How to stop being so afraid of everything

Anxiety shrinks your world. It takes this massive world we all inhabit and makes it feel oppressively small.

Severe anxiety feels like there are barriers everywhere - invisible barriers, concrete walls block you from doing just about anything.

Are you tired of living in constant fear and anxiety?

Let’s dive in to practical strategies for overcoming anxiety and reclaiming your life.

I’m going to show you how hierarchical exposure therapy can help you gradually face your fears and expand your comfort zone.

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Hear the Podcast:

Here's what's inside:
00:00 - Understanding the impact of avoidance on anxiety
03:23 - Exposure therapy
07:44 - Overcoming anxiety through gradual exposure
09:53 - The ripple effects of conquering fear in your life
12:40 - The role of confidence in reducing anxiety
15:17 - Adjusting variables and using coping skills in exposure therapy
17:33 - My personal journey of overcoming public speaking anxiety

#Anxiety #Fear #ExposureTherapy #MentalWellBeing #overcomingfearandanxiety

Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

[Hedgehogs]

I used to get up of bed very early and eager to go outside. NOW, I stay under my blankets, praying that no one knocks on my door. I CAN'T face the idea of going out and seeing people.

[StoicNature]

It’s natural to feel anxiety in a sick society and trying to fit in and interact with that sick society. We are in a spiritual battle.

[mightymouse]

I braided my hair and looked in the mirror. I told myself I looked pretty. Doesn't sound like much, but, its a big thing

[polodhtip]

Now planning a big trip to Asia. Anxiety whispers me all kinds of catastrophic scenarios while my hunger to live and be free from anxiety reminds me that life is made for living, not hiding forever

[belliyt]

I think the worst part is being anxious about being anxious.
Feels like an endless cycle, but I know it's not. I hope we all come to realize this again.
I wish everyone the best ❤

[LeAnne-uwwp]

Anxiety feeds off of avoidance. Thanks for the video ❤

[takeuchi]

Also, one thing that helps is not blaming yourself for feeling anxiety, like "if only you were more courageous". No! That's a very incorrect way to think about how our personalities work. You have some agency, but a large part of it is your environment and your upbringing, analyse these two and you'll understand why you are the way you are, and why blaming yourself doesn't make sense even if it feels like it's your fault.

[karenr]

I cannot thank you enough Dr. Scott. I am 65 and stopped working during COVID. Since that time my world has shrunken to my 2 bdrm condo and 3 cats. I have allowed anxiety to stop me from any activity that includes other people. Your explanation of how anxiety works makes so much sense. I shall be taking tiny steps of exposure so I can participate in life again. It has been pretty lonely 😔

[QuietSpacePhotoStudioLLC]

I've also experienced health-related panic attacks and anxiety. I couldn't drive more than 5 minutes from my house without freaking out. I forced myself to do it a little bit at a time and push myself a little farther each time. Now I can drive anywhere.

[alexanderulv]

This is literally me. It started out as social anxiety, but now it’s more anxiety of being alive. It’s like I just can’t catch a break, and I’m a shut in now too..

[scottrogers]

Help. I haven’t lived in 30+ years. Pray for me please

[nishadh]

I don't mean to be dramatic, but you may have just changed my life. I have suffered from anxiety and depression all of my life and have tried medication, therapy, and a variety of different methods. The only thing that works is: action. Avoiding what needs to be done. It has only gone away when I actually do it. You confirmed this. Thank you so much.

[Trassel]

To anyone who’s got bad experiences from school as a child and teenager: don’t worry about not fitting in or not thriving in the school environment. It’s an extremely specialised situation that basically won’t ever happen again in your adult life, not even university studies. It’s like you’re a fish in one of those tiny round goldfish bowls, and they expect you to do great in that tiny little bowl when you’re made to swim in the ocean. Adults generally don’t react the same way kids and teenagers do, so all these things you’ve gotten used to tend to disappear or at least lessen. This insight genuinely made me feel better about myself and my life once I realised it. I hope it may help you, too.

Good luck out there, it’s a harsh world but if we work together we can make it at least a little bit better.

[blackvulture]

I suffered from panic attacks and anxiety for plenty of years. But it just turned out recently that I have very low iron levels in my blood. 60% it is the reason. So, sometimes, please, check on your physical health also. 🙏🏻

[zaynabharakeh]

Anxiety is destroying me. I can't have a proper job, a relationship, nothing.

[magnawaves]

I have never heard it spoken so perfectly before. Your initial definition or description of anxiety, man I had to stop was I was doing to listen, because I'd have bet money you had a camera on me for years.

I work a night shift job, I do all my shopping as soon as the stores open, I'm horribly out of shape, I dread having people see me but I do nothing about it despite having the knowledge of how to fix it, because I've done it before, but I just can't muster the willpower anymore.

I have a badass car, my dream car since I was four, but I botch driving it (it's manual transmission) because I'm so anxious about the process and about everyone around me looking at me, because the car gets a LOT of stares.

I know this innately, exposing myself to something repeatedly makes me less anxious and far more comfortable with it, but after a few weeks if I haven't kept up with it I'm back to square one. It makes me so mad.

I do the avoidance shit so damn often, and that hit of relief really is addictive. I crave it as much as I hate it.

I hate how my life has ended up at 33, but I shudder to think how I'd be right now if I hadn't started to fix other aspects of my life at 30. I've completely ignored my health and I'm paying for it already, having old man issues, and I hate myself for it.

I just needed to vent. This video hit me hard. I used to think, "Oh yeah I have a little anxiety but it's just my shyness." After living alone, and then isolating myself for the past 8 years I thought "hell yeah I'm good, I don't have to deal with people." It was an awful mistake. I regret it every day.

[ericblair]

I'm 74 years old. I used to be fearless, now I fear everything. Food shopping, all appointments, now, even
going out for a walk. I wake up to the moon. I never see daylight. It's November 30th and in Toronto it gets light out at 8am
and dark at 4:30pm. I say in bed all day.

[bsam]

It’s always hard to imagine someone speaking into a camera so relaxed and easy ever had real anxiety. Seeing it is inspiring to say the least.

[imtired]

I do feel the immediate relief wash over me when I avoid what makes me anxious, but then I regret making the decision to avoid because I feel like people are judging me for being weak and irresponsible - like avoiding family get togethers or going to work. It's not much better if I do decide to go to work or see family either, it's like life is just miserable if I do or I don't and I am not sure how to reconcile that at all.

[stephaniem]

Wow! You really get it. Feeling like less of a failure after you explained. I tried to expand the comfort zone too far, too fast. Crashed, burned, retreated into an even smaller comfort zone than before. Now, I feel like I can try to take smaller steps again. Thank you.