In a Situation That’s Stressing You Out?
May 1, 2018
Have you ever been in a stressful and anxiety- inducing situation? If the answer is ‘yes,’ you know what it’s like to have the sweats, the feeling that your heart almost beating out of your chest, and more. Some individuals cope by taking a prescribed medication such as valium, or use breathing techniques, but most times, people don’t know how to take control of their emotions and calm themselves down.
However, if you’re reading this, you’re in luck! In recent years, scientists at the University of Michigan have conducted research and made a remarkable discovery. What was found was that if a person talked to themselves in third person, their heart rates significantly lowered.
Recently a Youtube show, “Good Mythical Morning,” decided to test this theory out. The video showed one of the hosts, Link, as his head was put in a box with anxiety- inducing materials, while Rhett, the other host, tracked Link’s heart rate. One anxiety-provoking ‘material’ was a Boa Constrictor snake. Link’s heart rate jumped higher than 140, but when Link started talking to himself, it dropped dramatically to the 90s. The two were shocked with the results, as were the viewers.
Other situations included dirty tissues being put in the box with him. Again, the third person talking worked and dropped his heart rate dramatically. This trick might not work for everyone, but it sure worked for Link. Try it out, see if it works, and if it does, you now have a coping skill to use the next time you find yourself in a stressful situation.
Taylor • May 30, 2018 at 9:53 am
Although this probably wouldn’t work for me personally, it’s so interesting to hear that this technique exists, and that people put it to use when they themselves are stuck in an anxiety inducing situation. Usually humming mantras or redirecting your focus onto something else is what I do, but I’ve never thought about something like this before.
Hopefully, it might work for someone else who suffers with anxiety, because finding different ways to cope with anxiety and other feelings such as those is always a good thing.
Emma • May 29, 2018 at 9:22 pm
This was really interesting! I’ve never heard of this technique before and it looks super helpful. I have anxiety and most of my friends have anxiety too, and everyone freaks-outs occasionally over things so this will definitely come in handy at one point or another. Can’t wait to use it (even though I would rather not have an anxiety attack). I wonder if it works because you have to think about your sentences before you say them and it at least marginally distracts you from whatever is causing you stress? I know it’s a new technique so I look forward to further research.