The
upside of worrying: New study
shows there's a positive side to worrying
University of
California - Riverside
Worry -- it does a
body good. And, the mind as well. A new paper by Kate Sweeny, psychology
professor at the University of California, Riverside, argues there's an upside
to worrying.
"Despite its
negative reputation, not all worry is destructive or even futile," Sweeny
said. "It has motivational benefits, and it acts as an emotional
buffer."
In her latest article,
"The Surprising Upsides of Worry," published in Social and
Personality Psychology Compass, Sweeny breaks down the role of worry in
motivating preventive and protective behavior, and how it leads people to avoid
unpleasant events.
Sweeny finds worry is
associated with recovery from traumatic events, adaptive preparation and
planning, recovery from depression, and partaking in activities that promote
health, and prevent illness.
Furthermore, people who report greater worry may perform better -- in school or at the workplace -- seek more information in response to stressful events, and engage in more successful problem solving.
Worry as a Motivator
The motivational power
of worry has been studied and linked to preventive health behavior, like
seatbelt use. In a nationally representative sample of Americans, feelings of
worry about skin cancer predicted sunscreen use.
And participants who
reported higher levels of cancer-related worries also conducted breast
self-examinations, underwent regular mammograms, and sought clinical breast
examinations.
"Interestingly
enough, there are examples of a more nuanced relationship between worry and
preventive behavior as well," Sweeny said.
"Women who
reported moderate amounts of worry, compared to women reporting relatively low
or high levels of worry, are more likely to get screened for cancer. It seems
that both too much and too little worry can interfere with motivation, but the
right amount of worry can motivate without paralyzing."
In the paper, Sweeny
noted three explanations for worry's motivating effects.
1. Worry serves as a
cue that the situation is serious and requires action. People use their
emotions as a source of information when making judgements and decisions.
2. Worrying about a
stressor keeps the stressor at the front of one's mind and prompts people
toward action.
3. The unpleasant
feeling of worry motivates people to find ways to reduce their worry.
"Even in
circumstances when efforts to prevent undesirable outcomes are futile, worry
can motivate proactive efforts to assemble a ready-made set of responses in the
case of bad news," Sweeny said. "In this instance, worrying pays off
because one is actively thinking of a 'plan B.'"
Worry as a Buffer
Worry can also benefit
one's emotional state by serving as an emotional bench-mark. Compared to the
state of worry, any other feeling is pleasurable by contrast.
In other words, the
pleasure that comes from a good experience is heightened if preceded by a bad
experience.
"If people's
feelings of worry over a future outcome are sufficiently intense and
unpleasant, their emotional response to the outcome they ultimately experience
will seem more pleasurable in comparison to their previous, worried
state," Sweeny said.
Research on bracing
for the worst provides indirect evidence for the role of worry as an emotional
buffer, according to Sweeny.
As people brace for
the worst, they embrace a pessimistic outlook to mitigate potential
disappointment, boosting excitement if the news is good. Therefore, both
bracing and worrying have an emotional payoff following the moment of truth.
"Extreme levels
of worry are harmful to one's health. I do not intend to advocate for excessive
worrying. Instead, I hope to provide reassurance to the helpless worrier --
planning and preventive action is not a bad thing," Sweeny said.
"Worrying the
right amount is far better than not worrying at all."