Can’t stop overthinking? These are the benefits of worrying

Some minds rarely take a rest—they keep spinning with thoughts, even through the night. But you can also let worrying and mental rumination work to your advantage, as Sara Madou discovers.

What if we stop thinking about worrying as something negative? Why not cut down on the ‘how to stop worrying’ strategies and let the worrying work in our favor?

It starts with a feeling

‘He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears’ is a well-known quote attributed to French philosopher Michel de Montaigne. The Stoic philosophers realized this as early as the 3rd century BC. Stoicism states that feelings are the root of our thoughts. In  all its simplicity, that’s a pretty wise observation. You feel anxiety because you think something will fail. You feel joy because you believe in your brand-new relationship. The problems only arise when we go too far in one direction.

Thinking hard

We can drive ourselves completely crazy with our thoughts, whether what we’re thinking is true or not. About 60 percent of our worrying concerns matters that we have no influence over. What others think of us, for example, or something that happened in the past. That we worry, or rather partake in rumination, is in itself not strange at all. It is with good reason that the term comes from the Arabic word for ‘thinking hard’, because it all starts with the aim of finding a solution to a situation or problem.

Brain working overtime

Dutch communications expert Loes Vork recognizes the feeling of overthinking. “I’ve always had a head that just won’t stop,” she says. “But usually I get a lot out of it, too. Yes, I see problems everywhere, but that means that I’m better at solving my clients’ issues. It’s only when I am tired or emotional that it’s difficult—then the negativity takes over.” Vork had to teach herself to have a more positive view. “At home, my telephone is switched off and I avoid stimuli as much as possible, because my head is already stimulating enough on its own. If you take good care of yourself, there is nothing wrong with viewing situations from different angles.”

Worrying can be good

According to a study held by psychology professors Kate Sweeny and Michael Dooley of the University of California, Riverside, in the US, worrying can be good for you. Sweeny and Dooley analyzed a large amount of research on the subject and discovered that worriers often have better health because, for example, they smoke less and are more conscientious about using sunscreen, just to be on the safe side. The researchers also discovered that a worrying head is motivating: Such thoughts work like a red flag—something is wrong!—so that you are spurred into action. Because worrying often feels unpleasant, you are more likely to solve a problem than someone who thinks everything will probably work out fine.

It’s in our DNA

Another positive was discovered by assistant psychology professor Alexander Penney from the MacEwan University in Canada: People who worry a lot are, on average, smarter. In his study, he writes: ‘It is possible that more verbally intelligent individuals are able to consider past and future events in greater detail, leading to more intense rumination and worry. This theory can partly be explained by evolution: thinking about what you can expect to run into used to increase your chances of survival.

Love

“Worrying is often a sign of love,” says Maria Janssens, co-founder and head of content at The School of Life in Amsterdam. “Whether it is about the people around you, your reputation, your career, or something completely different, when you worry you’re showing that you care. That can be scary, because you run the risk of losing it, but it is also a nice thought. Love is and will always be one of the most beautiful things we have.”

The benefits of worrying

You are better prepared for, and less upset by, difficult and unpleasant situations.
You are more grateful if something goes well.
You understand the consequences of your actions.
You have an eye for detail and you can plan well.
You are thoughtful; you will not easily forget someone’s birthday, for example.
You are reliable; when people ask you to do something, they know it will be taken care of.
You are good at setting priorities.