How to stop feeling anxious about anxiety | Tim Box | TEDxFolkestone
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Published 2019-10-14
What if it turned out that anxiety isn’t actually our enemy? What if we suddenly realised our fear was trying to help us? What would happen if we stopped trying to fight anxiety and embraced it as a trusted friend?
Tim Box is a therapist, author and anxiety expert, and in his youth experienced debilitating levels of social anxiety.
Tim has spent a large part of the last 10 years helping people understand and control their anxiety response and at some point during the last decade he started to get the distinct impression that most people dealing with anxiety were thinking about it in entirely the wrong way.
In this talk Tim explains why we need to think about anxiety differently, why the help we are being offered often exacerbates the problem, and how a very simple shift in the way we think about our own emotional responses can free us from our diagnoses and help us all feel a lot less anxious about anxiety. Tim is a remedial hypnotist and mind management expert. He helps people get back in control of the way they think, feel and behave.
Having overcome his own social anxiety in the past, he now specialises in treating anxiety issues. In 2017 he published his first book; Clear Your Head: The simple guide to enjoying your life without anxiety getting in the way. This went on to become an Amazon number 1 bestseller in its category. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
All Comments (21)
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Does anyone else at the end of panicking just cry because you wish you could just be normal
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To whoever dealing with this. IT WILL GET BETTER. I promise you that. You are not going crazy. U will not die because of it. U will be better. Focus on not being scared of the symptoms rather than focusing on getting rid of it. Change whatever can be changed. What can’t just say screw it and move on. It takes a little bit of time but ur effort will show later not right away. Be patient and strong. When u overcome this, u will be wayyyyy stronger than before. Much love and I wish you to be happier than ever
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everyone who is struggling daily with anxiety, you are not alone. let's try and do our best no longer to suffer from it but embrace it.
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To all those watching this video for their mental health, in case no one tells you today, just know you’re not alone (a lot of us are here for the same reasons) and you’re doing an amazing job getting on top of your mental health. And you should be proud of yourself for doing so. I hope you have an amazing day, and know we’re all here with you :)
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I needed this. I needed this so bad. I woke up this morning feeling so anxious and had to run to bathroom and had a whole mental breakdown. I’ve been suffering for so long and I just want anybody reading this to know that I stand with you I understand how it feels, and we will get through anxiety together. I feel so much better after watching this.
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“Anxiety is not an illness...it’s an emotion.” One of the most powerful things I’ve ever heard. Thank you for posting this beautiful video.
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Anxiety has taken over my life lately. I can’t even do little tasks. Watching this video makes me feel better. Even though I just want to be normal again. I won’t give up my battle & one day I’ll look back and laugh at this little bump in my life. Best wishes to everyone and their battle !!
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i feel the hardest part of anxiety, is knowing you have it, everyday you wake up and are waiting and waiting for that one moment your anxiety will spike. which ends up making the whole situation way worse.
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Thank you so much for all the comments here. I'm so pleased the talk is helping and people are finding the ideas of value.
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1. Refuse to believe it's an illness. 2. You are the captain. 3. Listen to your crew. They are trying to say something. 4. Talk to yourself with kindness and positivity. 5. Accept it.
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Two years later I'm coming back to this video to say THANK YOU. I suffered from anxiety and panic attacks, really doubting I would ever recover a normal life. This video helped me a lot on my journey, I remember watching it alone in my room and regaining a brief dose of hope in this nightmare. I made it, all people can I guess, I applied exactly what was said in the video, just that, embracing the anxiety, I decided to talk to my crew with kindness. In one or two months it was gone and this nightmare I lived has become one of my greatest victory in life that I'm proud of. Thanks a lot Tim Box, I don't know why it took me two years to come back here and post this comment :) To all those struggling with it: keep hope, don't give up you'll make it!
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It is exhausting to constantly feel like I need to be scared or frustrated by something. I want my mind to stop. I want to be free of this weight. I want to sleep. When I sleep I am not anxious. Sending love, support and encouragement to every human that reads this. You got this. You are smashing life. People in your life love you and are proud of you. Never forget that.
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I feel anxious cuz I’m worried about being anxious
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U r not the voice inside your head. U r the one who hears it.
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Wanted to share some thing that I heard once… “ anxiety and excitement are the same feeling in the body “… When I get anxious I try to tell myself that I’m just excited and it seems to calm me down almost immediately. It feels like life is all about perception. Thank you much love ❤️
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Mushrooms did wonders in my life. I was diagnosed with cptsd since my teenage, spent my whole life fighting cptsd. Also suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Not until my wife recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. This is something that really need to be use globally to help people with similar health challenges.
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“A ship in the harbor is safe...but that’s not what ships are built for”
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What a powerful speech. I was in tears because I realized I just needed to make peace with myself before anything.
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He really just made me reevaluate my entire hatred against myself and my anxiety. It's 1am in the morning and I've never felt more alive and at ease. Thank you so much for making me realize that my anxiety is not a sickness I have to get rid of. It feels like a whole mountain of stones just got lifted off my chest. My anxiety is my friend giving me advice that I can choose to take or not. So much love to you, Tim Box.
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Anxiety and panic attacks have taken over my life over the last 2 months. I am struggling to leave the house and function normally. It’s calming to read so many comments of similar situations! Keep pushing through. I have been through this before and I know it’ll get better.
