Actually, worry is a PERFECT use of imagination. In fact, it may be the most evolutionarily sound reason to have an imagination at all! The ability to “predict the future” accurately as it relates to potential dangers and obstacles is incredibly valuable, and that’s what imagining is! How else could we planfully navigate the world?
Of course, lots of other wonderful and more pleasant uses for imagination. And overusing imagination to predict dangers/obstacles that are highly unlikely can be problematic. (That does happen quite a bit – in fact, in clients with GAD, 92+% of worries don’t materialize!) And catastrophizing… usually not helpful.
But I have found that it can be helpful to clients who struggle with worry to both learn why their worry (in realistic quantity) is valuable, as well as learning to harness their imaginations for other productive and pleasant purposes!