How Anxiety Is Constructed In The Brain | Ep 327

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Anxiety that you cannot control, that keeps coming back, that you don't understand and are terrified of, will trick you into believing that something is really wrong. But what if that intense fear you experience—while absolutely real—is based on a prediction your brain is making that isn't actually true?

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, neuroscientist and author of How Emotions Are Made and 7 1/2 Lessons About The Brain about how anxiety is constructed in the brain. Dr. Barrett explains the theory of constructed emotions and how your brain uses predictive processing to create your internal experience of fear and anxiety.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How anxiety is constructed in the brain through predictive processing, not reactive circuits
• Why your brain's primary job is managing your "body budget" and how this relates to anxiety
• The difference between your experience being real versus the prediction being accurate
• How your brain uses past experiences to construct categories and predict future threats
• Why anxiety disorders may involve predictions that are either too general or too specific
• What "practicing predicting differently" means and how it can help with anxiety recovery
• Dr. Barrett's personal experience using these principles to manage stage fright before her TED talk
• The role of interoception in how your brain constructs anxiety
• Why changing how anxiety is constructed in your brain is hard work that requires practice

This conversation gets technical at times, but offers valuable insights into why anxiety feels so real and compelling, even when you're not actually in danger. Understanding how anxiety is constructed in the brain has important implications for how we approach recovery from panic disorder, agoraphobia, OCD, and other anxiety disorders.

Resources mentioned:

• Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett's website: LisaFeldmanBarrett.com
• How Emotions Are Made by Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett
• Dr. Barrett's TED Talk
• 7 1/2 Lessons About The Brain by Dr Lisa Feldman Barrett

For Show Notes On This Episode:

https://theanxioustruth.com/327

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Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.