You may think of anxiety as a reaction, a feeling, or a disorder. My guest today says that perhaps the best way to think about anxiety, especially if you want to treat it effectively, is as a habit.
His name is Dr. Judson Brewer, and he's a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, and the author of Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind. Dr. Jud and I begin our conversation with what anxiety is, and how it gets connected into a habit loop that can lead to other maladaptive behaviors like drinking, overeating, and worrying. Dr. Jud then explains how to hack the anxiety habit loop by mapping it out, disenchanting your anxiety-driven behaviors, and giving your brain "a bigger, better offer" by getting curious about your anxiety. We also talk about why asking why you're anxious is not part of this process, and end our conversation with how this habit-based approach to behavior change can also work for things like depression and anger.
Resources Related to the PodcastGenerations — The Surprising Truths and Persistent Myths
Toastmasters, Aristotle, and the Essential Art of Rhetoric
The Wisdom of Psychopaths
The Science of a Better Daily Routine
The Golden Rules of Success
What the World of Psychology Gets Wrong About Men
The Essential Habits for Becoming an Agile, Vital, and Durable Human Being
How to Deal With the Worry of Waiting
The Naturalist’s Art of Animal Encounters
The Power of Keeping Your Mouth Shut in a World That Won’t Stop Talking
A Kantian Guide to Life
Finally Follow Through
Bat Bombs, Truth Serums, and the Masterminds of WWII Secret Warfare
Anxiety Is a Habit — Here's How to Break It
The Fitness Supplements That Actually Work
The Essential Framework for Understanding The Art of War
Why You Like the Music You Do
Authority Is More Important Than Social Skills
Throw a 2-Hour Cocktail Party That Can Change Your Life
The Myths of Trauma
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free