Worry can feel relentless. For people who worry a lot, it is often hard to switch it off once it has started.
New MQ‑funded research led by Professor Colette Hirsch explores whether a simple psychological technique could help people stop worry in its tracks.
The study tested whether replacing worry with a positive mental image, that is unrelated to the worry itself, can help people interrupt and end their stream of negative thoughts. The findings suggest that this approach shows real promise, particularly when people are guided through the technique.
Why stopping worry matters
Worry is a form of repetitive negative thinking that focuses on uncertain future events. While many people can redirect their attention away from worry, those with high levels of trait worry often find this very difficult. Once worry begins, it can quickly turn into a chain of negative thoughts that is hard to stop.
Previous research has shown that replacing worry with positive thoughts can reduce anxiety over time. However, until now, no study had directly tested whether this approach can help people stop an ongoing stream of worry once it has already begun. This is the question Professor Hirsch and her team set out to answer.
“We all worry from time to time, but for some this is really hard to stop once it has started. My team have conducted an experiment to work out if generating a positive image can help stop worry in its tracks. It is a positive first step to developing a new digital intervention to help people stop worrying.” – Professor Hirsch
What did the researchers do?
The research involved 201 adults with high levels of worry. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups.
Some received training in a positive imagery technique, where they practised bringing a vivid, positive image to mind whenever they noticed themselves worrying. Others completed control tasks that did not include any strategy for stopping worry.
The training was delivered in two different ways. In one version, participants were guided through the technique by a researcher over a video call. In the other, the training was completed online without guidance.
After the training, everyone completed a new behavioural task designed to test how well they could stop worrying on demand.
What did they find?
People who were trained to replace worry with a positive image were better able to stop worrying than those who were not given this technique.
They were quicker to shift their attention away from worry and more successful at keeping their thoughts benign (neutral or positive). These effects were strongest when the training was guided by an experimenter, but benefits were also seen in the non‑guided version.
Participants who used positive imagery also reported feeling more able to stop worrying, and these self‑reports matched their performance on the behavioural task. Importantly, the results were not explained by differences in mood or by people worrying less to begin with.
Why guidance made a difference
The experimenter‑guided version of the training was particularly effective. People who received guidance were better at sustaining longer periods without negative thoughts once worry had started.
The researchers suggest this may be because guidance helps people create clearer or more vivid mental images, making the technique easier to use when worry arises. The findings also point to ways the non‑guided version could be strengthened in future research.
What does this mean for mental health research?
These findings provide early evidence that a simple, imagery‑based technique could help people interrupt worry when it feels uncontrollable. Because worry plays a role in many mental health problems, this approach could have wide relevance.
While the study was a single session and further research is needed, it opens the door to developing new, accessible tools that could support people who struggle with worry, including through digital or online formats. This is exactly the kind of foundational research MQ funds to build better prevention and treatment in the future.