterns and styles. She talks about figuring out the source might help you look at ways to best approach things to help you overcome it. Participants also found that those close to them at home, work etc. at times had great impact on this. Those who were able to develop optimist attitudes instead of being a pessimist helped them.
After my experiences in the Army worry became a state of mind in my life. Just like the people in the book I found when situations that reminded me of what I endured brought back the same thoughts and emotions. It becomes a work in progress. Remember, it took months if not longer to develop the issues you have as deep as you do, so don’t beat yourself up. Keep trying. This is where professional help can be a beneficial tool to ourselves and those we love. When I feel my voice isn’t being heard, when I have to repeat what I say, this adds to my problem of overcoming worry and many other emotions.
