How to work with chronic worry

[Mindfulness Newbie]

Thanks again for your input. Really appreciate it.

What I will TRY to do is, when that feeling of dread with the impulse to try to think a situation through arise, be aware of them and inquire into what 'this' feels like, where, and what thoughts are arising with those emotions and sensations.

It will be hard work, I have been a worrier all my life. It is a family trait. But there is no real alternative.

So, here goes...

[piedwagtail91]

Good luck.
It may be that if you can focus on the sensations in your body that it may be less painful than the thought's themselves.

[JonW]

I too have been a worrier all my life, until I started to meditate.
Here's the thing though. We are all naturally choosy about the thoughts we have. We love warm, positive thoughts and we'd rather not have any negative thoughts at all. Mindfulness doesn't discriminate. It's not teaching us to live so that we only have positive thoughts and banish the negative thoughts. We learn to appreciate all thoughts as thoughts and to see them for what they are - simply ideas and feelings arising. This is not to distance ourselves from life. Quite the opposite. It's about learning to be completely honest and intimate with our raw experience.
The likes of Jon Kabat-Zinn, Mark Williams, Danny Penman and Ed Halliwell explain this brilliantly in their books.
Good things, Jon

[RoddyGibbs]

“I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.”

I've always been a worrier, I continue to be a worrier. What mindfulness has helped me do is catch myself before my thoughts turn into catastrophic stories.

As for when particular uncomfortable feeling/sensations arise, try to embrace those too. I call it the Rumi Guesthouse technique (which is a great poem to read). I often times see if I can drop the label of anxiety, fear, or sadness - and just feel the sensation in the body with curiosity.

[JonW]

Gotta love Mark Twain.
"The Rumi Guesthouse technique" is a wonderful idea.
Please stick around here, Roddy, and contribute to the site. We are steadily building a wonderfully supportive community. Your contributions are enormously welcome.
My best, Jon

[RoddyGibbs]

Thanks Jon, I certainly will

[FeeHutch]

Hi Roddy and ditto what Jon says, lovely to meet you

[barbs55]

Gareth is so right - we chronic worriers hope mindfulness and meditation will 'cure' us at first, and we'll stop being worriers, but as we practice more we realise that the worry thoughts will continue to arise and that is OK, but we no longer have to believe them as 'facts' or run with them. I love the idea of the 'Rumi guest house' technique! I am still at the stage where I notice the anxious thoughts and can smile at myself a bit, but I can't yet 'embrace' them - too many years of resistance, but I am hopeful that this too could come.

[barbs55]

Just posted this from a really helpful article on our Facebook page : "Everyone’s mind wanders, even people who have been meditating for 50 years. It’s part of what the brain does. In fact, you could make the argument that the more it wanders the more you have an opportunity to train the mind to see “choice points” to gently bring it back. What you practice and repeat becomes a habit and so you’re strengthening the habit of choice."

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/mindfulne ... #more-3936

[piedwagtail91]

i've just been reading that as well!