anxiety

The 90-Second Rule to Fight Anxiety

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According to neurological studies, our body’s anxiety-inducing response to negative stimuli only lasts about 90 seconds. You get some bad news, your body releases chemicals that trigger the physical symptoms of anxiety such as a racing heart and a feeling of panic. But those chemicals flush out of your body within 90 seconds – unless you keep re-living the negative experience in your head, which triggers a new flood of chemicals. Long story short, try not to dwell on the negative, especially by re-playing traumatic memories over and over. Instead, try and put the past behind you and move on in constructive ways. For more on the 90-second rule, check out this article in Psychology Today.

Talking Slower Can Reduce Social Anxiety

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Like many autistics, I suffer from social anxiety. Recently, it occurred to me that maybe I talk too fast, and that other people find this off-putting (which creates a vicious cycle, where I sense they find my behavior strange, and that makes me even more anxious!). So I decided to make an effort to talk a little slower. The experience so far has been positive. People tend to react more calmly and pleasantly if you talk to them slowly, and their positive response helps you calm down as well.

I wondered if other people had thought of slowing down as a way of dealing with social anxiety. Turns out, it’s standard practice in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for social anxiety. Furthermore, if you have a high-pitched voice, people tend to take you less seriously (and you sound more anxious), so in that case consider lowering pitch too. Slowing down all your movements may help as well, but don’t over-do it or you’ll look like a zombie! It takes a little getting used to, and may feel a bit awkward at first. If you’re absent-minded like me, it helps to set a daily reminder. Here’s a video I found that explains some of the benefits of talking slower: