Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between Worry and Concern

Worry vs Concern
 

Difference between worry and concern is non-existent to most of us as we assume that worrying about something and being concerned is much the same thing. Even when we peruse through dictionaries both direct towards feeling anxious or being bothered about something. However, between these two words there is a difference, which goes beyond the surface meaning. Worrying is about being uneasy or anxious about something. For example, imagine you have a problem. If you keep on thinking about it over and over, this is worrying. Concern is a bit different to worrying. Concern is when an issue arrests the attention of an individual where he would begin to care and feel distressed. This highlights that worry and concern are not synonymous. Through this article let us examine the difference between the two words while gaining an understanding of both terms.

What does Concern mean?

The word Concern can be defined as an instance where an issue arrests the attention of an individual making him care and feel distressed. For example,look at the following statement.

‘I am concerned about her.’

What does this mean? This means that the person is distressed by another individual and feels an urge to do something about it. Concern is believed as a positive quality, unlike worry because the individual does not keep on feeling anxious about a situation but tries to find solutions to fixing it. When a person is concerned, he does not go into the problem again and again. Instead, he would channel his energy to make the necessary choices and decisions in order to solve the problem.

‘I am concerned about her’

What does Worry mean?

Worry, on the other hand, is when an individual feels uneasy or anxious about something or someone. Worrying is considered as a negative quality because it only puts the individual in a worse position where he would be thinking over and over about a particular issue, without addressing the possible solutions. When we are worried, we go over the same thing again and again without much luck. This is a waste of time because the person would channel all his energy towards a futile effort. Imagine a person who is constantly worried about something or the other. It is a tiring process that drains a person’s energy completely. Psychologists believe that when a person is worried about issues in his life all the time, the stress level naturally increases. This can lead to many mental as well as physical problems as well. This highlights that worry and concern are not the same and between the two, one can identify a number of differences.

‘I am worried about the ceremony’

What is the difference between Worry and Concern?

• Concern is when an issue arrests the attention of an individual where he would begin to care and feel distressed. This will be followed by trying to find solutions.

• Worrying is about being uneasy or anxious about something. This will lead the person to go to the same mater again and again without much luck at getting anywhere.

• Unlike concern, worry is a futile effort that drains a person as it is a process that does not benefit the individual but makes the person even more miserable.

• Concern leads an individual towards a solution whereas worry does not lead the individual towards a solution, but to the very place that he started at.

 

Images Courtesy:

  1. Sad little girl by Ed Yourdon (CC BY-SA 2.0)
  2. Worried bride by Francesco (CC BY 2.0)