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Why You’re Anxious (Even If Life Is Fine)






[00:00:00.00] - Oliver (Host)

Today, I'd like to talk about anxiety: that feeling of unease or agitation that we all experience at some point. It's an automatic response from our brain when something just isn't right. However, anxiety can become an enemy when it appears too frequently in our lives.


[00:00:25.11] - Oliver (Host)

Welcome to a new episode of English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast. A quick reminder that you can find the podcast transcripts and vocabulary flashcards for this episode on my website, morethanalanguage.com. And for the first time ever at the end of this lesson, I will include some comprehension questions that will help you check how much you've understood of this episode.


[00:00:57.01] - Oliver (Host)

We can generally distinguish between two types of anxiety: healthy anxiety and pathological anxiety. Healthy anxiety is what prepares us for a potential threat. Our ancestors, for example, faced extremely dangerous situations. Imagine coming face to face with a lion, putting your life at risk. In such moments, anxiety helped them survive. The brain would release a rush of adrenaline, giving them the energy to run faster and escape. In this sense, anxiety has a real purpose. It's a natural defence mechanism that helps us stay safe and avoid unnecessary risks. On the other hand, pathological anxiety is when we feel anxious without any real reason.


[00:01:54.46] - Oliver (Host)

That sense of unease appears even when there's no actual threat. Sometimes this anxiety is vague and doesn't seem linked to any specific situation. This is known as generalised anxiety. But other times, we know exactly what's causing it, like a specific phobia, for example. Let's have a look at some numbers. According to the World Health Organisation, around 260 million people worldwide suffered from anxiety anxiety-related disorders in 2017. And in the UK, the numbers paint a worrying picture. According to the Mental Health Foundation, in 2018, 74% of people reported feelings so stressed they were completely overwhelmed or unable to cope at some point in the previous year. We've described anxiety as a state of agitation, but in reality, it can manifest in different ways. Some common symptoms include nervousness, rapid heartbeat, tachycardia, in other words, nausea, or tingling sensations in the hands and the feet as if they've fallen asleep. These physical effects of anxiety can be incredibly uncomfortable, and if they become frequent, can have a real impact on our health. The real problem arises when we start to fear anxiety itself, creating a vicious cycle. We feel anxious because we're afraid of feeling anxious. It's fear of fear.


[00:03:40.20] - Oliver (Host)

But why has anxiety become so widespread? According to Noam Chomsky, the American philosopher and scientist, we live in a culture of fear, a phenomenon where fear is amplified and spread through the media, political discourse, and social influence, shaping people's behaviour. This raises an interesting question, why have humans developed such an unhelpful mental state?


[00:04:12.43] - Oliver (Host)

Cognitive psychology suggests that it all comes down to our thought patterns. There are several thinking styles that can contribute to anxiety, 10 in particular. Number one, pessimism, focusing only on the problem without being able to see any solutions. Two, generalisation. Thinking in extremes, always and never, everything and nothing. Negative thinking, paying attention only to the negatives while dismissing or devaluing the positives. Catastrophising, seeing negative aspects of a situation in an exaggerated way. Mind reading. Assuming we know what others are thinking and that their thoughts are negative. Fortune telling. Expecting things to go wrong before they even happen. Comparison, measuring ourselves against others and always feeling inferior. Exaggeration, if one thing goes wrong, assuming we're a total failure in all aspects of life. Guilt. Believing that we are responsible for everything bad that happens. Perfectionism. Setting unrealistic expectations for ourselves, for others, and how things should be.


[00:05:40.05] - Oliver (Host)

Do you recognise yourself in any of these patterns? As I mentioned earlier, anxiety seems to be a widespread issue in today's world. But one big change is that people are now more open about it. Anxiety is no longer seen as something to be ashamed of, and reducing the stigma around it has perhaps made it easier to tackle. Alongside therapy, other approaches like meditation and mindfulness have gained popularity in recent years. In many people's experience, these techniques help us gain control over our thoughts. With practise, in theory, we can slow them down and identify the ones that trigger anxiety.


[00:06:27.59] - Oliver (Host)

While awareness of mental health has increased significantly in recent years, some argue that we now talk about it too much. They worry that constant discussions risk over pathologising normal emotions, encouraging people to see everyday stress or sadness as clinical medical issues. Others believe that the focus on mental health can sometimes feel performative, with companies and public figures using it as a buzzword rather rather than making meaningful changes. However, supporters counter that breaking the stigma where it still exists is essential, and if more people feel comfortable seeking help, then the conversation is still necessary.


[00:07:15.07] - Oliver (Host)

I personally have gone through two periods of what I would call intense anxiety, and I had to find the best ways to manage it. But for me, the funny thing about this truly intense anxiety is how unaware of it I was at the time in some ways. What I mean by that is that I did feel profoundly overwhelmed and hopeless while also obsessing about particular concerns that I had at the time. But it was only looking back, only in hindsight, only once I'd come out the other side, that I realised just how anxious I had been and how big an impact it had had on other parts of my life. I've been told that anxiety is a signal. It tells us that something about how we relate to the world isn't quite right. In other words, our thought patterns may be distorted and we need to shift our perspective, almost like putting on a new pair of glasses to see the world differently. However, it's very easy to say that we need to change our perspective. It's much harder to actually do it. The most effective method I found was to write down the anxious thought and identify the specific thinking error behind it.


[00:08:35.56] - Oliver (Host)

Was I catastrophising? Engaging in mind reading? Over generalising from a single event? Once I'd identified the thinking error, I would write down a more balanced and realistic alternative. What's the most likely outcome? Not the worst case scenario, but something grounded in evidence and perspective. This process helped me challenge distorted thinking patterns and to step outside of the automatic emotional response. Over time, it gave me a greater sense of control and clarity, even when the anxiety was still present.


[00:09:18.29] - Oliver (Host)

And that brings us to the end of this episode of English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to send me your comments via email at oliver@morethanalanguage.com.


[00:09:33.26] - Oliver (Host)

But just before we go, as promised, see if you can work out the answers to these questions. Number one, why do I describe anxiety as both useful and harmful? A, because it can protect us physically but also confuse our sense of reality. B, because it causes both physical and emotional pain. C, because it makes people more alert and productive. And D, because it is often misunderstood by society and often ignored. The correct answer is A. I talk about healthy anxiety as a survival tool and pathological anxiety as something irrational and damaging.


[00:10:25.29] - Oliver (Host)

Number 2. What can you infer about my view on society's openness about mental health? A, I think mental health conversations should be limited to experts. B, I believe talking about anxiety too much creates more anxiety. C, I see openness as mostly positive, but I understand the criticism. And D, I don't believe the stigma around mental health has changed. Correct answer, C. In this speech, I share both sides of the debate, but it would appear that I leaned towards the idea that talking about mental health helps reduce stigma.


[00:11:17.02] - Oliver (Host)

Three. If I say someone is mind reading as a thinking error, what might they assume? A, that their problems are caused by others. B, that that someone else dislikes them, even without evidence. C, that they can solve their anxiety with logic alone. And D, that therapy will never work for them. Correct answer, B. I explain that mind reading means assuming others think negatively about us without actually knowing.


[00:11:57.26] - Oliver (Host)

Number four. This is an open-ended question, so I'll give you a moment to think about how you might respond. I compare distorted thinking to wearing the wrong glasses. What does this metaphor suggest about how anxiety affects our experience of reality?


[00:12:20.35] - Oliver (Host)

So one suggested answer you could give would be, it suggests that anxiety changes how we see the world, like wearing glasses that don't fit our vision. Our thoughts become distorted, and we might misinterpret reality, focusing only on the negative or expecting the worst. But by identifying and correcting our thinking errors, we can begin to change the glasses and see things more clearly.


[00:12:48.41] - Oliver (Host)

So thank you very much for listening. Goodbye, thank you, and see you next time.

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