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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mist on January 31, 2002, at 22:07:01
At my most depressed I don't worry because I don't care about anything. That seems dangerous because I don't care about bills, returning calls from people in my professional network, how I look, where my car is parked, the future, my survival, anything.
I'm wondering therefore if worry serves a purpose. When I'm less depressed I start to worry more, like ... did I say the right thing on the phone to a prospective employer, etc.
Worry is supposed to be pathological though. I'm wondering if I should just try to stamp it out and stop all worry thoughts when they start. Maybe it just consumes too much energy to no useful purpose.
Any thoughts on this?
Posted by Dinah on January 31, 2002, at 22:37:17
In reply to Does worry serve any purpose?, posted by mist on January 31, 2002, at 22:07:01
OK, a warning up front. My therapist says this is an example of my magical thinking.
Worry is essential. Not only does it keep you paying the bills and doing a good job at work, but it serves a higher purpose.
If you worry enough about something, you can keep it from happening. The fates like to sneak up on you when you aren't prepared. Ergo, if you stay vigilant and worry then nothing too bad will happen.
While I know for sure the above is not true, I am equally sure that it is.
But more seriously, worry is what keeps the world working smoothly. It's only when worry gets out of hand that it's a problem.
Just my warped opinion.
Dinah
Posted by Shar on January 31, 2002, at 23:36:25
In reply to Re: Does worry serve any purpose? » mist, posted by Dinah on January 31, 2002, at 22:37:17
Ditto what Dinah says.
I would add Ben Franklin's wisdom--all things in moderation.
It's not a good vs. bad thing in and of itself. Worry can be helpful, and is appropriate at times, but a steady diet can't be all that good.
Maybe you should substitute the word 'concern' for 'worry.' It doesn't have the same stigma, IMO.
Shar
> OK, a warning up front. My therapist says this is an example of my magical thinking.
> Worry is essential. Not only does it keep you paying the bills and doing a good job at work, but it serves a higher purpose.
> If you worry enough about something, you can keep it from happening. The fates like to sneak up on you when you aren't prepared. Ergo, if you stay vigilant and worry then nothing too bad will happen.
> While I know for sure the above is not true, I am equally sure that it is.
> But more seriously, worry is what keeps the world working smoothly. It's only when worry gets out of hand that it's a problem.
> Just my warped opinion.
> Dinah
Posted by ST on February 1, 2002, at 2:37:42
In reply to Re: Does worry serve any purpose?, posted by Shar on January 31, 2002, at 23:36:25
I used to worry constantly. Now that I'm on ADs I worry much much less. And I've come to the conclusion that for me, the excessive, obsessive worrying did nothing but make me more miserable. It never did any good or changed the outcome of things. Ever. So there you go!
Sarah
> Ditto what Dinah says.
>
> I would add Ben Franklin's wisdom--all things in moderation.
>
> It's not a good vs. bad thing in and of itself. Worry can be helpful, and is appropriate at times, but a steady diet can't be all that good.
>
> Maybe you should substitute the word 'concern' for 'worry.' It doesn't have the same stigma, IMO.
>
> Shar
>
>
> > OK, a warning up front. My therapist says this is an example of my magical thinking.
> > Worry is essential. Not only does it keep you paying the bills and doing a good job at work, but it serves a higher purpose.
> > If you worry enough about something, you can keep it from happening. The fates like to sneak up on you when you aren't prepared. Ergo, if you stay vigilant and worry then nothing too bad will happen.
> > While I know for sure the above is not true, I am equally sure that it is.
> > But more seriously, worry is what keeps the world working smoothly. It's only when worry gets out of hand that it's a problem.
> > Just my warped opinion.
> > Dinah
Posted by mist on February 2, 2002, at 12:57:50
In reply to Does worry serve any purpose?, posted by mist on January 31, 2002, at 22:07:01
Thank you Dinah, Shar, and Sarah for your thoughts on worry. They make sense. I think the trick is to identify when worry is necessary and useful and when it's excessive and harmful.
I can see how ADs could help with some types of worry, especially if it's chronic.
-mist
Posted by bonnie_ann on February 5, 2002, at 21:35:49
In reply to Re: Does worry serve any purpose?, posted by ST on February 1, 2002, at 2:37:42
My therapist told me to stay in the present and always give your self a way out.
I would always back myself into a corner with the catastrophic "What If's" It created such high anxiety for me and kept the symptoms going. So I just think "come back", focus on right now, go by the minute- no sense in trying to look to far ahead it never turns out the way I think it will. It's never as bad as I worry about. There's always another way to deal with a situation. It's only as bad as you tell yourself it is.
Bonnie
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