Difficulty: Explorer (Level 1)
Worrying too much can make you feel sick and tired. It can also stop you from doing important things and make you unhappy. Here are some tips that can help.
Pay attention to your thoughts and catch yourself when you’re stuck in negative thinking. For example, if you are nervous about an upcoming test and keep thinking you will fail, concentrate on ways to prevent the problem. Focusing on solutions can help you feel calmer and more in charge.
Thinking about problems too much can be unhelpful. However, a little thinking can be good. Set aside 20 minutes a day as designated “thinking time”. During this time, you can think about anything you want. You can even think about things that worry you! When the time is up, move on to something else. Do an activity you enjoy. If you start worrying again after that, tell yourself, “This can wait until my next worry time!”
This question was answered by clinical psychologists from the Department of Health.
Talk it out
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What is the difference between healthy worrying and unhealthy worrying?
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Imagine you have a worry box. What kind of things would you put in it?
