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Anxiety: Identifying and Coping With Triggers in the New Year

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment
The Unseen Struggle: Understanding and Managing High-Functioning Anxiety

By: Seunghee (Sunny) Rhew

It’s New Year’s Eve. You’re frantically scribbling last-minute resolutions on a scrap of paper, hoping that somehow the clock striking midnight will transform you into a brand-new person with a clean slate. But as you write these big, ambitious goals, a familiar pressure starts to build in your chest. Your mind races: Will I actually be able to do all of this? Am I taking on too much? What if I disappoint myself again?

The questions multiply, pulling you back into memories of the past year—every misstep, every abandoned plan, every moment you felt less than who you wanted to be. Suddenly you’re not just thinking about resolutions anymore. You’re questioning your life choices, your abilities, even your purpose. That’s exactly how anxiety tends to show up: quietly at first, then all at once, flooding your mind with what-ifs and worst-case scenarios.

But the start of a new year doesn’t have to trigger panic or self-doubt. It can be an opportunity to understand your anxiety with more compassion and to build healthier, calmer routines. One of the most effective ways to do that is by practicing mindfulness and grounding—skills that help bring you back into the present moment instead of spiraling into the future or the past!

Some common triggers of anxiety are:

  • Health issues
  • Negative thinking
  • Financial concerns
  • Social events
  • Conflicts with friends, families, and partners
  • Medication
  • Not having a significant other
  • Skipping meals
  • Worries about the future

Some exercises you can do to combat these triggers include…

  • 5-4-3-2-1 Method: Identify 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 that you can taste.
  • 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise: Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts, hold your breath for 7 counts, and exhale through your mouth for 8 counts.
  • Repeat positive statements to yourself: Reciting daily affirmations about yourself might sound like “I am capable,” “I am worthy of love,” “I am safe in this moment,” or “Everything is going to be okay.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling and Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ, or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.

Sources:

https://www.calm.com/blog/how-to-be-more-present

https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/anxiety-triggers#identifying-triggers

Tik Tok: Is It Actually “Rotting” Your Brain?

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

By: Nirvana Ramoutar

Have you ever scrolled on Tik Tok or Instagram for far too long and felt completely fatigued after? Research shows that you are not alone. It has been recorded that the more time you spend engaging with social media, the more cognitive challenges may arise. This is due to the overconsumption of short-form content which is repetitive and creates concern on how the brain health of all age groups will be affected. The recent media has coined the term, “Brain Rot” to describe the effects of this overly stimulating content.

Brain Rot may be linked to behaviors that overtax our brain’s reward system. On Tik Tok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, etc. there are algorithms that pick up on what videos you like based on your interactions (comments, likes, shares, watch duration). This makes watching videos addictive as the platform is designed to keep us engaged and responsive. As we continue scrolling, our brain creates short bursts of dopamine with each video we like. Over time, this form of constant stimulation can affect your cognitive health.

What are the effects of brain rot?

  • Reduced attention span making it harder to focus on longer, complex tasks
  • Mental fatigue from the overload of information to the brain
  • Decreased memory retention through the constant shift between digital distractions
  • Increased anxiety or stress from repetitive consumption of negative news, also known as “doomscrolling”

A study by Jin Xie was done where 35 published studies based on excessive screen time, internet addiction, doomscrolling, cognitive performance, attention; memory and problem-solving were examined. The main finding was that there were links between high digital engagement and cognitive challenges. For example, short-form video addiction had a significant positive predictive effect on academic procrastination both directly and indirectly. Students would start procrastinating because of their lack of focus due to repetitive scrolling. Screen time was also associated with increased levels of anxiety, depression, and stress among students. It is important to understand that these effects can happen to people of all ages. However, due to adolescents’ developing brains, it can be inferred that overconsumption of social media can be harmful.

Because of the extent of these negative effects, it may be beneficial to promote activities that do not require us to be in front of a screen. Sometimes it is not possible to stop internet use since there are individuals that work online and use online devices in school; however there are steps you can take to maintain cognitive health.

  • Be intentional about what you consume online. If it is negative, try to stay away
  • Take regular breaks by following the 20-20-20 rule by taking a 20 second break for every 20 minutes of screen time to look at something 20 feet away
  • Set screen time limits within apps of use
  • Engage in offline activities
  • Focus on sleeping instead of staring at screens before bed, as it disturbs sleep patterns

Remember you have the ability to control your screen time. As long as you are mindful of your media consumption you can still enjoy the benefits of technology without getting stuck in negative cycles and while keeping your brain and mind healthy.

If you or someone you know is suffering with mental health issues and are in need of treatment, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/ .

Sources:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10756502/

https://www.inspirahealthnetwork.org/news/healthy-living/brain-rot-explained-how-digital-overload-affects-your-mind

Source for Picture:https://providenceproject.org/addiction/behavioural/social-media/

Neuroplasticity

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Neuroplasticity

By: Leah Flanzman

The human brain has the power to grow, mold, and adapt to the course of your life in order to best cater to your overall happiness and well-being. This concept is known as neuroplasticity, and occurs when the brain alters its physical structure and changes its circuits so we can better imagine, remember, feel, experience pain, dream, and learn.  Neuroplasticity is similar to the popular expression “it’s like riding a bike.”  Once you acquire a skill, your neurons kick into gear and remember their specific pathways so that each time this skill is performed, they are pre-programmed on what to do.  These pathways strengthen over time as new synapses form maximizing these skills.

Neuroplasticity can be a valuable tool for rewiring how your mind thinks and reacts to certain situations. It can foster increased happiness by retraining your brain to strengthen pathways that promote happiness as an alternative to worry or stress in light of certain situations.  The activities that you choose to do can alter the structure of your brain.  For example, if you are stuck in a funk, doing something positively stimulating for the brain will train it to associate the negative feelings with happier ones.  Your moldable brain will remember the pathways it took to achieve happiness and the next time you experience sadness, it will automatically kick into positivity gear.   Additionally, you can trick your brain into happiness pathways by imagining yourself in your desired mood.  Your brain lacks the capability to distinguish between imagination and reality so if you visualize a desired image of happiness long enough, your brain will believe it to be true and trigger the emotion.

When your brain fills up with neural connections that are relevant to your life, the ones that are unnecessary will begin to deteriorate. Your clever mind can form creative ways to suppress depressive thoughts and shine light on positive thoughts so your unproductive nature fades into the background.  Options that can help you in your quest to mold your brain towards greater happiness include:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Mindfulness based cognitive therapy
  • Visualization
  • Relaxation
  • Hypnosis
  • Nurturance
  • Stimulation

If you or someone you know thinks they could benefit from therapy that aids in restructuring their brain to think positively, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.