Is TikTok’s Burnt Toast Theory a Solution to Our Rising Anxiety?

The burnt toast theory has gone viral on TikTok, and it's not about food. Anxiety and associated disorders are on the rise and have left us all feeling stuck in the last couple of years. No one likes burnt toast, but what happens when we change our perspective towards it?

Unlike other TikTok trends, this one especially has a dose of positivity in it. This trend came into light when TikToker Ingrid (@offthe__grid), had a burnt toast and thought of the aligning theory. This has helped many individuals reframe life's inconveniences and hassles. The netizen noted that we have so many reasons to pay attention to the bad, but what happens when we choose to see the other side?

The burnt toast theory provides a new lens to viewing our stressors. (Image via Vecteezy/ kamil_macniak)

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What’s the Burnt Toast Theory?

This theory is about a perspective change in your ways of managing anxiety. (Image via Freepik/ freepik)

We all have burnt toasts at some point, and we all have experienced anxiety before--what is it then that connects these two? When we look at the burnt bread as one of the first things in the morning, it becomes an immediate anxiety trigger. Our thoughts begin to spiral, and we are pulled into thinking that it's going to be the worst day ever.

Anxiety is maintained by worries about the future and takes us away from the present. In short, it fills our mind with tension and makes our body do a nervous energy dance. However, when we think of the minutes that we have lost because of the burnt toast, we can change our perspectives in a fraction of second.

Engaging in this technique is very straightforward. Instead of thinking how these five to ten minutes have affected you negatively, think about the exact opposite. How have these protected you? Perhaps, you have saved yourself from an accident or helped a loved one at home.

Perhaps, these extra minutes helped you see that you need to take a breather and not rush into things. This can indeed be the challenge, but you learn to see the burnt toast from a new lens. There are other techniques for anxiety that you can try, but you can give this one a definite try!

The same goes for anxiety. It makes you feel that you can't do it anymore, that you will fail. However, you need to send messages to yourself that you have the control to get out of this situation and take care of yourself.

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Burnt toast theory for anxiety is not a quick fix to anxiety and definitely not the only tool for you to manage your stressors. However, its a fresh persepctive that can help you instantly feel grounded.

The thing with anxiety is that it shakes our sense of control and makes us feel that we can't handle the situation at hand. With the burnt toast theory, you can regain some agency and think about the situation differently.

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Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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