How to stop feeling anxious about anxiety | Tim Box | TEDxFolkestone

TEDx Talks2 minutes read

Anxiety should be understood and managed, not eradicated, according to Tim Box, who shares his personal struggles and strategies for dealing with anxiety. He emphasizes the importance of accepting anxiety as a natural emotion and working with it rather than against it, leading to reduced anxiety levels over time.

Insights

  • Anxiety should be understood and managed, not eradicated, as it plays a crucial role in focusing attention and is a fundamental aspect of human life.
  • Viewing anxiety as an emotion to be worked with, not an illness to be eliminated, is key. Accepting anxiety as a natural part of human experience, being kind to oneself, and listening to emotions can empower individuals to reduce anxiety levels effectively.

Get key ideas from YouTube videos. It’s free

Recent questions

  • What is the importance of anxiety according to Tim Box?

    Focuses attention and should be managed, not eradicated.

  • What are Tim Box's reservations about medicating anxiety?

    Cites potential side effects and risk of dependency.

  • How does Tim Box suggest managing anxiety?

    Refuse to believe in illness, understand emotions, be positive.

  • What does Tim Box advocate regarding seeking help for anxiety?

    Understand and manage anxiety rather than eliminate it.

  • How does Tim Box view extreme positions on anxiety?

    Unhelpful, advocates for a balanced approach.

Related videos

Summary

00:00

Embracing Anxiety: Understanding, Managing, and Empowering Mind

  • Tim Box expresses feeling anxious about speaking, being heard, and tripping, but acknowledges the importance of anxiety in focusing attention.
  • He shares his past struggles with anxiety, avoiding situations that triggered it, and realizing that trying to eliminate anxiety was counterproductive.
  • Tim now works with anxiety sufferers, emphasizing that anxiety is not something to be eradicated but understood and managed.
  • He highlights the common desire among anxiety sufferers to completely eliminate anxiety, envisioning a world without anxiety and its potential consequences.
  • Tim distinguishes between dead people and psychopaths as the only groups not experiencing anxiety, emphasizing the importance of anxiety in human life.
  • Seeking help for anxiety from doctors is discussed, with limitations in time, knowledge, and resources for effectively treating anxiety issues.
  • Tim expresses his reservations about medicating anxiety, citing potential side effects and the risk of dependency on anti-anxiety medication.
  • Many anxiety sufferers are aware of the limitations of medical solutions for anxiety, yet societal labeling of anxiety as an illness drives them to seek medical help.
  • Anxiety is reframed as an emotion, not an illness, with Tim advocating for understanding and working with anxiety rather than viewing it as an enemy.
  • Tim shares three key strategies for managing anxiety: refusing to believe in illness, listening to and understanding one's emotions, and being kind and positive towards oneself to empower the mind's crew.

16:52

Embrace anxiety as friend, reduce levels

  • The speaker emphasizes that extreme positions on anxiety are unhelpful, advocating for a balanced approach. Acknowledging anxiety as a natural part of human experience, he suggests accepting it as a friend rather than an enemy, leading to reduced anxiety levels. Tim Box shares his personal experience of feeling less anxious after 18 minutes of following this perspective.
Channel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatar

Try it yourself — It’s free.