Untangle Unwind Anxiety: Practical Tools using Neuroscience, Habit and Behavioral Change, With Judson Brewer
Nov 11, 2025
Judson Brewer, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, dives into practical strategies to combat anxiety. He shares insights from his personal experiences with panic and how habit science shaped his work. Listeners learn how to identify triggers and break harmful anxiety loops through mindfulness. Judson emphasizes using curiosity and kindness to shift perspectives and create healthier habits. He also introduces simple practices like the 'hmm' mantra to foster awareness and reduce anxiety, showcasing the power of neuroscience and mindfulness in everyday life.
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Anxiety As A Habit Loop
- Anxiety often persists because it's reinforced by habit loops of trigger, behavior, and reward.
- Treating anxiety as a habit reveals new ways to disrupt it beyond medication.
Default Mode Network Fuels Worry
- Anxiety engages the default mode network tied to self-referential thinking and future worry.
- This network produces the mental loop of regret and rumination that sustains anxiety.
Map And Update Reward Value
- Map your trigger, behavior, and reward to recognize the habit loop in real time.
- Pay mindful attention to the reward repeatedly to lower its value and stop the habit.
