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TED Talks Daily

3 steps of anxiety overload -- and how you can take back control | Lisa Damour

Feb 13, 2023
In a compelling discussion, clinical psychologist Lisa Damour shares her insights on anxiety, helping listeners distinguish its healthy and harmful forms. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing anxiety's protective role while providing actionable strategies to manage it. Techniques like square breathing are introduced for everyday stress relief. Lisa also highlights the unique challenges of teenage anxiety, advocating for effective communication and awareness. This blend of practical advice and understanding offers a roadmap to reclaiming control over anxiety.
21:31

Episode guests

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Quick takeaways

  • Anxiety can be both healthy and unhealthy, serving as an alarm system or escalating into disproportionate responses.
  • Practical techniques like controlled breathing, reframing anxious thoughts, and graduated exposure can help manage and regain control over anxiety.

Deep dives

Understanding Healthy Anxiety

Psychologist Lisa DeMoor explains that anxiety can be both healthy and unhealthy. Healthy anxiety serves as an alarm system, helping us recognize and respond to potential threats. For example, feeling anxious when someone cuts you off in traffic prompts you to be alert and take evasive action. However, unhealthy anxiety occurs when there is no threat or when the anxiety response is disproportionate to the situation. It is important to distinguish between the two and address unhealthy anxiety through clinical intervention.

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