Podcast Summary
Understanding Anxiety as a Learned Behavior: Anxiety is a learned mental habit reinforced by worrying, making it hard to break. Brewer's book 'Unwinding Anxiety' offers strategies to understand and address it.
Anxiety is a learned behavior and understanding its rewards can help in addressing it. According to Judd Brewer, anxiety has three essential elements: a trigger, a behavior (worrying), and a result (feeling in control or doing something). This response is a mental habit that our brains have learned, similar to how our ancestors learned to remember where to find food or avoid danger. It may seem counterintuitive, but the mental behavior of worrying can be reinforcing, making it a hard habit to break. Brewer's book, "Unwinding Anxiety," offers a framework for understanding anxiety as an addiction and provides strategies to address it. For Ezra Klein, the book has provided a more generative way to think about and approach his own anxiety.
Anxiety from problem-solving mode: Understanding anxiety as a result of problem-solving mode can help us recognize and break habit loops, reducing anxiety and improving problem-solving skills.
Anxiety can be a result of reward-based learning, specifically the problem-solving mode in our brains. When we encounter uncertainty, our brain goes into problem-solving mode, seeking information to make things more certain. This can lead to a sense of reward when we find a solution. However, when we don't find a solution, our brain can become anxious and start worrying, spinning out of control. This is a survival mechanism that can help us plan and think, but when overused, it can lead to unproductive worry and make it harder for us to think and plan effectively. This can create a habit loop of trigger (uncertainty), behavior (worrying), and reward (temporary relief from worry). Understanding how our minds work in this way can help us recognize and break these habit loops, leading to reduced anxiety and improved problem-solving abilities.
Identify behavior, triggers, and rewards in habit loops: Recognizing patterns of behavior, triggers, and rewards can help us understand and change unwanted habits.
Understanding and mapping out habit loops is the first step towards breaking free from unwanted behaviors. This involves identifying the behavior, the triggers that initiate it, and the resulting rewards that reinforce the cycle. For instance, if someone worries, they might be triggered by specific thoughts or situations, the behavior is to worry, and the result could be a sense of relief or control, even though it may feel unpleasant and even self-punishing. It's essential to recognize that triggers don't directly cause behaviors but merely set them off, and the rewards are the driving force behind the habit. Moreover, our brains can create a false sense of causality, making us believe that the worrying led to a solution, even if that's not the case. By recognizing these patterns, we can begin to challenge and change our habits.
Our brains find planning and problem-solving rewarding: Being aware of the rewarding nature of planning and problem-solving can help prioritize valuable thoughts and worries, while recognizing the potential addictive nature of rehashing negative ones.
Our brains are wired to find planning and problem-solving rewarding, even if the plans don't always work out. This process can provide temporary relief from anxiety and activate the dopamine system, which reinforces the behavior. However, some thoughts and worries may be more sticky and magnetic due to their past reward value or the excitement they bring, even if they are not as important or meaningful in the present moment. It's essential to be aware of this dynamic and make a conscious effort to prioritize thoughts and worries that are truly valuable and productive. Additionally, it's important to recognize that the excitement and dopamine release from rehashing old arguments or negative thoughts can be addictive and distract us from more significant issues.
Our brains prioritize self-referential processing: People's minds often wander, leading to unhappiness and negative emotions. Understanding this tendency can help us be more present and engaged.
Our brains are wired to focus on individual concerns rather than larger societal issues, and this preoccupation with self can lead to unhappiness. The default mode network, a brain region associated with self-referential processing, is activated when we receive rewards, such as social media likes, leading us to prioritize our own needs and thoughts. A study from Harvard found that people's minds wander during 47% of their waking hours, and when they're not present, they tend to feel worse. Elon Musk's admission of being unable to turn off his wandering mind highlights this phenomenon, suggesting that constant mental distraction can contribute to negative emotions and behaviors. Understanding this tendency towards self-absorption can help us make a conscious effort to be more present and engaged in the world around us.
Understanding the young and weak parts of our brain: Instead of relying on willpower, focus on neuroscience hacks to gain control over habits and urges. Identify habit loops, understand reward systems, and find alternative rewards for non-rewarding behaviors.
Willpower and cognitive control, often thought of as the rider in control of our actions, are actually the youngest and weakest parts of our brain from an evolutionary perspective. They're the first to go offline when we're stressed or anxious, leaving our "passions" or urges in control. Our feelings and urges are much stronger than our thoughts and plans. Instead of focusing on willpower or trying to turn off our thoughts, we should look to neuroscience to understand how our mind works and find ways to hack our brains to gain control. This involves identifying habit loops, understanding that our brains are driven by rewarding behaviors, and finding ways to make non-rewarding behaviors more rewarding. For example, to stop overeating, we need to find alternative rewards to food. In the case of worrying, we can try to change our relationship to our thoughts by understanding they're not necessarily a sign of danger, and finding ways to make non-worrying behaviors more rewarding.
Bringing awareness to unwanted behaviors and their consequences: Paying close attention to the reward value of a behavior in the present moment helps individuals shift towards healthier choices by realizing the negative consequences, but it requires consistent somatic data for the brain to update the reward structure.
Changing unwanted behaviors, such as overeating or worrying, requires paying close attention to the reward value of the behavior in the present moment. By bringing awareness to the experience of the behavior and its consequences, individuals can eventually realize that the behavior feels worse than not engaging in it, leading to a shift in behavior. However, simply avoiding the behavior doesn't change the reward value. Instead, individuals must pay attention to the reward value of each instance of the behavior to build a clear understanding of the pleasure plateau and the point where the reward starts to decline. This somatic data is essential for the brain to update the reward structure and change the behavior. It's important to note that the quality of the data coming in plays a role in this process. If there is noise in the system, the brain may not believe the new data and may require repetition to update the reward structure.
Recalling past feelings can guide better choices: Understanding feelings from past experiences can help change behavior and make healthier choices. Brain learns best from immediate feedback, so be aware of negative consequences.
Understanding the feelings associated with our actions can help us make better choices. The speaker emphasizes the importance of recalling past experiences and how they made us feel, rather than just relying on our thoughts. He uses the example of overeating pizza and the negative feelings that come after. By remembering these feelings, we can change our behavior and make healthier choices. The speaker also mentions that our brains learn best from immediate feedback, so it's essential to be aware of the negative consequences of our actions. In the context of anxiety, the speaker suggests focusing on the physical sensations of worrying, rather than just trying to find a solution. By paying attention to the feeling of worry itself, we can better understand our anxiety and make more effective efforts to manage it.
Explore anxiety with curiosity instead of avoidance: Replace anxiety with curiosity for better well-being, accept and tolerate unpleasant feelings, shift focus from avoidance to exploration
Our brains are wired to prefer behaviors that offer greater rewards, and the key to overcoming negative emotions like anxiety is to replace them with more rewarding alternatives, such as curiosity and kindness. When we feel anxious, instead of avoiding or distracting ourselves, we can inject curiosity into the moment by exploring the physical sensations associated with anxiety. This not only helps us accept and tolerate the unpleasant feelings but also allows us to realize that they are not as scary or unmanageable as we might think. Curiosity can help us shift our focus from avoidance to exploration, making it a powerful tool for overcoming anxiety and improving our overall well-being. This approach may seem counterintuitive, as our natural tendency is to avoid discomfort, but with practice, we can learn to embrace it and use it as an opportunity for growth.
Learning to tolerate and accept unpleasant feelings: Accepting and exploring unpleasant feelings can help us deal with anxiety, break addictive patterns, and develop greater resilience and inner peace.
Instead of running away from unpleasant feelings or uncertainty, it's more beneficial to learn to tolerate and accept them. This approach, known as distress tolerance, can help us deal with anxiety and even break addictive patterns. By acknowledging and exploring these sensations, we can learn that we are not defined by them and they will eventually pass. Using the metaphor of surfing a wave, we can ride out the feelings as they peak and abate, gaining a new perspective and understanding of ourselves in the process. This concept, drawn from the work on addiction in "The Craving Mind," can be applied to various challenging experiences, helping us develop greater resilience and inner peace.
Understanding Anxiety: Focus on the 'what' not the 'why': To manage anxiety effectively, focus on experiencing the feeling in the present moment and use grounding practices, rather than trying to understand the cause or reason behind it, which can lead to unnecessary stress and confusion.
When dealing with anxiety or any other habitual behavior, it's essential to distinguish between the "what" and the "why." Focusing on the "what" means acknowledging and exploring the feeling or experience in the present moment, while the "why" refers to trying to understand the cause or reason behind it. The "why" can lead us into a rabbit hole of past issues and make it harder to address the present anxiety. Instead, we should focus on the somatic experience of anxiety and use grounding practices to help calm down before engaging in thinking and planning. It's crucial to set aside time for thoughtful consideration but avoid rushing into it while feeling anxious. By separating the two, we can effectively manage anxiety and approach problem-solving with a clearer mind. Additionally, drawing inspiration from the Alcoholics Anonymous mantra "one day at a time," we can apply this concept to tackle challenges by focusing on the present moment rather than worrying about the future or dwelling on the past.
Bring focus to the present moment and set short-term goals: Focusing on the present moment and setting achievable goals can help reduce anxiety, making the goal feel more attainable and less overwhelming.
Focusing on the present moment and setting short-term goals can help reduce anxiety. Anxiety often stems from fear of the unknown or uncertainty about the future. By bringing our focus back to the present and setting achievable goals for the immediate future, we can gain a sense of certainty and reduce anxiety. This practice can be applied to various aspects of life, including personal goals and habits. For example, instead of worrying about being sober in a year, focusing on being sober for the next hour or day can make the goal feel more attainable and less overwhelming. Additionally, it's important to be mindful of how we label our experiences and avoid identifying too strongly with anxiety as a personality trait. This can help us interpret the world in a more positive and less anxious way.
Embrace Curiosity and Openness for Mental Peace: Instead of controlling emotions and experiences, adopt a curious and open approach for mental peace. Meditation is about being present and observing, not actively doing. This shift from doing to being can lead to significant mental and emotional benefits.
Instead of trying to forcefully control our emotions and experiences, especially anxiety, it's more beneficial to adopt a curious and open approach. This fluidity allows us to let go of attachments and identifications that hinder our growth. Moreover, meditation is not about doing something actively but rather being present and observing our thoughts and feelings without judgment. This subtle shift from doing to being can lead to a significant difference in our mental and emotional well-being. The research on experienced meditators' brains shows that this curiosity and openness help us unwind and open up, allowing us to let go of attachments and concepts that no longer serve us. However, the line between concentration meditation and being present can be blurry, and it requires a delicate balance of effort and non-attachment. While it may seem counterintuitive, allowing ourselves to be curious and present with our experiences, rather than trying to control them, can lead to a more peaceful and fulfilling life.
Exploring curiosity and kindness towards internal experiences: Curiosity towards physical sensations and understanding minds can reduce suffering, while kindness offers an expanded perspective compared to anxiety and self-judgment. Recommended books include 'The Art of Racing in the Rain', 'Barbarian Days', and 'The Underground Railroad'.
Cultivating curiosity and kindness towards our internal experiences can help us become more engaged and less suffering in our daily lives. Curiosity can be directed towards our physical sensations, such as our breath, to bring us back to the present moment. Meanwhile, understanding our own minds and recognizing where we cause ourselves suffering can ignite our curiosity and lead us to seek out more expansive and open experiences, such as kindness. Both curiosity and kindness offer a more open and expanded perspective compared to anxiety and self-judgment. As for recommended books, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" offers insights into letting go and finding peace in experience, while "Barbarian Days" shares a beautifully written account of living fully and "The Underground Railroad" provides a heart-wrenching and thought-provoking exploration of slavery and human resilience.
Appreciation for 'The Nickel Boys' on The Escalanteau podcast: The Escalanteau podcast, a production of The New York Times' Opinion, highlights the importance of various roles in bringing thought-provoking content to the public through a discussion on Colson Whitehead's book 'The Nickel Boys'.
Colson Whitehead's book, "The Nickel Boys," is a remarkable and anxiety-reducing read. Jed Brewer, the guest on The Escalanteau podcast, shared his appreciation for the book during this episode. The Escalanteau is a production of The New York Times' Opinion, and it is made possible by the efforts of Rocha Karma, Jeff Geld, Michelle Harris, Isaac Jones, and Jeff Geld. Fact checking ensures accuracy, original music adds to the listening experience, and mixing brings it all together. While the discussion focused on the merits of the book, it also served as a reminder of the importance of various roles in bringing thought-provoking content to the public.
