Pathological Worry: What Is It And How Is It Treated?

Pathological concern is like a room that gradually runs out of oxygen. It’s like getting lost in a dead end maze and walking towards a slope without quite understanding why we can’t get back. This psychological state sets, as we can imagine, the basis of anxiety disorders.

But why do we do this? Why does the human mind find it so easy to create such distressing situations? One thing we must understand is that worry is, in fact, the cognitive component of anxiety. It’s what feeds her and makes her so tough. Likewise, we must not ignore another aspect: worries feed on fears.

We tend to worry when we’re not sure what’s going to happen, when we tell ourselves something bad is going to happen, or when, in our attempt to solve a problem, we doubt almost everything.

We could deduce that behind all this is negativism. However, we would be wrong; behind the negativism is actually the shadow of fear.

Worry, when it is pathological, becomes mental anguish. In this psychological scenario, ideas and desires do not grow… not even hope. So we need to detect these kinds of mental patterns to deactivate them. Let’s look at some more aspects of this topic.

Why do we worry and what is the use of worrying?

By itself, worry is a normal psychological process. Your goal is to solve a problem, a concern that, for whatever reason, is taking our calm.

This cognitive, emotional and psychophysiological activation leads us to employ, under normal circumstances, certain coping strategies to reduce uncertainty, fears and resolve such an event.

It is also interesting to know that in recent years science’s interest in concerns has increased significantly. Until recently, the focus was almost exclusively on “how much” the human being cares and how this affects his anxiety.

However, in recent years, studies such as the one carried out by Dr. Mark Freeston, from the University of California, USA, have tried to identify the sources of concern that are common to almost all people.

The two main causes

According to the work of Dr. Freeston and his team, most of our concerns would have two origins:

• We worry because we anticipate a negative event. For example, we fear letting others down, not achieving what we hope for, losing something that is meaningful to us, or even more, experiencing guilt for not doing some things a certain way.
• The second reason we worry is quite curious. We often come to think that “caring too much” about things makes us more responsible people, as if spending many hours thinking about certain things helps us find the solution and have a greater sense of control. In fact, this is not always the case, because excessive worry breeds anxiety.

Pathological Concern and the Feedback Cycle

Excessive worry leads to pathological worry. These are states in which the mind does not stop thinking about the same things, anticipating negative results. It is a type of rumination that, far from solving a problem, increases it, intensifying emotional suffering as well.

On the other hand, it is important to consider an aspect. The pathological concern is caused by a curious feedback loop between our amygdala and the prefrontal cortex.

The amygdala is the region designed to detect risks and send an alarm message to the brain, a signal that translates into a specific emotional state: fear and anguish.

As a result, our prefrontal cortex is unable to think logically and reflexively to provide more accurate answers to our concerns.

What can we do under these circumstances?

Three Keys to Addressing Pathological Concern

One way to reduce the pathological worry and negative energy that feeds our brain is to speak. Verbal strategies are known to act as cathartic mechanisms to reduce suffering.

Therefore, do not hesitate, for example, to maintain a dialogue with someone who knows how to listen, understand and be close. By talking to other people, we can detect our irrational ideas and those approaches that actually fuel further suffering.

The second is to achieve a still mind. In a calm mental setting, emotions balance, the brain breathes, ideas flow, and anguish loses power. To reach this ideal inner state, there are interesting strategies such as relaxing, walking or practicing mindfulness.

The third step is to stop obsessing about the problem and focus on solutions. It doesn’t matter how we got into this situation. Also, the last thing we should do is anticipate what may or may not happen. The essential thing is to define the problem objectively and think about coping strategies.

To conclude, we can highlight one aspect: when we are continually subject to a state of pathological concern, it is advisable to consult specialized professionals. There are highly effective therapies to generate change and gain well-being. Do not forget that.