Dr. Courtney Tolinski, a mental health specialist, joins Wes and Scott to discuss signs and symptoms of anxiety, long term effects, recognizing triggers, dealing with uncertainty, and managing anxiety through therapy, mindfulness, and aerobic exercise.
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Quick takeaways
Clinical anxiety can be managed through therapy and strategies such as journaling, mindfulness meditation, regular exercise, and supplementation.
Navigating uncertainty involves identifying core values, creating pros and cons lists, breaking down decisions, and practicing coping techniques like meditation.
To address career anxiety, understand your values, assess alternatives, and remember that decisions can be adapted and aligned with evolving goals and values.
Deep dives
Identifying and Coping with Anxiety Symptoms
Anxiety symptoms can manifest as excessive worry, restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances. Clinical anxiety is characterized by ongoing and uncontrollable worry that affects daily functioning. To manage anxiety, therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), can be beneficial. Other strategies, like journaling, mindfulness meditation, regular exercise, and supplements like omega-3s and magnesium, may also help. It's important to acknowledge your feelings, be kind to yourself, and allocate time for relaxation and self-care.
Dealing with Uncertainty and Making Big Decisions
Uncertainty can cause anxiety, especially when making big decisions. To navigate uncertainty, it helps to identify your core values and align your decisions accordingly. Creating a pros and cons list, ranking the likelihood of different outcomes, and breaking down big decisions into manageable steps can provide clarity and confidence. Remember that no decision is perfect, and you can always adjust your path if necessary. Practicing daily coping techniques, such as meditation and self-reflection, can also provide support.
Addressing Career Anxiety and Embracing Change
Career anxiety often arises from the fear of missing out on better opportunities or feeling trapped in a job. To address career anxiety, it's important to understand your values and priorities. Reflect on what aspects of your work are most important to you, such as salary, work-life balance, or personal fulfillment. By assessing different alternatives and weighing them against your values, you can make more informed decisions. Remember that no decision is final, and you can always adapt and pivot in your career to align with your evolving goals and values.
Relaxation Techniques and Self-Care
Relaxing and taking care of oneself is crucial for managing anxiety. Some self-care practices include watching favorite shows, reading, working out, journaling, connecting with friends, or engaging in activities that bring joy. Creating daily relaxation routines, such as meditation, breathing exercises, or soaking in a bath, can help alleviate stress and anxiety. It's essential to prioritize self-care and find activities that make you feel refreshed and rejuvenated.
Sick Picks
Courtney recommends a vegetable chopper for easy meal preparation and reducing cooking anxiety. Wes suggests using a breathing app for relaxation and mindfulness exercises. He also mentions podcasts like 'Being Well' by Rick Hanson and 'Criminaloty,' which reviews true crime cases involving reality stars for entertainment.
In this supper club episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott talk with Dr. Courtney Tolinski about signs and symptoms of anxiety, what the long term effects are of anxiety, how to know if you need help, and what kinds of things you can do to deal with anxiety and uncertainty.