7 Anxiety Myths Most People Believe With Dr. Nick Wignall

[@Vestu]

What finally worked for me was going straight toward my anxiety, even inviting it up in meditation with non-judgement and then releasing it with deep breathing. It's not fun or relaxing at first. Things might feel even a bit worse in the beginning but if you keep at it daily, release those traumas.and anxiety energies daily, you'll get free of the fear, avoiding and suppression.

[@Laf631]

I'm glad the top comment is one that understood what Nick was talking about. Running away from your anxiety will only make it worse.

[@yaela.2747]

How do you do that though? I feel as though everything I do is wrong and I don’t know how to meditate

[@Vestu]

@@yaela.2747 Hi! Now, I prepared a very long reply to describe what I do, so bear with me :) These things work WHEN done every single day. Also - especially - when you're feeling OK. I had to learn that. Daily, consistent practice create new pathways through neuroplasticity and you'll also get better at being in touch with your breath and the "trauma energy" or whatever it's called, in your body. I used to struggle with anxiety because the moment I started to feel OK, like, I could comfortably distract myself and cope, I stopped doing all these things. And only when my situation got bad enough again, I started to get back to these, but at least for me the anxiety hits so hard and is so relentless and constant that nothing gets me up from it except Lexapro medication after a few weeks of intake. Finally during my last prescription of Lexapro I started to taper off of it at aroud 6 months. Now, I was in a stable (albeit dulled and numbed by the medicine to an extent) place to start implementing these practices so I could one day be without medication. Now, I've been almost 3 months without any medication and it's been 6 months since I halved the dose (the dose was the standard 10mg) and I'm doing great. But I also realize that I'm on this journey for a good while and it's not like everything's magically fixed. No, this is something I will do every day for as long as I'm alive and able to do them. Ok, so here's what I do. Some of this is thanks to Evolution of Dave, some come from Wim Hof, some come from Buddhist masters: 1) Really cold showers every morning, at least 1 minute, more is better. If I can't do it in the morning I'll do it at some point before going to sleep. 2) Wim Hof breathing session right after the shower. Now, before I continue I should mention that those two above are actually "stressors", but they are controlled and voluntary which make them work for you in the long run. As you repeatedly go into cold shower but you remain in full calmness with deep breathing, you'll build a strong connection with your own breath and nervous system. That being said, I also add a softer, calmer and self-loving side to be the other side of my practice: 3) Normal mindfulness meditation where I just sit and focus on my breath and maybe listen to some ambient, non-distracting music or soundscape. Sometimes I manage to do "no focus" meditation where I'm not focusing on anything, not even my breath. That's an interesting state but often very short-lived :) I just let go of any thoughts that occur and there's also research that by doing that every day consistently we apply neuroplasticity to keep ourselves from going too much into the use of Default Mode Network (DMN) which is the system in our brain that's responsible for thoughts wondering, rumination etc. The opposite network is executive frontal network (EFN) which is strengthened. Research says that those two networks can't be in use at the same time. 4) Loving-kindness meditation. Now, my anxiety _apparently_ stems from a very early childhood abandonment trauma which gets triggered in situations related to relationships with the opposite sex. It could just be that my marriage was having some trouble in it and this scorching, absolutely devastating anxiety might kick in, which needed medical intervention each time. So, in loving kindness meditation I breathe and visualize my chest area energy center (I know this sounds a bit woo woo, those can be called chakras too for extra woo-woo-ness) opening and I go through every person in my life and visualize a colorful, love energy flowing in and out from my "heart chakra" in between myself and those people, with my deep breaths. I also visualize hugging myself and telling myself there's nothing to feel guilt and shame about and I'm a good guy who deserves love. I emphasize self-love, because I feel that real love towards others stems from a healthy love towards yourself. Okay, that was the most woo-woo-y part of my practice. 5) I do a trauma release meditation where I first root myself into my root chakra, at the base of my spine by focusing on it and breathing on it. Then I let any kind of sensations to rise up, I even invite them and welcome them. Think of the opposite of avoiding, distracting or suppressing. I'm sitting there open, inviting them and once I feel something in my stomach, chest and throat area (some days are so good that I don't feel anything like that, some days they are noticeable.) and I start to breathe into them, letting them go with powerful out-breaths. I do this is a non-judgemental, acknowledging way. Like, "I acknowledge this sensation, it's not evil, it's energy stored from the past and I no longer need to attach onto it, and I'm letting it go." I know this sounds a bit "out there" as well, but I really feel I've released trauma energy by doing that consistently. Those sessions can also be a bit heavy and they're not necessarily "relaxing", but I take them as trauma work. The more relaxing practices were mentioned above :) That's it. A long read I know but nothing has been more important in my life for the past two years. I was very suicidal at the lowest point of my anxiety and depression, I've gotten a new life and I want to spread what worked for me. I'm not an expert or a doctor, so this is just what has worked for me and maybe it will at least give someone ideas on what to explore and research in their own case. We're all individuals after all. Thank you and all the best to you who read this :)

[@kitdrawsalot]

The non judgment thing is hard to do.

[@Vestu]

@@kitdrawsalot It is but the calm breathing helps in that exactly.

[@aamnahere6250]

I would like to add that anxiety can also be caused by an unhealthy childhood. If you were raised by parents who were unhappy in their marriage, emotionally negligent, had anger issues, dealt with addiction, frequently lashed out, shared their relationship issues with you as a child, not celebrated your strengths and achievements and took out their (sometimes legitimate) frustrations on you, you do grow up to become more anxious. It does tend to make us more afraid of the world. We're tend to be more anxious and on edge than those who grew up in stable environments.

[@itisdevonly]

What you've described is developmental trauma, and yes, it generally does lead to anxiety.

[@KrysP325]

Agree. Also like Dr. Nick stated the anxiety continues not because the original experience but continuing to believe the inaccurate thought that stemmed from that experience such as people are dangerous so be on guard.

[@akirahojo2]

Thank you for sharing this. It’s good to be able to understand why I battle with anxiety disorder in my latter life now that I realise I grew up with dev trauma.

[@aamnahere6250]

@@KrysP325 While I agree that anxiety continues not because of the original experience, the trauma of childhood or developmental abuse does tend to have triggers that remind us of the chaos, neglect, abandonment and hurt we endured during our childhood years. That means that reminders to the trauma endured in our childhood does overwhelm our nervous system resulting in uncontrollable emotional responses. It's not directly linked to anxiety and it doesn't apply to many people at all but people who develop anxiety because of childhood abuse and trauma do not benefit from ignoring the cause of it because for us, learning to address it, set healthy boundaries and understanding our triggers is very important and it's not linked to a single event in our childhood but long-term physical or emotional abuse.

[@itisdevonly]

@@aamnahere6250 Spot on. I didn't start healing from Complex PTSD until I realized that that was what I struggled with, and it wasn't just "social anxiety" or "depression." I didn't even have distorted thoughts for the most part. I had distorted unconscious schemas that told me people aren't safe. Didn't matter how much I reasoned. Didn't matter that I wasn't worried. I still got triggered, and I still suffered anxiety. So I reject the hypothesis that this can adequately be addressed through changing your thoughts and learning to stop worrying. I was never a worrier, I just didn't *feel* safe. I had to change the way I related to my body and sensory experiences in order to heal my anxiety and my trauma. Cognitive therapy really isn't the best approach for treating developmental trauma. It can help, but what's often needed is a body based approach like Somatic Experiencing, and learning how to practice self care and unconditional self acceptance, such as through IFS therapy. EMDR can also be extremely beneficial.

[@Stigggs]

This maybe the best video on the subject. No gimmicks. Short and perfect.

[@aamirali4600]

the most important lesson , DONT FEAR THE FEAR , it will feed the fear .

[@becster0902]

I have a panic disorder I use coping skills to calm my body which clams my mind. After my panic attack, i reflect. Journal or self talk and reminding myself that panic and anxiety is safe. And its safe to feel those things. I also reflect on what happened to cause the panic attack. Sometimes it can just be the thought that I am home alone. When reflecting on that scenario, I remind myself of what IS not what if.

[@LawrenceAkers]

This video was truly great although I feel your understanding of mindfulness as a coping strategy may have a misunderstanding. The aim of mindfulness is not to calm yourself down, but to acknowledge the anxious thought you're experiencing and to simply allow it to be, which I suspect sits more aligned with what you're saying in this video. The goal is not to achieve a state change from mindfulness, although if that happens that's great, but it is to simply be with the experience, be present, to notice that it is a thought, and to be able to let it go.

[@jesswoodhere]

Yes! Agreed!!

[@Coco-zu9ob]

Great explanation and agree. So would most mindfulness teachers.

[@StJimmy-hj1bo]

thats what i was thinking

[@itisdevonly]

Agreed. He really didn't seem to have a good understanding of what mindfulness was.

[@user-gh8bm8ct5t]

yeah this guy’s an idiot lol. As if discerning the cause of anxiety in childhood is useless… the reason anxiety persists is usually due to an unresolved negative belief that developed in childhood that is still believed somehow today; it’s not so much simply ‘identifying the cause’ than it is identifying the productive beliefs that have harmed you long-term, and working through that difficult childhood, which we often avoid in adulthood, can lead us to insights that our current adult beliefs and resultant lifestyle patterns are no longer justifiable. Cognitive rigidity that often maintains anxiety can be eased by therapy that aims to interpret childhood events through new lenses.

[@KrysP325]

Thank you! God bless you and your new baby.

[@juliettestix4527]

This is mind blowing. I had misconceptions number 2, 3, and 6! I really feel like I was given a key to unlock the next level of my recovery journey (I have a Generalized Anxiety Disorder, the patterns began before I was 6 and I'm 39 now) when I listened to number 6. I was definitely not allowing myself to feel anxious. The idea of allowing myself to FEEL anxiety, while still being able NOT TO react to it, is totally new to me, and I think life changing. Thank you! And just so you know, you're changing lives in France!

[@kimhayes7272]

I just wanted you to know how much your video have helped me. I have never heard anyone speak so clearly, your ideas are so wonderful!

[@jessmagoa]

As someone with anxiety I will say that finding and addressing the root cause of you anxiety can actually been incredibly helpful. If, for example, a coworker at work is continuously rude and that is causing anxiety when you’re on your way to work in the morning, it is best to start thinking about how to address the coworker or bring it to management.

[@lostone982]

I don’t believe that’s what he meant by root cause, more so story wise in life vs. specific incidents

[@VCMarcelo]

That's your anxiety maintaining cause, just what he meant. No need to know your anxiety root hidden back in your younger age

[@emma-my8bn]

Knowing that it's okay to have anxiety helps tremendously. I don't have to fight it now. TY!

[@heyu123]

Congrats on your new born!!! So glad you’re doing well! Rest well and take care lovely.

[@ALifeofLearning]

This really is my most favourite channel on KZbin ever. I love the way you manage to talk about such important topics in an accessible way that makes it feel like you and your mental health issues are taken seriously. Please keep going, you are really helping a lot of people ❤️

[@TherapyinaNutshell]

Thanks :)

[@indy-fs6de]

There's some great info here, but he demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of what mindfulness is. Mindfulness practice isn't about distracting away from the anxiety or calming yourself down or chasing the anxiety away. It is being able to change your interaction and relationship with your anxiety as to not be as reactive to it, develop an inner space for it, and then allow it to pass.

[@summerwoodsmusic]

I wanted to comment exactly this. By meditating ON the anxiety and accepting it as it is, you are telling your brain that it’s OK to feel anxiety. It saddens me that people can misunderstand meditation this way- it’s a scientifically proven tool to help create a calmer mind regardless of what kind of stress is in your life.

[@martinfriasperinetti9025]

I think he meant using it just as a coping skill as soon as anxiety spikes, not using it as a daily routine, kinda like reactive vs proactive, cheers

[@jessicasantiago5931]

Wow! I learned a lot from the video.. I will take the information I learned here and practice with my situation. Which is anxiety and panic attacks. By the way I haven’t had 1 in a while. I’ve been doing breathing techniques and just talking my self out of it. I’m grateful for this video, I feel so much better knowing that I don’t have to live this way.

[@daveltang]

I can’t thank you enough for your videos. how your words can change my panics to normality in minutes.

[@alakhindian292]

You are not aware ....what a great work you are doing...you are just amazing....

[@nora.354]

Congratulations on your new baby.

[@Jesus_Sabrina]

So much truth and fact I need to know. Really appreciate your works.

[@kelseyb3501]

I would really appreciate a video on overcoming health anxiety. I really try acceptance, but a panic attack for me is endless body scanning. Which aggravates the panic attack ofcourse.

[@TherapyinaNutshell]

here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKLbZ2xoq8iEo9U plus we have a course on the topic coming soon from Kat Green, she specializes in health anxiety, OCD, etc

[@yunsuuu]

You consistently hit the nail on the head! The best therapy channel! Congratulations on your baby! Hope you are healthy and doing well

[@kamroc1]

Years ago I had. therapist encourage me to “distract” myself from my anxiety. We’ve come a long way, thankfully.

[@TorringtonFernandopulle]

Very good lessons and guidance .... Thank you very much for sharing this video ..... 🙏

[@agriope2334]

Congratulations on your new baby! And thank you both for a very interesting. It rang several bells and I will be working on shifting how I perceive and engage with both anxiety and worry! Bless!

[@mygrammieis]

Sending only positive thoughts-prayers and positive vibes for all ✌🏻🪶🙏🏻

[@dandalgleish3953]

This was awesome. I’ve experienced anxiety throughout my entire and even to me some of these points gave a really helpful perspective. Thanks for sharing!

[@PutTheShovelDown]

Myth #1 is sooooo On Point! 💯💯

[@martinszabo4341]

What about skin picking? Is it related to anxiety? How can it be overcome?

[@Laf631]

I love Nick! I'm glad you had him on again.

[@mariecarie1]

Okay, I’ve been so confused on when to face and deal with anxiety versus when to use calming techniques, etc. But here’s what I am getting from this: Understanding that worry is a thought-which can and should be addressed-and anxiety is an emotion-which should also be addressed, but also handled and perhaps calmed with techniques-makes more sense. Am I getting that right? Because that helps me understand how to better address these issues.

[@Vestu]

I guess everyone's an individual but calming and coping got me nowhere . Just facing it and doing daily releases with it. You can do the calming and relaxing of course to balance those trauma and anxiety releasing session which are not meant to be initially relaxing. But they will make you relaxed down the line.

[@aamnahere6250]

I think we can incorporate techniques that help us in the long term but we shouldn't think of them as strategies to fight off anxiety. Ruminating about anxiety makes it worse. Trying to fend it off makes it worse as well. Maybe a more gentle approach towards it will help. Telling our brain verbally that "I know you're trying to keep me safe but this is just a thought. Thoughts aren't necessarily right and I am not in immediate danger" doesn't actively fight the anxiety, instead it acknowledges it and let it gently float away.

[@mariecarie1]

@@Vestu This. I like this. Being honest with yourself and how you feel, and what’s making you feel that way, seems like absolutely the best way to go. It’s not fun, but that’s okay. It’s part of healing. And it gets better.

[@Vestu]

@@aamnahere6250 In my case at least my anxiety doesn't react to any kind of reasoning. i've tried all kinds of thought models. It kicks in from some unconscious trauma reaction. And from there on I'm the passenger. In my current approach which I mentioned on another comment (facing it, bringing it to focus and releasing it with breathing), I do it every day, no matter how I'm feeling. I get better at it all the time too. The point of this approach is not fighting it or fending it off but making your brain and nervous system be with it and relax with it. I haven't had anxiety in three months now.

[@Vestu]

@@mariecarie1 Exactly. Face, embrace, get to know, let go after those vs. fight, avoid, distract, suppress, fend off

[@tanyawashburn8964]

My anxiety thanks you! I feel so much better after having viewed this!

[@alicecarroll2007]

Excellent presentation! I needed to hear this today.

[@alakhindian292]

You should proud on yourself...because you are helping lot of people directly or indirectly.....😘

[@Danielle.Jensen]

Congratulations 🎊 on 1 M You’ve helped all 1M of us Emma God bless💜👏🏾

[@millier9658]

Once again, congrats Emma, we love you! I came across Nick’s blog a little while ago, great choice! Masive ♥️ to you all

[@TherapyinaNutshell]

Thank you so much!!

[@muhammadbilal954]

Thanks

[@bigfun106]

Congratulations on the birth of your baby hope your all well

[@carmentehillah]

Yay! Emma! Congrats and lots of blessings with your new little one. May this time be precious beyond words🤗

[@ecea8795]

I found this video very helpful, many thanks. Especially the difference between worry and anxiety (i.e. thought vs emotion)

[@majormisstake6118]

I'm glad this video came out. Ive been having bad panic attacks and want to learn more about working through my anxiety. This really helped :) thank you! And congrats on your baby ❤️

[@mustangjoe2066]

L theain 300 to 800mg and L lucien and ashwagandha works

[@roccoconte2960]

Thank you for this video .

[@nourfattouh6547]

Congratulations on ur baby

[@dominohealing]

Good information but some people have so much past trauma and these energies get stuck in the body. These energies are vibrating and affect your thoughts and emotions. Its really difficult to “distract yourself “. There is a way to release these energies and release anxiety much faster.

[@elenikiroy]

What way is that?

[@amanr6346]

I am beginning my journey into eventually becoming a Psychotherapist, your videos are a treasure trove of information and insights!🙏😀👍

[@mariehrckavene7253]

Physical and congnitive symptoms of the anxiety are making me unfunctional, how do I not worry about anxiety, when I'm trying to work but I can't think, am disoriented and have slow reflexes, zero short-term memory, blurry and tunnel vision, weird hearing and overall perception with sweating and bowel movements..and this starts without a reason, not just in anticipation of something hard.

[@lockheart4940]

How to cope if your anxiety and panic attack comes from diagnosis that is related to your health like brain tumor etc??

[@1985reidy]

This is really helpful. Thank you!

[@soggymoggytravels]

Congratulations on the new baby!

[@cecilygf]

Loved this guy, and congrats on the baby!!!

[@raek8940]

Yay for you! Enjoy your sweet baby 👶!

[@terryg4415]

I'm surprised there is no mention of possible physiological causes of anxiety. The first time I experienced this was at the dentist. After a novocaine shot, I would feel like I was having a hard time breathing, and was very anxious. My dentist explained it was the epinephrine in the shot, and from there on, I've only received an alternative that does not have the epinephrine. For some reason, decaffeinated coffee does something to me that causes anxiety. It's worth noting if feelings of anxiety have a pattern that may indicate a sensitivity to a substance.

[@kaytoka717]

Yes, I suffered terrible anxiety for 3 years and terrible acid reflux as a result, and it didn’t seem how hard I tried to stop being so anxious and to calm my mind. Breathing and meditation would help some. After vomiting for a week straight, it turned out my gall bladder was very badly inflamed and had extreme high levels of bile as it infected my liver where it touched. The very first day of powerful antibiotics got rid of the acid reflux and the very same day having my bladder removed, I didn’t have the anxiety attacks anymore and just felt incredible relief. I continued the breathing and meditations through my recovery and didn’t need pain medications at all during recovery. While researching gall bladder symptoms, I guess anxiety was one of the symptoms. Not to say I never had anxiety legitimately, but physiology did play a big part in making it worse / incurable for a long while.

[@cl2976]

That was awesome thank you and congratulations 👏🏻

[@Mindfulness.Voyage]

Great information, though mindfulness may be a bit complicated - while it may help with “in the moment” coping, there are more beneficial outcomes as a way to *work with* anxiety rather than avoiding or suppressing it. I think this is the intention here, just wanted to clarify mindfulness potential role in changing the relationship with anxiety.

[@madisonpolasky6159]

My god this actually helped me. Thank you.

[@aaronklein7730]

Great vid! I wish MDs and Psychiatrist watched this... they will tell you the exact opposite. I've been told I physically have somthing wrong with brain. That I need meds, serotonin, gaba,dopamine etc. They tell me that it's serious mental illness. Which honestly just creates more stress and anxiety. They plant a huge seed of fear in you when yer already vulnerable. When Drs put a name or give you a diagnosis it automatically makes it worse. I also had a nurse practitioner tell me panic attacks cause heart attacks. It's all very confusing how some people say it's "serious " and some therapist are just like no biggy. I have anxiety , some ocd, and mild depression, and it's sucks.

[@itisdevonly]

"controlling your worry is the only way to control your anxiety" - WRONG! "Worry is the only direct cause of anxiety" - EXTREMELY WRONG! Going to have to call bullshit on those. Honestly, as a lifetime sufferer of intense anxiety, I'm very disappointed about the quality of this video. Although there is a lot of good information here, there are some wrong ideas being perpetuated as well. This video does not seem to have taken into consideration PTSD and the way anxiety works in the case of developmental trauma. I experience loads of anxiety and very little worry. All my life, I got guided to influence my anxiety by "stopping worrying" and it was frustrating as hell, because I was rarely ever worried! I can't improve my anxiety by fixing thought patterns that were never messed up to begin with. I experience anxiety because of the way I perceive sensory information, which has to do with the experiences of danger and its associated signals that I experienced as a child, and the habits I developed surrounding that and where I focus my attention. It happens on a very "primitive" level (ie. within the limbic system, nonverbally, and often subconsciously). There is no negative self-talk associated with my anxiety most of the time. It's just there. Fortunately, I've found somatic therapy helpful, because it allows me to work with my anxiety on the level that I'm actually experiencing it. I actually think this generally a much more direct approach, and effective for more anxiety sufferers. There ARE ways to calm the nervous system, both directly and indirectly, which do not involve changing your thoughts. Changing your thoughts is the clunky and often ineffective way to treat anxiety. Changing your experiences (by directing your focus and modifying your environment to create an experience of safety) is how you can really solve the issue at its root. When you resolve your anxiety at its root, your thoughts often change as a result.

[@siyethabasibiya8832]

Please talk more about 7th myth. It's definitely a need for me. I do more for people than I do for myself. And I've lost me in the process of it all. I don't know who I am.

[@guitard1280]

I've dealt with anxiety to the point I don't have it and I need to say this guy is just maddening. Just give yourself what you need to be at your best and give yourself years to learn how to get over anxiety. Self compassion, self care, good boundaries, make progress every day.

[@TherapyinaNutshell]

It's ok to have different opinions :) yours is valid too

[@peggy67ful]

I'm genuinely just curious...what about his words are so contrasting with your stated view? You're saying , IMO, exactly what he said?

[@codyplayzroblox6481]

This is one of the best and most helpful talks i have ever heard about anxiety. Brilliant. Many thanks.

[@TherapyinaNutshell]

Thanks!

[@MJ-eb6fk]

Congratulations on the birth of your baby

[@sage9836]

This information makes me optimistic! So do-able!

[@vanjacalantropo]

What does it mean when you have decreased ability to handle stress? Is this anxiety??? I overreact with minimal stress.

[@fractalofgod6324]

Is it the same for PTSD induced panic/anxiety disorder. I'm a chronic worrier and I know it fuels anxiety.i worry about losing sanity which perversely then brings on those very feelings via anxiety.

[@mattbutler3292]

Thanks for a great video .

[@Zagnutwaller61]

Most of my anxietycome in the form of pain. I am calm and everything seems fine, then all of the sudden my lower jaw will hurt and my teeth will start to ache, my throught will tighten and my chest will also hurt. I sometimes say the serenity prayer or take a pill. I am at a total loss as to why it happens.

[@Amanda-ei7oc]

Great content! Thanks for sharing. Learnt a lot! Big takeaway for me - learn to take control of your worry and let go of the need to control your anxiety.

[@tacychristensen4846]

How do we develop emotional resilience? I came from a physically abusive home and am really struggling with emotional resilience. Any helpful hints?

[@itisdevonly]

Look into Somatic Experiencing or Comprehensive Resource Model. They're both effective therapies for this sort of thing that get you out of your head and into your body, which is really what's needed for learning to manage emotions.

[@tacychristensen4846]

@@itisdevonly Thank you

[@itisdevonly]

@@tacychristensen4846 Also Internal Family Systems. It's very good for helping you learn to take care of and reparent yourself.

[@tacychristensen4846]

@@itisdevonly Wow - thank you! I can hopefully find some great information on those topics :D

[@SketchybrainD]

Didn’t know that it’s not just built into me. I have worried about life for as long as I can remember. Even in kindergarten they had me sleep in the office the first week. School was not fun

[@ChillBanana7]

Thank you for the video! I watch your videos in correlation with my therapy session each week, and it helps tremendously!(: Congratulations for your new baby!(:

[@davidmenke7552]

Dr. Wignall is super intense! But I really liked what he had to say. And congrats on the new baby!!!!

[@mwarsiful]

so what is the treatment for anxiety.

[@abnormalbrainworks4076]

I don't believe any of these myths except when they pertain to myself. It's like it's so easy to let other people off the hook when it comes to difficult emotions and mental illnesses, but I cannot seem to give the same grace to myself. I also struggle deeply with self-loathing, though. Low self-esteem and low self-confidence and stuff like that. It's making any kind of healing from anxiety and depression SO MUCH more difficult. :(

[@tonyas7628]

How can you stop thinking about your anxiety? It seems to always be on my mind.

[@Laf631]

By learning to control your attention. Just because you have a thought doesn't mean you need to obsess over it.

[@DivineDianne]

Thats the thing. This is exactly it. When I stopped fighting my anxiety, and I learned that it is not harmful and cannot hurt me, then I really had a sense of safety, knowing that though I feel like this, I am not in any danger. :)

[@templar_1138]

As someone who's been struggling with anxiety for years, not once has a therapist mentioned the notion of anxiety in and of itself not being harmful. Likening it to muscle soreness is an interesting way of thinking of it. Oh, and a suggestion to Nick: Please eat a green apple or two before recording. It'll drastically reduce your mouth noise.

[@eileenfuentes6975]

Mouth noise?

[@jameskimmel8695]

Lol its all I can hear

[@gwendolynwilliams1730]

Do you hear yourself?

[@DBRMT]

It's because he's feeling ANXIOUS AND STRESSED about his performance on the recording!! 😆 It's the first thing I heard and I laughed at the irony of the obvious stress response a guy was having while talking about stress/anxiety. (One of the physiological effects of the stress response is the salivary glands stop producing saliva and that pasty, dry mouth thing happens.... And that distracting mouth sound) But he's walking the walk as well as talking the pasty-mouthed talk! 😄

[@marmadukescarlet7791]

@@jameskimmel8695 now it’s all I can hear to!

[@halinakouris5863]

Thank you :) What do you do if you have severe anxiety…. And you continue to self sabotage when you feel a sense of hope? I’m so stuck :(

[@linda.brotherton1689]

Congratulations 👼

[@judymarkel8029]

A couple of years ago you gave me an article from him. I carried it with me everywhere. And read it several times a day. It was very helpful. He is a smart guy. Hope all is well with you and your baby. Hope your family is good

[@wombat7961]

Link me please

[@Star-dj1kw]

Great video 👍🏼

[@aler2047]

💜🙏👶🌹 Congrats for the new bundle of joy.💜🙏👶🌹So grateful that I came across your Chanel, you are helping me a lot.

[@emmadeveto4236]

It was super good ! Thank u 👍

[@karlenedavies6655]

Thanks for sharing I learn alot

[@ebbenielsen7]

But what about the difference between fear and anxiety?

[@smb7984]

Congratulations on the new baby Emma. I have a question. Is there a way to know if you have a chemical imbalance in your brain or your just having long term anxiety? I don’t have any family and a friend that lets me down so much, when I have never let them down. I’ve never been lonely, but since all this started I find I am extremely lonely. Not sure if this is emotionally based or not. Thanks so much for your videos. I read nothing but positive comments. Your such a blessing to so many Emma. God bless you and your family!

[@meagiesmuse2334]

@ SM B - we all need a soft place to fall.... a support system of at least a couple of people we can count on to be there for us. I am in the same boat as you are and am very anxious as a result. Since I have no more living family and my 3 closest friends have died, I know I am on my own in life and that would be scary for anyone. This is a normal reaction, but of course we still need to deal with it.

[@smb7984]

@@meagiesmuse2334 thank you for responding! It is very difficult to navigate this. I’m sorry for the loss of your friends. And we do have to get through it. I have to go to the hospital tomorrow for IV fluids. This has taken horrible total on my body. May God help us and Bless us and most of all Heal Us! Take care!

[@meagiesmuse2334]

@@smb7984 - I hope the IV fluids will help you and that you can find a new family of supportive people in your life.

[@smb7984]

@@meagiesmuse2334 thank you. I hope the same for you!

[@lunarsma8446]

Congratulations, Emma! And thanks for sharing Nick with us!

[@TherapyinaNutshell]

Thank you!! 😊

[@gogogolyra1340]

The last myth really got to me

[@tonyakimberley1145]

Thank you for this! ✨

[@fotinotita7022]

All the very best with your newbie. Happy bonding Mom and Babe 💐✨💐

[@alankeni]

Now I’m more anxious because I know that anxiety leads to chronic stress and chronic stess have bad effects on my health.

[@carmelhughesparolya899]

Thanks so much Nick .. surprised by a lot of this .. great that you have addressed this so wonderfully ! Always believed that I had the anxiety gene! Hope all is really well with Emma and new baby 👶 xxx

[@serenegrace9921]

Hi, i would want to know if anxiety or a long term depression can affect your brain and the language centre of the brain specifically. How does it affect that way? Can this be recovered? How?

[@TonyaA7]

This was very informative thanks for sharing all this..

[@TherapyinaNutshell]

Glad it was helpful!

[@adrianhepton9362]

Thank you for the video. however what Nick isi saying may or may not be true, is there any KZbinr who systematically looks at scientific papers about anxiety or other mental health topics? Without a scientific approach all we are left with is somebody's opinion, even if they speak with great confidence about a topic or they have a qualification or a job title.

[@sherrijennings9309]

OK, what if you're having a panic attack, but you have no idea what triggered it? I've had therapists ask me what I'm worried about, what I find stressful etc but I REALLY DON'T KNOW. I don't worry about having a panic attack. I'm used to them now. it's like something in my sympathetic nervous system has flicked the on switch without telling my brain. without medication it's permanently on. I can't eat, remember anything or do anything except tell myself that I'm not going to die. I've felt this in some way or another since I was a child. Am I really not just wired this way?

[@DAClub-uf3br]

If anxiety is mostly from learning then why does my doctor think that i can never be cured. If it is not part of me why then am i stuck with it?

[@joylucchesse5162]

He's very good

[@joylucchesse5162]

Does dr.wignall have a u tube channel or books he wrote

[@TherapyinaNutshell]

he has a blog nickwignall.com

[@joylucchesse5162]

@@TherapyinaNutshell thank you

[@crystalslade8056]

I’m really really struggling with anxiety at the moment I hope I feel better soon it’s hell

[@jhw1259]

Just tell me what to do

[@Dr.Longest]

This is why I have a problem with short videos discussing extremely nuanced topics. You can't cover this stuff throughoughly and this is clearly trying to help people with clinical levels of anxiety reduce stigma. That's a good start, but there is so much more to understand here. I know the audience of people watching will not be a random person with their life perceptually "under control" but rather someone who probably has a diagnosis. Nick is clearly intelligent considering he obtained his doctoral degree so I know the approach can be more nuanced than this. Bummer to see it boiled down into such rudimentary pieces. Anxiety is not dangerous. It would help if they would distinguish between situatinally appropriate anxiety and clinically significant anxiety. The former would not be dangerous, but there is plenty evidence to suggest clinical levels of anxiety can worsen medical outcomes. Coping skills. Meditation was probably a poor example to use here. I would agree with using mindless activities like tiktok, but arguing that meditation (a mindfulness practice in essence) would train one's brain as a fallback instead of addressing the core issue is essentially dismissing DBT and ACT where mindfulness are core components to the modalities that would assist in the remission of anxiety disorders. Anxiety is a weakness. This goes back to "normal" anxiety versus clinical levels of anxiety. If we call something a disorder we perceive it as a weakness to overcome. It doesn't mean the person is "weak" and I don't know of many clinicians who would assert that a client is weak because of their disorder. "Normal" levels of anxiety should not be "mocked" but the target audience is not the average joe with "normal" anxious responses. Anxiety is not something you are born with. Stating that there is no genetic component is bold. I know they specified one singular gene, but the audience will more than likely interpret this as "genetics does not play a factor in an indvidual's predisposition towards anxious symptoms." Our understanding of biological contributors towards anxiety clearly is not definite enough to make claims like this. Also, there is quite a bit of research on infant temperaments and how prenatal factors can influence infant temperament. It isn't a statement to say "you were born with it" but rather, acknowledging there is a potential for people to be predisposed towards anxious symptoms for a variety of reasons even as an infant. Worry and anxiety are the same thing. I guess if it helps people to create a semantic difference in their head this is somewhat useful. Ultimately the presenter is trying to differentiate between thoughts and emotions. Worry can easily describe your emotional state and I would not try change a client's own semantic meaning behind that word. It's all good information, but there is no need to try and differentiate two synonymous words. It's all in your head. I liked where this was going, but it was directed towards relationships which was odd. Sure, anxious symptoms can occur from relationships, but a quick trip to the anxiety disorders in the DSM-5-TR didn't yield results where relationships or boundaries were mentioned explicity. It can contribute, but clinically it's more complex. Not there fault I guess. This is meant to generate money and without nuance. As long as someone finds it helpful I applaud y'all.

[@BrendaHall1]

Thank you, both. Enjoy the baby, Emma.