How to Stop Worrying

1. Learn and Practice Relaxation Techniques

By leaning and practicing relaxation techniques, you may be able to reduce intrusive worry. Some techniques that may be helpful include:

Deep Breathing
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Guided Imagery
Meditation
Journaling
2. Use Thought Stopping

One effective and quick technique to help you with the intrusive worrisome thoughts is called “thought stopping.” The basis of this technique is that you consciously issue the command, “Stop!” when you experience repeated worrisome, unnecessary or distorted thoughts. You then replace the worrisome thought with something more positive and realistic.
3. Other Tips to Stop Worrying

Do you find yourself worrying about a future event because you are picturing a negative outcome? Analyzing your worrisome thoughts and analyzing the risks realistically is important in overcoming chronic worry. Here you will find more tips on how to stop worrying.

1. Avoid Fortune Telling

When you find yourself worrying about a future event because you are picturing a negative outcome, you are, in effect, saying, “I can predict the future.” But, the fact is, you can’t, and you are worrying about what may happen, not what will happen. Worry itself serves no purpose unless it spurs a plan of action.
2. Analyze the Risks

If your mind has been taken over by chronic worry, your risk assessment skills may be distorted. You may even find yourself consumed with worry about future possibilities when there isn’t any real evidence that the negative event will actually come to pass. For example, perhaps you constantly worry about your job performance and fear being fired, but, you have received no indication from your boss, or anyone else, that you’re not performing up to par. Looking at your situation realistically may help you reduce your worry.
3. Schedule Time to Worry

Some people find it helpful to schedule 30 minutes each day just to worry. If worrisome thoughts creep in at any other times, put them aside by telling yourself you have a scheduled time to worry. Your goal is to worry only during your scheduled 30 minutes each day.
4. Identify and Replace Worrisome Thoughts

Write down your worrisome and distressful thoughts. Along side each worrisome thought, list some positive substitution statements. For example, if you worry that your plane may crash during upcoming air travel, you may counter this thought with:

Statistically, air travel is safe.
Professional and competent airline staff are in control, and I can just relax and enjoy my trip.

You can also try using thought stopping to quiet your worrisome mind.
5. Learn and Practice Relaxation Techniques

By leaning and practicing relaxation techniques, you will be able to reduce intrusive worry. Some techniques that may be helpful include:
Deep Breathing
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Guided Imagery
Meditation
Journaling