Caroline Foran

Like, I do that, it doesn't help.

I was just going to ask you.

Don't tell me to go for a walk.

But the reason that that, like, even as simple as going for a walk makes a difference, and this is something I only learned in recent years, was it's not just, obviously it feels nice, but it's not just...

It's not just a nice idea.

It's actually what's happening to your body is if you are walking in a very rhythmic way, your body receives that to your brain as we must be safe here because if there was a tiger chasing us, we would be chaotic.

We would not be able to maintain this rhythm.

And the way your breathing can match up and...

You're getting this bilateral stimulation of your eyes and all of this is signaling safety to your brain because it's saying, we are okay here.

It doesn't matter if you're still having anxious thoughts because your brain is starting to experience that signal of safety because of your body.

So meeting the anxiety in your body and showing it safety in some ways, whether it's a massage, whether it's that exercise, whatever it is for you.

It takes the pressure off having to change things in your brain.

And it's a bottom up response.

And that's often what's needed for anxiety is show yourself that you're safe.

And anxiety, it can be really physical for people.

And for me, it was as much in my head as it was in my body.

I have to, first of all, realise that like the compassion is really important there because you are one person with limited willpower and resources going up against like a behemoth of a tech industry, like preying on your vulnerability to keep you scrolling.

So it's very hard to resist those temptations and it's designed in such a way to like give you what you want and more of.

And I understand why you answered that.

You're all about self-compassion, aren't you?