When we use strategies to deal with mental pain then what we are doing is postponing that pain. We’re passing it on to ourselves in the future, and so we’re really not gaining anything by the exercise. It’s as if there is a wrinkle in…

One reason why we find it so hard to shift anxiety (or any other form of neurotic distress, for that matter) is our fundamental lack of curiosity about what is going on. This is perfectly natural – if I am having an awful time, I…