Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer
Anxiety is a habit loop: trigger, worry, brief relief, repeat. You do not break it by force. You break it by getting curious enough to notice the reward is not worth it.
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Open in SpotifyWhat if the way you deal with anxiety may be reinforcing it? In today's episode, let's delve into the book "Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind" by Judson Brewer, which explores why breaking the cycle of anxiety may begin with curiosity rather than control!
Worry feels like doing something, which is why the brain keeps choosing it.
Map the loop: what triggers it, what the behavior is, what the payoff is.
Curiosity is a bigger, better offer than worry; the brain will take it.
Next time worry starts, ask: what am I getting out of this? Then get curious about how it feels in the body instead of fixing it.
Worry is a habit with a payoff. Get curious enough to see it isn't worth it.
Use it when
Worry feels productive and never stops.