Simple Ways to Cut Anxiety and Enjoy Life More
“Years ago, my mother used to say to me, she'd say, ‘In this world, Elwood, you must be’–she always called me Elwood—‘In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.’ Well, for years, I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.” —Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey (1950)
Harvey is a wonderful movie about man who drinks a little too much (he didn’t have the advantage of the Dietary Guidelines) and has a friend who is six feet, three and half inches tall—who has “overcome not only time and space, but any objections.”
What’s great about James Stewart’s portrayal of Elwood, is that he is both calm and happy, no matter what people say or do around him. We can’t always do what Elwood did—wrestle with reality for 35 years and “finally win out over it,”—but we can change our outlook.
The Toll of Negative News
Constant exposure to negative news and addictive clickbait can be “talkic” and lead to “increased anxiety and depression. Research shows that negative headlines can keep people stuck in a “pattern of frequent monitoring,” leading to worse mood and more anxious scrolling. This phenomenon has been called “doomscrolling,” “headline anxiety,” and “headline stress disorder.”
Many people seem to agree. Consider these statistics:
75% say violence and crime are major stressors.
73% say mass shootings are major stressors.
76% say the future of the nation is a major stressor.
83% say inflation is a major stressor.
62% say the racial climate in the U.S. is a major stressor.
Depression is rising in preteens (8-12), and 20 percent of students aged 12-17 have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, or suicidal thoughts. Similarly, nearly one in five adults report experiencing anxiety or depression.
What Can We Do About This?
There are several ways to regain control of our mental well-being:
Read the full piece on my Substack here.