Ask The Author Q & A: Worrying Is Optional: Break the Cycle of Anxiety and Rumination That Keeps You Stuck

Ben Eckstein, LCSW, author of Worrying Is Optional: Break the Cycle of Anxiety and Rumination That Keeps You Stuck, discusses his book and answers questions about how to break free from the unhelpful thinking habits that keep you stuck in a loop of rumination and anxiety.

The book is an upbeat guide that teaches readers how to build their own customizable, anti-worrying toolbox using skills and strategies from metacognitive therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). We live in an increasingly uncertain world, and if you struggle with worry, you aren’t alone. You should also know that there’s nothing wrong with worry. Worry happens to all of us—and it can even be helpful at times. But excessive worrying—the kind that keeps us up at night, interferes with our thinking during the day, and hijacks our ability to make decisions—is a big, big problem. The good news is that, while worry is inevitable, worrying is completely optional.