The futility of worrying

I feel that I become more anxious when I am in difficult situations because I think about it too much. Certain people are more prone to overthinking things, analysing too deeply and even catastrophising situations. This is a textbook case of “analysis-paralysis”. It’s a well-known fact that overthinking is a symptom of stymying anxiety disorders like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Most often situations are not really as bad as they are made out to be. It is worry that amplifies the trouble one is facing. There is always the proverbial silver lining or a window of opportunity. But when worrying becomes a habit, it becomes a mental disorder that needs to be treated with medication and therapy.

And almost without exception, people who worry too much, even of trivial things, are highly imaginative by nature. The line differentiating creativity and delusion blurs when one begins to use his or her gift of imagination to create horror movies in his or her mind. This is a case of imagination going hyper. A gift turning into a curse.

I find that when I am facing a difficult situation, just calming the heck down coupled with several deep breaths helps quite a lot. My thinking and judgment get better with each relaxing deep breath. My worry fades out and my rational mind takes centre stage. I am able to take two steps back and ‘assess’ and not worry. 

Another technique I use is ‘scenario building’. This I mastered when I was working in an IT corporation. My team and I were asked to build scenarios and create manuals for what to do in crises like a fire mishap or terrorist attack. 

Just like I did then, I create scenarios of what to do other than playing victim. Here my imaginative abilities become a gift. I think practically, like someone reaching out to the nearest extinguisher and not sitting and calculating ways to put out the fire. Acting reactively is sometimes a blessing. It is your survival instinct—which makes you fight/flight/freeze. You will have ample time to introspect and reason once the immediate disaster has passed. 

Overthinking is futile. But imagining difficult scenarios and preparing for them is prudent. Worry never benefited anyone. But to use all mental faculties to save for a rainy day, avert hardship or stay clear of dangerous situations is wise. 

This also explains why some people are always in desperate situations. There is a reason why people are caught in vicious circles like debt, addictions, failed marriages, job losses, ill health etc. It is because they overthink, and worry. And their mental horror movies become self-fulfilling prophecies. 

All this reminds me of a Dire Straits number: There will be laughter after pain…there will be sunshine after rain…these things have always been the same…so why worry now?