Dr. Jud on the Impact Theory Podcast: End Coronavirus Anxiety

Overview

In this special edition of Impact Theory, host Tom Bilyeu interviews Dr. Jud about the anxiety epidemic that accompanied the coronavirus pandemic. With over 210,000 views, this episode resonated with audiences looking for science-backed strategies to manage fear and uncertainty. Dr. Jud explains how anxiety operates as a habit loop — worry triggers more worry, which provides an illusion of control that reinforces the cycle.

Dr. Jud breaks down the neuroscience behind why crisis situations hijack our brains. He describes how the brain’s ancient survival mechanisms, designed to keep our ancestors safe from immediate physical threats, become counterproductive when activated by a constant stream of alarming headlines. The conversation covers operant conditioning, how habits form through reward-based learning, and practical techniques for unwinding the anxiety habit loop — including conscious awareness, managing cravings for certainty, and using mindfulness-based tools that his lab has clinically tested.

Key Takeaways

• Anxiety is a habit, not just an emotion: Dr. Jud explains that worry can function as a behavior in a habit loop. The feeling of uncertainty triggers worrying, which gives the brain a false sense of control — reinforcing the cycle each time.
• You cannot think your way out of anxiety: Because anxiety lives in older brain regions that operate below conscious thought, rational arguments and willpower have limited effect. Awareness-based approaches that work with the brain’s reward system are more effective.
• Conscious awareness updates the brain’s reward value: By paying attention to how anxiety actually feels in the body — and noticing that worrying does not actually solve problems — the brain can recalculate and start to release the pattern. Dr. Jud’s mindfulness exercises provide a practical entry point.

Listen to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or online here.

Related Resources

• How Anxiety Becomes a Habit
• What Is the Habit Loop?
• Mindfulness Exercises for Anxiety and Stress
• Unwinding Anxiety — Dr. Jud’s Book