The Anxious Truth - A Panic, Anxiety, and Mental Health Podcast

"I just want my old self back!"

When wrestling with an anxiety disorder, the current state of suffering can sometimes warp the accuracy of our …

This week I'm joined by working therapist and OCD specialist Joanna Hardis to ask the million dollar question ... "Is there a secret sauce in …

This week on The Anxious Truth we're talking about the concept of “white knuckling” through exposures and through anxiety and fear in general. White …

This week on The Anxious Truth we're talking about what your anxiety support system looks like.  We'll dismantle the common misconceptions about what …

How does a highly respected psychologist approach panic attacks?  This week on The Anxious Truth we’re going to find out as we talk to Dr. Dave …

Depression is a hot topic in our community.  I get asked about my personal experience with depression all the time.  It had taken me a while to get around to this but on this week's episode of The Anxious Truth I will …

When I started this podcast in 2014 all by myself, talking to myself in my living room (it …

Many people get confused and worried when they cry while anxious or afraid.  Let's clear this up, because this is NOT a problem.

Highlights From This …

Jen Kirkman is a comedian, author, actor, TV writer, and podcaster that has lived through anxiety and panic for large portions of her life. I was fortunate enough to have Jen on the podcast this week to talk about her …

In today's episode of The Anxious Truth, we are going to talk about success and struggle within the anxiety recovery process and how, for many people, the two can look very similar at face value.

As I have said many …

In episode 196 of The Anxious Truth, we will explore the urge to focus on the outcome in anxiety recovery rather than giving our attention to the process.

Everyone wants to feel better.  Clearly, this is the outcome we …

Today we will tackle the paradox of letting go in the anxiety recovery process.

The concept of letting go - giving up the struggle - is a key concept in anxiety recovery.  But in the context of recovery, letting go is …

Making up your anxiety recovery as you go along is not a good plan. An anxious person will wait to see how they feel before deciding what to do, so avoidance and taking the more comfortable way can accidentally become …

So much of the anxiety and fear struggle is based on what we feel, what we think, and what we think about what we feel. What if thinking and feeling were NOT the most important things in the universe all the time?  What …

“I’m doing things, but it doesn’t seem to be working! Why?”

If you feel like you’re doing all the exposures but nothing is changing, you may be doing …

This week I’m joined by my friend Kimberley Quinlan to talk about responsible use of social media as it relates to mental health and anxiety recovery.  Kimberley starts from the premise that social media is neutral, but …

“I know what I’m supposed to do, but it’s just so hard to do it!” Am too broken or too weak?

No. You are not broken or too weak. This is a difficult …

Everyone wants to "overcome anxiety" in 2022.  Totally doable, but we do not slay this dragon in one epic swing of a sword. This is a journey of …

The Anxious Morning is a project I've been working on for about a year.  On January 3, the first edition of The Anxious Morning will hit the street, and the airwaves!

For all the ways to listen or to subscribe free to …

Recovery is based so much on intentionally doing things that are scary and difficult.  This concept is often interpreted as being a “mind over …

When gripped by an anxiety disorder, much of life is dictated and driven by fear.  We make our choices and our decisions based on what we fear in an effort to avoid feeling the things we do not want to feel. When we …

"Why can't I feel happiness and joy?!?!?!"

This question gets asked all the time.  It's a question I am personally quite familiar with.  When we are in the middle of the recovery process, still in the grips of anxiety …

Why on Earth am I talking about living recklessly? Most of us would agree that being reckless involves intentionally doing dangerous things and being …

Positive self-talk is awesome. But not in the way you may think. When I tell people that positive self-talk is bullshit, I mean that it does not …

"BUT WHAT IF THERE ARE REAL HEALTH ISSUES OR LIFE CHALLENGES????"

This is a question I get asked all the time.  In this week's episode, we find some inspiration and encouragement from the awesome Jessica Sidener. …

Coping skills. This is a term heard every day in mental health circles when trying to get a handle on anxiety problems. But what are coping skills? What are they designed to do? Do we really want or need them?

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One of the more common mistakes, especially in early recovery, is trying to actually reach a recovered state before you do the recovery work. If you're trying to figure out a way to not be afraid so that you can start …

While you may want to ask for specific instructions on exactly what to do to feel better right now, this is not always the best approach to recovery in the long term.

Asking for instructions can become a bit frustrating …

Everyone wants instant competence and confidence in recovery, but unfortunately it does not work that way.  Competence and confidence in recovery are things we build through doing the hard things, and the hard things …

So much of the recovery process brings us discomfort. Discomfort is woven into everything that we talk about with anxiety, panic, exposure, and recovery. Being uncomfortable is something that we unfortunately have to …

Therapist and author Joshua Fletcher returns to the podcast this week.

In this episode, Drew and Josh talk about understanding the fear of fear, …

Self-compassion.  We hear about it all the time.  It's quite a popular buzzword in mental health social media circles.  But what really is …

You may feel powerless over your anxiety, pain, and past.  But in reality, you DO have power and influence in this process.

In this episode I am joined by Dr. Bridget Cooper to discuss awareness, choice, power and …

If you can learn to slow down, while anxiety, fear, panic, and stress are telling you to speed up, good things will happen over time.

On this podcast episode we take a look at the speed response that is baked into …

The magic of recovery lies in allowing and passing through fear, not for fun, but so that we can learn the lessons that reality hands us afterward.  Specifically, "That was really hard and scary, but nothing bad …

At some point in recovery, every one of us faces unplanned exposures and challenges that life throws at us.  This is just part of the deal, so we must accept that.  In this episode we'll answer a very common question:

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Today we have an anxiety success story that goes beyond just anxiety!  My friend and frequent collaborator Dean Stott from the DLC Anxiety Worldwide …

Let's do another anxiety success story!  Today we have Shannon Jackson (AKA "ahealthypush" on Instagram).  Shannon joins us to tell the story of her anxiety journey, her recovery, and how she went from suffering to …

What happens AFTER a panic attack?  Do you suffer from panic attack "hangover"?  Does it impact you for hours, or even days after the attack ends?  In this podcast episode we'll look at the panic attack hangover, what …

Morning anxiety.  It was a thing for me, and I know based on massive amounts of feedback on this topic that it's a thing for many others.  In this episode of the podcast, we'll look at morning anxiety and how to …

Sometimes we take our inspiration and encouragement from outside the anxiety disorder realm.  Sometimes we find someone that had been knocked down HARD, yet found a way to stand back up and get back into the game of …

Anxiety recovery is a strange war.  You only win it when you stop fighting.

In this episode we look at the need to stop being an anxiety warrior, and start being an anxiety student.  Learning, not fighting, is the way …

This is part 2 of my conversation with my friend and social media collaborator Lily Bloomberg. In this episode Lily talks about the process of her …

I had the privilege of spending an hour with my friend and some-time collaborator Lily Bloomberg.  Lily is a school psychologist and anxiety coach …

In this episode I take questions from listeners.  Some questions came in as voice messages on my Anchor podcast page.  Others were submitted on Instagram.  I wasn't able to answer all the questions because I only have …

"What does it take to really recover?"

Good question.  I can tell you one thing it takes.  It takes this.

Calling out our habit of choosing temporary relief and comfort when we avoid and escape and run and refuse to …

This is a question I get asked literally every day.  The answer may not be the one you want, but it's the one you need.  In this episode we examine how we can learn to be sure (enough) that it really is just anxiety.

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My guest today is Sadie Hall, creator and host of the Your Social Anxiety Bestie podcast and a lifelong social anxiety sufferer. Sadie was kind enough to spend some time with me to …

This is a theme that has come up now and then in the community surrounding the podcast.  When I asked my Instagram community how many people felt that anxiety means they are being punished in some way, I was blown away …

Today we're joined by Dr. Jacque Bogdanov, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in anxiety and …

Meg is a great example of someone that spirals into a full blown anxiety disorder, then works really hard to follow that spiral …

For many anxiety sufferers, an obsessive and consuming fear of death and existential issues becomes a real problem. Let's talk about it in this episode of the podcast.  The most important thing to remember is that ALL …

In this issue I had the good fortune to chat with Tori Chavira about her journey through OCD and mental health issues while also handling the issues faced by a member of the LBGTQ+ community.  Tori is a strong, positive …

Everyone does! Your inner critic will say all kinds of horrible things to you. This builds obstacles along the path to recovery.  In this episode I am joined again by UK psychotherapist Joshua …

Agoraphobia goes well beyond "can't leave the house".  In this episode, let's examine the nature of agoraphobia.  We'll talk about:

• What …

A couple of months ago I did a "gender issues in recovery" episode with my friend Bridget Cooper.  The response was good!  ALL voices and experiences matter, so this week we chat with Dr. Lisa Cortez about anxiety and …

How do I talk to my anxiety?  This is a common question.  In this episode we'll explore why and HOW you can "talk" to your anxiety as part of an …

This is a topic that people have been asking me to talk about  lately. In the last six months, I've developed much more an interest in health …

I'm asked all the time ... "Does this recovery method apply to GAD?"

The short answer is that it does, but there are extra wrinkles with GAD that we must be aware of.  We must learn to relate in a new way to anxiety and …

I used Paxil between 1996 and 2005. This is part 3 of a 3 part series detailing my experience. My experience with SSRI withdrawal was difficult, to …

In this episode I finally discuss an issue so many people have been asking me to discuss for so long.  My experience with anxiety medications.  I used Paxil between 1996 and 2005. This is part 2 of a 3 part series …

In this episode I finally discuss an issue so many people have been asking me to discuss for so long.  My experience with anxiety medications.  I used Paxil between 1996 and 2005.  This is part 1 of a 3 part series …

On this episode I was able to spend 30 minutes or so chatting with Joshua Fletcher.  Josh is a working therapist in the UK that runs a practice specializing in anxiety disorders.  Josh is also the host of The Panic Pod …

We often talk about starting recovery by taking small steps, but did you know that those small steps can often be taken right inside your "safe zone"?  It's true!  Odds are your home base - your safe zone - is chock …

Donna grew up surrounded by discussion of cardiac health and blood pressure.  When she started experiencing panic attacks, and the blood pressure spikes that naturally come with them, her struggle with health anxiety …

In the field of anxiety disorders and the treatment of anxiety disorders, you will not find anyone with more street cred than Dr. Winston.  Dr. Sally Winston knows what she's talking about. Today I had the privilege of …

I am often asked an important question. "How do I learn to float and accept when one person makes me anxious?"  This question is asked by people that will often explain that they experience anxiety or even panic when in …

Building your own personal recovery from an anxiety disorder means using ALL the resources you have available to you.  In this podcast episode I talk about combining books, podcasts, social media streams, online support …

Today Dr. Bridget Cooper (Dr. B) and I talk about gender issues in mental health and anxiety recovery.  There are clearly differences between men and women and how we talk about mental health, think about mental health, …

Therapists and counselors also struggle with mental health. Licensed mental health professional Jenna Overbaugh treats anxiety disorders for a living, but after the birth of her son she struggled with postpartum …

There is a HUGE amount of discussion about "treating" anxiety problems with diet and exercise.  In some cases, diet and exercise can actually DRIVE anxiety issues and can even present obstacles to recovery.  In this …

Everyone loves a good anxiety success story and today we have one from our friend, and someone you hear all the time if you're a regular listener, …

When you interact with the number anxiety disorders that I do, you have the opportunity to see patterns emerge in a crowd.  Over years of doing this thing I do, and interacting with the large number of people that I …

One of the more common bits of advice passed around for the last zillion years or so is ... "trust your gut".  Regardless of the the circumstance or …

So, here’s some great news if you deal with emetophobia. Bet you didn’t think you’d ever hear that, did you? Well, Drew’s guest on this week’s …

When Faster Than Normal author and podcast host Peter Shankman was officially diagnosed with ADHD, he decided that it wasn't a liability, but rather a bit of a superpower.  Peter took action to maximize the things he's …

"I've been seeing my therapist for years and she never explained this the way you do!"

"How can it be that all the different counselors and doctors I've seen have never talked about my anxiety this way?"

"I've been …

Kyrsty spent 12 years in her house, trapped by agoraphobia and panic.  That's all changing now. In this podcast episode Kyrsty shares with us how she's been taking the core concepts of recovery and putting them into …

Ask yourself a question.  Is your anxiety your enemy, or is it your teacher?  Most of you are going to immediately tell me that you see anxiety as an enemy.  It lurks in the shadows, stalking you day and and day out, …

This is common misconception for many, and it's keeping some folks stuck!  When we talk about accepting anxiety as the path to recovery, and when we …

Is your worst-case scenario being forced to sit quietly with your own thoughts and sensations?  Are you one of the many that declares that they are "OK" so long as they are up and about and occupied?  Learning to sit …

For many, having to undergo a surgical or major medical procedure is "worst nightmare" territory anxiety-wise.  There are quite a few fears at play …

I often here people saying that recovery becomes harder - or even impossible - if you've suffered too long with your anxiety problems.  This is simply not true.  In this podcast episode let's take a look at why this is …

Holly is back in this episode, sharing her long experience using benzos as part of her anxiety management strategy.  Holly shares how she started on …

In this episode I answer listener questions about:

• Returning to "normal".
• Handling thoughts, memories and emotions.
• Parenting issues in recovery.

This week and next I will take time to answer questions submitted by by Instagram friends.  I had over 130 questions sent in for this episode so lets break it into two episodes.  This is part one.  Part two will be next …

Shelley Hohe has struggled with OCD for many years.  Her contamination obsession and the accompanying compulsions drove her into a very dark place. …

One of the most common topics I am asked to address is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).  GAD is generally categorized with other anxiety disorders such as panic disorder, agoraphobia, OCD and social anxiety.  Today I …

The recovery process will - unfortunately - include days where you still struggle.  This is to be expected.  In this episode I read lesson 5.5 from my book which discusses the struggles you will encounter.  I then …

Recovery from an anxiety disorder gets even harder when you judge the presence of fear as an immediate failure.  Dr. B - Bridget Cooper - joined me today to talk about fear, and the misconception that the presence of …

One of the concepts that confuses people more than any other is understanding the difference between accepting and surrendering to anxiety, learning to be nonreactive to anxiety, or ignoring anxiety. Let's talk about …

Dr. Bridget Cooper is a cage rattler. Her penchant for confronting old beliefs and challenging thought patterns is helping people to break from from …

Here is a paradox. So much of this anxiety complex revolves around a desperate attempt to find 100 percent iron clad certainty. The search for …

Sarah Doan Peace is amazing.  Having been born with VATER syndrome and after 35 surgeries and years of serious medical challenges, Sarah is finding her voice as a speaker and advocate for others that share her …

Do you fear your emotions? Do you see them as threats, or indicators that you are failing in recovery, or destined for disaster? Do you attempt to …

You may think that you are afraid of an ever-growing list of places, tasks, people and situations.  You are not.  There is only ONE FEAR driving your anxiety disorder - fear of how you feel and what you think.  …

My friend Nick Maynard is an almost textbook example of how to recovery from panic disorder and agoraphobia.  At one point Nick was in a panic on the ground in a Costco on Black Friday.  He was then trapped in his …

For full show notes and a link to download this tutorial as an MP3, visit https://theanxioustruth.com/109.

HOW DO I RELAX, BREATHE, AND FOCUS????  

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This Is Chapter/Lesson 3.6 from my book "The Anxious Truth". I wanted to release a chapter to give everyone a look at what the book is all about.  This is likely the most important chapter I wrote, so it seemed the the …

For full show notes on this episode, go to https://theanxioustruth.com/107
Many people are struggling with letting go of anger, guilt and bitterness …

(For full show notes on this episode, visit https://theanxioustruth.com/106)

Today I was joined by my friend Monique Koven to discuss the concept of …

For many, the fear of driving on the freeway, highway, or motorway is a big problem.  Often I am told that this seems and impossible task.  A typical …

Today I was fortunate to have spent 25 minutes on a Zoom call with Dr. Ingvard Wilhemsen, a respected expert in the field of health anxiety and hypochondriasis from the University of Bergen in Norway.  We discussed the …

Inspired by a post I made on Instagram, here's 25 minutes or so on the difference between feeling OK and actually being OK.  The highlights:

• Your …

For full show notes on this episode:  https://theanxioustruth.com/102

One of the two most common fears of anxiety and panic sufferers is the fear of …

For full show notes on this episode, go to https://theanxiousgroup.com/101

Anxiety disorders are selfish disorders.  Anxiety and fear are …

My friend Kendra Beavis has an amazing story.  This is a story about making major life changes, solving life problems, and become a better version of …

For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/99

We naturally develop habits with respect to the way we talk about, think about, …

Full show notes for this episode are at https://theanxioustruth.com/98

Telling someone in the grips of a raging anxiety disorder to "check in with …

Full show notes for this episode can be found at https://theanxioustruth.com/97

Being in an abusive or controlling relationship is difficult for …

For full show notes on this episode, visit https://theanxioustruth.com/96

Perfectionism.  It's a label I hear frequently self-applied by many going …

For full show notes on this episode, visit https://theanxioustruth.com/95

Just six months ago, Martine was experimenting with medication, housebound …

For full notes on this episode, go to https://theanxioustruth.com/94

Too often, the responses that result from anxiety disorders and/or traumatic …

For the full show notes on this episode including a link to the diaphragmatic breathing video I mentioned:

https://theanxioustruth.com/93

For many …

Monophobia - the fear of being alone - is a common component of the panic, anxiety and agoraphobia complex.  When left unchecked, panic disorder leads to agoraphobia.  When this happens, monophobia often develops at the …

Worry and worrying are problems that many people struggle with along road to recovering from an anxiety disorder.  I'm asked to cover this topic …

Not really a podcast episode so much as an angry rant about a subject I feel really needed to be addressed.  If you've been seeing your "anxiety" therapist for months on end, or years on end, and your progress is kinda …

One of the common worries while recovering from an anxiety disorder is the fear that it might "come back" after recovery.  This is something I hear from many many people.  It's also pretty common in the community …

"What if I forget how to breathe?"

"What if I just stop breathing?"

"I can't get enough air in my lungs."

"I can't take a deep breath."

Breath and breathing focused anxiety is quite common among people that suffer from …

My friend Joyce joined me to talk about her slide into severe panic disorder and agoraphobia, which was followed by an aggressive recovery and …

Holly and I discuss chapter 9 of Claire Weekes' "Hope And Help For Your Nerves". This chapter discusses the nature of recovery and the road to being …

When confronted with uncomfortable and scary feelings of anxiety, panic or emotions based on past trauma, the immediate response is to "talk yourself down".  Trying convince yourself that you are OK using words, phrases …

If you are a regular listener of the podcast, odds are that you've had anxiety, worry and fear focused on your heart at least once or twice.  This is …

Today I chatted with Christa Holmans about some of the overlapping issues found in both anxiety disorders and autism and other neurodivesity …

Today I was fortunate to spend about 30 minutes with Dr. Martin Seif, a psychologist and author specializing in anxiety disorders.  Dr. Seif and I …

Reading, listening to podcasts, watching videos, and otherwise educating yourself about your anxiety disorder is a good idea ...until its becomes a safety and avoidance behavior  Ultimately, overcoming an anxiety …

Today Monique and I spent some time discussing the memories of past trauma and abuse, and how the old feeling of being unable to escape can often …

How my friend Raven went from homebound agoraphobic, crippled with panic and intrusive thoughts and fears, to living her life, not being afraid of anxiety, and making plans for her future.  If there was every an …

One of the most common issues that seems to pop up for people doing the work to overcome an anxiety disorder is emotions and how to deal with them while in the recovery.  What do I do when I feel sad, or angry, or …

Recorded from YouTube Live August 19, 2019

 What do you do when you “fail” at an exposure, or when you have a particularly difficult anxiety day and …

Today I'm joined by my friend Holly to talk about common misconceptions and mistakes surrounding exposure.  Many people are unaware of the true …

You've been doing the work.  You've been working the process.  You're facing your fears and learning not to be afraid of how you feel. You're no longer crippled by panic, fear and anxiety. One day you find that that …

Often, issues of self-esteem, confidence and competence can get in the way when recovering from anxiety and panic issues.  If you've ever been made to feel like you're not good enough, not capable, or not competent, my …

Its possible to work through anxiety, panic, trauma and pain without having it ruin every day.  Today I'm joined by my old friend Joe Ryan.  Joe has …

Q&A from my Facebook group including questions about dizziness, driving, doctor visits, airports, neck spasms, anticipatory anxiety and exposure …

Anticipatory anxiety isn't a special or different kind of anxiety. It's not a mysterious external force over which you have no control. Let's define …

Many people are under the false impression that they must honor, follow and engage deeply with every thought they have.  This is simply not true.  …

If you're in the grips of anxiety, panic, agoraphobia or PTSD you may feel powerless and incapable of doing what needs to be done to change things.  This isn't true.  Monique and I talk about how you have power and …

Do you worry that your anxiety problems are going to “ruin everything” for your friends and family? Being worried about letting people down or ruining things can seriously stand in the way of taking the steps you need …

Today I had a chat with Kimberley Quinlan (LMFT) about OCD, obsessive/intrusive thoughts, and how to deal with them effectively. Lots of good information and resources in this one, along with a bunch of concepts you'll …

The way you talk about your anxiety matters.  More than you think. Are you always speaking passively and just describing how you feel? Are you worried about what people will think about your anxiety? Do you fear that …

If you’re suffering with health anxiety – no matter how severe – Sarah’s story will inspire you and give you hope. Join me as we look at Sarah’s …

My friend Andrew has gone from "contented agoraphobic" to well down the path to full recovery and was nice enough to take some time to share his …

"Drew, are you cured?  Do you ever have panic attacks?"  I get this question all the time.  The answer is ... I can still experience a panic attack now and then.  So come listen to me experience near panic on-air in …

Billy and I discuss the relationship between stress and anxiety and why stress doesn’t have to automatically become anxiety and fear. Afterward we answer a slew of great questions from the Facebook discussion group. …

If you have someone in your life that you care about that’s dealing with serious anxiety issues to the point where they can’t leave home, or be …

If you have someone in your life that you care about that’s dealing with serious anxiety issues to the point where they can’t leave home, or be …

Overcoming anxiety problems means making a good recovery plan and executing it.  In this episode I'm joined by my friend Billy from Anxiety United. We discuss the basics of a good recovery plan including breaking things …

A discussion of how anxiety disorders can impact sex, intimacy and relationships in general with licensed therapist and certified sex therapist Leslie Gustafson.  Leslie and I talk about the general approach to this …

At some point in this process, you MUST take a leap of faith.  All the talking and questioning and reading and learning must give way to actually …

Often there is overlap between anxiety disorders like panic disorder and agoraphobia, past trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Monique and I discuss her path to overcoming trauma and generalized anxiety …

Billy and I discuss anxiety and panic related to dining out, restaurants, bars, pubs and social situations. We talk about how to approach it, steps that can be taken to overcome this problem, and how learning cognitive …

In this episode Billy and I discuss driving anxiety, the fear of having a panic attack while driving, and what to do about it. We talk about specific steps that can be taken to address this fear and overcome it through …

Lets to clarify the focus of my content on anxiety disorders as opposed to just being anxious about things. A quick chat about the difference and why my approach is what it is. I briefly discuss different classes of …

One of the tools I hear people talk about often is “positive self talk”. Let me tell you why this is not a good thing when you’re dealing with high …

Jackie suffered from panic attacks and anxiety for years until she had a “lightbulb moment” and turned the corner. Join me as I chat with Jackie …

This is what nobody wants to hear when it comes to overcoming anxiety and panic related problems, because its the hard part. There’s a large scale commitment/decision you MUST make before you can start making real …

When panic strikes, we have a critical moment of decision. What will you do? How will you handle it? What is your plan? The decision we make at that …

This is a topic I get asked about all the time, so lets talk about what to do when your anxiety has a negative impact on your relationships. How can you approach family members and friends to get them on board with what …

Holly and I discuss chapter 8 of the Claire Weekes book "Hope and Help For Your Nerves". Dr. Weekes explains agoraphobia and walks us through how to …

Holly and I discuss chapter 7 of Hope and Help For Your Nerves by Dr. Claire Weekes. This chapter really focuses on understanding that you are afraid …

Social media and the Internet have had a major impact on those of us with anxiety disorders. In this episode Billy and I discuss different ways the Internet has influenced anxiety issues. We look at positive impacts, …

Holly and I return for the next chapter of our series discussing "Hope and Help For Your Nerves" by Dr. Claire Weekes. In this episode we discuss …

Lets take on our first 30 day exposure challenge. For the next 30 days, start by making a short list of activities you find challenging from an anxiety standpoint. Then, start working on those items. Feel free to talk …

"Get busy living, or get busy dying." At some point in the journey to overcome anxiety issues, concepts and techniques and tips and tricks fall by the wayside and it becomes a matter of desire and drive and courage and …

I've been asked many times over the years how bad my anxiety used to be. Yes, it was probably as bad as yours. In this episode of our Anxiety 101 series, I'll tell you all about it. Everything I've been through. The …

What triggers your anxiety? Billy and I discuss anxiety triggers, how to identify your triggers, and what you can do about them. As usual, we answer listener questions near the end of the episode.

My Links

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Following up on our initial talk about the basics of exposure therapy, Billy and talk about how repetition and practice are so important. We discuss …

Billy and I were both a bit under the weather for this episode, so we thought a discussion of health anxiety and how illness impacts your anxiety was in order. We discuss health anxiety in general, our reactions when …

Today Billy and I talk about the basics of what exposure therapy is, how it fits into the overall scope of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and how its important to have proper expectations for what exposure can do for you. …

A panic attack isn't always a bad thing. In fact, when you're doing exposure work and trying to learn how not to be afraid of panic and anxiety, having a panic attack is virtually a requirement at some point. Only be …

Today Billy and I answer some of the most common questions we've received while doing the Anxiety 101 series. Did we answer your question? Tune in to find out!

My Links

https://theanxioustruth.com/links

Intro/Outro …

Lifestyle choices can influence your panic disorder positively or negatively. Eating a healthy diet can go a long way toward making you feel better …

Today Billy and I talk about the different types of therapy and professional help available for anxiety disorders both from a US and a UK perspective. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is hands down the most effective …

Finding the causes of your panic attacks is a good thing, but not by itself. Stress, negative thinking, reactions to past traumas and emotional issues are just some of many possible panic and anxiety triggers. We’re all …

There is no comfortable way to recover from panic disorder. The very heart of recovery lies in learning not to be afraid of panic. The only way to do …

Learning to not fear how you feel is a huge part of truly overcoming your anxiety and panic issues. Its important to not react physically to the …

Lets talk about avoidance and safety behaviors and how they're a bad thing when it comes to dealing with anxiety and panic issues. Avoidance and safety rituals reinforce the mistaken belief that you need to be "saved" …

Billy and I discuss the role of coping techniques in dealing with anxiety and panic issues. We touch on breathing, muscle relaxation and meditation …

When it comes to anxiety, fear feeds the beast! We discuss the idea that symptoms and sensations are not anxiety. Rather, your reaction - the fear you create in your own head- fuels the cycle of anxiety.

My Links

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Today Billy and I discuss the fact that the fear we feel when dealing with panic and anxiety is real, but the danger is not. There's no real danger underneath that fear. Understanding that this is false danger is a key …

Lets look at the basics of recovering from anxiety, panic and agoraphobia related issues. First in a series. Billy (from Anxiety United) and I talk about the need to accept that the recovery process will include feeling …

Once you understand that exercise isn't really making things "worse", you can work on solving this common problem.  Lets review what's really going …

Holly and I discuss chapter 5 of Hope and Help For Your Nerves. The cornerstone principles of Facing, Accepting, Floating and Letting Time Pass are …

Holly and I go through chapter 4 of the Claire Weekes Hope and Help For Your Nerves book. This chapter is entitled "The Commonest Simplest Forms of …

In this episode Holly and I go through chapter 3 of the Claire Weekes Hope and Help For Your Nerves book. This chapter is entitled "What Is Nervous …

In this episode, Holly and I review chapter 2 of Claire Weekes' Hope and Help For Your Nerves. We discuss the fight or flight response, its …

Holly and I review chapter 1 of Hope and Help For Your Nerves by Dr Claire Weekes.  This book is what I consider to be the gold standard when it …

For many dealing with anxiety and panic issues, exercise can be a real struggle because it may lead to INCREASED anxiety or even full-blown panic. …

Depersonalization is one of the most disturbing and hard to grasp anxiety symptoms. If you're dealing with panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder or agoraphobia it really is just another anxiety symptom and we …

The dissociative states - derealization and depersonalization - are possibly the most common yet misunderstood and under-discussed anxiety symptoms. …

Confidence is essential when overcoming anxiety disorders but false confidence doesn't really help. Learn to walk the walk if you're gonna talk the talk!

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Overcoming anxiety disorders often means doing the opposite of what your instincts are telling you to do. This is a challenge, but you can do it if you try.

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The path to overcoming anxiety disorders can be winding and unpredictable. Knowing what to expect and how to judge progress makes the process a bit easier.

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While many dealing with panic and anxiety have had success with exposure therapy, some call it ineffective. Often this is due to simple mistakes and misconceptions.

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For people dealing with panic disorder and agoraphobia, a common complaint is that virtually anything can be a panic trigger. There's a reason for that.

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Recovery from anxiety, panic and agoraphobia is an ACTIVE process. Nothing will improve if you just wait passively, so lets go!

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Understanding how our anxiety disorders impact our relationships and knowing what steps we can take to address that can help improve our situation.

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Facing your fear without fighting or fleeing is a skill that requires practice. Before we get started, we have to get into an objective frame of mind. Learning to assess your physical and mental state objectively - …

Your body language is a very strong indicator of how you're reacting to your anxiety symptoms.  Since our goal is to learn to be non-reactive and not …

Lets make an anxiety, panic and agoraphobia recovery plan. We'll lay out five general strategy points, then we'll put a broad action plan in place.

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Panic disorder and panic attacks are related but different. How do panic attacks become panic disorder? Here's a hint: Its more cognitive than physical!

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Therapy for anxiety disorders is a not a generic thing. There are different types of therapies and not all are equal when it comes to anxiety …

Memory has the power to trigger anxiety symptoms and sensations. Understanding this powerful process can go a long way toward helping you make …

Overcoming anxiety, panic and agoraphobia starts with the courage to face your fears. In this episode we talk about courage, why its so important, and how you can find it inside you.  You were born with all the courage …

Overcoming anxiety, panic and agoraphobia requires the motivation to be active in your recovery. In this episode we’ll look at how the motivation to begin your recovery derives from personal responsibility and …

In this episode we’ll look at the difference between the physical nature of anxiety and the mental/cognitive nature of anxiety disorders. Understanding this concept and incorporating it into your approach to anxiety is …

A quick intro to the podcast and what we’re all about.