Q: I think I am the world’s worst worrywart. I worry about just about everything, whether it be what time I should be getting up in the morning, to what should I have for breakfast, whether or not I should continue my career, or I worry about whether I should keep working where I am employed. I worry about my kids in school, whether they are going to pass or fail and whether or not they have any friends, and I worry whether my husband is attractive to other women. I worry about our finances and I worry whether I am overcooking the roast.
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I worry too much and I don’t know what to do about it. If you have some suggestions I would love to hear them.
A: I have three suggestions for you.
My first suggestion is that you make an appointment with your doctor and explore whether you are a bit stressed at times or if you might be struggling with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is relatively common. In the United States about 14 percent of the people living there are challenged by anxiety of some kind. I expect the figures are similar in Canada. If you are struggling with anxiety, your physician will likely prescribe appropriate medication while referring you for consultation to a reputable psychiatrist.
My second suggestion is that you call your local mental health clinic and ask for time with a personal counsellor or one of its group therapy programs. You need to talk this thing through and doing so with someone whose primary responsibility is supporting people such as yourself, who worry and second guess themselves too much, is likely to open some doors leading to a great deal of resolution for you. Anxiety, stress, worry, or whatever you want to call it, are the most frequent concerns with which mental health clinics deal.
My third suggestion is that you go for a walk. You might find it helpful to organize a regular exercise program for yourself. It does not have to be overly demanding, you are not prepping your body for the Olympics. But you are trying to reduce your stress level and a brisk walk for about 30 minutes a day is recommended for people struggling with depression, anxiety or both.
Walking will not necessarily fix anything or make either the depression or anxiety go away entirely, but it will reduce the extent to which either interferes with your daily living responsibilities. This is true regardless of the weather.
