Published May 5, 2022

The Truth About How Anxiety Works - Dr Tracy Dennis-Tiwary | Modern Wisdom Podcast 469

Explore anxiety as an evolutionary gain with Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, who uncovers its role in preparing us for uncertainty, technology's complex influence, and how reframing this emotion can unleash creativity and performance potential.
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Episode Highlights

  • Social Media

    Social media's impact on anxiety is a nuanced topic, as explains. She critiques the oversimplified narrative that platforms like Instagram are directly causing mental health issues, emphasizing that the relationship is more complex. The way individuals use social media—whether actively or passively—plays a significant role in its effects on anxiety.

    When we use social media in passive ways like that, that tends to accelerate and exacerbate things like anxiety.

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    Active engagement, such as creating content, can be beneficial, while passive consumption, like doom scrolling, often worsens anxiety 1 2.

       

    Data Correlations

    highlights the pitfalls of drawing strong conclusions from correlational data linking technology use to anxiety. She argues that such data should be hypothesis-generating rather than definitive, pointing out the absurdity of some correlations. For instance, the number of Nicolas Cage movies correlating with overdose deaths illustrates the danger of misinterpreting data.

    Honestly, I think when we draw such strong conclusions from correlational data, we should be laughed at.

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    This underscores the need for careful analysis and understanding of data before making claims about technology's impact on mental health 3 4.