looking back I can think of two defining moments in my life the first was when I
moments in my life the first was when I
moments in my life the first was when I learned that my childhood love Leonardo
learned that my childhood love Leonardo
learned that my childhood love Leonardo DiCaprio only seemed to be interested in
DiCaprio only seemed to be interested in
DiCaprio only seemed to be interested in dating models over five eleven I
dating models over five eleven I
dating models over five eleven I regrettably am 5 foot 2 the second was
regrettably am 5 foot 2 the second was
regrettably am 5 foot 2 the second was the night I thought I was going crazy it
the night I thought I was going crazy it
the night I thought I was going crazy it was my freshman year at UCLA and I was
was my freshman year at UCLA and I was
was my freshman year at UCLA and I was having a hard time these weren’t shaping
having a hard time these weren’t shaping
having a hard time these weren’t shaping up to be the best years of my life
up to be the best years of my life
up to be the best years of my life college wasn’t one big party I wasn’t
college wasn’t one big party I wasn’t
college wasn’t one big party I wasn’t having fun and living with 40,000
having fun and living with 40,000
having fun and living with 40,000 students was just overwhelming I was
students was just overwhelming I was
students was just overwhelming I was confused disappointed and lost it all
confused disappointed and lost it all
confused disappointed and lost it all started with a slight pain in my
started with a slight pain in my
started with a slight pain in my shoulder desperate to diagnose it I
shoulder desperate to diagnose it I
shoulder desperate to diagnose it I googled through the night on Monday and
googled through the night on Monday and
googled through the night on Monday and then again on Tuesday and on Wednesday
then again on Tuesday and on Wednesday
then again on Tuesday and on Wednesday and Thursday and Friday so that by
and Thursday and Friday so that by
and Thursday and Friday so that by Saturday I was convinced I was dying
after 30 hours of online searching I had
after 30 hours of online searching I had no answers and I felt worse the more I
no answers and I felt worse the more I
no answers and I felt worse the more I searched the more I worried the more
searched the more I worried the more
searched the more I worried the more anxious I became now by this point in
anxious I became now by this point in
anxious I became now by this point in time many of you would have just gone to
time many of you would have just gone to
time many of you would have just gone to the doctors that is a reasonable thing
the doctors that is a reasonable thing
the doctors that is a reasonable thing to do but I was nowhere near reasonable
to do but I was nowhere near reasonable
to do but I was nowhere near reasonable doctors terrified me so instead of going
doctors terrified me so instead of going
doctors terrified me so instead of going to see one I thought of the worst case
to see one I thought of the worst case
to see one I thought of the worst case scenario how would I break the news to
scenario how would I break the news to
scenario how would I break the news to my friends and family how on earth would
my friends and family how on earth would
my friends and family how on earth would my parents cope with my inevitable loss
my parents cope with my inevitable loss
my parents cope with my inevitable loss my thoughts were spiraling out of
my thoughts were spiraling out of
my thoughts were spiraling out of control
control
control but I knew I had a real problem the
but I knew I had a real problem the
but I knew I had a real problem the night I called my mom at 2:00 a.m. from
night I called my mom at 2:00 a.m. from
night I called my mom at 2:00 a.m. from the top bunk in my dorm room my heart
the top bunk in my dorm room my heart
the top bunk in my dorm room my heart was pounding as I dialed and I can still
was pounding as I dialed and I can still
was pounding as I dialed and I can still remember her words Shiva this is crazy
remember her words Shiva this is crazy
remember her words Shiva this is crazy of course you’re going to be okay I
of course you’re going to be okay I
of course you’re going to be okay I couldn’t believe her
couldn’t believe her
couldn’t believe her instead I felt myself floating away from
instead I felt myself floating away from
instead I felt myself floating away from my reality disconnecting I kept thinking
my reality disconnecting I kept thinking
my reality disconnecting I kept thinking this this is what it feels like to lose
this this is what it feels like to lose
this this is what it feels like to lose your mind I was going crazy this episode
your mind I was going crazy this episode
your mind I was going crazy this episode wasn’t the first time I had been flooded
wasn’t the first time I had been flooded
wasn’t the first time I had been flooded with catastrophic thoughts and it
with catastrophic thoughts and it
with catastrophic thoughts and it wouldn’t be the last anything I could
wouldn’t be the last anything I could
wouldn’t be the last anything I could think of was fair game for my obsessive
think of was fair game for my obsessive
think of was fair game for my obsessive mind if you’re curious the diagnosis
mind if you’re curious the diagnosis
mind if you’re curious the diagnosis wasn’t terminal
wasn’t terminal
wasn’t terminal it was a strained shoulder muscle but it
it was a strained shoulder muscle but it
it was a strained shoulder muscle but it took seven more years before I was
took seven more years before I was
took seven more years before I was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive
diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive
diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD not the handwashing kind
disorder or OCD not the handwashing kind
disorder or OCD not the handwashing kind or the checking kind or the doing things
or the checking kind or the doing things
or the checking kind or the doing things in a specific order kind mine was
in a specific order kind mine was
in a specific order kind mine was obsessive thinking an endless loop of
obsessive thinking an endless loop of
obsessive thinking an endless loop of doubts a constant search for certainty
doubts a constant search for certainty
doubts a constant search for certainty that never comes it’s hard to say I’m
that never comes it’s hard to say I’m
that never comes it’s hard to say I’m thankful for what happened in college
thankful for what happened in college
thankful for what happened in college but today I work as a psychotherapist
but today I work as a psychotherapist
but today I work as a psychotherapist helping people with anxiety disorders
helping people with anxiety disorders
helping people with anxiety disorders and OCD understand what I couldn’t that
and OCD understand what I couldn’t that
and OCD understand what I couldn’t that night that thoughts aren’t always facts
night that thoughts aren’t always facts
night that thoughts aren’t always facts and that just because we don’t know
and that just because we don’t know
and that just because we don’t know something doesn’t always mean we should
something doesn’t always mean we should
something doesn’t always mean we should go looking for it that’s my story
go looking for it that’s my story
go looking for it that’s my story but here’s the rest of the story and the
but here’s the rest of the story and the
but here’s the rest of the story and the reason I’m here I’ve noticed a troubling
reason I’m here I’ve noticed a troubling
reason I’m here I’ve noticed a troubling phenomenon
phenomenon
phenomenon today more people sound like I did in
today more people sound like I did in
today more people sound like I did in college I see panic and anxiety on my
college I see panic and anxiety on my
college I see panic and anxiety on my Facebook feed I hear it in the news the
Facebook feed I hear it in the news the
Facebook feed I hear it in the news the world itself seems to be going crazy
world itself seems to be going crazy
world itself seems to be going crazy studies show that young people today are
studies show that young people today are
studies show that young people today are more anxious than those that live
more anxious than those that live
more anxious than those that live through the Great Depression the Cold
through the Great Depression the Cold
through the Great Depression the Cold War and even world war two how can we
War and even world war two how can we
War and even world war two how can we explain this dramatic shift in human
explain this dramatic shift in human
explain this dramatic shift in human behavior and could the way we treat
behavior and could the way we treat
behavior and could the way we treat anxiety teach us about what the world
anxiety teach us about what the world
anxiety teach us about what the world needs to stay sane see today we have
needs to stay sane see today we have
needs to stay sane see today we have incredible access to information we can
incredible access to information we can
incredible access to information we can research anything with just a few
research anything with just a few
research anything with just a few keystrokes
keystrokes
keystrokes we’re up-to-date on global events we
we’re up-to-date on global events we
we’re up-to-date on global events we watch every political move remember the
watch every political move remember the
watch every political move remember the days when kids used to whine are we
days when kids used to whine are we
days when kids used to whine are we there yet because they had nothing to do
there yet because they had nothing to do
there yet because they had nothing to do but stare out the window they don’t need
but stare out the window they don’t need
but stare out the window they don’t need to do that anymore kids as young as 2
to do that anymore kids as young as 2
to do that anymore kids as young as 2 are watching movies or playing video
are watching movies or playing video
are watching movies or playing video games the entire Drive or let’s say I’m
games the entire Drive or let’s say I’m
games the entire Drive or let’s say I’m waiting in line at the DMV did you know
waiting in line at the DMV did you know
waiting in line at the DMV did you know it took just five seconds to find this
it took just five seconds to find this
it took just five seconds to find this famous cat online so what’s the problem
famous cat online so what’s the problem
famous cat online so what’s the problem these seem like benefits of living in
these seem like benefits of living in
these seem like benefits of living in the age of information they don’t hurt
the age of information they don’t hurt
the age of information they don’t hurt anyone but that’s not true because what
anyone but that’s not true because what
anyone but that’s not true because what we don’t realize is that we are getting
we don’t realize is that we are getting
we don’t realize is that we are getting hooked on a daily dose of instant
hooked on a daily dose of instant
hooked on a daily dose of instant answers and distractions the more we use
answers and distractions the more we use
answers and distractions the more we use the more we need to use and that dosage
the more we need to use and that dosage
the more we need to use and that dosage just keeps getting higher a study at the
just keeps getting higher a study at the
just keeps getting higher a study at the University of Florida suggests that our
University of Florida suggests that our
University of Florida suggests that our insatiable appetite for the Internet
insatiable appetite for the Internet
insatiable appetite for the Internet mimics an impulse control disorder we
mimics an impulse control disorder we
mimics an impulse control disorder we you simply can’t stop ourselves when
you simply can’t stop ourselves when
you simply can’t stop ourselves when information is at our fingertips more
information is at our fingertips more
information is at our fingertips more access leads to more consumption which
access leads to more consumption which
access leads to more consumption which leads to more anxiety and the sad thing
leads to more anxiety and the sad thing
leads to more anxiety and the sad thing it isn’t that hard to imagine a world
it isn’t that hard to imagine a world
it isn’t that hard to imagine a world run by anxiety we’re already in it just
run by anxiety we’re already in it just
run by anxiety we’re already in it just listen to the news and you’ll hear it’s
listen to the news and you’ll hear it’s
listen to the news and you’ll hear it’s disturbing effects authoritarianism
disturbing effects authoritarianism
disturbing effects authoritarianism xenophobia violence see I don’t think
xenophobia violence see I don’t think
xenophobia violence see I don’t think information itself is the problem the
information itself is the problem the
information itself is the problem the problem is how we use it and how it
problem is how we use it and how it
problem is how we use it and how it affects our brains our access to instant
affects our brains our access to instant
affects our brains our access to instant information trains us to fear its
information trains us to fear its
information trains us to fear its absence it trains us to fear not knowing
absence it trains us to fear not knowing
absence it trains us to fear not knowing we all know someone who stayed up late
we all know someone who stayed up late
we all know someone who stayed up late googling the answer to some difficult
googling the answer to some difficult
googling the answer to some difficult question we want to know more and more
question we want to know more and more
question we want to know more and more one answer it just isn’t good enough
one answer it just isn’t good enough
one answer it just isn’t good enough doesn’t that sound a lot like those
doesn’t that sound a lot like those
doesn’t that sound a lot like those nights I spent googling my shoulder pain
nights I spent googling my shoulder pain
nights I spent googling my shoulder pain we are becoming addicted to the answer
we are becoming addicted to the answer
we are becoming addicted to the answer and what I know about anxiety is that to
and what I know about anxiety is that to
and what I know about anxiety is that to quiet it we must tolerate its existence
quiet it we must tolerate its existence
quiet it we must tolerate its existence not rush to escape it if we run from
not rush to escape it if we run from
not rush to escape it if we run from everything that makes us uncomfortable
everything that makes us uncomfortable
everything that makes us uncomfortable we reinforce our intolerance we become
we reinforce our intolerance we become
we reinforce our intolerance we become worse at not knowing what if instead of
worse at not knowing what if instead of
worse at not knowing what if instead of spending all those hours on WebMD I had
spending all those hours on WebMD I had
spending all those hours on WebMD I had tolerated the pain of being unsure I
tolerated the pain of being unsure I
tolerated the pain of being unsure I would have slept better I would have
would have slept better I would have
would have slept better I would have been more clear-headed and then maybe I
been more clear-headed and then maybe I
been more clear-headed and then maybe I could have asked my roommate to take me
could have asked my roommate to take me
could have asked my roommate to take me to the campus clinic because I wasn’t
to the campus clinic because I wasn’t
to the campus clinic because I wasn’t going to go on my own that would have
going to go on my own that would have
going to go on my own that would have been a reasonable response to my problem
the age of information is a 24-hour
the age of information is a 24-hour all-you-can-eat data buffet there’s more
all-you-can-eat data buffet there’s more
all-you-can-eat data buffet there’s more data to be had then we can possibly
data to be had then we can possibly
data to be had then we can possibly consume but that doesn’t stop us from
consume but that doesn’t stop us from
consume but that doesn’t stop us from trying and some companies don’t want us
trying and some companies don’t want us
trying and some companies don’t want us to limit our intake they profit when we
to limit our intake they profit when we
to limit our intake they profit when we consume too much take fake news for
consume too much take fake news for
consume too much take fake news for example stories found on social media
example stories found on social media
example stories found on social media that are unregulated and unreliable born
that are unregulated and unreliable born
that are unregulated and unreliable born of our insatiable desire to be in the
of our insatiable desire to be in the
of our insatiable desire to be in the know at all times we’ve created a market
know at all times we’ve created a market
know at all times we’ve created a market for cheap information they recognized
for cheap information they recognized
for cheap information they recognized our appetite for answers so they serve
our appetite for answers so they serve
our appetite for answers so they serve up news whenever we want it they don’t
up news whenever we want it they don’t
up news whenever we want it they don’t have to be concerned with quality
have to be concerned with quality
have to be concerned with quality because it seems like we’ll accept
because it seems like we’ll accept
because it seems like we’ll accept anything they are profiting from our
anything they are profiting from our
anything they are profiting from our addiction to information a study at
addiction to information a study at
addiction to information a study at Stanford University revealed the tactics
Stanford University revealed the tactics
Stanford University revealed the tactics of these distributors describing how
of these distributors describing how
of these distributors describing how they mask lies with legitimate sounding
they mask lies with legitimate sounding
they mask lies with legitimate sounding article titles and website names like
article titles and website names like
article titles and website names like these fake news is an online McDonald’s
these fake news is an online McDonald’s
these fake news is an online McDonald’s where the healthy sounding oatmeal
where the healthy sounding oatmeal
where the healthy sounding oatmeal actually has as much sugar as a full can
actually has as much sugar as a full can
actually has as much sugar as a full can of coke the consequences of all this
of coke the consequences of all this
of coke the consequences of all this access are right in front of us rates of
access are right in front of us rates of
access are right in front of us rates of depression and anxiety among teens has
depression and anxiety among teens has
depression and anxiety among teens has risen 70% in the last 25 years
risen 70% in the last 25 years
risen 70% in the last 25 years antidepressant prescriptions have risen
antidepressant prescriptions have risen
antidepressant prescriptions have risen 400% in the last 30 study after study
400% in the last 30 study after study
400% in the last 30 study after study shows we’re more anxious today then we
shows we’re more anxious today then we
shows we’re more anxious today then we have been at any time in human history
have been at any time in human history
have been at any time in human history but even with the facts how many of us
but even with the facts how many of us
but even with the facts how many of us can honestly say they’d feel comfortable
can honestly say they’d feel comfortable
can honestly say they’d feel comfortable putting down their phones for an entire
putting down their phones for an entire
putting down their phones for an entire evening
evening
evening or even an entire hour how many of us
or even an entire hour how many of us
or even an entire hour how many of us can tolerate a day out of the loop
can tolerate a day out of the loop
can tolerate a day out of the loop uninformed even let’s accept that
uninformed even let’s accept that
uninformed even let’s accept that discomfort is a necessary part of being
discomfort is a necessary part of being
discomfort is a necessary part of being alive not just a condition to be solved
alive not just a condition to be solved
alive not just a condition to be solved the unknown is a fundamental part of the
the unknown is a fundamental part of the
the unknown is a fundamental part of the human experience and it has been as long
human experience and it has been as long
human experience and it has been as long as we’ve walked this earth information
as we’ve walked this earth information
as we’ve walked this earth information can only take us so far because we all
can only take us so far because we all
can only take us so far because we all face difficult questions questions about
face difficult questions questions about
face difficult questions questions about who we are and what we believe questions
who we are and what we believe questions
who we are and what we believe questions no search engine in the world can answer
no search engine in the world can answer
no search engine in the world can answer for us no matter how late we stay up at
for us no matter how late we stay up at
for us no matter how late we stay up at night this is a turning point in the
night this is a turning point in the
night this is a turning point in the human story we have a choice to make
human story we have a choice to make
human story we have a choice to make if we let our addiction to information
if we let our addiction to information
if we let our addiction to information run our lives a rise in anxiety is all
run our lives a rise in anxiety is all
run our lives a rise in anxiety is all but guaranteed we will live in a world
but guaranteed we will live in a world
but guaranteed we will live in a world run by fear and ruled by those that
run by fear and ruled by those that
run by fear and ruled by those that capitalize on it
capitalize on it
capitalize on it but if we can look at information
but if we can look at information
but if we can look at information differently if we can respect its
differently if we can respect its
differently if we can respect its benefits and its consequences
benefits and its consequences
benefits and its consequences we can actively take charge of it we can
we can actively take charge of it we can
we can actively take charge of it we can decide what and when and how much so can
decide what and when and how much so can
decide what and when and how much so can you accept that just because we can
you accept that just because we can
you accept that just because we can doesn’t mean we should and could you
doesn’t mean we should and could you
doesn’t mean we should and could you believe that not having an answer might
believe that not having an answer might
believe that not having an answer might be the greatest solution of all
be the greatest solution of all
be the greatest solution of all [Applause]
”
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