6 Harmful Effects of Excessive Worrying 

Worrying to some can seem like an uncomfortable routine. Worrying carries you through your days, whether they are tough, or everything is going smoothly. However, that discomfort is most likely affecting you in ways you haven’t realized. Because with the painful routine of worry comes the parallel routines of dealing with it. Which of these harmful effects is excessive worrying causing you?

1. Time Suck

Have you ever been roused out of a daze of worry? Maybe you were staring out a window thinking about a bill that is due or a dreaded impending trip. How long were you in that daze? Minutes or hours? You lose valuable time worrying when you could be actively working on something important.

2. Lack of Enjoyment

Worry can also suck the enjoyment out of life. You should be enjoying an ice cream date with your new boyfriend, but instead, you are worriedabout calories. Maybe you could be enjoying a sunny day, but instead,you are concerned about all the emails you must answer at work tomorrow.

3. Insomnia

Staying up all night in an aggravated and tired heap is a waste of time and not in the least bit enjoyable. Insomnia is a major effect of excessive worry, and it affects the rest of your life and health as well.

4. Physical Debilitation

Stomach aches, acid reflux, migraines, and other debilitating illnesses are often caused or made worse by worry. Our bodies are tough, but they are a canvas for what goes on in our minds. What might your chronic symptoms be telling you about your level of worry?

5. Relationship Strain

Your relationships, whether romantic, platonic, or familial, can all be affected by your own worry because it impacts how you behave. Those that love and care for you will feel the weight of your burdens, or they may feel that you cannot focus on them due to the overwhelming stress you are trying to deal with. No matter how much you are loved, the relationship will eventually become strained under the weight of it all.

6. Vices

Turning to a vice for relief from worry is more common than you think. Smoking, drinking, binge eating, or other forms of eating disorders can all be vices or illnesses that develop in response to excessive worry. While these “vices” can vary in their extremes, they all are harmful.

While the bolded words of this article may seem like the start of a stand-up comedy act at first, the harmful effects of excessive worry are no laughing matter. Be it insomnia or a resulting mental illness such as depression, this list should serve as both a warning as to why you should take care of yourself and reach out to others that are dealing with excessive worry.