Why Anxiety is Good for You
What is anxiety and why do we need it?
In this newsletter, we provide you with notes on Why Anxiety is Good For You (Even Though It Feels Bad), an episode of Raising Good Humans with Dr Aliza.
Hosted by Dr. Aliza Pressman, a developmental psychologist with over 15 years of experience working with families and the creator of the Raising Good Humans Podcast.
She is joined by Dr. Tracey Dennis Tiwary, anxiety researcher and author, founder of Wise Therapeutics, psychology and neuroscience professor.
Read our notes below.
Topics Covered in this Summary
What is Anxiety
Why We Need It
What is Anxiety
Anxiety has many signs and can look very different, but feelings of fear, dread, and unease are common. It may cause you to sweat, feel agitated and tense, and have a racing heart.
It's a feeling we get when we're thinking about the future, dealing with a difficult problem at work, taking a test, or making a big decision. It's like choking or having butterflies in our stomachs.
Remember that anxiety is not the same as fear, even though people often use the terms the same way.
Fear is an appropriate, small, and present-focused response to a clear and specific threat, while anxiety is a long-lasting, wide-focused response to a diffuse threat.
Why We Need It
We need anxiety because of the existence and space between where we are now and where we want to be, and it can provide us with the motivation to get there.
Anxiety isn't always a bad thing. It can inspire us, keep us alert, make us aware of dangers, and motivate us to solve problems.
However, if anxiety is making you "uncomfortable more often than not," or if it is interfering with daily functioning and preventing you from living the life you want to live, it indicates a need for additional support, ideally from a mental health professional.
As parents, we are only human and we worry, especially when it comes to our children. We make mistakes, but that doesn't mean we don't care.
It is important to teach our children that anxiety can help them grow and prepare for situations, and as parents, we simply need to support them in figuring out what it is about these moments that would help them feel capable and strong.
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Listen to the original episode