Why are People So Anxious These Days?

⚡️Our brains perceive danger and activate the fight/flight/freeze response, but they are also wired to return to safety after facing it.

🚫People get stuck in chronic anxiety because they perceive a lot of danger but avoid taking action on it.

🔁Avoidance tactics provide short-term relief but increase anxiety in the long run, as the loop is never closed.

🌍Modern society amplifies perceived danger, even though the world is safer than ever before.

💪Engaging in physical tasks and problem-solving helps break the anxiety cycle and restore a sense of safety.

Why do we get stuck in chronic anxiety?

—People get trapped in chronic anxiety because they perceive danger but avoid facing it, leading to an increase in anxiety over time.

Why does avoidance increase anxiety?

—Avoidance provides short-term relief but prevents the closure of the anxiety loop, which leads to an amplification of anxiety over the long run.

Why do we perceive more danger nowadays?

—Modern technology exposes us to perceived danger through media, making us think that the world is more dangerous even though it is actually safer than ever.

How can we break the anxiety cycle?

—Breaking the anxiety cycle involves understanding our nervous system, limiting media exposure, taking action on perceived threats, and engaging in physical tasks and problem-solving.

Why do physical tasks help reduce anxiety?

—Engaging in physical tasks and problem-solving provides a sense of accomplishment and closure, helping to break the anxiety cycle and restore a sense of safety.

00:00People are stuck in chronic anxiety due to perceiving danger but avoiding taking action.

03:34Avoidance increases anxiety over time as the anxiety loop is never closed.

04:35Modern society amplifies perceived danger, making people think the world is more dangerous than it actually is.

08:23Engaging in physical tasks helps break the anxiety cycle and restore a sense of safety.

12:40Avoidance is prevalent in various aspects of life, including relationships, work, and childhood trauma.

15:57Avoidance tactics prevent the closure of the anxiety loop, leading to increased anxiety over time.

17:11Avoidance patterns are subtle and pervasive, keeping individuals trapped in cycles of anxiety.

19:13Exploring avoidance patterns can help understand their function in one's life and break the cycle of anxiety.