Nervous and filled with uncertainty? The worry tree can help
- Two mental health experts created a decision-making guide to follow when you’re worried
- Don’t get swept up in your fears, because that can create more anxiety and stress
Everyone has the occasional night when they toss and turn, fretting.
Often, the cause for concern can revolve around problems that might happen, rather than ones you’re actually dealing with. This isn’t always a bad thing – it can help you think about difficulties you may face in future, letting you figure out ways to handle them.
However, getting lost in your fears can be terribly stressful.
What is therapy? A beginner's guide to getting help
One effective way to deal with these nights is to figure out if your fear is a “real event worry” or a “hypothetical worry” – is it something that’s actually happening to you right now, or is it a “what if” you think is going on, or may happen in the future? The worry tree can help you figure out what kind of problem it is and the steps that will help you handle it.
The worry tree is adapted from research by mental health experts Gillian Butler and Tony Hope and helps with generalised anxiety disorder.
Looking at the tree, some of the steps may seem simple, but worry and anxiety can create something called “analysis paralysis” – making it tough to make even a simple decision – and having an easy-to-read chart outlining the process can be very helpful. The situation may seem more manageable once you figure out the type of worry you’re facing.
Let’s say you are worried your friend is mad at you. You didn’t get into a fight or anything; they were just acting kind of weird. This worry spirals out of control and you’re so upset you can’t sleep (Did I say something wrong? Are they jealous I got a better mark on a test?).
Let’s use the worry tree to sort through this: first, identify which type of worry it is – we can see it’s a hypothetical one (you have no proof your friend is mad at you), so it’s time to refocus your attention; read, or organise your room until you feel better.
If you have a real-life worry, come up with an action plan. Is the plan something that will take you 10 minutes or less to complete? Get it done right away – you’ll feel much better. If it’s something that will take more time, take out your planner and schedule some time to work on it, along with exactly what you will do, and rest easy knowing you’ve done as much as you can.
Use the worry tree to help you make decisions when you feel like you're stuck. Graphic: Dannie Higginbotham