Why do we worry?

We worry about a lot of things: work, finances, our aging parents, relationships, study/education. However, although some of our concerns are real, many can be nothing but unnecessary.

Worrying can act as form of motivation: to be healthier, study more or appreciate what's around us but can also be detrimental causing incapacitation to decision making and action.  I find that I personally worry as an attempt to solve a problem or come to terms with news or trauma.

 With excessive worrying - which I am habitually doing - comes the activation of the amygdala within the limbic system resulting in the 'fight or flight' mechanism to be triggered. With my hyperactive imagination, my limbic system becomes overactive causing an excessive release of adrenaline making me overestimate danger or see dangers that don't exist.

The prefrontal lobe of the brain - regulator of rational thinking - is derailed due to excessive worrying, making us emotionally reactive and irrational rather than remaining calm and rational in our thoughts. Therefore, due to our emotionally charged state of thinking, it becomes almost impossible to reach a rational solution to challenges.

Now not to worry you or anything, but continuous worrying, can (in extreme cases) cause death. As well as an increase in your adrenaline levels, worrying causes an increase in cortisol levels. Increased cortisol levels compromise your immune system, making you more susceptible to infections and disease. Not only can increased cortisol and adrenaline cause detrimental physical effects on your body, it can also result in psychological effects such depression, panic disorders and extreme fatigue.

We are living in some uncertain times, which can cause an increase in worrying and overthinking. We have seen the effects of this through panic buying, arguments in shopping centres and even disobeying government and police protocols.

We must remember that almost every citizen of our towns, cities, states and nations are in the same boat with these lockdown regulations, and amongst all our worries and concerns there are people who rely on our abiding by these rules.

I would like to give a shout out to the real heroes out there who are helping us fight this battle; to those being hailed as our essential workers including and not limited to:

- Our health staff - Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Dentists, Scientists and Health Volunteers

- Our Retail staff - Woolworths, Aldi, IGA and Coles supermarket staff including service station staff

- Our Hospitality staff - cafes, restaurant, fast food outlets - including our Ubereats delivery driver

- Our Government - who is working tirelessly to provide grants and support to our communities

I have learnt more recently that instead of worrying about myself, I can remain cautious as I leave the house for essential items, keep my immune levels up and maintain good hygiene, whilst saying a prayer or sending good vibes to those working on the front line of this pandemic/epidemic. These essential workers don't have the privilege to stay at home with their loved ones, rather they are working all hours of the, increasing their vulnerability to this disease, so that we can stay safe and healthy. 

It is also imperative at these times to support our local businesses, whether that be your local butcher, fruit shop, cafe and bottle shop. They need our support more than ever during these uncertain times. 

#notallheroeswearcapes

References:

Foroux, D . Read This If You Worry A Lot. Available: https://dariusforoux.com/read-this-if-you-worry-a-lot/. Last accessed 6th April 2020.

Schattner, I. (2018). Why Do We Worry So Much?. Available: https://psychcentral.com/lib/why-do-we-worry-so-much/. Last accessed 6th April 2020.