The Dr. Jud Podcast

In today’s episode, you’ll learn the following:-Why people have been buying what seems like a decade’s worth of the toilet paper in the grocery store, and why when you see them, you suddenly feel the urge to buy toilet paper yourself.-The mechanics of reward based learning, which underpins all of our anxious thinking and behavior.-The role of the neocortex in anxiety. The neocortex is the part of the brain involved in thinking and planning.-Why a lack of information leads to anxiety, and how fear + uncertainty = anxiety-The role of social contagion and why it leads to anxiety and panic spreading more rapidly-The problem with your prefrontal cortex going offlineYou’ll also learn how to practice good mental hygiene. There are 3 key steps to this:-1) take a deep breath (or 3). This helps you literally calm your nervous system so your brain can have time to stop spinning out and get back online. 2) Ground yourself in the present moment by feeling into your hands or feet. Your feet aren’t the place in your body where you feel anxiety, so they’re a safe place to help you ground in the here and now3) Rinse and repeat.To ask questions or suggest future topics, please comment below or connect with me on Twitter @judbrewer Click here to subscribe to my Youtube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi6b...By subscribing, you’ll be notified of future daily updates and of my free weekly "office hours" anxiety Q&A session on Mondays at noon eastern US (12:00 EST) Build your body awareness using mindfulness practices, like those in the free "Breathe by Dr. Jud" app, available on both Apple and Android devices. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe... Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de... For even more resources on anxiety, including free mindfulness exercises, visit my website: https://www.drjud.comFollow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/judbrewerFollow me on Instagram Let's connect on Instagram

During this time of panic and uncertainty, it's critical to build good mental habits and practice mental hygiene.In this podcast, you'll learn:-What to do whenever you notice stress or anxiety, and how to nip it in the bud. All you need is your breath and your awareness.-How to respond to urges to check social media or to call someone-The power of this question: "What do I need right now?" and why that's more important  than "what do I want?" -How to connect with your spouse or kids, and why that is important during these times-How to set limits with regards to checking the news, and the best times to check the news-The importance of taking it one day at a time, and why that is critically important for your brain -The effects of uncertainty, how much information you need to plan, and how this affects anxiety-How to avoid unhealthy weight gain or loss, and how to replace weight gain with kindnessTo ask questions or suggest future topics, please comment below or connect with me on Twitter @judbrewer Click here to subscribe to my Youtube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi6b... Build your body awareness using mindfulness practices, like those in the free "Breathe by Dr. Jud" app, available on both Apple and Android devices. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe... Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de... For even more resources on anxiety, including free mindfulness exercises, visit my website: https://www.drjud.comFollow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/judbrewerFollow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dr.judLet's connect on Instagram

Scientists are working furiously on testing therapies and vaccines to treat the coronavirus, but it will take time and focused effort before they’re ready.  Did you know that there is already a vaccine against panic, anxiety, and selfishness?  It’s called loving kindness, and you can get vaccinated today. References and links from this video: -See Anderson Cooper's brain unwind anxiety on camera (1 minute clip from CBS' 60 minutes): https://drjud.com/dr-jud-on-60-minutes/-Sharon Salzberg's loving kindness (by donation): https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/produc...-Our paper showing loving kindness decreases default mode network (DMN) brain activity: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/f...-Our study showing mindfulness app decreases DMN brain activity: https://www.nature.com/articles/s4138...-Our study showing expert meditators decreasing DMN brain activity with loving kindness, breath awareness and choiceless awareness meditations: https://www.pnas.org/content/108/50/2...-Our paper showing links between self-referential processing and getting caught up in experience: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/...Resources: To ask questions or suggest future topics, please comment below or connect with me on Twitter @judbrewer Click here to subscribe to my Youtube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi6b...By subscribing, you’ll be notified of future daily updates anLet's connect on Instagram

Stress, anxiety and other emotions are running high for many people right now. But if you’re a parent with kids at home, trying to juggle work, homeschooling, and the overall uncertainty, your house may feel like an emotional minefield. Your kids are also trying to make sense of everything, and may not be reacting in “normal” ways. And even if you don’t have kids at home, your inner child probably isn’t feeling very safe or secure right now.Let's connect on Instagram

When you’re anxious, one of the best things to do is to slow down and focus on your breath. But what about when you’re so anxious or stressed that regular breathing exercises don’t seem to work? In today’s episode, I’ll teach you a simple but effective exercise that brings in more of your senses to help cut through the anxiety so you can be calm and focused in the present moment. Resources: 1. Subscribe to the Dr. Jud channel (click the red SUBSCRIBE button) to be notified of future daily updates, and join a free weekly "office hours" anxiety Q&A session on Mondays at noon eastern US (12:00 EST) 2. Build your awareness using mindfulness practices, like those in the free "Breathe by Dr. Jud" app, available on both Apple and Android devices. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de.... For more resources on anxiety, including free mindfulness exercises, visit https://www.drjud.com or follow me on Twitter @judbrewer or Instagram @dr.jud.3. The University of Oxford Mindfulness Centre is offering weekly mindfulness classes with an associated podcast to support people during the COVID 19 pandemic. Further details here: https://oxfordmindfulness.org/online-.... Visit the Free Mindfulness Project for a growing library of free talks, videos, online courses and live practice sessions: http://www.freemindfulness.org/covid19. Also, Mindful Leader is providing Free Live & Online daily meditation & support groups: https://www.mindfulleader.org/free-me.... Dr Ron Epstein explores different ways Let's connect on Instagram

When you read the news, do you find yourself getting more afraid? Do you tend to read the headlines and articles that confirm your worst fears? Our brains are not set up to think critically in an environment of uncertainty, but there are ways to keep our rational brain in charge and think more clearly about the world around us… even during a crisis.  Links to articles I mentioned in the episode:https://www.latimes.com/california/st...https://beachgrit.com/2020/04/fake-ne...Resources: 1. Subscribe to the Dr. Jud channel (click the red SUBSCRIBE button) to be notified of future daily updates, and join a free weekly "office hours" anxiety Q&A session on Mondays at noon eastern US (12:00 EST) 2. Build your awareness using mindfulness practices, like those in the free "Breathe by Dr. Jud" app, available on both Apple and Android devices. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de.... For more resources on anxiety, including free mindfulness exercises, visit https://www.drjud.com or follow me on Twitter @judbrewer or Instagram @dr.jud.3. The University of Oxford Mindfulness Centre is offering weekly mindfulness classes with an associated podcast to support people during the COVID 19 pandemic. Further details here: https://oxfordmindfulness.org/online-.... VisLet's connect on Instagram

Ever wonder why tightness in your jaw and shoulder are linked to stress? Did you know that you can use curiosity to change your relationship to anxiety and fear? The Irish novelist and poet James Stephen’s wrote, “curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will.” Learn how to do this today.Resources: 1. Subscribe to the Dr. Jud channel (click the red SUBSCRIBE button) to be notified of future daily updates, and join a free weekly "office hours" anxiety Q&A session on Mondays at noon eastern US (12:00 EST) 2. Build your awareness using mindfulness practices, like those in the free "Breathe by Dr. Jud" app, available on both Apple and Android devices. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...For more resources on anxiety, including free mindfulness exercises, visit https://www.drjud.com or follow me on Twitter @judbrewer or Instagram @dr.jud.3. The University of Oxford Mindfulness Centre is offering weekly mindfulness classes with an associated podcast to support people during the COVID 19 pandemic. Further details here: https://oxfordmindfulness.org/online-.... Visit the Free Mindfulness Project for a growing library of free talks, videos, online courses and live practice sessions: http://www.freemindfulness.org/covid19. Also, Mindful Leader is providing Free Live & Online daily meditation & support groups: https://www.mindfulleader.org/free-me.... Dr Ron Epstein explores different ways we experience uncertainty, and how cultivating curiosity, presence and connectionLet's connect on Instagram

Did you know that your eyes really are the window into your soul? Or at least, a window into your current emotional state? By understanding how your eyes connect to your emotions, you can learn to tap into curiosity to help you let go of anxiety and fear.Resources: 1. Subscribe to the Dr. Jud channel (click the red SUBSCRIBE button) to be notified of future daily updates, and join a free weekly "office hours" anxiety Q&A session on Mondays at noon eastern US (12:00 EST) 2. Build your awareness using mindfulness practices, like those in the free "Breathe by Dr. Jud" app, available on both Apple and Android devices. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...For more resources on anxiety, including free mindfulness exercises, visit https://www.drjud.com or follow me on Twitter @judbrewer or Instagram @dr.jud.3. The University of Oxford Mindfulness Centre is offering weekly mindfulness classes with an associated podcast to support people during the COVID 19 pandemic. Further details here: https://oxfordmindfulness.org/online-.... Visit the Free Mindfulness Project for a growing library of free talks, videos, online courses and live practice sessions: http://www.freemindfulness.org/covid19. Also, Mindful Leader is providing Free Live & Online daily meditation & support groups: https://www.mindfulleader.org/free-me.... Dr Ron Epstein explores different ways we experience uncertainty, and how cultivating curiosity, presence and connection can help in his blog: www.ronaldepstein.comLet's connect on Instagram

In today’s podcast, you’ll learn the following:-Why you can't stop checking the news-Why information is like food-Why you sometimes get a surge of emotions when you read a big news headline, and what to do about it-The concept of intermittent reinforcement and how this drives your news consumption behavior-What to do if you are already in the habit of constantly checking the news-The role of limits and how to set them-The key question to ask yourself after you check the news. My lab has studied how this simple question can help people stop overeating, and you can use the same trick to help you stop over-consuming news.-How to check in with your body and mindHere's a link to the animation on how to hack our brain's natural reward mechanisms to break bad habits like overeating that I mentioned in the video: https://drjud.com/hacking-your-brains...Click here to subscribe to my Youtube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi6b...Build your body awareness using mindfulness practices, like those in the free "Breathe by Dr. Jud" app, available on both Apple and Android devices. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe... Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de... For even more resources on anxiety, including free mindfulness exercises, visit my website: https://www.drjud.comFollow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/judbrewerFollow me on Instagram https://Let's connect on Instagram

Are you feeling stuck at home, unable to do anything but watch the current crisis from the sidelines? Maybe even feeling guilty or ashamed that there are doctors, nurses, and other first responders on the front lines of the battle while you’re safely at home?  What you’re feeling is totally normal, but there are ways to keep from spiraling into negative emotions and recognize that we’re all doing our part. References from episode: Review of the neuroscience: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...Study showing DMN affecting task networks and inhibiting cognitive performance: https://www.jneurosci.org/content/33/...Brene Brown’s TED talk on listening to shame: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown...Resources: 1. Subscribe to the Dr. Jud channel (click the red SUBSCRIBE button) to be notified of future daily updates, and join a free weekly "office hours" anxiety Q&A session on Mondays at noon eastern US (12:00 EST) 2. Build your awareness using mindfulness practices, like those in the free "Breathe by Dr. Jud" app, available on both Apple and Android devices. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de.... For more resources on anxiety, including free mindfulness exercises, visit https://www.drjud.com or follow me on Twitter @judbrewer or Instagram @dr.jud.3. The University of Oxford Mindfulness Centre is offering weekly mindfulness classes with an associated podcast to support people during the COVID 19 pandeLet's connect on Instagram