Not too long ago I wrote about disappointments and how little disappointments can start to add up and possibly lead to depression. Today I want to touch on something similar but not the same – and that is the topic of worry.
Worry. Just seeing or hearing the word can create anxiety. I think worrying is part of the human experience for most of us. I am not a big fan of words like “never” or “always”, but my assumption is that most of us all worry from time to time. Like many things in life, a little bit of worry may not be too bad, and may actually help get us motivated to take care of things or help others. However, worry can easily start to get out of control.
Can worry lead to depression? I think so. It may not be the only thing that starts a depression, but it can have a big part to play in its development. Worrying is typically an internal process. We may share our worries with others, but a lot of the time we worry in our own mind. We may think of terrible worst case scenarios that may happen but are not likely. We may start spending a lot of time worrying. We may worry so much that it starts to affect relationships or our ability to work. And, when someone is depressed, worry can be a big part of the suffering that a person endures.
Unfortunately, there is no magic line we cross that tells us when our worrying has gone too far. It is not always easy to determine when worrying could be leading to a depression. In general, it is a matter of looking at an entire person’s life and seeing if the worry is leading to disruptions in relationships or work or other activities of daily living. An important first step is recognizing the role that worry can play in depression.