With or without autism, it's natural to worry about things. It’s part of being human, we worry about a job interview, we worry about the what ifs, but what if those thoughts are with you daily? What if you struggle to clear the mental clutter in your head, the bad thoughts and general anxiety, then what?
Negative Thinking
Negative thinking and constant worrying can take its toll on our emotional and physical health. Anxiety can sap our emotional strength, leave us feeling restless, can cause stomach aches, muscle tension, headaches and can make it difficult for us to concentrate. It’s also easy for us to take things out on the people closest to us.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder ("GAD")
It can be a symptom of Generalised Anxiety Disorder ("GAD") a common anxiety disorder, which means we get to deal with tension, a general feeling of unease and nervousness. It can also be a source of depression.
There are things we can do to challenge and turn off our anxious thoughts. Write your thoughts down, then make a mental note to pick up your thoughts later. The more you write your thoughts out, the more they will lose their power, or hold over you.
How to Deal with Anxiety
Whether it's anxiety you deal with, or you're a worrier, choose a set time during the day and make that your go to time, to work through your worries. During that time, you’re allowed to think about whatever is on your mind, but it is important you make the rest of your day a worry-free zone. Worrying is a habit that can be broken. We can all train our minds to stay calm so that we look at life from a more balanced perspective.
I never used to worry very much, but nowadays seem to worry more about specific things like finances and our children. I am used to making my own decisions without relying on others, but often decisions are out of my control.
I know that I need to learn to trust my ability to handle everything that life throws at me and to trust my children's judgments and that will lead to me worrying less.
Thanks. Yes, I think your worrying comes in on the back of what's going on in society and in the world.
We all worry more now. The world you grew up in isn't the world we are in now. That said, with the right foundations in place, children will make the right decisions for them.
Where it's easy to be swayed, it's important to weigh up the situation. Grounded children will always do that.
Where decisions are out of our control it's difficult to let go, but we must put our trust in our understanding why it is out of our control.
Trust is very much the key to everything. The more you can trust, the less anxious you will be.