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Let’s break the rules here. The first 5 of these Podcasts get right into practical help. Only after that I get around the long boring, but important stuff on what Anxiety is and does to your body. If you are suffering from anxiety-YOU DAMN WELL KNOW WHAT IT IS!
Let’s fix it!
I created this series as a reaction to all the pop-psychology and pseudo-science advice on the Internet. Patients mentioning these posts make me tired and grouchy.
I am a noted and accomplished clinical psychologist, a scientist and a clinician. These podcasts cut through those weeds of bad advice and give you very usable, practical approaches to calm your ANXIETY. If you want to quickly calm your stress and anxiety, listen in.
The techniques and approaches here are solidly based on the best practices and research in mental health and on the analysis of 6200 successful cases of coping with anxiety. Each episode gives doable techniques to help you NOW! These easy-to-listen podcasts are reassuringly life changing!
00;00;00;00 - 00;00;05;27
Dr. John Mayer
Putting away your anxiety.
00;00;06;00 - 00;00;31;06
Dr. John Mayer
In the first episode, I discuss my overall successful approach to coping with anxiety and stress. Now I'm going to give you some specific to do's for packing it up and keeping it from disrupting your life. You control anxiety. Anxiety doesn't control you. That's our goal. Our theme song. Before I begin, I want to give you a very important warning.
00;00;31;09 - 00;00;58;17
Dr. John Mayer
If you experience what feels like a panic attack that lasts more than 45 minutes or more and doesn't seem like it's calming down. Please call your primary care physician. Go to a walk in clinic or do an online telemedicine consult to expertly diagnose your condition. They may suggest going to an emergency room. I will discuss panic attacks further in episode four of this podcast.
00;00;58;19 - 00;01;30;17
Dr. John Mayer
These podcasts focus on emotional, cognitive, and behavioral control of your anxiety. So here we go. In episode one, I mentioned the source of all anxiety, the unknown. Episode one lay the foundation of how to think about anxiety. But to quiet it quickly, I have to add another layer. Let me give you specific techniques to calm anxiety when it arises.
00;01;30;19 - 00;02;07;14
Dr. John Mayer
In the episode after this one, I will detail effective techniques for long term prevention of anxiety. But let's concentrate on anxiety in your life. Now here's the goal of every tool in this episode. Clearing your mind. Yes, the key to handling your anxiety is the trick. That little buddy of ours, the brain. From ruminating about those things that stress us out, all those new and proven miraculous discoveries you Google, none of which are new at all.
00;02;07;15 - 00;02;45;13
Dr. John Mayer
By the way, such as mindfulness meditation, yoga, exercise, singing, Kumbaya, concentrated breathing pets, praying, hobbies, gaming. All those things you read about are all ways to get our little friend from thinking about what trouble us. Remember, as I so strongly said in episode one, anxiety will always be around. We just need to keep it from scrambling that egg that sits atop of our neck.
00;02;45;15 - 00;03;21;10
Dr. John Mayer
Here are the techniques. By the way, these work great for panic attacks as well. Relocate if possible. Leave wherever you are and move to a different location. Ideally, go outside. Take some deep breaths. I recommend closing your eyes and visualizing an unbelievably pleasant scene. Experience or situation. More on that later in the episode. Sounds simple, but here's a brain trick to doing this.
00;03;21;12 - 00;03;52;18
Dr. John Mayer
You see, by changing location as fast as you can. Your brain has to accommodate a whole new set of stimuli different lighting, colors, temperatures. Doorways, navigation, and more. This immediately helps to clear your mind of the overwhelming anxiety. Then you add this quick meditation piece, the closed eyes to deep breaths, the visualizations and all. This works like a computer reset.
00;03;52;20 - 00;04;23;07
Dr. John Mayer
Next, surrender. Okay, you've got anxiety. You know what this is? If not, you're going to learn in these podcasts. You probably been here before and you know it can go away. Stop. Slow it down. Remember, anxiety is telling us that something is wrong. So you need to take care of it. In the US, we have high rates of anxiety because we don't slow down when we get stressed.
00;04;23;09 - 00;04;51;26
Dr. John Mayer
Instead, we tend to try to push through it. Give up problem. It's do. This has been a great instruction. I give people problems out by stopping slowing down, you can give anxiety the attention it is demanding and you can control it. Remember, the source of your anxiety is the unknown. Try your best to uncover what is making you anxious.
00;04;51;29 - 00;05;23;02
Dr. John Mayer
One of the most frequent reasons why anxiety lingers in our lives is that we don't stop and give our full attention to what we are feeling. We are a society of multitaskers. Stop that. Give anxiety. Its due. So how do we problem solving ciety? First, think about the source or cause. And please note happy events can cause anxiety as well.
00;05;23;04 - 00;05;49;26
Dr. John Mayer
If you can't identify it, reach out to a loved one and talk. Brainstorm with them. You'll be surprised how they might see right through it. Therapists and counselors serve the same purpose as well. I call these your lifelines. So be a detective. Find out what is stressing you. All right. You figured it out. Now, what steps do you have to take to solve the problem?
00;05;49;29 - 00;06;17;21
Dr. John Mayer
Again, if you can't arrive at this on your own, reach out to your lifelines. Now you'll need to answer and put in place the following questions in need. What resources do you need to solve the problem? How do you gather these resources? What are the obstacles to solving? How do you eliminate these obstacles? Does the problem have a time pressure or deadline?
00;06;17;23 - 00;06;45;12
Dr. John Mayer
Regardless if it does or doesn't, set a timeline for yourself for solving it and schedule it, literally put it in your calendar. Each step of this problem solving I would write down for yourself and put this all in your calendar. In another podcast, I will devote a large amount of time to using your calendar and scheduling. It is a great tool for anxiety and it's that important.
00;06;45;14 - 00;07;10;05
Dr. John Mayer
Once you have put this whole process and each step into your calendar, you have given the problem it's due and you have a solution. What will be the solution? You have given it a solution by giving it a visible record of written tests scheduled into your life. To solve it. Believe me, this takes a great deal of anxiety away.
00;07;10;08 - 00;07;43;14
Dr. John Mayer
Writing it down like this makes it real. Now, this system of problem solving works great for anxieties that are under our control. Like how we spend our time. Not being slave to social media gossip, and so on. But let's be real there are many sources of anxiety that we don't have any control over. Like if there will be toilet paper in my local store, or hell, even in my own bathroom is some foreign power aiming a nuclear missile at my town.
00;07;43;17 - 00;08;14;27
Dr. John Mayer
How stupid other people behave. And anxiety may arise from some physical reactions of our body chemistry. And finally, anxiety may arise from what I'm going to call jump scares. Things that happen to us suddenly and without warning. So people ask me, okay, smart guy, how do we problem solve these away? The answer is we don't. So for these sorts of anxiety out of our control, here's what we can do.
00;08;14;29 - 00;08;47;13
Dr. John Mayer
Keep in mind what I said in the first podcast. It is times like these that looking into our history is critical. You have faced things like this before, and you have the skills and resources to undo and fix whatever happen, okay. A jump scare occurred. We can't take that away. It's done. Now it's about calming yourself. Remember, clearing your mind or diversion is the key here.
00;08;47;16 - 00;09;13;24
Dr. John Mayer
I suggest you create a buffet table of these techniques to select from. Too often, people rely on 1 or 2 techniques and then give them up when they don't work. But like belly up to a buffet table. Try your favorites first. And if they don't taste good. Sample some new treats. Don't give up because your favorite technique didn't work today.
00;09;13;26 - 00;09;45;23
Dr. John Mayer
Keep sampling new dishes until one makes you feel good. Here are some effective tools as I keep on emphasizing. Stop. Slow it down. Remember, anxiety is telling us something is wrong, so you need to take care of it. Slowing down makes us mindful of what is happening to us. Mindfulness simply means being aware of what you are feeling and thinking, and what you need to do at the moment.
00;09;45;25 - 00;10;13;04
Dr. John Mayer
Meditation. I'll be discussing meditation in a future podcast because there is a key element. Most meditation programs miss oh sorry had placed my blender or Be Calm or whatever. But for now, these apps are okay and you can get you can get you through. Break up your stress. Take breaks. Yeah. I have to remind you of that old American way.
00;10;13;06 - 00;10;41;20
Dr. John Mayer
We suck at taking breaks, lunches, work assignments, chores and so on. Please stop. Slow down when you're anxious. When you go back to work or your personal life. You'll be surprised how productive you'll be. Entertainment. Fun. Hobbies. Anxiety hits you today. Pick up the activity or activities that you find fun, and take your mind away from your worries.
00;10;41;22 - 00;11;20;05
Dr. John Mayer
Such things as TV, movies, gaming, sports, art, crafts such as knitting or sewing. Pets. Animals. Music. Snuggling with your partner. Alternating a few. Exercise. Exercise is hugely beneficial in calming anxiety. It not only clears your mind effectively, but it breaks up the physiological energy ball that anxiety creates inside of you. And may I remind you, you're not training for the Olympics, so just move your body.
00;11;20;08 - 00;12;03;22
Dr. John Mayer
Heck, close your bedroom door. Turn on some music and do the wet dance. People call up your lifelines. We have such a rich resource all around us. People reach out to a family member, friend, minister, therapist and talk. Luxuriate. Treat yourself. Be creative and put together your personal spa indulgent day. Half hour. Hour. Whatever medications. Note that I have this last medications have been transformational in mental health, but they should be turned to cautiously.
00;12;03;24 - 00;12;35;16
Dr. John Mayer
Try all these methods first and earnestly, even if you opt for medications to help your anxiety. Everything I'm offering you on this podcast should be applied as well. This combination we call Best practices. All these tools, by the way, are a two for. You can also calm yourself with these techniques while you are solving the source of your anxiety and doing the problem solving steps.
00;12;35;18 - 00;12;59;14
Dr. John Mayer
And after you problem solve. Keep continuing to calm any lingering anxiety. Well that's it. Next episode, I'm going to detail how you can build a lifestyle that controls anxiety. You can call this prevention. Hope to see you there.