"But I like to worry about you. It shows I care!" says my mother, clearly stressed out by yet another situation in my life.
"But I don't want you to worry about me. It doesn't make me feel better. It doesn't change anything." I reply, feeling guilty that I've caused her to worry.
"But I can't help it!"

If you're anything like my mum, you're one of the millions of people who are worry-addicts.

Worry-addicts are everywhere.

Sometimes they worry about those they love, sometimes they worry about their own lives. But they all have one thing in common: they never worry about good things happening.

A worrier worries about everything that could go wrong.

But there's no 12-step program for them and most wouldn't even admit to having a problem - because they'd just worry about it.

Now don't get me wrong, we all worry at times. And sometimes it can help us identify and avoid something going wrong. But most of the time worrying about something, particularly if it's something beyond our control, doesn't make a jot of difference.

The problem is that worrying isn't a harmless hobby. If it gets out of control, it can have a serious impact on your health and relationships.

Mild Worrying
This is an understandable part of everyday life.
Stuff happens. Things can go wrong. People can worry.

You see, it starts off with little worries, just wondering what might go wrong.

Then it starts to become a habit. Someone tells you their news and your instant response is to think about the down side of it. At this stage, you might not be at the point of blurting out what's going on in your mind, but it will certainly be affecting your mood.

What To Do
As long as it's only every now and then and you're generally able to see the good side of things, don't stress about it.
You might find it useful to talk to a friend or family member or write down your concerns. They often seem much smaller once you get them out of your head and onto paper. Sometimes the obvious solution jumps out at you, as soon as you read your words.

Moderate Worrying
Then you reach what I call the pre-crisis-point stage: if you were to write down your thoughts, most of them would be pretty doom and gloom. By this point you're probably an expert at running possible scenarios through your mind and spotting everything that could possibly go wrong.
You're likely to find that friends and family are starting to avoid telling you their news. They might even be avoiding you. And this is the point where stress-related illness starts to show up.

What To Do
You're moving fast towards having a problem.
Now, don't worry about it - get active instead!
If you're finding your mind racing at night, then keep a notepad by your bed. If you're getting stressed about things that have to be done, write them down on the notepad and promise yourself they'll wait till morning - and you'll be much better able to cope with them if you've had some sleep.

And this is the point by which to make sure you're learning relaxation techniques, meditation techniques to quieten your mind and doing something about physical exercise and nutrition.

But it gets worse...

You know you've got a serious worry problem when...
... it feels like someone turned the sunshine off and insomnia has become your best friend. It's like you're seeing the world through black glasses.

People avoid you. You're miserable. You're on the edge of all sorts of unwanted experiences like depression or serious stress-related conditions and, chances are, you're now on the verge of taking medication for it all, if you're not already.

What To Do
This is the point by which you'll need professional help.
Your health, relationships and possibly even your job are at risk.
The good news is that there are plenty of experts out there who can help you deal with whatever is underneath your worry-habit and who will help you get things back in perspective.
But they can only help you if you ask them.

So a little worry can go a long way.

All of us worry at some point. What's important is how much of a habit it becomes.

If you'd like to discover some simple, yet effective, strategies for worrying less and feeling happier, claim your free copy of 5 Secrets To Feeling Happier Now.

http://www.howtofeelhappier.com/blog

From Clare Josa.
Author, seminar leader, expert coach and Chief Happiness Experimenter for How To Feel Happier