5 NATURAL HACKS To Stop Anxiety - Dr. Rusell Kennedy
Summary
TLDRThe transcript discusses strategies for managing anxiety, emphasizing the importance of short-term and long-term solutions. Short-term relief can be found through eye movement, breathing exercises, and self-touch to calm the mind by relaxing the body. Long-term approaches involve connecting with the body's sensations, particularly the insula, which processes emotional responses. The speaker suggests using self-touch and breathwork to ground oneself in the present, and recommends therapies like Internal Family Systems and Somatic Experiencing for deeper healing. The discussion highlights the significance of recognizing past experiences that may be causing current anxiety and the value of relational support in overcoming these challenges.
Takeaways
- 👀 Short-term solutions for anxiety include eye movements, deep breathing, and self-touch to calm the mind and body.
- 🌀 The amygdala is affected by eye movements, which can help in moderating anxiety's physiological response.
- 🧘♂️ Using the body to calm the mind is more effective than trying to calm the body with the mind, as exemplified by the 'just relax' approach.
- 🤲 Self-touch, such as placing a hand over the solar plexus, can be a powerful tool for managing anxiety, as seen with actor Pascal.
- 🎶 Children respond to music, vibration, and touch, which can be utilized in adults to manage anxiety through present moment awareness.
- 🔄 The mantra 'sensation without explanation' encourages acceptance of physical sensations without overthinking their cause.
- 🤔 Tapping into the present moment through sensation can counteract worry, which is often future-oriented.
- 👶 Connecting with one's inner child can provide comfort and understanding of the root causes of anxiety.
- 🔍 The insula cortex plays a role in translating bodily sensations into emotional responses, which can be helpful in processing anxiety.
- 🌟 Long-term therapies like internal family systems and somatic experiencing have been effective in managing anxiety for some individuals.
- 💔 Recognizing when personal struggles are too significant to handle alone and seeking professional help is crucial for overcoming deep-seated anxiety.
Q & A
What is a short-term solution for dealing with anxiety mentioned in the transcript?
-One short-term solution mentioned is moving your eyes back and forth, which is also the basis of EMDR and has a moderating effect on the amygdala.
How does breathing play a role in managing anxiety as discussed in the transcript?
-Breathing, specifically taking two quick breaths in and then a long exhale, can signal to your body that you're relaxed, which can help calm your mind.
What does the transcript suggest about using the body to calm the mind?
-The transcript suggests that it's more effective to use your body to calm your mind rather than trying to use your mind to calm your body.
What is the significance of self-touch in managing anxiety as per the transcript?
-Self-touch is highlighted as a helpful method to connect with oneself, especially the inner child, and can provide comfort during moments of anxiety.
How does the actor Pascal manage his anxiety as mentioned in the transcript?
-Pascal is seen placing his hand over his solar plexus, a gesture that symbolizes connecting with his inner child and providing reassurance during stressful situations.
What mantra is suggested in the transcript to help deal with anxiety?
-The mantra 'sensation without explanation' is suggested to help individuals focus on the present moment and their bodily sensations without overthinking.
What is the importance of tapping in managing anxiety according to the transcript?
-Tapping, especially on the hands and face, is believed to bring one into the present moment due to the brain's focus on somatosensory input from these areas.
How does the concept of safety play a role in managing anxiety as discussed in the transcript?
-Asking oneself 'am I safe in this moment' can help in managing anxiety by grounding oneself in the present and acknowledging immediate safety rather than worrying about future uncertainties.
What is the role of the insular cortex in processing anxiety as described in the transcript?
-The insular cortex is described as a 'Way Station' that processes signals from the body and the mind, creating an emotional signature that can trigger past experiences and feelings during similar situations.
What are the therapeutic approaches mentioned in the transcript that have been helpful for anxiety?
-Internal Family Systems and Somatic Experiencing are mentioned as therapeutic approaches that have been particularly helpful for managing anxiety.
What is the importance of acknowledging past experiences in dealing with anxiety as per the transcript?
-Acknowledging past experiences is crucial as anxiety often stems from unresolved past issues. By connecting with these experiences, individuals can better understand and manage their anxiety.
Outlines
😌 Coping with Anxiety: Short-Term and Long-Term Strategies
This paragraph discusses various methods for managing anxiety in the moment and over time. Short-term solutions include eye movement exercises, which are also the basis of EMDR, and breathing techniques that signal to the body to relax, thereby calming the mind. Self-touch is highlighted as a powerful tool, with examples from actor Pascal's behavior on the red carpet. The concept of 'sensation without explanation' is introduced, encouraging individuals to connect with their bodies and acknowledge the sensations of anxiety without trying to rationalize or explain them away. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of using physical actions to influence mental states, rather than trying to calm the mind directly. It also touches on the idea of connecting with one's inner child to address anxiety and the role of music and vibration in providing comfort.
🔍 Exploring the Body-Mind Connection in Anxiety
Paragraph 2 delves deeper into the body-mind connection when dealing with anxiety. It discusses the role of the insular cortex in processing emotional experiences and how past traumas can manifest as physical sensations in the body. The paragraph suggests that by identifying and connecting with these sensations, individuals can better understand and manage their anxiety. It also mentions the importance of recognizing the 'younger self' within and providing reassurance to that part of oneself during anxious moments. The speaker shares personal experiences with various therapies, including EMDR, CBT, and somatic experiencing, and reflects on the limitations and benefits of each. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on the relational aspect of anxiety and the importance of feeling supported and understood, both by others and oneself.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Anxiety
💡EMDR
💡Amygdala
💡Breathing exercises
💡Self-touch
💡Sensation without explanation
💡Tapping
💡Present moment
💡Internal Family Systems
💡Somatic experiencing
💡Psychedelics
Highlights
Short-term solutions for anxiety include eye movement exercises, which are also the basis of EMDR.
Breathing exercises can signal to the body to relax, which in turn can help calm the mind.
Self-touch, such as placing a hand over the solar plexus, can be a powerful method to manage anxiety.
The mantra 'sensation without explanation' can help individuals connect with their body's sensations during anxiety.
Tapping, which engages the brain's somatosensory areas, can bring one into the present moment and alleviate anxiety.
Asking oneself 'Am I safe in this moment?' can provide immediate relief from anxiety.
Anxiety often stems from past experiences and connecting with one's younger self can be therapeutic.
The insular cortex plays a role in translating bodily sensations into emotional responses.
Internal Family Systems and Somatic Experiencing are therapeutic approaches that have shown effectiveness in managing anxiety.
Psychedelics can provide intellectual insights but may not be emotionally beneficial for everyone.
Therapy's future may involve a combination of Internal Family Systems, Somatic Experiencing, and psychedelics.
It's important to recognize that anxiety can be a signal to pay attention to past or future-oriented feelings.
Connecting with one's body and understanding the somatic experience can lead to a better comprehension of anxiety.
Anxiety can create a sense of isolation, but recognizing the need for support can be crucial for overcoming it.
Reminding oneself or one's younger self that it's okay to feel anxious and that one can get through it is an important aspect of managing anxiety.
Therapeutic work often involves finding and addressing the root causes of anxiety, which may require professional help for severe cases.
Transcripts
how do we deal with in the moment
somebody's got anxiety they're just
struggling where do they start yeah I
mean the short-term Solutions and
long-term Solutions so short-term stuff
is you know huberman talks about this
and you're human like moving your eyes
back and forth I mean this is the the
basis of EMDR as well it does have a
moderating effect in effect on the
amygdala breathing you know just your
breath just that whole physiological
side thing two snorts in quick starts in
then a long exhale
starts to tell your body that you're
relaxed so if you can relax your body
your mind will just follow that but it's
it's much better it's much more
effective to use your body to calm your
mind than it is to try and use your mind
to calm your body like saying just relax
slow down you're okay like that doesn't
do it so self-touch like self-touch is
one of those things that I have found in
my practice and in my own life just
incredibly helpful and if you look at
Pascal you know the the actor Pascal you
see him like on the red carpet he's got
his hand over his solar plexus and he
talks about his anxiety like that's what
he's doing he's connecting he's
connecting essentially when I look at
that he's connecting to the little boy
in him that's basically what he's doing
he's saying this is a stressful
environment whatever we'll be okay
because your adult is fine it's the
child in you that's creating a lot of
this issue so what did children respond
to they they respond to music they
respond to vibration they respond to
touch they respond to Something in the
moment and one of my favorite mantras
that I say to myself is sensation
without explanation so when you're
feeling anxious go into your body and
it's probably going to hurt you're
probably going to find a place in your
throat or your chest or your solar
plexus or your gut that has a lot of old
pain in it but put your hand over that
and just that's the first step in kind
of connecting now again that's more of a
long-term thing but it will work in the
short term as well so breath work you
know moving your eyes back and forth
these you know tapping has some you know
and the reason I think I don't I don't
know if tapping has this magical thing
but basically if you look at the way the
brain is structured your brain has most
somatosensory real estate for your hands
and your face so if you start tapping
your your hands and your face together
your brain can't ignore that it has to
bring you into the present moment
sensation and if you look at worry it's
always about the future worry is always
about the future so the more you can
bring yourself into present moment
sensation the better you're off you're
going to be and this is the tip my
daughter loves the most out of it
because my daughter has a bit of anxiety
not nearly as much as I did but
she said Dad the the thing that that
you've said to me that's that's created
the most you know Peace In Me Is is just
saying to myself am I safe in this
moment you know so it's it's really and
it sounds cliche but middle of the day
middle of the night when you wake up in
the middle of the night in a panic
you're not rational all your all your
coping strategies that you've used
especially men are now gone right so you
know you're you're face on with whatever
is stressing you out because you're not
able to stuff it down anymore because
you've been unconscious for the last you
know three or four hours so it's
basically just sort of getting into that
but putting your hand over your chest
and just going hey I know I'm worried
about this I know I'm worried about my
relationship I know I'm worried about
that
but in this moment in this moment that
I'm in right now am I safe and this
works in the middle of the day in the
middle of the night and just because
those of us who who have these
hypersensitive nervous systems then you
may not show up with anxiety it may show
up as OCD it may show up as an eating
disorder it may show up as depression
but it's like with that hyperactive
nervous system if you can calm that
nervous system down enough to be able to
just say this rationally to yourself
sensation without explanation I can sit
with it even though it hurts because
when I sit with this pain in my chest
that is my younger self that is the
alarm I'm learning how to metabolize it
but if every time I feel this pain in my
chest I just go up into my head and
worry you never actually deal with the
problem it's just like the kids with the
phone whenever you feel negative you
just go to the phone so whenever we feel
anxious we just go into our heads which
is basically the same thing so it's
learning how to use self-touch breath
you know coming into the moment starting
to see that hey maybe this is a younger
version of me maybe I can sort of find
this so what I'll do with people and
I'll give you a very short version of
this is you know say I have a guy who
came around the corner on his bike and
he saw the real estate sign on his front
lawn and he knew that meant his parents
were getting divorced so even that to
this day when he sees that same real
estate company aside from that it's
still still charges them up a little bit
so I say to them okay where is that in
your body he says well it's kind of in
my in my chest area okay is it is it
superficial is it deep it's kind of like
well it's kind of in the middle it's not
superficial but it's not deep is it a
pressure is it a pain it's kind of like
an ache it's like a dull ache it doesn't
have a color does it have a temperature
yeah it's kind of red and it's kind of
hot like I said I'm shortening this down
quite a bit a lot of times people won't
have a color they won't have a
temperature that kind of thing but it's
just basically getting people in and
just really getting the nuances of that
alarm and really finding it you know I
have some people it's Hollow you know it
it feels like a toothache it feels like
when I hurt my toe when I was four like
this is what this pain feels like like
really drill into it because there is
this part of our brain called the insula
the insular cortex and the insular
cortex is kind of like the top down
bottom-up Way Station so what's coming
up from your body is weighed by the
insulin what comes from your mind is
also weighed by the insulin as well and
I believe that the insula when we have
those experiences like you know shape up
your little bits or whatever I believe
that feeling in your body gets
translated to the insula and the insula
creates this emotional signature in your
body and whenever you face that same
kind of thing again and your adulthood
that emotional signature gets locked
into your body as well and you feel
exactly the same way when you're seven
now and then and then the thoughts will
come that are completely consistent with
that as well so if you can find that
place in your body and that's that's
what we do is we find it it's like okay
can you put your hand on it can you can
you close your eyes can you see the
child's eyes can you see your eyes when
you're seven you know I have this thing
on my phone which is basically me when
I'm three I don't know if it'll come up
I hope that yeah that's me when I'm
three years old right so that's the the
thing on my phone so I check in with him
every day now it sounds kind of you know
like woo and all that kind of stuff but
it works like it really does
like I was in therapy for 35 years and I
did EMDR I did you know act
CBT LMNOP I did everything and nothing
really made a difference until there's
two types of therapies that really
helped me internal family systems and
somatic experiencing and I also did
psychedelics but psychedelics actually
uh put me back a little bit I don't
think I think that if they gave me the
intellectual stuff that I needed to
develop my theories and that kind of
stuff but emotionally
um it I wasn't quite right for two years
after Ayahuasca so
not a Panacea I think the the way we're
going to go with therapy in the next few
years is psychedelics internal family
systems and somatic experiencing I think
that's the way we're going to go with
therapy but it's uh but I think people
in this dopamine driven immediate
gratification Society believe that if I
just do Ayahuasca or if I just microdose
on the Slime and that my problems are
going to go away and it's just this just
doesn't work that way you really have to
do the work and find that child and
sometimes your stresses are so big
emotional physical sexual abuse then you
need some help like admit that you need
some help and go and get some help
because you won't deal with this on your
own it you will not be able to process
this on your own anyway that was a long
rant sorry about that no no it's good
it's good I've you know just on the last
piece there
um
yeah I think a lot of what you're you've
been sort of saying and driving home
with people is it anxiety while you
might be feeling it in the moment
the causality is almost always somewhere
in the past yeah and that it's trying to
get us to pay attention to uh either a
feeling that needs to emerge that is
past oriented or
um you know or is about the future right
the the feeling is like oh well what if
this happens again or you know et cetera
et cetera and and that we need to get
into touch with what we're experiencing
somatically within the body and that
when we can do that we have a higher
chance of understanding what's actually
going on and being able to move through
it and finally the the really big piece
is that it's relational
that oftentimes the people that I've
seen and worked with that have anxiety
um it becomes the disconnector it
becomes the thing that makes them feel
like they are alone and as as you've
been talking and talking about how these
sort of past-based experiences right
your younger self your child
uh have gone through these experiences
of of in the language that I would use
going through a hard time and not being
okay
that in those moments where you're
feeling anxiety what you need is a
reminder that you can go through that
hard time feeling anxious with somebody
else there or you know in conversation
with you and be okay
and and that sometimes we also need that
with ourselves right I almost hear you
talking about the younger self as like
we need to remind that younger version
of ourselves that's showing up as saying
like I don't know if I'm going to be
okay if I ask that woman out if I fail
at this conversation if you know the
deal falls through or I can't pay rent
or like whatever it is that you know we
conceptually think is causing the the
like deep anxiety so I really appreciate
that
[Music]
thank you
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