Mental Reps
Perfectionism to Self-Compassion
“Just Think Positive”
Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast
Externalize Anxiety
Perfecting Anxiety
Thought Defusion
Acceptance vs White Knuckling it
Shifting to the Present and the External
Keeping Anxiety on its Leash
Intrusive Thoughts
Safety Behaviors
Rumination is Active
Reassurance Seeking
Challenging Thoughts Too Much
Out of Control
Catastrophizing
Insight and Anxiety
Anxiety is Normal
Short-Term Comfort
Anxiety Loves to Stay Vague
No Fear
The Child Brain, The Parent Brain, & The Grandparent Brain
Short-Term Comfort
Short-term comfort is hard to resist. We’re naturally drawn toward it. Add anxiety screaming “danger!!” and it becomes even harder to resist. Feels reckless to resist.
The more we seek comfort though, away from the “danger,” the more we reinforce anxiety’s false alarms. We inadvertently teach our brain to continue sending us alarm bells in similar situations. This is the anxiety cycle:
Trigger —> Anxiety —> Fear Thoughts —> Escape/Avoid —> Short-term Comfort —> Long-term Anxiety Maintenance
As long as we’re not in actual harms way, the goal is to step outside the anxiety cycle by increasing short-term discomfort. That is, avoid avoiding/escaping.
It’s incredibly brave to step outside the anxiety cycle because anxious “danger” feels exactly the same as real danger. There’s no difference internally.
By letting facts be our rudder, we start to teach the “child brain” new lessons: The Child Brain, The Parent Brain, & The Grandparent Brain
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Weekly thoughts on anxiety + articles/video updates
Short-Term Comfort
Short-term comfort is hard to resist. We’re naturally drawn toward it. Add anxiety screaming “danger!!” and it becomes even harder to resist. Feels reckless to resist.
The more we seek comfort though, away from the “danger,” the more we reinforce anxiety’s false alarms. We inadvertently teach our brain to continue sending us alarm bells in similar situations. This is the anxiety cycle:
Trigger —> Anxiety —> Fear Thoughts —> Escape/Avoid —> Short-term Comfort —> Long-term Anxiety Maintenance
As long as we’re not in actual harms way, the goal is to step outside the anxiety cycle by increasing short-term discomfort. That is, avoid avoiding/escaping.
It’s incredibly brave to step outside the anxiety cycle because anxious “danger” feels exactly the same as real danger. There’s no difference internally.
By letting facts be our rudder, we start to teach the “child brain” new lessons: The Child Brain, The Parent Brain, & The Grandparent Brain
Subscribe
Weekly thoughts on anxiety + articles/video updates