How To Stop Being A “Worry Wart”: Coping Tips For Mental Health

Have you ever been called a “worry wart”? This term may be used casually to refer to a person who worries more than others, but this symptom may sometimes indicate a diagnosable anxiety disorder. Learning tips for managing worry, as well as signs that might indicate the need to seek professional support, may be useful for someone who considers themselves a "worry wart.” If you’re concerned about the level of worry you’re experiencing, meeting with an in-person or online therapist may be beneficial.

What is a worry wart?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a worry wart is “a person who is inclined to worry unduly.” This type of person may simply be more cautious than those around them. Or, they may worry excessively or experience exaggerated worry beyond what might be considered reasonable for the situation.

When does worrying become a problem?

Occasional worry can be normal, but chronic worrying may be a sign of a mental health condition if it’s:

• Impacting your daily life, functioning, or relationships
• Difficult to control
• Causing you distress

In this case, “being a worry wart” may actually be a sign of a diagnosable anxiety disorder such as generalized anxiety disorder. 

Signs your worry may be affecting daily functioning

It’s often recommended that a person reach out for support from a mental health professional if their worry starts to disrupt their daily life. This can look like losing sleep, being unable to stay focused, or avoiding essential or previously enjoyable activities because of worry. For example, wanting to go to the beach with friends like you used to but avoiding it because you’re too worried about traffic, sun exposure, crowds, sharks, and more could mean you may benefit from seeking a therapist’s support for anxiety.

How chronic worrying can affect your mind and body

In addition to often being disruptive to your life, chronic worrying may also impact your mental health. It may make a person feel constantly stressed in daily life, potentially leading to irritability and mood swings. Also, untreated anxiety may increase a person’s risk of developing additional mental health challenges, like depression or substance use disorder.

Physical health challenges related to persistent worrying are possible, too. In the short term, worry and anxiety may cause muscle tension, headaches, chronic pain, stomach problems, and even panic attacks. Also, since anxiety triggers the stress response, long-term anxiety may put a person at increased risk of stress-related health concerns like:

• High blood pressure
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Decreased immune function
• Fertility challenges
• Acid reflux
• Insomnia

How to stop being a “worry wart”: Tips that may help reduce excessive worrying

Seeking care from an online or in-person mental health professional is usually recommended if you're experiencing excessive worry or other signs of anxiety. They can evaluate your symptoms, determine whether an anxiety disorder diagnosis may be applicable, and suggest treatment options.

In addition to reaching out for professional help, the following evidence-backed tips may help you reduce excessive worrying, reduce stress, and improve well-being. 

Use mindfulness to shift your attention to the present

Practicing mindfulness is often recommended for people who live with anxiety or excessive worry. Doing a short mindfulness meditation each day, for example, may teach you how to bring your attention back to the present moment when you notice yourself getting carried away with worry. It’s typically not about judging or “correcting” your worries, but learning to simply observe, acknowledge, and allow them.

Practice relaxation techniques to help calm your body

Mental worry can often cause physical tension. Addressing this tension in the body may help relax the mind. Progressive muscle relaxation is one technique to consider trying, which involves tensing and then releasing each of your muscle groups, one by one, from your head to your toes. You can also try belly breathing exercises, which can be practiced virtually anywhere and may help reduce stress and anxiety by promoting a more relaxed state of your body.

Try scheduling “worry time”

Some people who identify as “chronic worriers” find that scheduling some “worry time” helps them acknowledge their anxieties, which might make them quieter throughout the day. This could look like taking five to 10 minutes each evening to think about your worries and, if applicable, brainstorm solutions for those that are within your control. Once this period is over, you might try to move forward and mentally set aside any new worries for the next day’s worry period.

Develop healthy habits to increase resilience

Research suggests that positive self-care habits may help decrease stress and improve coping abilities. To increase your resilience to worry, you might consider adopting habits like:

• Getting enough sleep
• Eating nutrient-dense foods
• Exercising
• Developing a strong support system (e.g., family, friends, support groups, a therapist)
• Spending time in nature
• Limiting screen time
• Avoiding or limiting alcohol and caffeine

Challenge exaggerated worry patterns with cognitive tools

Using cognitive therapy tools may help you challenge exaggerated worries, which might reduce their intensity. For example, you might name the worry, identify the feelings it’s causing, and validate those feelings. Then, you might consider alternative potential outcomes or perspectives and make space for those possibilities. Working with a therapist online or in person can be an effective way to learn cognitive tools to address worry.

When to consider professional help for chronic worry and anxiety

It might be time to consider seeking professional support for chronic worry if it’s disrupting your life, causing distress, or getting worse. Anxiety disorders are relatively common and considered treatable, but symptoms may worsen without professional support.

The treatment for chronic worry or anxiety is usually some form of talk therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Methods like these involve meeting with a therapist or counselor regularly for a guided conversation about your worry, which may help you gain new perspectives and develop effective coping tools. Over time, you might notice progress in terms of how much worry you experience or how you respond to it.

In some cases, a mental health professional may also recommend medication to help you manage your symptoms. Meeting with a provider for an evaluation is usually the first step toward receiving tailored treatment advice if you don’t want to worry anymore to an excessive degree.

Using BetterHelp to get support for excessive worry

While a therapist may provide support for those experiencing excessive worry, this symptom can sometimes make attending in-office sessions difficult. For example, worrying about traffic, timing, and social interactions during your commute may be distressing if you’re already prone to anxiety. In cases like these, you might prefer to get help via online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp.

With internet-based counseling, you can meet with a licensed mental health professional from the comfort of your home, via phone, video, or live chat. You can also save time, since there’s no need to fight traffic or sit in a waiting room prior to your appointment. In addition, online therapy sessions tend to cost less than the average in-person session without insurance.

What does the research say about online therapy?

The efficacy of online therapy has been studied extensively over the past decade or more. In general, this growing body of research suggests that virtual talk therapy can often be similarly effective to in-person talk therapy. For example, a 2021 study on the topic indicates that online and in-person CBT for individuals with anxiety both helped reduce symptoms, creating “equivalent overall effects.”