#356 Anxiety, Explained | Luana Marques
Taming Anxiety Series - Episode 2: Anxiety is very common -- but also commonly misunderstood. So today we’re doing a show that you might think of as: Everything You Wanted to Know About Anxiety (But Were Afraid to Ask). We’ve got an anxiety expert from Harvard who will answer your questions about all sorts of flavors of anxiety -- an especially relevant topic during this time of pandemic and political upheaval.
This is the second episode in a four-part series we’re calling “Taming Anxiety.” (By the way, if you missed the first episode, with pop-star/Broadway star/sitcom-star, Sara Bareilles, I strongly recommend checking that out.)
Today, though, we are diving into the science of anxiety with Dr. Luana Marques. Luana is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, President of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, and the author of Almost Anxious: Is My (or My Loved One’s) Worry or Distress a Problem? But you might recognize her from this show, because she was also our very first guest on the topic of Covid, way back in March of 2020, in an episode titled “How to Handle Coronavirus Anxiety.”
In this episode, Luana will explain from a scientific perspective, what anxiety actually is; why it isn’t actually a problem in and of itself – instead, it’s our relationship to it that’s (often) a problem; what the TEB Cycle is and how to work with it; the short-term benefits of avoiding things that cause us anxiety – and the long-term consequences of that avoidance; and how to handle anxiety-induced phobias, including, in my case, a pronounced fear of elevators. Plus, we’ll take some voicemails that you, our listeners, have submitted.
You can also learn how to actually practice everything we'll talk about in today’s episode by participating in our free Taming Anxiety Challenge over in the Ten Percent Happier app, which kicks off next Monday, June 21. Join the Taming Anxiety Challenge by downloading the Ten Percent Happier app. You should be prompted to join the Challenge after registering your account. If you've already downloaded the app, just open it up or visit this link to join.
Where to find Luana Marques online:
Social Media:
Book Mentioned:
Other Resources Mentioned:
- Mental Health for All
- Other mental health and anxiety resources from Dr. Marques
- Luana Marques previously on the TPH Podcast
- Community Psychiatry PRIDE at Massachusetts General Hospital
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America
- Jon Kabat-Zinn
Additional Resources:
- Ten Percent Happier Live: https://tenpercent.com/live
- Coronavirus Sanity Guide: https://www.tenpercent.com/coronavirussanityguide
- Free App access for Frontline Workers: https://tenpercent.com/care
