4-minute read · Individual
If you’ve ever been told to “just stop worrying”, you know it isn’t that simple. Constant worry isn’t a character flaw. It’s something real, and it can get better.
Your partner is ten minutes late home. By minute three you have imagined an accident. By minute seven you are planning what you would tell the children.
They walk in, apologising about traffic. Relief floods in, and then, almost straight away, your mind finds the next thing to worry about.
More than “being a worrier”
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) usually involves worry that is frequent, intense and hard to control, about many areas of life: work, money, health, family, everyday tasks. It lasts for months and gets in the way of living.
How it can show up
GAD lives in both the mind and the body:
In the mind: constant “what if?” thinking, trouble concentrating, irritability, a sense of dread even when nothing is wrong.
In the body: tiredness, muscle tension in the shoulders or jaw, shaky hands, a tight chest, trouble sleeping.
Why it can be so confusing
Many people with GAD are deeply responsible and caring. They worry because they love people and want to do things well. So they often feel ashamed of how much they worry, tell themselves they are “too sensitive”, or minimise it because “others have it worse”.
But GAD has real psychological, biological and social roots. And importantly, it is very treatable. Approaches like CBT and ACT can help you understand your anxiety, calm your body, and build a kinder relationship with your thoughts.
Worry often comes from love and responsibility. It just needs a gentler place to land.
Pause and reflect
Take a quiet moment with these questions. You might like to write your answers down, or talk them over with someone you trust.
What do you find yourself worrying about most often?
Where do you feel worry in your body?
What does worry seem to be trying to protect you from?
Try this this week: a 15-minute worry window
Choose a set time each day (not before bed) as your “worry window”.
When a worry pops up during the day, jot it down and gently tell yourself, “Not now, later.”
In your window, read the list. Ask of each worry, “Can I do something about this?” If yes, plan one step. If not, practise letting it go.
You don’t have to do this alone
If you recognise yourself here, you don’t have to keep quietly pushing through. I offer anxiety counselling in Campsie and online across Australia.
Individual counselling →
Book a free 15-minute call →
If you are in crisis or thinking about ending your life, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 000 in an emergency.