When anxiety rears its head, we often just want it to go away. Clinical psychologist David H. Rosmarin asks us to consider instead the positive role anxiety can play in our lives, sharing four practical steps to transform it from your enemy into your ally. (Recorded at TEDxNashville on August 24, 2024)
If you love watching TED Talks like this one, become a TED Member to support our mission of spreading ideas:
Follow TED!
X:
Instagram:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:
The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.
Watch more:
TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at
#TED #TEDTalks #anxiety
@maverickhanecak1682
February 24, 2025 at 10:33 am
Anxiety only wants to protect, but instead, it only hurts.
@chrissilman8495
February 25, 2025 at 2:21 am
Not only hurts. It definitely protects us. It just overreaches sometimes.
@maverickhanecak1682
February 25, 2025 at 2:57 am
“Overreach”, @?
@Yizahi
February 24, 2025 at 10:46 am
A singularly unhelpful video. How to combat anxiety? Oh, just let go. Or, just have a boss who will be half a therapist for you of sorts. Or, just speak about anxiety with others. Like, yeah, I can definitely do it while suffering from anxiety spiking.
@tabithachukwureh7019
February 25, 2025 at 1:56 pm
See a doctor if those steps didn’t help you
@Hysagd
February 24, 2025 at 11:00 am
If anyone maybe isn’t aware and looking for a more natural way to help alleviate anxiety symptoms or have sleep issues or ibs, magnesium glycinate is recommended by a doctor as it is gentler on the stomach and 80 percent absorption rate. There are 4 types of magnesium supplements but the cheapest one has about a 4 percent absorption rate and harder on the stomach.
@Penger55
February 24, 2025 at 11:08 am
Umm, just go do a kickboxing tournament
@RickLambert963
February 24, 2025 at 11:28 am
TED is busy as bees in dumbing down the masses for the psychopath overlords.
@RickLambert963
February 24, 2025 at 11:32 am
We are energy beings, being bamboozled. Spiritualism and materialism are both parts of the veil. According to modern physics, it’s more accurate to describe us as ghosts.
One consciousness is experiencing itself subjectively. Sui generis perspectives as the universe solves for everything. I am sentient consciousness manifest in a holographic fractal dimensionality continuum as energy. I can neither be created or destroyed, only altered in form. As above, so below. As within, so without. A grain of sand in the universe, a universe in a grain of sand. All is in everything. Everything is in all. I am that I am. I am. Tatvamasi.
Namaste. In Lak’ech Ala K’in. Tathata. Shivoham. Ashe.
@Jopsy24
February 24, 2025 at 11:37 am
Thank you sir… 😊
@homewall744
February 24, 2025 at 11:52 am
So some with anxiety go on to do well. That doesn’t mean it helped at all. I mean, there are far more people with anxiety who did well, and lots with anxiety who suffer miserably. Pretending you can just face your fear won’t help. Those who can will do better.
@TheMagicLemur
February 24, 2025 at 1:54 pm
Love the clear, repeated structure of this talk – soooo often forgotten by presenters.
@plasmaburndeath
February 24, 2025 at 2:38 pm
Most of talk was fine, but the Stoicism is why we are at this point in America, we have the rich and powerful the corrupt who were already on the very top, desiring to have even more money more power and making that happen. On the other hand we have a good 70% of the populace stuck with scraps and now more and more top 1% kicking us while we’re down, throwing out supposed ‘rights’ we had with simple 4th grader writing executive orders… We have this whole ‘Oh you can’t change X topic! Yes that is the only logical reason being drawn, you are correct it is quite depressing sad, but just ignore it you can’t change it and go on living!’ – Like really, I have to ignore and not pull the fire handles with the crap going on? Isn’t that interesting, the Rich and Powerful they didn’t have to ignore their desires to make life even worse for everyone else and get more for them, but I have to ignore the large amounts of people being harmed by them? And isn’t it always so nice, when the rich and powerful when the corrupt are in charge we are told ‘it is gods will’ – oh interesting…. but the moment we have anything even trying to stop the harms being done by them we are suddenly told that it must be stopped…. And what really gets me is our brains are fine, we are calculating just fine, we see a bunch of dangerous stuff being done, (Crushing usaid, CDC/WHO, fda, fbi, cia, climate agreements, and so on) and that really does equal real danger to us and the planet. But so many times we are told our brain is over reacting and malfunctioning and just need Xanax and therapy. Just so tiring. Democracy dies in Stoic Apathy.
@BonnieShadow33
February 24, 2025 at 3:12 pm
I absolutely love that he *modeled* the 4 steps at the end. Super helpful!
@NevilleGoddardFiles
February 24, 2025 at 6:50 pm
So… anxiety is good for us? 🧐 This was a real game-changer, but I still don’t know if I can shake off that panic attack feeling! 🤷♀
@MagicSchool-iu9ru
February 24, 2025 at 7:01 pm
Just read “Anxiety Decoded” by Kyrie Dotts and i can’t believe it’s so underrated. Hidden secrets in this book are next level, it needs more attention
@HoverLopta
February 24, 2025 at 7:02 pm
Great book. Peope are really missing out if dont buy it.
@protoolsfanatic7276
February 24, 2025 at 9:43 pm
Men, if your getting anxiety with a feeling of doom out of nowhere get your Testosterone levels checked guys. With all the plastics in water and food and certain meds have been known to lower Testosterone. mine was below the National guidelines and now on TRT and my overall sense of well being and drive is 100 times better and anxiety gone. doctors just wanted to throw anxiety meds at me.
@mobinmohammaadi
February 25, 2025 at 4:35 am
👌
@mariaantoniettamontella9173
February 25, 2025 at 4:42 am
go on anxiety, super
@saadsalamaabuMansour
February 25, 2025 at 6:30 am
This is nonsense
@IbrahimKone-ix4qi
February 25, 2025 at 6:56 am
I am at the beginning of my “investment journey”, planning to put 385K into dividend stocks so that I will be making up to 30% annually in dividend returns. any good stock recommendation on great performing stocks or Crypto will be appreciated.
@JoseLopez-lf9rw
February 25, 2025 at 6:56 am
As a newbie investor, it’s essential for you to have a mentor to keep you accountable. Kristine Lynn Weber is my trade analyst, she has guided me to identify key market trends, pinpointed strategic entry points, and provided risk assessments, ensuring my trades decisions align with market dynamics for optimal returns.
@fhgfhfhgf
February 25, 2025 at 6:57 am
I managed to grow a nest egg of around 120k to over a Million. I’m especially grateful to Adviser Kristine Lynn Weber, for her expertise and exposure to different areas of the market.
@fhgfhfhgf
February 25, 2025 at 6:57 am
Without a doubt! Kristine Lynn Weber is a trader who goes above and beyond. she has an exceptional skill for analysing market movements and spotting profitable opportunities. Her strategies are meticulously crafted on thorough research and years of practical experience..
@Merope4ever
February 25, 2025 at 6:57 am
You can argue that anything bad in the world is actually good, because it brings people together. But it’s a dangerous way of thinking. Before you know it, you expect your children to be grateful that you made them afraid of everything. Don’t go there, please. Historically we have appreciated fear too much and we confused it with respect. Please remember they are not the same. But if you feel a little nervous before a presentation or exam or something important in you life: sure. Why wouldn’t you just embrace it? I see no harm in that.
@rutundaabraham5188
February 25, 2025 at 7:59 am
Hands down, one of the greatest TedEx for me
Loved it
@KatieMow
February 25, 2025 at 9:01 am
Love this presentation a lot. Thank you David.
Just wish I could have found this video years ago to share with my late husband, so I could help him overcome his anxiety a little more.
And that way the things might have changed more differently in our life. I just hope the mental health matters can catch more attention from people in the world regardless they are related to ones living with the issues, as it could happen to anyone including yourself and your loved ones.
@jenli1702
February 25, 2025 at 12:42 pm
No entiendo como este gran canal no tiene subtitulos,
@dogsleddinginiowa
February 25, 2025 at 1:20 pm
“It can be hard to love someone with anxiety.” While I have felt that, I have never heard someone actually say it outloud. Thank you for a great talk. 🙏
@_moonflower__
February 25, 2025 at 5:17 pm
Where did I already hear this TED talk? No seriously, I know these exact words. Can someone explain🙏🏻
@dhosmarin
February 25, 2025 at 6:22 pm
This was a TEDx Nashville talk and posted on the TEDx channel, but recently “Big TED” picked it up. Yikes, talk about anxiety! 😬
@victorm.perezmora2624
February 25, 2025 at 6:36 pm
Excellent!