5 Anxiety Lies Your Brain Tells You | A Psychologist Explains

Your brain is lying to you. Not about everything — but if you deal with anxiety, your brain has developed specific habits that sound like truth, feel like truth, and shape your entire day… but aren't actually true. I'm a clinical psychologist, and in this video I walk you through the 5 most common lies anxious brains tell — and for each one, I explore what tends to work best for many people. These come from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the most researched treatment approach we have for anxiety. 📄 FREE GUIDE: Download the Anxiety Lies Field Guide — a companion worksheet with all 5 response techniques, a thought log, and a quick-reference card you can use: https://dr-tab-shamsi.kit.com/68fb2af30a ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 Your brain is lying to you 0:50 Lie #1: "Something bad is going to happen" 3:13 Lie #2: "I can't handle this" 4:55 Lie #3: "Everyone is judging me" 7:03 Lie #4: "If I feel it, it must be true" 9:03 Lie #5: "Worrying keeps me safe" 11:28 The bigger picture: your brain isn't the enemy 12:48 When to seek professional help 13:24 One thing to try this week 📌 RELATED VIDEOS ▸ The Skill Every Anxious Person Needs to Learn:    • The Skill Every Anxious Person Needs to Le...   ▸ Why You Can't Focus (It's Not Laziness):    • Why You Can't Focus Even When You Want To ...   ABOUT DR. TAB SHAMSI I'm a board-certified clinical psychologist. I make videos about evidence-based tools for mental health and how your brain actually works — backed by research, explained in plain language. New videos every week. ⚠️ IMPORTANT This video is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health diagnosis or treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. If you need individualized support, please consult a licensed mental health professional in your area. If you are in crisis, please contact: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988 Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741 🔬 KEY RESEARCH REFERENCED CBT efficacy for anxiety disorders (Otte, 2011; Carpenter et al., 2018; Translational Psychiatry, 2025) Amygdala threat detection and anxiety (Shackman & Gamer; Ohman, 2005) Attentional bias in social anxiety (Bradley et al., 1997; Mogg et al., 2000) Emotional reasoning (Beck, 1976) Avoidance theory of worry (Borkovec, 1994) Surge in cognitive distortions (Betz et al., PNAS, 2021) #anxiety #anxietyrelief #cbt #cognitivebehavioraltherapy #psychologist #mentalhealth #anxietytips #cognitivedistortions #psychologistexplains