Anxiety & Depression Stop Making Your Biggest Fears Come True By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. Learn about our editorial process Published on November 04, 2022 Print Verywell / Julie Bang Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Friday Fix: Episode 212 More About the Podcast On The Verywell Mind Podcast, Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Friday Fix: Episode 212 Sometimes, we inadvertently increase the chances that our biggest fears might come true. That’s not to say it’s your fault if something bad happens to you. Bad things happen to us through no fault of our own much of the time. But sometimes, our fear of something causes us to react in a way that increases the chances that our fear might come true. Take overprotective parents, for example. Most of them hover over their children because they don’t want them to get hurt–physically or emotionally. So, they prevent their kids from making mistakes, getting rejected, or taking risks. Consequently, their kids don’t gain the skills to solve problems, cope with pain, or manage their emotions. This can cause them to become more susceptible to being hurt later in life. But that’s not the only way this scenario plays out. From dating the exact type of person you said you wanted to avoid the financial mess that you swore you’d never get into, there are plenty of other ways in which our efforts sometimes backfire. In this episode, I explain the four reasons we sometimes accidentally make our biggest fears come true, how to recognize when you’re doing it, and what to do about it. More About the Podcast The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too. Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors. Thank you. For media or public speaking inquiries, contact Amy here. Download the Transcript Links and Resources Follow Amy Morin on Instagram Check out Amy’s books on mental strength If You Liked This Episode You Might Also Like These Episodes: Friday Fix: An Effective Tool for Dealing With Catastrophic Thoughts How to Unwind Your Anxiety With Neuroscientist Dr. Jud Brewer Friday Fix: How to Make Wise Decisions How to Face Your Fears By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit