1 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: So you're listening to a Muma Mia podcast. 2 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 2: Mamma Maya acknowledges the traditional owners of the land and 3 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,280 Speaker 2: waters that this podcast is recorded on. 4 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 3: Due to circumstances that were completely in my control and 5 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 3: actually pretty predictable based on my past behavior, I will 6 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 3: be spiraling for the next week yourself, anyone needs anything, 7 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 3: I'm God. 8 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 4: For mother Miya, I'm your host as Shany Dante. Welcome 9 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 4: to But are you happy? Because no, another personality quiz 10 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 4: won't fix you? 11 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: And I'm doctor Anastagia hernis a clinical psychologist passionate about 12 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 2: happiness and mental health. Now do you ever get stuck 13 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 2: thinking about a hypothetical situation that isn't really happening and 14 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 2: asking yourself a bunch of questions that make you more 15 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 2: and more stressed, You've probably found yourself in a stress spiral. 16 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 4: If you've listened to the show before, my voice may 17 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 4: not be familiar. I'm a mental wellbeing and self development leader. 18 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 4: I'm Australians fore Lunkan, and I'm constantly on a journey 19 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 4: of learning more about my culture and my passion. And 20 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:19,119 Speaker 4: you could say purpose in life right now is all 21 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 4: around empowering teenage girls and young women. 22 00:01:21,759 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 2: And I'm an academic and author. Most recently i published 23 00:01:25,399 --> 00:01:28,199 Speaker 2: a book called The Dopamine Brain. So my whole career 24 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,919 Speaker 2: focus really is about how to help people develop new habits. 25 00:01:31,559 --> 00:01:32,919 Speaker 5: To optimize their mental health. 26 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 4: We're going to be shifting gears to bring you what 27 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 4: you told us you wanted, conversations with an expert about 28 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 4: the things that you are thinking about, working on, struggling through, 29 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 4: or really. 30 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: Just curious about. 31 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 4: And that's where you, Doctor Anastasia Heronis, you come into 32 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 4: the equation. 33 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 2: We're going to be covering so many relevant topics like 34 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:57,079 Speaker 2: how to stop dating the wrong person, how to say 35 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: no to the people we love, and how to actually 36 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 2: quieten down that voice in our head when it's been 37 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: really mean to us. 38 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 4: In each episode, you'll be getting all of doctor Anastasia's 39 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 4: wisdom and knowledge, along with her clear takeaways specific guidance 40 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 4: for how you can apply this information to your lives. 41 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:18,680 Speaker 1: Right now, as you may. 42 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 4: Have guessed, we're kicking this season off with a topic 43 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 4: that we know so many of us can struggle with, 44 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 4: including myself, anxiety, worry, and getting calling those stress spirals. 45 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 2: Now, this is something so many of my clients have 46 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 2: been dealing with lately and you might be two. 47 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:36,800 Speaker 1: All right, let's jump. 48 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 4: In, okay, on the stagia. How do we actually know 49 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 4: if we're anxious? How does it show up? 50 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 5: Anxiety is a massive topic. 51 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 2: There's so much for us to talk about here, and 52 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 2: it really does exist on a spectrum of experiences. It's 53 00:02:57,640 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: one of the most common things actually that a lot 54 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 2: of my clients are facing at the moment. And if 55 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 2: we put this kind of in the context of Aussies 56 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 2: around the country, about three million Australians actually live with anxiety. 57 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 2: It's about one in four of us will experience problematic 58 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 2: anxiety at some point in our lives. 59 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 4: That's a wild stat and just goes to show how 60 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 4: common it is. And we'd love to kind of unpack 61 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 4: anxiety because I feel like it does get a really 62 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 4: bad rap. 63 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's so common. 64 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 5: Yes, anxiety gets a bad rap. 65 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 2: It doesn't feel good, right, And none of us like 66 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: to feel anxious, and so it's sort of classified broadly 67 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 2: as one of these bad emotions, an emotion that we 68 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 2: want to get rid of. We don't want to feel anxious, 69 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 2: so how do we get rid of it? But actually, anxiety, 70 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 2: along with every other emotion serves a really important function 71 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 2: all emotions. It's important for us to think about them 72 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 2: as sources of information. They're like data points. They give 73 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 2: us information about ourselves, about the world, about. 74 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 5: The environment around us. 75 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 2: So I think it's crucial for us to be able 76 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 2: to lean into the information that an emotion actually gives us. Now, 77 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 2: if we circle back to anxiety specifically, the function of 78 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 2: anxiety is to essentially be the body's smoke detector and 79 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 2: smoke alarm, right, So anxiety is giving us the message 80 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 2: that there might be some sort of danger or threat 81 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 2: in the environment that we need to be aware of 82 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 2: and perhaps then do something to protect ourselves. 83 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 4: It's really great that you're unpacking this because I feel 84 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 4: like what I'm hearing is anxiety can actually be helpful 85 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 4: as well at times, which is very different to I 86 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 4: would say what we naturally have our definition of anxiety. 87 00:04:46,280 --> 00:04:49,159 Speaker 4: We want to shame it, there's a stigma around it, 88 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 4: we don't want to talk about it, we want to 89 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 4: push it away. Yet what I'm hearing is it's actually 90 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 4: giving us more information about, you know, the context of 91 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 4: the situation that might be playing out. So in saying that, like, 92 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 4: how do you differentiate between when anxiety is helpful and unhelpful. 93 00:05:04,840 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 2: Anxiety will always show up in all of us throughout 94 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 2: our life, so we can't get rid of it completely. 95 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 2: So I think this question about helpful versus unhelpful anxiety 96 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 2: is really important. Unhelpful anxiety is when we experience anxiety 97 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 2: that's out of context. So let me explain what I 98 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 2: mean by that. If we experience anxiety in a situation 99 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 2: that doesn't warrant us to be anxious, that's going to 100 00:05:32,840 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 2: be unhelpful for us. So if we're sitting in the 101 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,799 Speaker 2: podcast studio right now talking and all of a sudden, 102 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 2: a big grizzly bear runs through the studio, we're going to. 103 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,280 Speaker 5: Feel anxious, Right, normal natural emotion. 104 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 2: We want to feel anxious in that situation because anxiety 105 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 2: is going to prompt us to get up and run 106 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 2: out of this place. Right helpful anxiety so unhelpful anxiety 107 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 2: sends us a message which makes us overestimate the likelihood 108 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 2: things are going to go wrong. So I think this 109 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 2: is a great episode for us to be starting with 110 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 2: and talking about. But to answer your question, how does 111 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,160 Speaker 2: anxiety show up? I'm actually going to use a client 112 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 2: of mine we're going to call her Catherine, for it's 113 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 2: not actually her name, but to be anonymous, we'll call 114 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 2: her Catherine. 115 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 5: She had to do a lot of public speaking for 116 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 5: her work and in her role. 117 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 2: But would get this crippling, overwhelming fear of getting on 118 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 2: stage and making a full of herself and saying the 119 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 2: wrong thing. Now, there was no history of her ever 120 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 2: really doing that. She was generally pretty fine with her 121 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 2: public speaking, and even if she did kind of get 122 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 2: on stage and say something a little wrong, it wasn't 123 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 2: kind of the end of the world. So anxiety makes 124 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 2: us overestimate that things will go wrong, but it does 125 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 2: another thing. It also makes us underestimate our ability to 126 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 2: cope if things do go wrong, because I don't have 127 00:06:51,840 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 2: a magic wand to say that Catherine will never get 128 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 2: on stage and never make a full of herself, right, 129 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 2: there is a world in which that could happen. 130 00:06:58,240 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 5: So there is a chance. 131 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 2: It's probably a small chance, but there is a chance. 132 00:07:01,840 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 2: But anxiety makes us underestimate our ability to cope if 133 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,600 Speaker 2: that happens. So if Catherine got on stage and completely 134 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 2: forgot what she was meant to be saying in her presentation, 135 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 2: it would feel pretty crappy, like it wouldn't be a 136 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 2: nice experience for her. The crowd would probably be like, Oh, 137 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 2: she's forgot what she's meant to say. 138 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 5: But in reality, it's a situation she could cope with. 139 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 2: She'd just walk off, take a breath, grab her notes, 140 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 2: come back on the stage, keep going. 141 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 5: Probably no one ever thinks about it again. 142 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 2: So that's an example of where anxiety can be unhelpful 143 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 2: for us, because all it was doing was making Catherine 144 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 2: feel completely overwhelmed and stressed when she didn't really need to. 145 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 4: I really love this too, because it kind of ties 146 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 4: back to your statistic that you' named before and how 147 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 4: common it is. But also what I'm hearing is that 148 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 4: even though it's common, anxiety can show up in different ways. 149 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 4: So I like that you're kind of giving us the 150 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 4: listeners different ideas of what that could potentially look like. 151 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 2: Yes, And the reason it is so common is because 152 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 2: from a biological prehistoric perspective, anxiety was crucial for the 153 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 2: survival of the species. If we remember, it serves evolutionary 154 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: art function to protect us. It's just that nowadays we 155 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 2: live in a world, in a society, especially if you 156 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 2: live in here in Australia. 157 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 5: Where we don't need to. 158 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 2: Be as alert for threats and dangers, but emotions exist 159 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 2: in a very primal part of the brain, so we 160 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 2: feel those emotional experiences much more on the anxiety, much 161 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 2: more than actually we need to, given how our life 162 00:08:32,079 --> 00:08:33,559 Speaker 2: and society functions these days. 163 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 4: So what about a stress spiral? Like, what exactly is 164 00:08:38,199 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 4: a stress spiral? And how can you tell if you're 165 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 4: courting one? 166 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 2: I love this because a stress spiral is not necessarily 167 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 2: a clinical technical term that I would use, but it 168 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 2: is definitely a term that many of my clients will 169 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 2: use right in sort of culture. And when people colloquially 170 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 2: talk about anxiety, they will talk about being in a 171 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 2: stress spiral. And so I guess what people are getting 172 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 2: at is this idea of getting deeper and deeper in 173 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 2: an experience. Stress again, a normal natural emotion that will 174 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 2: all ex experience at some point in time when we're 175 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 2: feeling overwhelmed. 176 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 5: With some sort of pressure. But what can happen is 177 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 5: we can get caught further and further in that experience, 178 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 5: which ultimately makes it more and more intense. 179 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 4: So does that mean in a way with stress virals? 180 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 4: Because you mentioned and I hear it all the time. 181 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 4: It is thrown around a lot in pop culture. So 182 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 4: what isn't a stress viral? 183 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 5: Then that's a good alternative question. What isn't a stress viral? 184 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 2: What isn't a stress viral is when we experience stress 185 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 2: in a way that meets the expectation of a situation. 186 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 2: So if I have an impending deadline for work on 187 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 2: Friday and it's now Thursday and I haven't got it 188 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 2: almost done, stress is going to naturally come about. And 189 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 2: stress can actually be a really useful thing in that situation. 190 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 2: Because I don't know if you've ever experienced this, but 191 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 2: a little bit of healthy stress helps us get things done. 192 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: Very true can confirm. 193 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:13,560 Speaker 2: So healthy stress actually motivates us to meet the deadline, 194 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 2: to get done what we need to do. 195 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:18,959 Speaker 5: Unhealthy stress debilitates us. 196 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 4: It's really interesting because I'm hearing some common themes. Even 197 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:25,680 Speaker 4: with anxiety, what we're hearing is it's helpful and unhelpful. 198 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 4: But also with stress, it's helpful and also unhelpful. 199 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 2: So and that goes with all emotions. All emotions can 200 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 2: be helpful when they fit the context and when we 201 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 2: experience them in a way that feels manageable, but if 202 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 2: we experience them too intensely or too much or for 203 00:10:40,680 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 2: too long, they can become really debilitating in our lives. 204 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 4: So is there a difference between anxiety in the body 205 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 4: as we feel it versus thinking anxious thoughts. 206 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 5: Yes, absolutely, they're absolutely related. 207 00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 2: They're connected. So our thoughts, our thoughts are very powerful. 208 00:10:58,680 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 2: They certainly influence how we feel. So if I'm worrying, 209 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 2: if I'm going through that anxious thinking process, I'm more 210 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 2: likely to feel anxiety in the body. But one of 211 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 2: the things I interestly find in the work that I 212 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 2: do with clients is that people tend to fall into 213 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 2: one of two categories. Some people will come into the 214 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 2: therapy room and they'll be able to describe to me 215 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 2: in great detail the physical. 216 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:28,679 Speaker 5: Experience of anxiety. 217 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 2: So they'll tell me that they get anxious, and they'll say, 218 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 2: I feel my heart racing, I get sweaty, I feel dizzy, 219 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 2: I feel like I'm going to faint, my legs feel wobbly, 220 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,080 Speaker 2: and I feel like I can't stand up anymore. So 221 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 2: they can give me all the details about what it 222 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 2: physically feels like in their body. Other people can come 223 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 2: in the room and tell me great details about what 224 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 2: they're thinking, their thought processes, and the things that they're 225 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:52,840 Speaker 2: worrying about. 226 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 5: And ultimately, what we want to help. 227 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 2: People do is have an awareness of both the thought 228 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,960 Speaker 2: processes that can be quite anxious in nature and the 229 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:07,080 Speaker 2: physical experience of anxiety in the body. 230 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: So what about a panic attack? 231 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 2: What exactly is that a panic attack is different to anxiety. 232 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 2: We could sort of summarize it as a much more 233 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 2: intense experience of anxiety in and of itself. So a 234 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 2: panic attack tends to last not more than ten minutes 235 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:30,439 Speaker 2: on average, And when people experience a panic attack, they 236 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 2: have this overwhelming physical experience of those anxious sensations, so 237 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 2: really intense heart racing, sweating, feeling shaky, feeling like they're 238 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 2: going to faint, And often people actually describe it as 239 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 2: a feeling where they think they're having a heart attack 240 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 2: or they think they might be dying. Like it's actually 241 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 2: quite a scary experience for those who do have panic attacks. 242 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, I feel like panic attacks. It's something I feel. 243 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 4: I hear all the time with people who've experienced personally 244 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 4: or observed someone else that they love going through one, 245 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 4: and it can be quite confronting in a way. 246 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 2: And the thing is, often these panic attacks can feel 247 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 2: like they come out of nowhere. There isn't always a 248 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 2: clear trigger, So it's not necessarily like, you know, Catherine 249 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 2: about to go on stage worrying about is she going 250 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:20,199 Speaker 2: to make a fall out of herself Pete. Someone might 251 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 2: literally just be sitting in the office and all of 252 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 2: a sudden they get this onslaught of anxious symptoms and 253 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 2: they have a panic attack. Sometimes the trigger can be 254 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:32,560 Speaker 2: outside in the environment, but actually sometimes it can be 255 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 2: an internal sensation. So for example, if I've had a 256 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:38,959 Speaker 2: couple of cups of coffee today, maybe a few too 257 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 2: many cups of coffee, well my heart might be racing 258 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 2: a little bit faster than it usually would, and that's 259 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 2: because of the stimulant from the caffeine. But someone who's 260 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 2: prone to panic attacks might be sitting in the office 261 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:58,719 Speaker 2: and goof, my heart's racing. Heart racing equals anxiousness and anxiety. 262 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 2: What's happening in my life right now that I'm anxious about? 263 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 2: And so then they'll start spiraling down that rabbit hole, 264 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 2: Whereas it's actually just a physical sensation that they've picked 265 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 2: up on and honed in on. A bit too much. 266 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 4: So does that mean, because what I'm hearing panic attacks, 267 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 4: it's definitely a really big it's a body sensation, it's 268 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 4: quite sounds quite severe. So then what's the difference between 269 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 4: just feeling anxiety in your body versus I'm having a 270 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 4: panic attack. 271 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 2: I think it comes back to the usefulness of the experience. 272 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 2: So when someone has a panic attack, it's for those 273 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 2: ten or so minutes, it's debilitating. It feels like they 274 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 2: cannot function. People might often have to actually, you know, 275 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 2: leave the room and excuse themselves, whereas anxiety in and 276 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 2: of itself might be uncomfortable, but we can still function 277 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 2: in the world. It can motivate us to take an 278 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 2: action that's helpful for us. 279 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 4: So it's a bit like there's a bit of a spectrum, 280 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 4: but if it's anxiety in the body, there's somewhat more 281 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 4: control around how you can move through it. 282 00:14:58,760 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 5: Yes. 283 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, So you've told us a bit about Catherine with 284 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 4: her fear of public speaking. What are some of the 285 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 4: other themes you're noticing in your clinical work. 286 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 2: Anxiety shows up in so many different ways for people. 287 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 2: But actually, interestingly, one of the recent themes I've seen 288 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 2: is this anxiousness and worry about big picture kind of 289 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 2: global events, So things like worrying about wars, worrying about 290 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 2: climate change, worrying about politics and how politics are going 291 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 2: to influence the future. And often in these cases they're 292 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 2: issues that are so big that one person, you know, 293 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 2: can't necessarily change them. So there's this theme of anxiety 294 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 2: coming through the clinic room where people are feeling really 295 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 2: quite overwhelmed and sometimes also a little bit hopeless kind 296 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 2: of at the state of affairs in the world at 297 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 2: the moment. So that's one thing I've seen more of, 298 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 2: particularly with climate change. Young people are really worried about 299 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 2: and wanting to talk about climate change at the moment. 300 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 2: But another one is cost of living. Things have become 301 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 2: so expensive at the moment. We're certainly in a cost 302 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 2: of living crisis, and that can range from people worrying 303 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 2: about how they're going to, you know, afford to buy 304 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 2: a house one day in the future if that's one 305 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 2: of their goals, all the way down to do I 306 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 2: have enough money to buy groceries this week? 307 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 4: I mean, the cost of living example is so relatable 308 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 4: and I think even for me personally, once I left 309 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 4: high school, I went straight into you know, university and 310 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 4: then went down that traditional path. But then I decided 311 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 4: to get into the startup world, so I started the 312 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 4: flourished journey, which I'm so incredibly proud of. But in 313 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 4: saying that, you know, startup life, you don't really have 314 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 4: a very stable income, which means you can't really secure 315 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 4: alone for a home, and to be honest, when you're 316 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 4: in your early twenties, you don't really think about those things. 317 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 4: You think that, oh, that's a ten year problem. But 318 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 4: fast forward, you know, I'm thirty three. Now it feels 319 00:16:57,240 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 4: like society tells you, oh, you need to have a 320 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 4: house and have all the things set up. 321 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: By thirty and that weighs on me. 322 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 4: I feel like I feel like I am behind, even 323 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 4: though it's so easy to look at the highlight reels 324 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 4: on Instagram and know that it is the highlight reels, 325 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,439 Speaker 4: but you still get sucked into it. So it's definitely 326 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 4: something that weighs on me. I'm not sure if that's 327 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 4: something you can relate to as well. 328 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 2: Absolutely, this idea of kind of financially where we should 329 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 2: be at any point in our life and how much 330 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:25,160 Speaker 2: we should have saved or what we should have done 331 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 2: with that money is, you know, something I can relate 332 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 2: to as well. 333 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 5: But as I said, like a lot of people, a 334 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 5: lot of younger people are kind of thinking about this 335 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:33,640 Speaker 5: and worrying about it as well. 336 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, I feel like there's a lot of shame around 337 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:38,359 Speaker 4: talking about money, right, and so often we feel like 338 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,640 Speaker 4: we're alone in it, or we feel like we're we're 339 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 4: the poorest friend out of everyone. 340 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 2: And the stats speak to the opposite, right, So so 341 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 2: many people are actually struggling financially. And I was actually 342 00:17:50,120 --> 00:17:51,919 Speaker 2: looking at a report that came out last year from 343 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:56,679 Speaker 2: Mission Australia and it surveyed almost twenty thousand people and 344 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 2: a particularly young cohort, right, So these were fifteen to 345 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:02,719 Speaker 2: nineteen year old, and what they found is that fifty 346 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 2: five percent, so more than half, were significantly worried about 347 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 2: and had anxiety about their financial security. And I was 348 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 2: just blown away when I read that, because I was like, 349 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 2: fifteen to nineteen year old, like we should be worried 350 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:17,920 Speaker 2: about fifteen is like you know, the fight that you've 351 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 2: had with your friends at school and like you're going 352 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 2: to sit with at lunch and maybe studying for tests, 353 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 2: not financial security for your future. 354 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 4: After this short break, duck down a stage is going 355 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 4: to teach you the five minute method to help you 356 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 4: break out of an anxiety spiral and stop an anxiety 357 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 4: attack in its tracks. At Asasia, I want to ask 358 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:45,919 Speaker 4: you for two techniques today. First, I want you to 359 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 4: tell us what we can do for ourselves when we 360 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 4: find ourselves spirally and what should we do for someone else. 361 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:54,920 Speaker 1: Let's start with ourselves. 362 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:58,920 Speaker 2: So the technique and the strategies that I'm going to 363 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 2: give you today are based on a type of therapy 364 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 2: called cognitive behavior therapy or CBT for short, and it 365 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 2: has the evidence behind it. It's sort of the gold 366 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:13,120 Speaker 2: standard therapeutic approach that we would use for someone who 367 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 2: is experiencing anxiety. 368 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 5: It's what I used with Catherine when. 369 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:19,719 Speaker 2: She was worried about getting on stage and doing her 370 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 2: public speaking. So what I first recommends to people, and this. 371 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 5: Is going to sound really basic, but. 372 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 2: Bear with me, is stop as a first step. Just stop, 373 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:36,639 Speaker 2: take a moment, take a breath, take a pause. For 374 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 2: us to be able to do kind of anything effective 375 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 2: for ourselves, we first need to be able to just 376 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 2: stop and take. 377 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,679 Speaker 5: A breath and ground ourselves in the moment. 378 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,520 Speaker 4: It's really interesting because it can sound really basic, but 379 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 4: also it can be really hard when you're in it 380 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:53,120 Speaker 4: so deeply. 381 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:54,640 Speaker 1: It's hard to stop. 382 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, and so I say to people, just like physically, stop, 383 00:19:59,120 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 2: don't take another step, don't say another word, you know, metaphorically, 384 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 2: even if you're sort of in a situation where you 385 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 2: are in a meeting at work or something, imagine yourself stopping, 386 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 2: but just kind of take that moment, take that pause, 387 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 2: take that breath, because once we've done that, we're in 388 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 2: a better position to help ourselves through the next few steps. 389 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:20,880 Speaker 5: So once we've stopped, we want. 390 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 2: To take a moment to think about our thinking, reflect 391 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 2: on our thoughts, actually notice what our brain and our 392 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:34,639 Speaker 2: mind is telling us. We were saying earlier that the 393 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 2: mind is so powerful, our thoughts are so powerful, and 394 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 2: they certainly influence us to feel particular ways. But not 395 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 2: everything that we think, well, not everything that we tell 396 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 2: ourselves is actually true. 397 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:53,679 Speaker 5: We all engage in unhelpful patterns of thinking. 398 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 2: We might catastrophize, we might be quite black and white 399 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 2: now thinking, we might just jump to conclusions. We do 400 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 2: all these sort of thought patterns quite naturally, but they 401 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 2: can actually be really unhelpful for us. So if I 402 00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 2: circle back to Catherine, as I was saying, she would 403 00:21:10,120 --> 00:21:13,679 Speaker 2: be very fearful of getting on stage, and her brain 404 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:15,880 Speaker 2: would be telling her, you're going to make a full 405 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:17,879 Speaker 2: of yourself, you're gonna stuff up, you're gonna forget what 406 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 2: you have to talk about, and then you'll have to 407 00:21:20,120 --> 00:21:22,640 Speaker 2: run off stage and everyone will be talking about it. 408 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 5: For the next two weeks at work. So she was 409 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 5: telling herself all these unhelpful things that probably weren't actually 410 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 5: going to happen, and weren't very true, and weren't based 411 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 5: on any kind of history of that actually happening to her. 412 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 2: So it's really important for us to be able to 413 00:21:37,120 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 2: identify what is my brain actually telling me, so that 414 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 2: I can then examine A is it true and. 415 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 5: B is it helpful? 416 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 4: I really like that moment of pause, and essentially we're 417 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 4: kind of zooming out to see what are we thinking 418 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 4: and if it is helpful or not helpful. 419 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 1: And I find even journaling. 420 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 4: Journaling is such a great way to actually put it 421 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,320 Speaker 4: down on paper and then getting to the bottom of it. 422 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 4: I know, for me, there's been times where I just 423 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 4: look at the things that I'm actually thinking about and 424 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 4: I can't help but kind of giggle to myself, being like, 425 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 4: this is actually ridiculous. I would never say this to 426 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:15,639 Speaker 4: anyone else, but you know, we're all our own worst 427 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 4: in a critic. 428 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 2: So I love the journaling because actually seeing those words 429 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 2: that we're internally saying to ourselves on paper, we put 430 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 2: that distance between ourselves and the thoughts and so we 431 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 2: can see it with a bit more clarity. So once 432 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 2: we've stopped, we've reflected on our thoughts, we've identified that 433 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 2: maybe they're not that true or that helpful for the 434 00:22:37,120 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 2: situation that we're in. I then encourage people to ask themselves, 435 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 2: what about this situation is in your control and what's 436 00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 2: out of your control? Because once we can identify what 437 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 2: is within our control, we can make active steps to 438 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 2: have agency over that and change the thing that's in 439 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 2: our control. Sometimes we get stuck being so anxious about 440 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,199 Speaker 2: things that are ultimately out of our control that we 441 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:06,879 Speaker 2: can't change, and that's really where worry becomes quite unhelpful 442 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:07,360 Speaker 2: for us. 443 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 5: So if we can focus. 444 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 2: On what's in our control, we can take steps to 445 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 2: action that and create some change for ourselves. 446 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 4: So what happens if you're too deep in the spiral, 447 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 4: and you know the strategies you've just mentioned doesn't actually work. 448 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:21,679 Speaker 5: What do we do? 449 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 3: Then? 450 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 2: This is great because it's all well and good for 451 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 2: us to be able to think about our thinking, But 452 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 2: if we're in a state of panic and distress and 453 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:36,159 Speaker 2: complete overwhelm, that's actually a really hard thing to do. 454 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 2: So if we're at that eight, nine, ten out of 455 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 2: ten level of anxiety, I actually recommend that people instead 456 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 2: utilize the senses. 457 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 5: Right, So there's two different ways we can do this. 458 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 5: One is going. 459 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,919 Speaker 2: Down a pathway of what we call self soothing. So 460 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 2: this is using the sensors in a way that's really 461 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 2: comforting and nice and kind to help bring down that 462 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:04,199 Speaker 2: level of stress and anxiety to a level that feels 463 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 2: more manageable. So if we think across the sensors, these 464 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:13,440 Speaker 2: might be things like lighting a scented candle, smelling some incense, 465 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 2: eating something that tastes really lovely or nostalgic, you know, 466 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:25,159 Speaker 2: sipping on a hot cup of tea or oha. So 467 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,919 Speaker 2: utilizing the senses in a way that's calming for the body. 468 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:32,120 Speaker 5: And people tend to have sensory preferences, so for. 469 00:24:32,120 --> 00:24:35,879 Speaker 2: Me, I love touch. If I don't feel good. My 470 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 2: go to is it doesn't matter how hot it is, 471 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,159 Speaker 2: put on a jumper. I find it, like, you know, 472 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:42,399 Speaker 2: having a bit of a hug. Put on the jumper, 473 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 2: it's really comforting. Get under the douna, anything that sort 474 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:49,119 Speaker 2: of is touching my skin is really calming and soothing 475 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:49,439 Speaker 2: for me. 476 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 5: I don't know a shanny. If you've got sensory preferences. 477 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 4: I feel like, I mean outside of the matcha as well, 478 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:58,400 Speaker 4: like food taste is really good, but also the senses 479 00:24:58,560 --> 00:24:59,639 Speaker 4: so dim lighting. 480 00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:01,120 Speaker 1: It's just so calming. 481 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:02,959 Speaker 4: It feels like I'm in a spa, but I'm at 482 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 4: home with my fairy lights on. 483 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 2: So yes, So the self soothing can be really effective 484 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 2: when we can't think our way out of anxiety, but 485 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 2: we want to physically do something to help regulate our anxiety. 486 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:17,400 Speaker 5: Self soothing is great. 487 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:21,400 Speaker 2: The other option that utilizes the sensors is a more 488 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 2: intense version of using the sensors, and this provides a 489 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 2: bit of a shock to the system. So if there 490 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 2: is one strategy I could give someone to help manage 491 00:25:33,120 --> 00:25:35,920 Speaker 2: their anxiety when it's at that ten out of ten peak, 492 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 2: it's utilizing cold cold water, really frozen ice packs from 493 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 2: the freezer, a bag of frozen peas, whatever you've got 494 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:51,119 Speaker 2: that's cold. It is incredibly effective on a physiological level 495 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 2: for reregulating our body. One of the things we try 496 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 2: to do is actually mimic what we call the deep 497 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:01,199 Speaker 2: dive reflex. So this is something that all mammals actually have, 498 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 2: and it's ultimately this idea that if you jumped into 499 00:26:05,120 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 2: a swimming pool full of cold water, you would naturally 500 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 2: hold your breath, Your blood pressure changes, your heart rate changes, 501 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:16,400 Speaker 2: and this all happens because your body wants to conserve energy. 502 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:19,440 Speaker 5: And we can mimic this to our advantage. 503 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 2: So I encourage people if they're feeling really overwhelmed, jump 504 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:24,679 Speaker 2: in a cold shower. 505 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 5: It doesn't feel pleasant, it takes a. 506 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 2: Bit, it gots to get in there sometimes unless you're 507 00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:34,399 Speaker 2: someone who regularly does cold plunges. But it can be 508 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 2: hard but incredibly effective. If you imagine yourself ten out 509 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 2: of ten anxiety, you know, hot, flush, heart racing, sweating, dizzy, 510 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:45,679 Speaker 2: and you jumped in a cold swimming pool or a 511 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:50,880 Speaker 2: cold shower, you would pretty quickly physically feel a fair 512 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 2: bit better. Doesn't solve the problem of what's causing the anxiety, 513 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:57,480 Speaker 2: but physically it helps reregulate us so that we're in 514 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 2: a better position to be able to manage the anxious 515 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 2: situation that we're faced with. If you can't jump in 516 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:07,400 Speaker 2: the cold shower, I say, get the ice packs out 517 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 2: of the freezer. Bag of frozen peas you've got that's 518 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 2: cold in the freezer, and put it over your head 519 00:27:14,120 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 2: and temples and around the eyes. This is the really 520 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:20,880 Speaker 2: kind of effective place we want to place the frozen object. 521 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 5: But also if you're out and about and you don't. 522 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 2: Have a freezer bag or a cold shower handy, get 523 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 2: into woolies, go into the freezer aisle, open that door 524 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 2: and feel the blast of the colds. 525 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 5: If you're in the. 526 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,640 Speaker 2: Car, turn on the air con, blast it into your 527 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:38,400 Speaker 2: face your face. 528 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,200 Speaker 5: Is really effective for trying to regulate with the cold. 529 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:43,000 Speaker 5: So it's my go to tip. 530 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:48,120 Speaker 4: Wow, you know, I'm so surprised that cold actually helps 531 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,959 Speaker 4: because I know how much it can make me stress, 532 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:54,760 Speaker 4: Like I assumed that it would spike my cortisol levels. 533 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:57,520 Speaker 4: And yeah, I'm just glad that there's two options here. 534 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:00,160 Speaker 4: I'm going to take the soothing route. Not sure, I 535 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 4: don't know, I'm not sure. 536 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 1: About the cold therapy, but. 537 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 2: The stress is probably more before you're actually, yeah, my thoughts, 538 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 2: that's the anxiety. 539 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 1: Okay, cool, it's all clear. 540 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 4: We're getting the breakthroughs here. 541 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:12,160 Speaker 1: This is great. 542 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:16,880 Speaker 4: So what if none of the techniques that you've talked 543 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:21,639 Speaker 4: about still isn't working and someone stealing really deep emotional pain. 544 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 4: Is that when they should seek a psychologist or a 545 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:27,400 Speaker 4: professional to get medication. 546 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:32,439 Speaker 2: Potentially, if people feel like therapy and these kinds of 547 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:36,879 Speaker 2: strategies aren't working for them, that's definitely a situation where 548 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 2: we would encourage someone to go talk to either a 549 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 2: GP or a psychiatrist. Both can prescribe medications to be 550 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:46,040 Speaker 2: able to talk through what the different options are. There 551 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 2: are so many different medications when it comes to managing 552 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 2: anxiety and our mental health that it is really important 553 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 2: to see a professional to talk through what the different 554 00:28:55,840 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 2: options are. But what I would say is that medication 555 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 2: can be incredibly helpful, but is best when it's done 556 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 2: in conjunction with therapy because often what we find is 557 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 2: that if people just go on medication for a period 558 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 2: of time, when they eventually decide to come off it, 559 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 2: if they haven't addressed what the underlying concerns and issues are, 560 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 2: they're probably very quickly going to. 561 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 5: Go back to feeling anxious. 562 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 2: So the therapy and the medication hand in hand can 563 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 2: be a fantastic combination for people. 564 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:28,240 Speaker 4: So you've just shared with us some really great techniques 565 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:31,480 Speaker 4: around how to manage anxiety and panic attacks for ourselves, 566 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 4: But what about someone else? 567 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 2: If we're trying to help someone else who is feeling 568 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 2: anxious and overwhelmed, the first thing I would recommend is 569 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 2: don't panic yourself. Don't take on that other person's anxiety 570 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:47,640 Speaker 2: and panic and feel anxious or panicky yourself. 571 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,320 Speaker 5: Stay calm and stay with them. 572 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,600 Speaker 2: What I mean by stay with them is yes, physically 573 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 2: stay with them, but emotionally stay with them. 574 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:02,320 Speaker 5: Attune to what they're feeling, Listen to them, hear them, 575 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 5: validate them. 576 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 2: Everyone wants to feel heard in life, and so often 577 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 2: it's the case that if someone's worried about something, want 578 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 2: to jump in with a fix totally. 579 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 5: We want to say. 580 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:15,760 Speaker 2: Don't worry, everything will be fine, and probably never in 581 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:18,800 Speaker 2: the history of someone feeling anxious as that actually helps. 582 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 2: Like if you say don't worry, everything's going to be okay, 583 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 2: the person doesn't walk away being like, uh, okay, great, Right, 584 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:27,800 Speaker 2: if we feel overwhelmed and anxious, we want to feel heard, 585 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:28,320 Speaker 2: we want. 586 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:29,440 Speaker 5: To feel understood. 587 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 2: So that's sometimes the biggest thing that we can give people, 588 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 2: being there with them physically, but emotionally, being with them. 589 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's so it's so hard to do sometimes, I feel, 590 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:45,040 Speaker 4: especially with women, we're so empathetic and when someone we 591 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 4: love that is struggling, it's easy to just subconsciously. 592 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:48,680 Speaker 1: Take that on. 593 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 4: And I really like that you're helping us to separate 594 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 4: ourselves being like it has nothing to do about you 595 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 4: or how you showed up. It's purely what does that 596 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:00,800 Speaker 4: person need right now? Really focusing on that person and 597 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 4: being there for them, attuning to them. So once we've 598 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 4: done that, the next thing is moving into helping them 599 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 4: through it. Right, But we don't want to assume that 600 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 4: we know what that person wants or needs, right Ask them, 601 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 4: Ask them if there's anything that they know that's helpful 602 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 4: for them in these moments. They might be able to 603 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 4: say to you, yeah, you know what, I just need 604 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 4: you to talk to me about something else. Just distract me, 605 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 4: tell me what you've been watching on TV lately, Like, 606 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 4: let's just have a conversation about something else to get 607 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 4: me through this. So people are often well resourced at 608 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 4: knowing what they need, and. 609 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:37,360 Speaker 5: That's where we can jump in and help give that 610 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:38,240 Speaker 5: to them. 611 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 2: If, however, someone doesn't know what they need in that moment, 612 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 2: if we ask them and they're not able to tell us, 613 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 2: that's where we can offer some suggestions and some solutions. 614 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 2: And sometimes the simplest one is actually us helping someone 615 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:57,240 Speaker 2: get out of the space that they're in and just 616 00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 2: going outside, taking a break, grabbing a cup of coffee, moving, 617 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 2: moving the body, and moving out of their physical surroundings 618 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 2: and space in that moment. 619 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 4: Okay, Anastasia, Because I'm someone that is always about having 620 00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:11,840 Speaker 4: to growth by It's so next time I'm going to 621 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 4: woolies or calls, I've got to go into the freezer aisle, 622 00:32:15,520 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 4: grab those frozen peas and stuck up by freezer just 623 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 4: for you. 624 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 1: I'll report back on how it goes. 625 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 4: After this short break, Anastasia is going to solve the 626 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 4: personal problem that one of you, our listeners sent us. 627 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 1: Stay with us, Bib hereb Bib. 628 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 5: I'm having a serious Cristis BRB having a crisis. 629 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 4: Okay, I am really excited to debut this segment, which 630 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:49,719 Speaker 4: will be bringing you in every episode of But Are 631 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 4: You Happy? This is where we respond to the dilemmas 632 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 4: or questions that you our listeners have sent us, and 633 00:32:56,320 --> 00:33:00,080 Speaker 4: Anastasia will provide her best advice. Our first dilemma comes 634 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:00,760 Speaker 4: from Sydney. 635 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 6: So I'm in my late twenties and I feel like 636 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:07,040 Speaker 6: every conversation I have with my friends lately is honestly 637 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:09,760 Speaker 6: is such a drainer, because all they ever want to 638 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:11,960 Speaker 6: talk about is whether I'm wan they're going to buy property, 639 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,640 Speaker 6: whether or not to pro create, or whether or not 640 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 6: to get married, And honestly, I just don't really care 641 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:21,560 Speaker 6: about any of those things. But for whatever reason, there's 642 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 6: still this weird pressure when you get to your late 643 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:25,840 Speaker 6: twenties where you feel like you're in the panic years 644 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:27,480 Speaker 6: and you do need to make all of these big 645 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 6: decisions that are going to set you up for like 646 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 6: the next ten years or more. Maybe what can I 647 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 6: do to feel like I can live the fun life 648 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 6: that I want to live, but also set myself up 649 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 6: the future and not feel stressed about what's around the corner. 650 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 5: You are not alone in this. 651 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 2: I've heard many people share similar stories about things that 652 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 2: they're worrying about. 653 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:50,200 Speaker 5: This idea of how do I have the life I 654 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:50,640 Speaker 5: want now? 655 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 2: How do I have the fun that I want now 656 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 2: and set myself up for the future as well? And 657 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 2: I wish I could waive the magic wand and give 658 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:03,800 Speaker 2: a really short, simple solution to this, but unfortunately it's 659 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:08,320 Speaker 2: not that simple. It's all about balance, right, And as humans, 660 00:34:08,359 --> 00:34:10,719 Speaker 2: we have a tendency to want to fund find a 661 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:13,239 Speaker 2: single answer to a problem. 662 00:34:13,319 --> 00:34:15,640 Speaker 5: But in reality, I don't think there is a simple 663 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:18,440 Speaker 5: answer here. Life is complex. 664 00:34:18,919 --> 00:34:22,319 Speaker 2: We are complex, and so it's always about how do 665 00:34:22,359 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 2: we find balance between the fun and the enjoyment in 666 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:30,359 Speaker 2: the short term with balancing those long term goals that. 667 00:34:30,319 --> 00:34:31,959 Speaker 5: We might have now. 668 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 2: If you're worried about making decisions that you might regret 669 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:40,279 Speaker 2: in the future, i'd encourage you to reflect. 670 00:34:39,879 --> 00:34:44,279 Speaker 5: On what your values are. So we all have values. 671 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 5: We might not always be aware. 672 00:34:46,879 --> 00:34:49,159 Speaker 2: Of them, so it's important to take some time out 673 00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:53,040 Speaker 2: to actually reflect on what our values are. But essentially, 674 00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 2: values are the things that are most important to us 675 00:34:56,239 --> 00:35:00,239 Speaker 2: in life. We can think of them as like a compass, 676 00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:03,880 Speaker 2: a compass that directs us down a particular path in life, 677 00:35:03,919 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 2: and from those values, we can set goals and tasks 678 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 2: and activities for ourselves that feel really meaningful and values aligned. 679 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:16,320 Speaker 2: The research tells us that when people live their life 680 00:35:16,479 --> 00:35:20,479 Speaker 2: in alignment with their values, they have greater overall life 681 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:24,439 Speaker 2: satisfaction and contentment. So being able to reflect on those 682 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:26,999 Speaker 2: values can be a really key part of helping us 683 00:35:27,040 --> 00:35:30,160 Speaker 2: make decisions for ourselves. And having that clarity around values 684 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:33,239 Speaker 2: can help us with making decisions about some of these 685 00:35:33,239 --> 00:35:35,239 Speaker 2: things that feel really big in life, you know, should 686 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 2: I have kids, should I buy a house, what should 687 00:35:36,959 --> 00:35:40,160 Speaker 2: I be planning for in my thirties, etc. Having a 688 00:35:40,319 --> 00:35:43,599 Speaker 2: knowledge of our values can help us make those decisions 689 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:48,160 Speaker 2: that can sometimes feel really overwhelming, and also help us 690 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:52,919 Speaker 2: reflect on are those values my own or I think 691 00:35:52,919 --> 00:35:55,680 Speaker 2: what society has told me, you know, should be important 692 00:35:55,680 --> 00:35:58,119 Speaker 2: to me because that will influence our decision making as well. 693 00:35:58,239 --> 00:35:59,839 Speaker 5: Is it that society has told. 694 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:02,279 Speaker 2: Me that owning a home, or having kids or being 695 00:36:02,279 --> 00:36:03,719 Speaker 2: at this point in my career. 696 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:05,999 Speaker 5: Should be important to me? Or is that actually what 697 00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:07,039 Speaker 5: my values are? 698 00:36:07,919 --> 00:36:11,359 Speaker 4: I really love it because it's essentially doing your values 699 00:36:11,439 --> 00:36:15,040 Speaker 4: is getting to know yourself even more, which is important 700 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:15,919 Speaker 4: and for. 701 00:36:15,879 --> 00:36:17,999 Speaker 2: Any of the listeners out there, if you haven't ever 702 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:21,319 Speaker 2: done this values reflection, have a go, get out a 703 00:36:21,319 --> 00:36:23,879 Speaker 2: pen and a paper, sit down at a desk and 704 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:26,200 Speaker 2: just write out a list of the things that are 705 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:30,359 Speaker 2: important to you. Write single words, right, So values are 706 00:36:30,399 --> 00:36:37,199 Speaker 2: things like family, health, adventure, creativity, honesty. Right, so there's 707 00:36:37,279 --> 00:36:41,879 Speaker 2: single words. It's not like I value having a coffee 708 00:36:41,879 --> 00:36:43,759 Speaker 2: in the morning. What is it that the coffee in 709 00:36:43,759 --> 00:36:46,439 Speaker 2: the morning gives me? It's my moment of peace? I 710 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:50,279 Speaker 2: value piece, I value enjoyment in life. You know what 711 00:36:50,439 --> 00:36:52,560 Speaker 2: is it that that thing gives me? What's the value 712 00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:53,239 Speaker 2: underneath it? 713 00:36:53,279 --> 00:36:53,919 Speaker 5: Write them out. 714 00:36:54,040 --> 00:36:56,359 Speaker 4: I really love that process because it's helping us to 715 00:36:56,399 --> 00:36:58,560 Speaker 4: look at Okay, what are the things that I essentially 716 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:00,319 Speaker 4: love doing and what are the things that. 717 00:37:00,279 --> 00:37:01,080 Speaker 1: I hate doing? 718 00:37:01,799 --> 00:37:04,560 Speaker 4: And then underneath that is where we'll discover our values. 719 00:37:04,959 --> 00:37:07,999 Speaker 2: Absolutely, And then for any of the listeners who want 720 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:09,439 Speaker 2: to take it one step further, I'm giving a lot 721 00:37:09,479 --> 00:37:14,080 Speaker 2: of homework here, but reflect on am I actually living 722 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:17,599 Speaker 2: my life aligned with these values? So, for example, if 723 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:20,559 Speaker 2: I have the value of creativity, Okay, it's all well 724 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:22,879 Speaker 2: and good to know that I value creativity, But am 725 00:37:22,879 --> 00:37:26,680 Speaker 2: I doing anything creative in my life? Because having the 726 00:37:26,799 --> 00:37:30,600 Speaker 2: value doesn't necessarily mean that we're living out the value. 727 00:37:30,719 --> 00:37:34,319 Speaker 2: So if you can identify any mismatch, that's a really 728 00:37:34,399 --> 00:37:37,600 Speaker 2: great place where you can make some positive, healthy changes 729 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:38,160 Speaker 2: for yourself. 730 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:43,519 Speaker 4: So if we have clarity around our values, would that 731 00:37:43,560 --> 00:37:44,680 Speaker 4: reduce our anxiety? 732 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:48,959 Speaker 5: It absolutely can. If we know what our values are, 733 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:53,560 Speaker 5: we feel better equipped to make decisions in life. 734 00:37:53,879 --> 00:37:56,640 Speaker 2: And so often, you know, anxiety can come from that 735 00:37:56,680 --> 00:38:00,160 Speaker 2: feeling of being overwhelmed like Courtney was, with what she 736 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:02,400 Speaker 2: should do in life and how she should live life. 737 00:38:02,439 --> 00:38:06,839 Speaker 2: So knowing our values can absolutely help us reduce anxiety 738 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:11,200 Speaker 2: and feel more kind of satisfaction and can in life. 739 00:38:11,919 --> 00:38:15,039 Speaker 4: All right, everyone, let's get into our homework. Let's get 740 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:29,480 Speaker 4: our values done. 741 00:38:25,399 --> 00:38:26,079 Speaker 1: Atastasia. 742 00:38:26,279 --> 00:38:29,439 Speaker 4: We have covered a lot of ground in today's episode. 743 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:31,359 Speaker 1: Can you give us a recap? 744 00:38:31,479 --> 00:38:34,000 Speaker 4: We want the post it note on the bathroom mirror 745 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:36,279 Speaker 4: reminders please absolutely? 746 00:38:36,520 --> 00:38:36,880 Speaker 5: Okay. 747 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:41,799 Speaker 2: First up, anxiety serves a necessary function in the brain 748 00:38:41,839 --> 00:38:47,040 Speaker 2: and body. Second, sometimes anxiety can get a bit too intense, 749 00:38:47,479 --> 00:38:52,000 Speaker 2: or a situation doesn't warrant us to be anxious. Third, 750 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:55,959 Speaker 2: if that's the case, we can mentally talk ourselves through 751 00:38:55,959 --> 00:39:01,279 Speaker 2: the situation by challenging those catastrophic thoughts. And finally, if 752 00:39:01,319 --> 00:39:05,919 Speaker 2: it feels too physically overwhelming, soothe yourself using the sensors 753 00:39:06,359 --> 00:39:07,960 Speaker 2: or jump in that cold shower. 754 00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:10,119 Speaker 1: Thank you, Anastasia. 755 00:39:10,479 --> 00:39:13,199 Speaker 4: Guys, Next week we will be tackling the right way 756 00:39:13,239 --> 00:39:15,999 Speaker 4: to say no to people you love and really dig 757 00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:18,599 Speaker 4: into the ways that we can help ourselves deal with 758 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:21,279 Speaker 4: toxic family dynamics and relationships. 759 00:39:22,120 --> 00:39:24,319 Speaker 1: In the meantime, if you have any burnie. 760 00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:26,560 Speaker 4: Questions or want to share your story with us, please 761 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:27,599 Speaker 4: get in contact with us. 762 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:28,759 Speaker 1: We would love to hear from you. 763 00:39:29,279 --> 00:39:31,480 Speaker 4: There are a few ways to get in touch, follow 764 00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:32,600 Speaker 4: the links in the show. 765 00:39:32,439 --> 00:39:36,839 Speaker 2: Notes, and remember, while I am a psychologist, this podcast 766 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:39,999 Speaker 2: isn't a diagnostic tool, and the advice and ideas we 767 00:39:40,080 --> 00:39:44,759 Speaker 2: present here should always take into account your personal medical history. 768 00:39:45,479 --> 00:39:49,160 Speaker 2: The executive producer of But Are You Happy is Naima Brown. 769 00:39:49,759 --> 00:39:51,879 Speaker 1: Tarlie Blackman is our senior producer. 770 00:39:52,719 --> 00:39:55,239 Speaker 5: Sound design and editing by Jacob Brown. 771 00:39:55,719 --> 00:39:57,959 Speaker 1: I'm a Shany Dante and I'm. 772 00:39:57,759 --> 00:39:59,080 Speaker 5: Doctor Anatheja Hornus. 773 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:02,959 Speaker 2: If this conversation brought up any difficult feelings for you, 774 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:05,840 Speaker 2: we have links for more resources in the show notes. 775 00:40:05,879 --> 00:40:08,879 Speaker 2: Around the topics we discussed today, you can also reach 776 00:40:08,919 --> 00:40:12,920 Speaker 2: out to organizations Beyond Blue or Lifeline if you're wanting 777 00:40:13,160 --> 00:40:14,319 Speaker 2: more immediate support. 778 00:40:14,839 --> 00:40:15,759 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.