Turning Fear into Power: Understanding and managing anxiety - Longwood Seminar

Streamed live on April 11, 2017

Fear is one of the most important survival mechanisms in all species. But for the millions of Americans living with anxiety disorders, this healthy defense system has a dark side. In this seminar, Harvard Medical School scientists will explore the roots and origins of anxiety and how it can be managed.

Speakers: Isabelle M. Rosso, PhD, Greg Fricchione, MD, and Courtney Beard, PhD

[ceaser]

Fight it with confidence everyone. Dont let it control you with fear. This is your life. Don't run from it. Fight it. Speak with confidence. Shine through it. You are stronger than this.

[StepForwardToday]

One thing I try to do is.. to not be afraid of when anxiety comes up. I try not to run away from it, but instead, just sit with it and feel it. I ask myself, what is this feeling that I'm so scared of feeling? What does it actually feel like? Doing this can significantly reduce anxiety because you're not being inundated with the fear of anxiety in addition to the anxiety itself. Doing this allows you to observe it moreso, objectively, rather than subjectively. And, you realize that this dreaded "feeling" is really nothing. It becomes like a phantom because as soon as you are willing and able to truly sit with it, it turns out that it isn't even there. It only exist outside of it. It only exists as a [fear] of it, but, it doesn't actually exist in of itself.

Tho, this process may take a little time. At first, you just feel the anxious fear. And, you look at it and observe [how it feels], rather than looking at it as something that you are afraid of. In doing this, you must allow this feeling without resistance, and then just objectively observe exactly what this strange feeling feels like. Ask yourself why you are so afraid of feeling this feeling. You realize that this feeling isnt anywhere near as horrendous as you have been making it out to be. And, eventually, you realize it doesn't even exist. It was all a mirage created by your mind of something that you were avoiding due to your unwillingness to face it and feel it. So, you must feel it as resistance-free as you can. When you are in an anxious situation, allow the fearful feeling, and dont try to avoid it or escape it. Dont try to rush through the moment, but rather, just allow yourself to feel whatever feeling(s) comes up and then, observe it. Ask yourself.. what is so scary about this feeling? How bad is this feeling, really?

[nopeIdontthinkso]

I love how much everyone is trying to help each other.

[monicasolair]

I fight this on a daily.
It literally paralyzes me mentally.

[plumeria]

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction meditation has helped me with fear. It teaches you to observe what is happening instead of reacting to it. When you are a witness, you are no longer a victim. UPDATE: It’s 2023. Being in the eternal now and letting go of the next moment is now what I do. This has helped even more.

[YourNay]

As long as you are trying to “mange” or “cope” with your anxiety, you will NEVER recover. How do you recover? Accept all of your symptoms as just anxiety and release fear! Recovery is inevitable!
Sincerely, someone who fully recovered from severe anxiety and panic disorder:)

[RandomvideosGRs]

The instant cure for anxiety is to understand the fact that there are infinite amount of possible outcomes in this universe and our brain only thinks of a handful . A bad outcome can become the means of a good outcome in the future. Just like that a good outcome can become the means of a bad outcome. For example, you lost your job (bad thing). But then you got a new job which is better ( bad thing led to a good outcome.) It's an endless cycle. So just go with the flow and don't think about it . 😄 Goodluck.

[kudjaremastered]

Hearing Isabelle's voice cracking under anxiety during presentation made me cry. I don't know why, I just felt like offering her a hug to say it will be ok. It was just too relatable...

[glittergirl]

It makes sense, but it's just so hard to do when it's actually happening :(

[frankdelahue]

People with anxiety live in a very chaotic environment. It is unpredictability that make people nervous and fearful.

[nandep]

For my future reference: 1:01:10 to 1:23:12 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Thoughts (mental habits, overestimate risk of threat and underestimate ability to cope, difficulty disengaging from negative thoughts, dysfunctional). Feelings. Behavior.

1:07:48 Treatments:
Identify the negative automatic thoughts. Evaluate how accurate or useful the thought is. (Are there ways I could cope? It's not just positive thinking - suggesting that is not helpful. Take a more balanced, realistic view and less extreme thoughts). Replace thought with a more accurate or helpful one. Test out thoughts with exposure to feared situations (done in steps and being mindful of each feeling, response, reality and ability to cope).

1:14:55. Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) Situation/task and pairing with healthier interpretations.

Mindfulness. Awareness. Healthier skills. Helpful.

Thank you.

[owengames]

Guys we are all going through this together but here is something that has help me alot and that is working out or boxing/mma its a really great way to take your mind off from mental anxiety go ahead and give it a shot its so great!

[zom-b]

I just want to breathe smoothly, not easily feel afraid of death, fear of various diseases, be able to fall asleep easily, wake up refreshed, and think calmly.
But what happens is sometimes difficult to sleep, shortness to breathe, heartbeat pounding fast, feeling nauseous suddenly, body limp and cold sweat, and then I thought I would die at that time

[alphadog]

This is so powerful as a person who been fighting anxiety I found so much of this video to be very informative and motivational/powerful

[periclesdasilva]

Love you all. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation present your requests to God by prayer with thanksgiving. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding shall guard your minds and hearts in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6–7

[TaraWagner]

I enjoyed the fact that fear is definitely a survival mechanism. With our small biz owners I talk with them about how Fear is a mechanism designed by our brain to ensure we meet or protect our ability to meet our needs (not to be confused with wants or the strategies to meet needs).

[jorjabennett]

Thank you to each of you for your expertise and hard work on this meaningful subject —and for sharing it with us! Excellent presentation!

[peterjones]

Excellent subject, EXCELLENT speakers, my Goodness!!
Already, I have begun putting together a number of options for a client suffering PTSD from long term childhood trauma. Every speaker gave me incredible information but I must highlight Dr Beard for targeted therapies and her computerized approach to our instinctive reactions to situations. An important and evidential based research project. Wonderful. I am very pleased to have come across this important lecture on YouTube. Thank you all so much!!

[BangkokVoiceCoach]

Omg!! This incredible. I lived my life trying to run away from noises - loud sounds, voices, not even loud … they would cause me to panic and want to get away. As I got older, it got worse. By my 50s it was out of control, unmanageable and taking over my life.
I realised it was the fear induced by the domestic violence and abuse I was forced to witness as a young child in the house where I lived. That is why I still feel the need to “get far away.” Loads sounds trigger my fight of flight response.

[m.g.i.a]

What's done is done. What's gone is gone. One of life's lessons is always moving on. It’s okay to look back to see how far you’ve come but keep moving forward.