The Truth About How Anxiety Works - Dr Tracy Dennis-Tiwary

Dr Tracy Dennis-Tiwary is a professor of psychology and neuroscience, anxiety researcher, author and founder of Wise Therapeutics. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health disorders in 2022. Huge numbers of both adults and children are suffering, but just how natural is this? Is it normal for humans to be ambiently anxious for months on end? And how much is our modern society contributing to this? Expect to learn why anxiety developed as a human emotion and how it helped us survive, why anxiety is a signal for your next move, the size of technology's influence on our mood, how to reframe anxiety so it becomes a competitive advantage, why your anxiety and creativity are intrinsically linked and much more... Sponsors: Join the Modern Wisdom Community to connect with me & other listeners - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/ Protect yourself from identity theft online with Aura. Try 14 days for free at http://aura.com/modern (discount automatically applied) Get 15% discount on the amazing 6 Minute Diary at https://bit.ly/diarywisdom (use code MW15) (USA - search Amazon and use 15MINUTES) Get 10% discount on your first month from BetterHelp at https://betterhelp.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied) Extra Stuff: Check out Tracy's website - https://www.drtracyphd.com/ Buy Future Tense - https://amzn.to/3y2LNKw Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom #anxiety #depression #mindset - 00:00 Intro 00:18 Why Does Anxiety Exist? 05:04 How Anxiety can be Productive 11:37 The Biology of Anxiety 19:17 Anxiety’s Relationship with Stress 28:09 Power of Reframing Situations 32:36 Errors in Diagnosing Anxiety 36:59 Anti-Anxiety Medication 44:44 Technology’s Contribution to Anxiety 55:57 Common Mistakes in Dealing with Anxiety 1:04:17 Are Anxiety & Depression Linked? 1:13:00 How to Think Straight when Nervous 1:14:56 Where to Find Dr Dennis-Tiwary - Join the Modern Wisdom Community on Locals - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/ Listen to all episodes on audio: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

Dr Tracy Dennis-TiwaryguestChris Williamsonhost

May 5, 20221h 15mWatch on YouTube ↗

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Anxiety Reframed: From Malfunctioning Fear To Evolutionary Superpower

Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary argues that anxiety is not a disease to eradicate but an evolved, future-focused emotion designed to help humans navigate uncertainty.
She distinguishes anxiety from fear and stress, explaining its biological basis, links to dopamine and reward, and its role in creativity, persistence, and social connection.
A central claim is that our cultural and clinical habit of pathologizing all anxiety—and immediately trying to suppress it—actually worsens anxiety and fuels disorders.
Instead, she proposes a mindset shift: treat anxiety as information about what you care about, learn to tolerate and listen to it, and then leverage its energy toward meaningful goals.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Treat anxiety as information, not an emergency.

Anxiety signals that you care about something in an uncertain future; instead of immediately suppressing it, first ask what it is pointing you toward—what goal, threat, or value it’s highlighting.

Differentiate anxiety from fear and stress to respond more effectively.

Fear is about clear, present danger; stress is the load of demands vs. your perceived ability to cope; anxiety is future-focused anticipation of uncertain outcomes. Knowing which you’re experiencing helps you choose better coping strategies.

Reframe bodily anxiety sensations as preparation, not proof of failure.

Studies show that simply telling people their racing heart and sweating mean their body is gearing up to perform (not collapsing) improves performance, lowers blood pressure, and reduces perceived distress.

Avoidance and suppression of anxiety make it worse over time.

When we dodge situations, numb feelings, or over-accommodate (in ourselves or our kids), anxiety shrinks our world and reinforces the belief that we can’t handle it—one of the core drivers of anxiety disorders.

Channel anxiety’s energy into purposeful action and excellence, not perfection.

Anxiety activates brain reward systems and can fuel creativity, persistence, and what researchers call “excellencism” (aiming to be very good, not flawless), which is associated with better performance and mental health than perfectionism.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Anxiety is not a light switch on and off; it's a dimmer switch.

— Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary

Anxiety isn't this malfunction or a disease. Anxiety is a triumph of human evolution.

— Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary

You can only be anxious when you care about something.

— Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary

Humans are built to be effective, not happy.

— Chris Williamson

To learn to be anxious in the right way is to learn the ultimate.

— Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary (quoting Søren Kierkegaard)

Evolutionary purpose of anxiety and distinction from fear and stressBiology of anxiety: brain circuits, autonomic system, dopamine and rewardMindset, framing, and the expectation/placebo effects on emotional experienceAnxiety disorders vs. normal anxiety; coping styles and functional impairmentTreatment approaches: therapy, medication, parental accommodation, and mindset-based interventionsTechnology, social media, and their nuanced relationship with modern anxietyLinks between anxiety, depression, creativity, perfectionism, and excellence

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