Ep. 335: Anxiety: Where does it come from & what do we do with it?? [REMASTERED]

What’s the difference between social anxiety & social anxiety disorder? What should you do if you’re spiraling?  Dr. Ali Mattu was so socially anxious as a child, that he had selective mutism. Since then, he’s become a clinical psychologist specializing in treating anxiety disorders. Wanting to create more accessible mental health education, he created a YouTube channel with over 8.5 million views that helps viewers live a more compassionate, courageous, and connected life. He was the co-host of PBS’s Emmy Nominated Self-Evident, an expert on Netflix + Vox’s The Mind Explained: Anxiety, HBO’s Doctor Commentaries, & A&E’s The Employables.  In this episode, we discuss the difference between social anxiety & social anxiety disorder, where it comes from, how RSD, Autism, Introversion & Reddit come into play & give practical tips to feel grounded. This episode originally aired May 15, 2023. If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 300: BIOFIELD THERAPY FOR ANXIETY & GRIEF: RECIPE FOR WELLNESS OR PURCHASED PLACEBO? Guest:https://www.instagram.com/alimattu/https://www.facebook.com/dralimattuhttp://alimattu.com/https://www.youtube.com/c/ThePsychShow/featured Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  01:12 — Selective mutism (sadly not an X-Men power)04:05 — Anxiety as evolution’s survival feature04:48 — Why anxious people thrive in emergencies05:02 — Social anxiety vs. social anxiety disorder07:05 — Humans’ real superpower: collaboration08:05 — The hidden usefulness of everyday social anxiety09:00 — When social anxiety becomes a disorder11:00 — Generalized anxiety vs. social anxiety14:40 — Introversion vs. social anxiety (they’re not the same)16:35 — Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria explained20:05 — ADHD, rejection sensitivity, and social anxiety overlap23:00 — Where social anxiety actually comes from29:05 — Why social anxiety looks different in everyone31:10 — Finding your core fear with the “downward arrow”32:15 — Why identifying the core fear is empowering33:05 — The terror of large gatherings explained34:00 — What coping really means (and what it doesn’t)35:00 — The difference between helpful coping and avoidance36:00 — The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique for anxiety38:10 — Supporting a loved one who shuts down socially41:00 — Helping someone through social anxiety in real time43:10 — True alarms vs. false alarms in social anxiety44:05 — Social anxiety within marginalized communities46:10 — Scaling social support for the mental health crisisRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ [email protected]://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert