Worrying has always had this bad reputation for being bad not only for the mental health, but also for the physical. But, a new study suggests that it is not even that destructive because it even has motivational benefits.
A study conducted by the researchers from the University of California - Riverside suggests that worrying actually does the body and the mind of a person good, Science Daily reported. Kate Sweeny, psychology professor at the university explained that worrying is not that destructive or futile because in fact, it has motivational benefits and can act as an emotional buffer.
Sweeny explained worrying's motivating effects. She said that it is the unpleasant feelings of worry that pushes people to take actions so that they can reduce their worry. Even when there are times when there is really nothing that people can do to change or prevent unwanted circumstances, when people worry, they unconsciously assemble a ready-made set of responses in case something unwanted happens.
Aside from this, Sweeny also said that worrying can act as a buffer because or emotional benchmark because if people have intense worries about a future outcome, they will have a better emotional response to the outcome when it finally happens compared to how they felt during the worried state.
According to the Science of Us, to simply put it, worrying acts just like a defense mechanism because it will work as if people will have a sort of emotional armor when bad things come their way. But Sweeny also warns that too much worrying is what's bad for the health. What she only tries to emphasize is that planning and having a preventive action is not a bad thing. She even said a little worrying is even better than not having to worry at all.
