Homework Assignments
Writing Assignment: Worry
Worrying Assignment Worrying is part of mental health issues. Almost everybody with a mental health issue worries. Worrying can be very useful, if it means looking at a problem from different sides and hereby developing a solution for the problem. However often worrying is no longer helpful. Thoughts go round and round in circles and one can’t stop worrying. It becomes a fruitless activity to which one tries to resist, but often in vain. Worrying becomes an activity that takes a lot of energy. In these cases a “worrying assignment” can be helpful. This assignment is meant to make worrying fruitful again. Real worrying can play an important role in becoming aware of problems and solutions in your recovery. It works best if you work on this assignment half an hour per day and start worrying deliberately. Find a quiet spot where you can write undisturbed. Take a pen and paper and write down everything that comes to mind. Try if possible to write at the same time of the day. Choose a moment that allows you to relax and distract afterwards. You will notice that by the conscious and pointed character of the worrying sessions it becomes almost impossible to continue to think in circles. This is even more reinforced by writing. Nobody writes down the same though 12 times, this forces the thoughts to go in a different direction. In addition to this: thoughts that are written down encourage fleshing out the problems. You will notice that this assignment restores the original goal of worrying, meaning that outside of the worrying sessions it will become easier to let go of fruitless worrying.
388 Roncesvalles Ave, Suite 200 Toronto, ON M6R 2M9 T 866.226.9262 F 416.588.9235 www.banyanconsultants.com