The Curious Introvert 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/dralimattu
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 feature
04:48 — Why anxious people thrive in emergencies
05:02 — Social anxiety vs. social anxiety disorder
07:05 — Humans’ real superpower: collaboration
08:05 — The hidden usefulness of everyday social anxiety
09:00 — When social anxiety becomes a disorder
11:00 — Generalized anxiety vs. social anxiety
14:40 — Introversion vs. social anxiety (they’re not the same)
16:35 — Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria explained
20:05 — ADHD, rejection sensitivity, and social anxiety overlap
23:00 — Where social anxiety actually comes from
29:05 — Why social anxiety looks different in everyone
31:10 — Finding your core fear with the “downward arrow”
32:15 — Why identifying the core fear is empowering
33:05 — The terror of large gatherings explained
34:00 — What coping really means (and what it doesn’t)
35:00 — The difference between helpful coping and avoidance
36:00 — The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique for anxiety
38:10 — Supporting a loved one who shuts down socially
41:00 — Helping someone through social anxiety in real time
43:10 — True alarms vs. false alarms in social anxiety
44:05 — Social anxiety within marginalized communities
46:10 — Scaling social support for the mental health crisis
Request 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/