Sunday Scribblings #93 – Worry

Chronic worry can lead to a host of physical ailments: heart attacks, high blood pressure, ulcers, gastrointestinal problems, muscular aches and pains, skin rashes, eczema, respiratory problems and asthma. Close to one in four people, at some point in their lives, meet criteria for diagnosable anxiety disorders related to worry which require professional treatment.
Canadian Mental Health Association

A quick google search and here’s what I learn about a few prescriptions for worry:

WORRY DOLLS

Very small and colorful dolls are traditionally made in Guatemala. A person (usually a child) who cannot sleep due to worrying can express their worries to a doll and place it under their pillow before going to sleep. Some medical centers use them in conjunction with treatment for disease in children.

According to folklore, the doll is thought to worry in the person’s place, thereby permitting the person to sleep peacefully. The person will wake up without their worries, which have been taken away by the dolls during the night. Parents may remove the doll during the night, reinforcing the child’s belief that the worry is gone.
Some parents involve the child in making the dolls to further increase the psychological benefits of releasing worries.

Because they are inexpensive and small to transport, many tourists buy the dolls. Many are also sold online, and some office workers in the United States put them on their desks or computer monitors.

WORRY BEADS

Kombolói or kompoloi (Greek: κομπολόι, pronounced [komboˈloj] or [koboˈloj]) “bead collection”; plural: κομπολόγια pronounced [ko(m)boˈloja] romanized as kombolóya) is a part of modern Greek culture, used to relieve stress and generally pass the time.
Komboloi: a traditional “stress toy” or “fidget toy”

How does it work?

* By repeating the same motion (counting or flipping the beads –> see below how
to do this)
* By repeating a word, sound, prayer, affirmation, goal, etc. as you finger each
bead
* By the energy and special properties contained in each type of material
(gemstones, amber, etc.) which is transferred to your hands
* By meditating on the color and shape of the beads
* By giving yourself something to do while waiting or feeling stressed
* By associating your beads with calm/serene moments

BASIC KOMBOLOI FLIP
Instructions on using Greek worry beads : komboloi

1. The easiest “flip” starts by holding the komboloi by its end, or midway among the beads (divide the beads in half and hold the string somewhere in the middle). While looking at your hand with the palm facing up, the worry bead set should be swaying down towards the ground.

2. While applying only a minimal amount of energy, swing the set upward and over your index finger.

3. Now it hangs over the top of your hand, or the palm side of all four fingers. You may use your thumb to individually move each bead over the top, or repeat the flip.

Try this simple flip over and over, until you get to a point where you can flip repeatedly without much thought. Focusing on the beads and their motion takes your mind away from worries and a degree of relaxation is achieved. Additionally, restlessness, impatience, nervousness can be reduced, simply because you are doing something to pass the time.

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Some great ideas. Really sensible alternatives to making myself sick by internalizing and withdrawing – that’s what I do when I’m worried. Course talking about my worries would help too….