Courses

Anxiety has increased markedly among Americans since the pandemic, with more than a third of adults reporting symptoms. Worry can be a helpful cue to take action or make a change, but excessive worry can interfere with relationships and daily life. This course will help students define anxiety, distinguish it from emotions like fear or excitement, and explore how it can be managed—or harnessed—to increase performance. We’ll examine clinical diagnoses such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (fear of rejection), and panic disorder (fear of anxious emotions) and discuss why some people are more at risk. We’ll also consider how genetics, environment, and epigenetics play into the equation. We’ll review what neuroscience reveals about these disorders. What cognitive habits do anxious people practice, and how can we break those habits? We’ll discuss evidence-based treatments for anxiety and examine the roles that community, connection, and compassion play in helping us adapt in anxious times and achieve greater calm and contentment.