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Stress, University of Texas researchers recently found, can literally shrink your brain. And as any inveterate worrier will tell you, it also clouds your mind and robs you of your peace. Dealing with an endless chatter of worries and what-ifs in your brain is both exhausting and unpleasant. So given this physical and psychological toll, why are so many of us prone to anxiety?
That's the subject of a recent Atlantic article by Harvard happiness expert Arthur Brooks. In it, he explains why so many of us tend towards anxiety, from biological differences in how our brains process neurotransmitters to common superstitious beliefs about the utility of worrying (you might feel that fretting about the bad thing makes it less likely to happen, but that's just not true).
The whole article is well worth a read if you tend towards worry, but Brooks's biggest practical takeaway is a simple but powerful four-part plan to finally kill your constant worry and bring some calm to your brain. Here are the basics.
"Anxiety, of which worry is a component, is essentially just unfocused fear. Without a true focus, fear is a phantasm that you will struggle to deal with adequately. Much better to focus the fear by articulating it to yourself. You can do this by making a list: When you are worried about a bunch of things, take a sheet of paper and write down the five that you're most anxious about," Brooks suggests.
As you might expect from an Ivy League expert, his recommendation is seconded by a ton of research, all of which shows that dumping the anxious chatter in our heads out onto paper or a screen is one of the most effective ways to quiet it.
One of Brooks's arguments about the origin of anxiety is that it's actually a masking mechanism. As miserable as it might seem to fret about an upcoming medical test, for instance, it's still preferable than facing the terror of a troubling diagnosis straight on. But the problem with this approach is that if we never really face our fears, we never really get over them, leading to an endless loop of unproductive anxiety.
So take a big breath, steel yourself, and name exactly what is scaring you. "If you could voice that fear, you would give yourself a chance to think about what you could actually do in that case. So, on your worry list, write down the best outcome for each problem, the worst outcome, and the most likely outcome. Then add what you would do in each instance. This makes the source of worry specific and gives you a management plan," suggests Brooks.
Repeat after me: worrying does not make you safer. Fretting has no impact at all on the outcome of events. Going over and over the same worries does not give you any insight or provide a plan of action. Now do it again and again until you actually start to believe it.
Or, as Brooks puts it, "Give up the magical thinking that if you torture yourself enough about some uncertainty, you will somehow improve the situation."
Giving up a lifetime's worth of anxious thinking is, of course, easier said than done. But Brooks has another suggestion beyond reminding yourself that worrying is useless: "When you wake up in the morning, declare your intention to stop spending time this way. Here's what I say: "I don't know what this day will bring, but I am alive to experience it and will not waste it worrying about things I cannot control."
Will this simple, four-part method instantly and permanently silence all your worries? That's unlikely. But Brooks thinks it's a good start. If you'd like other science-backed tricks and techniques to complement his plan, there are plenty out there.
Breathing exercises and focusing on your senses can help in moments of heightened anxiety. Exercise releases chemicals that act like the body's own anti-anxiety medication. And research suggests that asking yourself what advice other people would give you about your problems helps you get out of your own way. Finally, many experts suggest setting aside designated time for worry and refusing to entertain anxiety during other times of the day.
Mix and match whichever combination of these tricks works best for you, but just remember that you are not stuck with your noisy, fearful brain. Science shows that while some of us are more prone to anxiety than others, a solid action plan can give even the biggest worry warts a whole lot more peace of mind.
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A Harvard Happiness Expert's 4-Step Method to Kill Worry and Find Some Inner Peace
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11.01.2024
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Stress, University of Texas researchers recently found, can literally shrink your brain. And as any inveterate worrier will tell you, it also clouds your mind and robs you of your peace. Dealing with an endless chatter of worries and what-ifs in your brain is both exhausting and unpleasant. So given this physical and psychological toll, why are so many of us prone to anxiety?
That's the subject of a recent Atlantic article by Harvard happiness expert Arthur Brooks. In it, he explains why so many of us tend towards anxiety, from biological differences in how our brains process neurotransmitters to common superstitious beliefs about the utility of worrying (you might feel that fretting about the bad thing makes it less likely to happen, but........
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