Re:Researchers develop blood test for anxiety
by corobo on Wednesday March 08, 2023 @10:23AM
(#35070102)
Cognitive behavioural therapy, specifically for this: evidence vs assumption.
Making assumptions is part of life, but it is important to verify a lot of them. The system responsible for keeping you out of danger fires in a "better safe than sorry" manner. If you never train this response then it'll be inaccurate and it'll fire off all the time and you get anxiety. Likewise if the system has been trained by an entire school career of bullying or negativity it'll need recalibrating (are you going to get bullied as an adult? At least it's much less likely)
For example I wasn't going to go to a meet-up because I thought I wouldn't like it, or fit in, or whatever other reason - I was feeling anxious.
Looking back at actual times I've gone beyond my comfort zone in this way I realised that most times I end up a better person, with a new friend, or at least enjoyed doing it. Worst case I didn't get harmed in any way. Evidence overrules the assumption.
You don't want zero assumption of course, feel free to assume jumping off a cliff without anything to stop you hitting the floor at high speed will be a bad time, but for things other people are able to do without harming themselves or others at least give it a quick pros and cons check before bottling it.
Unfortunately it needs it real world experience. Think of it like working out; you won't get ripped just because you know how to use the machines, you've gotta use them too to see it working. On the positive side every time you push yourself successfully it's more evidence for next time. I now write my thoughts and feelings before and after so I can actually go back and look at them in future if needed.
Standard disclaimers: Don't use this comment as an alternative to medical advice. What I know may not be what the therapist taught me, this is my interpretation of that information. This isn't the only thing I've learned in CBT but it is pretty foundational for it to work well. As far as I know so far. Works on my machine.
Making assumptions is part of life, but it is important to verify a lot of them. The system responsible for keeping you out of danger fires in a "better safe than sorry" manner. If you never train this response then it'll be inaccurate and it'll fire off all the time and you get anxiety. Likewise if the system has been trained by an entire school career of bullying or negativity it'll need recalibrating (are you going to get bullied as an adult? At least it's much less likely)
For example I wasn't going to go to a meet-up because I thought I wouldn't like it, or fit in, or whatever other reason - I was feeling anxious.
Looking back at actual times I've gone beyond my comfort zone in this way I realised that most times I end up a better person, with a new friend, or at least enjoyed doing it. Worst case I didn't get harmed in any way. Evidence overrules the assumption.
You don't want zero assumption of course, feel free to assume jumping off a cliff without anything to stop you hitting the floor at high speed will be a bad time, but for things other people are able to do without harming themselves or others at least give it a quick pros and cons check before bottling it.
Unfortunately it needs it real world experience. Think of it like working out; you won't get ripped just because you know how to use the machines, you've gotta use them too to see it working. On the positive side every time you push yourself successfully it's more evidence for next time. I now write my thoughts and feelings before and after so I can actually go back and look at them in future if needed.
Standard disclaimers: Don't use this comment as an alternative to medical advice. What I know may not be what the therapist taught me, this is my interpretation of that information. This isn't the only thing I've learned in CBT but it is pretty foundational for it to work well. As far as I know so far. Works on my machine.