for some the transition between high
school and college is seamless in a
natural educational progression for
others the transition is problematic and
riddled with unexpected twists and turns
for me my college experience began with
the first of many anxiety attacks after
countless doctor’s visits I was
diagnosed with clinical anxiety and
depression and given different
prescriptions of medication my anxiety
medication was prescribed to level out
the chemical imbalance that was
happening inside my brain but it had an
adverse effect my medication would leave
me an emotionless zombie essentially
walking about campus not feeling
anything it was because of this lack of
emotions that I knew medication was not
the answer to my anxiety during one of
my therapist appointments I was asked to
create this simple list of fears which I
would then burn signifying the release
of those fears now I didn’t burn that
list for two reasons one I can’t burn
things in my dorm and two I forgot now
all of our fears can be sorted into two
different categories rational and
irrational rational fears such as fear
of heights or fear of fighting alert us
of potential and immediate danger these
fears serve to protect us the rational
fears however such as fear of failure or
public speaking yield no evidence of
physical or mental harm rather than
saving us from life-threatening
situations our irrational fears have the
potential to hinder us from
life-changing experiences I took a look
back at that list of fears and I was
surprised to find that most of my fears
were irrational these fears such as fear
of leaving my dorm or socialising with
friends stopped me from experiencing
life so I decided to do something about
it I got an idea from an article that I
read about a South American indigenous
tribe in the Bab embo tribe if a member
were to act unjustly instead of being
ridiculed
they would embrace their faults in the
middle of this village surrounded by
other members who would only speak good
things about the individual and like the
Bab embo tribe I took each of these
irrational fears and allowed myself to
embrace them if I was afraid of going
outside of my dorm I would spend the
entire day outside of my room if I was
afraid of socialising with people I was
the first one to initiate a conversation
if I was afraid of talking in front of
people
I’d give a TED talk about it it wasn’t
easy but over time I began to notice
dramatic changes in my mental health so
what was the result by allowing myself
to embrace these irrational fears I’ve
been medication free for almost two
years from this experience I’ve learned
that our perception of fear needs to
change in our society because our fears
have the potential to be stops on a road
map to an anxiety free life if we shift
our perspective if we are more open to
not being afraid of our fears if instead
we learn to embrace these fears perhaps
we can find ourselves living a better
and happier life thank you [Applause]
school and college is seamless in a
natural educational progression for
others the transition is problematic and
riddled with unexpected twists and turns
for me my college experience began with
the first of many anxiety attacks after
countless doctor’s visits I was
diagnosed with clinical anxiety and
depression and given different
prescriptions of medication my anxiety
medication was prescribed to level out
the chemical imbalance that was
happening inside my brain but it had an
adverse effect my medication would leave
me an emotionless zombie essentially
walking about campus not feeling
anything it was because of this lack of
emotions that I knew medication was not
the answer to my anxiety during one of
my therapist appointments I was asked to
create this simple list of fears which I
would then burn signifying the release
of those fears now I didn’t burn that
list for two reasons one I can’t burn
things in my dorm and two I forgot now
all of our fears can be sorted into two
different categories rational and
irrational rational fears such as fear
of heights or fear of fighting alert us
of potential and immediate danger these
fears serve to protect us the rational
fears however such as fear of failure or
public speaking yield no evidence of
physical or mental harm rather than
saving us from life-threatening
situations our irrational fears have the
potential to hinder us from
life-changing experiences I took a look
back at that list of fears and I was
surprised to find that most of my fears
were irrational these fears such as fear
of leaving my dorm or socialising with
friends stopped me from experiencing
life so I decided to do something about
it I got an idea from an article that I
read about a South American indigenous
tribe in the Bab embo tribe if a member
were to act unjustly instead of being
ridiculed
they would embrace their faults in the
middle of this village surrounded by
other members who would only speak good
things about the individual and like the
Bab embo tribe I took each of these
irrational fears and allowed myself to
embrace them if I was afraid of going
outside of my dorm I would spend the
entire day outside of my room if I was
afraid of socialising with people I was
the first one to initiate a conversation
if I was afraid of talking in front of
people
I’d give a TED talk about it it wasn’t
easy but over time I began to notice
dramatic changes in my mental health so
what was the result by allowing myself
to embrace these irrational fears I’ve
been medication free for almost two
years from this experience I’ve learned
that our perception of fear needs to
change in our society because our fears
have the potential to be stops on a road
map to an anxiety free life if we shift
our perspective if we are more open to
not being afraid of our fears if instead
we learn to embrace these fears perhaps
we can find ourselves living a better
and happier life thank you [Applause]
Please follow and like us: