Brain Specialist Offers Breathing Exercise To Help Relieve Anxiety During COVID-19 Pandemic

Like millions of others who are self-isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Phil has been sequestering at home with his wife, Robin. And while the studio where Dr. Phil is produced is currently shuttered, he’s been recording new episodes remotely from his kitchen table.

TELL DR. PHIL YOUR STORY: How has the coronavirus changed your life?

On Tuesday, Dr. Phil is joined via video conference by psychiatrist and brain disorder specialist, Dr. Daniel Amen. The pair discuss mental health hygiene, staying connected, and some of the steps everyone can take to stave off stress, anxiety, and depression while remaining safer at home.

WATCH: Psychiatrist Says Writing Down Negative Thoughts Helps To Get Them Out Of Your Head

“We need to do things on a regular basis to calm our amygdala,” says Dr. Amen, referencing the part of the brain responsible for fear and anxiety. He recommends a specific breathing exercise to reduce the reaction. “And what it is: Three seconds in – deep breath – and then six seconds out. So, taking twice as long to exhale as you inhale actually will trigger a relaxation response.”

Watch the video above for more tips on how to remain calm during the crisis. Plus, find out why Dr. Amen says, “When you become helpful, things are less terrible.”

Check here to find out where you can watch Tuesday’s episode.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, please visit the Centers for Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) website at cdc.gov.

Dr. Danial Amen is the author of “The End of Mental Illness: How Neuroscience Is Transforming Psychiatry and Helping Prevent or Reverse Mood and Anxiety Disorders, ADHD, Addictions, PTSD, Psychosis, Personality Disorders, and More. Available wherever books are sold.

TELL DR. PHIL YOUR STORY: At your final breaking point?

Dr. Phil tells compelling stories about real people. The Dr. Phil Show is an American daytime talk show and TV series with host and personality Dr. Phil McGraw, who offers advice from his experience as a psychologist. The show provides the most comprehensive forum on mental health issues in the history of television. For over a decade, Dr. McGraw has used the show's platform to make psychology accessible to the general public by addressing important personal and social issues. Here on the Dr. Phil YouTube channel, you will find the best moments, highlights, and segments from the TV show. We upload new videos every day, so make sure you subscribe and ring the bell for all notifications, so you don't miss a single one.

Full episodes of the Dr. Phil Show premiere every weekday on CBS, with a new season premiering every fall in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Each full episode contains an interview or multiple interviews with doctors, teens, families, parents, kids, and more. The executive producers are Phil McGraw and showrunner Oprah Winfrey of OWN. Dr. Phil is the top-rated daytime talk show attracting millions of viewers every day alongside other talk shows, including The Ellen Show with Ellen DeGeneres, The Dr. Oz Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and The Steve Wilkos Show. Dr. Phil makes regular appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. Dr. Phil has also done crossovers with 90 Day Fiancé and Inside Edition.

Do you want to be on the show?

#DrPhil #PhilMcGraw #DrPhilShow