How do you stop worrying about things?

[alarimer]

I have never been able to just stop worrying about something that was on my mind. Right now I am worried that I won't be able to graduate in August because my professor has not yet returned my thesis and it needs to be turned in on Friday. I can't do anything about this tonight but I can't stop worrying about it either. My stomach is in knots and I can't concentrate on anything.

[DeepBlueC]

1. Ativan

[alarimer]

2. I've never been on anything like that

Maybe I should since I seem to worry so much.

[DeepBlueC]

7. sometimes, it's useful

Especially when a situation is out of your hands. I just figure out what possible things might happen and how I would respond to each of the scenarios I can envision. Some of the scenarios might be less desirable but if they are possible plan a response for each of them. I find that when I am planning, I am not worrying because I feel less helpless.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. I don't know, but not worrying

leads to apathy, or apathy leads to not worrying... I don't know.. or care

it is not easy, and it takes time

[Spacemom]

4. If you figure it out, let me know

I'm a big worrier. I try to tell myself that if there's something I can do about what I'm worrying about, then why worry, if there's nothing I can do, then why worry. Doesn't work. Things go round and round in my head.

I hope you're able to figure something out and get some peace.

[alarimer]

9. I just can't stop thinking about whatever it is that is bothering me.

It's like I want it fixed NOW. (even if it's midnight and there's nothing anyone can do before morning anyway).

[femmocrat]

5. Anti-anxiety meds.

I still drive myself crazy sometimes, though. Especially if it is work-related.

Call your professor first thing in the morning, OK? Good luck, alarimer!

[alarimer]

8. Yes I will call in the morning.

I am in the field for a little while first thing (before sane are even in the office LOL) but by 9 am I will be able to find out what's up.

[DarkTirade]

6. Frying pan to the base of the skull.

One dose works for several hours. Do not repeat dosage more than once a day.

Side effects include dizzyness, slurred speech, loss of motor control, and in rare cases, occasionally death.

[MichiganVote]

10. Clean a bunch of stuff

[Danger Mouse]

11. Thunderbird.

[Lethe]

12. weed

relax yo mind....

[Arugula Latte]

13. I wake up almost every night and worry.

Mostly I worry about having enough money to fix up/maintain the house, pay for our kitties' medical needs, put our kids through college, and not be a pauper in retirement. And I worry about what will happen if someone gets a serious illness or has a serious accident. Then I start worrying about natural disasters like massive earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Then I start worrying about stupid stuff like "I need to recaulk the bathroom tub." Then I worry about stuff having to do with interacting with relatives. And on and on it goes...

[littlebit]

14. Jose and Jim

come and visit me often.

[Inchworm]

15. ...hic!

it is bad but it seems to work.

May you find peace...

:hug:

[Generic Brad]

16. I fish

Seriously.

I concentrate so hard on the moment that I completely block out all the crap I used to obsess about and lose sleep over.

[JimGinPA]

17. My Wife's a Worrier But I'm Not...

If I have control of a situation, I don't worry, because I'm in control.

If I don't have control of a situation, I don't worry, because I don't have control of the situation anyway, and worrying never seems to help.

[Elidor]

18. My best friend is like that

She will find something to worry about, and then she will worry herself to distraction, until it affects her sleep, her work, her entire life. She can't let go. And it won't be just one thing, because she takes all her individual worries and puts them in a pile and freaks out a bit. She's seeing someone about it, and I'm heavily invested in her happiness.

I don't worry a whole lot, but I meditate now and then, using the Silva method, which I learned as a child (similar to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's methods, according to a friend of mine). Mainly, I know that having been homeless once, nothing I'm likely to face in the near future is going to phase me at all. I can do the work-and-pay-bills thing standing on my head. The rest of my time is spent having fun where I can. The downside is that I suppress worry to the point that things that need attention sometimes slide until there's a problem. Because there's no problem so large that it can't be ignored until it goes away.

Hey now, did you make a problem
Didn’t want to solve
Until you do you do, that’s the thing about'em
Still got'em, problems

Seem so small, they can tower over you
Pile up, build a wall
Around you, surround you, oh and how
When you finally think they’re through
Do they follow, follow
I wonder who can solve my problem
Oh-oh how about'em

Problems can wait
Problems get solved
Problems relate
Problems revolve around tense situations
Tense situations left unresolved
Something comes up, you get involved
In justifications of foreign relations
that have nothing to do -no, no nothing at all! with the problem

Hey now did you ever have one
Have a problem
That you could not solve
What did you do about'em
What did you do
Did you try and close your eyes
Put the blame on someone else
But the problem follows you around and round
Up and down until it takes up all your time!
Til it starts to bother you, til you start to lose your mind
Your problems, they love it when you give in to-

Problems that wait, never get solved!
Problems relate to and problems revolve around tense situations
Tense situations, left unresolved
When something comes up, gets you involved with contradiction
Fictional frictions that have nothing to do
no nothing at all! with the problem

Hey now, did you ever have one? Have a problem that you could not solve
That’s the thing about'em
Problems
----------
-Joe Walsh

[galledgoblin]

19. I give my cat my full attention

[CBHagman]

20. It's only recently I've begun to adjust my thinking.

First off, I sympathize with you. It is painful to be kept wondering, and I am not criticizing you for worrying.

Now, as to how to stop worrying. I hate to say it, but I reached a certain age where I gained some perspective and lost a lot of my ability to exhaust myself with my emotions. I'm not saying I'm done with worry, but I finally realize how painful and self-punishing it is to actually spend the time worrying. For starters, most of the time things do not prove to be as bad as they might be, and quite often they simply work out.

Again, I am not dismissing your specific worries. I'm just shifting now to thoughts like: I don't actually know what's going to happen. For all I know, this might end the good way. And if there are obstacles, what will I do to deal with them?

So it looks like the gist of this post is to...get old. But I'd recommend it. ;-)

Best wishes to you, and I hope things turn out wonderfully.

[1]

21. you can look at life as if everything is against you. that's one way...

may be true. maybe not.

if you say hello to your professor in the morning and professor looks at you funny... is it because professor hates you? is it because professor has gas? is it because professor didn't get laid last night?

you don't know.

pick one. because you don't know.

you can pick the worst one. professor hate you. could be true, could be false.

you can pick the best one. professor has gas. could be true, could be false.

you don't know.




how do you stop worrying about things? don't worry about things.

you have no idea about what professor is thinking. or why.


do your best. show the world who you are. if they get it and "reward" you with a great grade, cool. if they shun you and flunk your ass out of school... well, that's another way it can go.

here's what i know. if you are passionate about your goals then there is almost nothing anyone can do stop you.

so, my new best bud alarimer... forget worry, what is it that you want to do?