“Anxiety is nothing…but repeatedly experiencing failure in advance. What a waste.,” Seth Godin
Anxiety, worry, overwhelm, panic - the “what if” escalation can paralyze us. The Anxiety and Depression Association of American estimates that 40 million people in the US experience forms of anxiety that significantly impact their lives.
According to a study by Cigna, 2 in 5 Americans sometimes or always feel isolated from others and that their relationships are not meaningful. Additionally, contrary to conventional wisdom, it appears that the younger generations are feeling lonelier than their elders. Gen Z reported feeling the loneliest, followed by Millennials, while the Greatest Generation (those in grand-parenting age) reported feeling the least lonely.
A little nervousness before a big test, performance, or social situation is a normal reaction to a high stakes encounter and may actually be a useful signal that heightened focus is needed to do our best. For many people this emotional and physiological state spills over into something debilitating — people begin to avoid places and people because they are too uncomfortable and their world begins to shrink. Loneliness is often anxiety’s companion and compounds notions of low self-worth and purposelessness.
In this interview, I talk with Dr. Nathaan Demers, a psychologist who has been working on digital tools specifically designed to help young people build skills to overcome anxiety and loneliness. Along with the Hopelab, he has developed “workout plans” to help young people build social skills, self compassion and manage stress.
About Dr. Nathaan Demers
Nathaan is passionate about people. This passion has led him to an enriching career as a clinical psychologist, filled with a number of twists and turns working across a variety of settings. Nathaan is an active traveler and athlete - these aspects of his life have inspired him to think beyond the traditional confines of mental health care. He strives to find innovative ways to expand the reach of mental health services to improve the lives of others. While Nathaan is fascinated by all areas of psychology, his passion lies within the positive psychology movement working specifically in preventative behavioral health. You can tell he has grit because he's always ready for an adventure. It might be starting a spur of the moment soccer game in the office, striking up a meaningful conversation with a stranger in the elevator, or leading a backpacking trip; regardless, there's rarely an adventure he turns down. Nathaan is continually inspired by his wife, son, family and friends.
Show Notes
Grit Digital Health: https://www.gritdigitalhealth.com/
Nod Project Page - https://hopelab.org/destroy-the-myth/
Landscape of Loneliness Report - https://live-hopelab.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/LandscapeOfLonelinessV2.pdf
University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology: https://psychology.du.edu/
Cactus Inc.: https://www.cactusinc.com/
Man Therapy: https://mantherapy.org/
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