Worrying too much: traits of a worrier and how to worry less
CareOps editorial team · · 6 min read
Mental wellness information and service guidance published by CareOps.
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Read our full editorial standards →Things that have not happened yet happen in your head first. A late reply means something must be wrong, tomorrow's presentation is sure to go badly and when family is late the worst scenes come to mind. A worrying temperament is less a flaw to fix and more a protective part of you that is working a little too hard.
At a glance
- The core trait of people who worry a lot is that ‘what if…’ thoughts chain together and are hard to stop even when you want to.
- How often and how intensely you worry can be measured with the 16-question worry tendency test (PSWQ).
- In research, setting aside a fixed time for worrying reduced worry, anxiety and sleeplessness. Worry is something you can learn to handle.
What are the traits of people who worry a lot?
Everyone worries. Worry is useful: it helps you prepare for problems ahead. What sets people who worry a lot apart is that worry does not stop at preparing but leads into the next worry. If the patterns below sound familiar, you may have a stronger tendency to worry.
- ‘What if’ thoughts chain together — one worry leads to the next bad outcome, then the one after that.
- It is hard to stop even when you want to — you know worrying will not help, yet the thoughts keep turning.
- Uncertainty is hard to bear — not knowing how things will turn out feels so uncomfortable that you check, ask and over-prepare.
- Small things feel big — a minor mistake or a late message brings the worst case to mind first.
- Your body tires first — your shoulders stiffen, falling asleep is hard and tension does not ease even when you rest.
Is worrying a lot the same as overthinking?
They look alike but point in different directions. Worry mostly points to what might happen next and takes the shape of ‘what if…’. Rumination, the overthinking kind, mostly points to what has already happened and repeats ‘why did that happen’. The two often come together.
| Aspect | Worry | Rumination |
|---|---|---|
| Points to | What might happen next | What has already happened |
| Typical thought | What if… | Why did that happen |
| Feelings that come along | Anxiety, tension | Regret, low mood |
If past events keep circling, read when you overthink; if your mind races every night and keeps you awake, see racing thoughts before sleep.
Is there a test for a worrying temperament?
The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) measures the tendency to worry how often, how intensely and how uncontrollably, in 16 questions. In the original study (Meyer et al., 1990), the PSWQ showed high internal consistency and test-retest reliability and captured worry itself as something distinct from other anxiety or depression measures.
Try a self-assessment without signing inWorry patterns (PSWQ)How worries begin and keep going. Answer the app’s questionnaire and see your result right away.Start the check →You rate each question from 1 to 5 by how well it fits how you usually are, for a total of 16 to 80. The result screen shows under 40 as low worry, 40–59 as moderate and 60 or above as high. Because this test asks about your usual tendency rather than current symptoms, if you want to know about anxiety over the past two weeks, look at the GAD-7 in anxiety tests compared as well.
How can I start to worry less?
In a study that randomly assigned 53 people who worry a lot (McGowan & Behar, 2013), those who practiced worrying only during a set 30 minutes a day, in a set place, for two weeks saw bigger drops in worry, anxiety, negative feelings and sleeplessness than the comparison group. The steps below include that practice and other things you can try in daily life.
- Set a worry time — choose 30 minutes a day as ‘worry time’; when a worry comes up outside it, jot it down and postpone it until then.
- Sort worries into two piles — for worries you can act on, write down one first step; for those you cannot, label them ‘unknowable for now’ and set them down.
- Write the most likely case, not the worst — next to the scene your worry paints, write down what past experience suggests will most likely happen.
- Check less often — checking and asking again and again brings brief relief but weakens your ability to tolerate uncertainty. Set a daily number of checks and reduce it gradually.
- Ease your body's tension first — when worries pile up, calming your body with slow out-breaths or a short walk helps your thoughts slow down too.
A meta-analysis of 41 studies on generalized anxiety, where worry has grown big enough to make life hard (Cuijpers et al., 2014), also found large effects for psychological treatment, especially cognitive behavioral therapy. Handling worry is something you can practice on your own and with support. For ways to cope in the moment, see coping with anxiety.
When to talk with a professional
If worry has gone on almost every day for months and is shaking your sleep, focus, work or relationships, consider speaking with a mental health professional or seeing a doctor. A worried mind often feels much lighter once you look at it together with someone.
You can also put the worries circling in your head into words, sort them into two piles and decide together in a conversation on one first step you can take today.
Frequently asked questions
- Are some people born worriers?
- Both inborn temperament and the environment you grew up in shape how much you tend to worry. But how you handle worry can change with practice. Small practices such as setting a worry time have reduced worry in research too.
- Does a high PSWQ score mean I have an anxiety disorder?
- A score alone does not mean an anxiety disorder. The PSWQ looks at a general tendency to worry. If your score is high and worry makes life hard, it is a good idea to look into it with a professional.
- Is the goal to stop worrying altogether?
- No. Worry is useful; it helps you prepare for what is ahead. The goal is not to get rid of worry but to handle it so it does not take over your whole day.
- I set a worry time, but worries still pop up at other times.
- That is normal at first. When one comes up, write it down in a line and practice postponing it with ‘I will look at this during worry time.’ When worry time comes, many worries already feel less urgent.
Sources
- Meyer et al. (1990), Development and validation of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, Behaviour Research and Therapy
- McGowan & Behar (2013), A preliminary investigation of stimulus control training for worry: effects on anxiety and insomnia, Behavior Modification
- Cuijpers et al. (2014), Psychological treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a meta-analysis, Clinical Psychology Review
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