Conquering Anxiety and Panic

To join this event, please join our main group, Philosophy + Therapy.

Your heart is going. Your chest is tight. Something is definitely wrong.
Both of those are true right up until the last three words.
Why do so many thoughtful, self-aware, well-read people find that:

• the fear of the panic has become bigger than whatever started it
• they scan themselves for early signs, which reliably produces early signs
• knowing it's happened before and passed makes no difference while it's happening
• they arrange their week around avoiding a feeling
• the worst part is often the thought of it happening in front of someone
• telling themselves to relax is about as effective as telling themselves to be taller

A Guide to Rational Living — the 1961 book that became the foundation of modern cognitive therapy — separates the sensation from the verdict. A racing heart is a racing heart. It's adrenaline, and it's uncomfortable, and it is not evidence of anything. The panic is what gets added when the body's report is read as a warning. After that, most of the fear is fear of the fear itself.

We'll get into:

• the difference between a symptom and a catastrophe
• why demanding not to be anxious reliably produces more anxiety
• what the Stoics said about fearing things in advance
• what actually happens if you follow "what if I panic" all the way through
• what happens to a feeling you stop trying to prevent

No reading required. We listen to the chapter together.

The plan for the night:

• Quick intro from me — who I am, and where these ideas came from
• We listen to Chapter 15 together (~20 min)
• Small-group discussion (~20 min)
• Q&A and open discussion

Not therapy. No diagnosis. Nothing you have to share. Just a good book and a more reasonable way to see the world.