Thoughts trickle in constantly; some are helpful, like to-do lists, reflections, or creative insights. But others arrive more like static, humming constantly in the background. Among these are worry-based thoughts, which can serve us in positive ways, but they often linger too long.
The Two Types of Worry
Worry generally comes in two forms:
1 Productive worry: helps us plan, prepare, and protect ourselves.
2. Unproductive worry: the spiralling, repetitive kind that doesn’t lead to solutions.
One example of unproductive worry is meta-worry. Worrying about worry. This might sound like:
“Why am I always like this?” “I need to stop overthinking everything.” “What if this worry means something’s really wrong?”
Why Meta-Worry Happens
The brain is wired for survival. It’s constantly scanning for threats using memories, past traumas, and imagined futures to predict danger and keep us safe (Clark & Beck, 2023).
When you start judging your own worry, treating it as a flaw or a sign of mental instability, your brain registers worry itself as a new threat which must be processed and reflected upon (Clark & Beck, 2023). This amplifies the fear response. Instead of solving the problem, the mind becomes locked in a vicious cycle of negative feedback.
Where It Shows Up
Meta-worry is more common than most people admit. When not addressed, it can play a central role in many mental health conditions, such as:
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Social Anxiety Disorder
• Health anxiety
• Panic disorder
What all these have in common is a fear or discomfort with uncertainty. Humans are biologically wired to reduce uncertainty; it’s a survival mechanism that can serve us very well (Khawaja & McMahon, 2011). Our ancestors who anticipated danger survived, and those who did not over time got evolutionary pushed out (Khawaja & McMahon, 2011). But in modern life, uncertainty is everywhere, and trying to control every “what if” becomes not only impossible, but exhausting (Khawaja & McMahon, 2011).
Breaking the Cycle
To manage meta-worry, we need to retrain how we relate to our thoughts. Here are some practical tools mapped out by Clark & Beck (2023):
1. Notice the pattern.
“Okay, I’m worrying about worrying.”
2. Give your brain credit for trying to help, even if it is overdoing it
“This is just my brain trying to protect me — maybe a little too much.”
3. You’re not alone. Many people experience this.
“This is a common mental loop. It’s uncomfortable, but it will pass.”
4. Shift gears: Engage in a different activity. Move your body, change your environment, or do something tactile.
When to Seek Help
Sometimes meta-worry becomes so ingrained that it interferes with daily life. In these cases, working with a licensed physiotherapist can be very beneficial. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), particularly focusing on:
– Challenging distorted thoughts
– Reframing your relationship with uncertainty
– Reduce the fear of fear itself
Final Thoughts
Meta-worry doesn’t mean you’re broken, it means your brain is doing what it’s evolved to do: trying to keep you safe. But safety doesn’t always mean certainty, and learning to live with that gap is where the practice comes in. The goal isn’t to eliminate worry entirely, but to develop a healthier, more compassionate response to it, especially when it triggers that sticky feedback loop.
References
Clark, D. A., & Beck, A. T. (2023). Anxiety and worry workbook. Guilford Publications.
Khawaja, N. G., & McMahon, J. (2011). The Relationship of Meta-Worry and Intolerance of Uncertainty With Pathological Worry, Anxiety, and Depression. Behaviour Change, 28(4), 165–180. doi:10.1375/bech.28.4.165
