Understanding and fixing the real cause of anxiety...

Dr Russell Kennedy - THE ANXIETY MD2 minutes read

Dr. Russ Kennedy discusses the importance of separating anxious thoughts from the alarm sensation in the body to effectively manage anxiety, suggesting techniques like locating the alarm sensation, practicing self-compassion, and focusing on the present moment to break the cycle of anxiety and heal past traumas. To combat anxiety, it is crucial to address the alarm sensation in the body, showing love and attention to that part while disconnecting from anxious thoughts and using practices like yoga or tai chi as tools for managing anxiety effectively.

Insights

  • Dr. Russ Kennedy highlights the significance of distinguishing between anxious thoughts and the alarm sensation in the body to effectively manage anxiety, emphasizing the need to locate the alarm feeling in the midline of the body.
  • The approach of developing a compassionate relationship with the alarm sensation, treating it with love and acceptance, alongside practices like yoga or tai chi, is suggested as a valuable method for managing anxiety effectively, underlining the importance of addressing the alarm sensation in the body to overcome anxiety.

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Recent questions

  • What is anxiety according to Dr. Russ Kennedy?

    Anxiety is a combination of anxious thoughts in the mind and an alarm feeling in the body, with the latter often overlooked.

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Summary

00:00

Managing Anxiety: Addressing the Alarm Sensation

  • The speaker, Dr. Russ Kennedy, shares his personal experience with anxiety and the importance of addressing the alarm sensation in the body.
  • Anxiety is described as a combination of anxious thoughts in the mind and an alarm feeling in the body, with the latter often overlooked.
  • Dr. Kennedy emphasizes the need to separate the anxious thoughts from the alarm sensation to effectively manage anxiety.
  • To begin the process of anxiety relief, individuals are advised to locate the alarm sensation in their body, typically found in the midline between the chin and pubic bone.
  • Separating the alarm feeling from anxious thoughts is crucial in breaking the cycle of anxiety, where thoughts exacerbate the alarm sensation and vice versa.
  • The analogy of the alarm sensation being a smoldering fire is used to explain how thoughts can either aggravate or alleviate the alarm.
  • Focusing solely on the sensation of the alarm, rather than the anxious thoughts, helps individuals stay present and break free from future-oriented worries.
  • Dr. Kennedy suggests that the alarm sensation may stem from past traumas and recommends developing a compassionate relationship with it to heal anxiety.
  • Loving and accepting the alarm sensation, along with practices like yoga or tai chi, can aid in managing anxiety effectively.
  • Ultimately, addressing the alarm sensation in the body is deemed essential for overcoming anxiety, alongside traditional talk therapy and other mental health approaches.

16:04

"Locate alarm sensation, show love to combat anxiety"

  • To locate and address feelings of anxiety, focus on finding the alarm sensation in the midline of your body, typically between the chin and pubic bone; if not immediately found, concentrate on the heart area, treating it with care and attention as if it were a troubled child, separate anxious thoughts from bodily sensations, and show love and attention to the alarmed part to combat anxiety at its source, emphasizing that love is the antidote to fear.
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