Key points: What Occurs When Someone Worries Too Much? Anxiety: What Is It? Does an Overabundance of Worry and Anxiety Lead to a Stress Response? Does Having Too Much Worry Cause Physical Illness?
Do you worry too much about nothing? Maybe your subconscious tells you that if you “worry enough,” unpleasant things won’t happen. However, the truth is that worrying can have unexpected effects on the body. When stress gets out of control, it can make you feel extremely anxious and even make you sick.
What Occurs When Someone Worries Too Much?
Worrying is the state of being anxious or excessively worried about a circumstance or issue. Your body and mind go into overdrive when you worry excessively because you are always thinking about “what might happen.”
When you’re worrying too much, you could have extreme anxiety or even panic attacks while you’re awake. Many people who worry a lot describe feeling as though something bad is about to happen or having irrational thoughts that make them worry more. Excessive worryers may perceive anything and anybody as a possible threat since they are extremely sensitive to their surroundings and other people’s criticism.
Persistent concern can have such an impact on your day-to-day functioning that it can influence your eating habits, sleeping patterns, relationships, lifestyle, and productivity at work. Many people who worry excessively are so overcome with anxiety that they turn to unhealthy lifestyle choices like binge eating, smoking cigarettes, or abusing alcohol and drugs as a way to cope.
Anxiety: What Is It?
Anxiety is a common response to pressure. However, conditions like social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or generalised anxiety disorder may be the cause of persistent anxiety. In the United States, anxiety disorders are widespread, impacting around 40 million persons. Anxiety does not differentiate between age, gender, or ethnicity; it can show up in a variety of ways.
Anybody can experience some anxiety before a stressful occasion, such a test or a job interview. And sometimes it helps to feel a little anxious or worried. It can assist you in preparing for an impending circumstance. For example, if you’re getting ready for a job interview, a little nervousness or concern might encourage you to learn more about the role. After that, you can show the prospective employer a more polished version of yourself. You might study more and be more prepared for the test if you worry about it.
However, excessively worried people respond to these stressful events or triggers with speed and intensity. Chronic worryers can become severely disabled and experience tremendous distress just by thinking about the problem. When persistent dread or anxiety gets so illogical that it interferes with your ability to concentrate or think rationally, it can be detrimental. High anxiety individuals find it difficult to let go of their concerns. They might have real bodily symptoms when that occurs.
Does an Overabundance of Worry and Anxiety Lead to a Stress Response?
The pressures and obligations we face on a daily basis are what cause stress. Everyday stressors include things like long lineups at the grocery store, rush hour traffic, an incessantly ringing phone, and chronic illnesses. You’re probably going to set off the stress response when your fears and worry go out of control.
The stress response consists of two components. The first is how the challenge is perceived. The second is a physiological reaction that happens automatically and is known as the “fight or flight” response. It causes your body to go into hyperdrive and releases adrenaline. Our ancestors were once shielded from threats like untamed animals that could easily consume them by the “fight or flight” reflex. Even if humans don’t often come into wild creatures these days, there are always risks. They manifest as a demanding coworker, a fussy child, or an argument with a close relative.
Does Having Too Much Worry Cause Physical Illness?
Numerous health issues are linked to emotional stress and persistent concern. The issue arises when excessive worry and anxiety constantly set off the fight-or-flight response. Stress chemicals like cortisol are released by the body’s sympathetic nervous system during the fight-or-flight reaction. Triglycerides, or blood fats that the body can use as fuel, and blood sugar levels can also be increased by these hormones.