"To combat worry, Hallowell suggests that people should not worry alone, because people are much more likely to come up with solutions when talking about their concerns with a friend. As well, he urges worriers to find out more information about the issue that is troubling them, or make sure that their information is correct. Another step to reduce worry is to make a plan and take action and take "care of your brain" by sleeping enough, getting exercise, and eating a healthy diet (without a "lot of carbs, junk food, alcohol, drugs, etc). Hallowell encourages worriers to get "regular doses of positive human contact" such as "a hug or a warm pat on the back".Finally, he suggests that worriers let the problem go rather than gathering them around themselves."
Worry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quote:
pat someone on the back and give someone a pat on the back
1. Lit. to pat someone's back to show praise.
2. Fig. to praise someone for something.
More: pat on the back - Idioms - by the Free Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.
Does the word hug give us a hint that the intended meaning of the underlined part is literary?
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