“Don’t worry.” “Worrying doesn’t solve anything.”
Well, that’s stupid. If there’s a problem, I’m going to worry about it. I’m going to THINK about it. I’m going to try to figure out a way to solve the problem. I get it. People are just trying to be helpful. They want to make you feel better, but I don’t see how telling someone to avoid thinking about how to solve a problem is very good advice. Okay, so there may be times you don’t think there is much of a problem. That’s why you tell the person not to worry about it, but the person worrying may have plenty of other reasons to think it is. You just don’t know about them.
If you really want to be helpful, ask the person what they are worried about and help them figure out a way to solve their problem. Don’t tell them to stop thinking about it. The internet abounds with articles about how to stop worrying. People tend to perceive worrying in a negative way, but it can be a good thing. It’s is a process in which mental attempts are made to avoid anticipated potential threats. It can be a very productive function when it leads to constructive action to solve the issue causing the concern. If your worrying is an attempt to figure out a way to solve a problem, go ahead and do it. If you can’t figure out a way to solve the problem by yourself, talk to someone. Maybe they can think of a solution you can’t. Not thinking about a problem doesn’t solve anything.