Send in a question or comment via text. 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 moment is impactful in so many ways both short and long term. Accept how you feel and panic productively and its over quickly so you can get on with your day and your life in general. React in fear and the outcome will be completely different. Which way do you want to go with your panic? This episode was inspi...
Jul 31, 2018•17 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 you’re up against? My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the ...
Feb 24, 2018•17 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 approach it for best result. Holly and I spend a while talking about how we overcame agoraphobia and what difference its made in our lives. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic...
Jan 15, 2018•1 hr 11 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 of how you feel, and that focusing on sensations and symptoms is counter productive. Rather, focus on how you react to those sensations and symptoms. Don't add what she calls "second fear" to that initial flash of "first fear". My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The B...
Nov 26, 2017•1 hr 9 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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, negative impacts, and pitfalls that should be avoided. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . Support Th...
Nov 21, 2017•43 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 chapter 6, which is probably the lynchpin around which Dr. Weekes built her work. Learning to TRULY accept your anxiety symptoms and to TRULY believe that they are not dangerous will allow you to relax into your symptoms rather than fighting against them. Learning to relax, float, and soften in the face of the on...
Nov 12, 2017•51 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 about your progress or post pics/videos in the Facebook group. We're all there to encourage each other and cheer each other on! Billy and I talk about the nuts and bolts of breaking down your challenge tasks into very small bits and working o...
Nov 08, 2017•58 min
Send in a question or comment via text. "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 just wanting to improve your life. You can read and listen and learn and discuss, but at some point you have to find that spark deep in your gut and get moving. In this episode Billy and I talk about finding your spark and using it to launch...
Oct 31, 2017•58 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 symptoms I've dealt with. The issues I've had to resolve. The good news is that if I can do it, you can do it! Questions? Comments? Lets hear them. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Colle...
Oct 25, 2017•1 hr 1 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my wor...
Oct 20, 2017•44 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 how practicing the small things and continually expanding your scope will make it easy to tackle larger tasks that are harder to practice (i.e. flying, or visiting the dentist). Finally, we take some comments and questions on previous episodes. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Aft...
Oct 10, 2017•47 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 feeling ill, and how dealing with health anxiety is more about cognitive work than physical exposure. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake o...
Oct 03, 2017•45 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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. Near the end of the episode we take some time to answer questions and comments from past episodes. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on...
Sep 28, 2017•43 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 experiencing panic without bracing, fighting, avoiding or fleeing can we truly learn that while our fear is real, the danger is not. This is the key to success, so welcome your panic and embrace panic attacks as chances to practice not being a...
Sep 20, 2017•31 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. Other way...
Sep 13, 2017•1 hr 5 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Lifestyle choices can influence your panic disorder positively or negatively. Eating a healthy diet can go a long way toward making you feel better overall. Avoid alcohol and mind-altering substances like recreational drugs. Anything that changes your mental state can be an anxiety trigger when you’re in a hyper-sensitive state (as many in the grips of panic disorder are). Get regular exercise and expose yourself to sunlight for at least 15 minutes every d...
Sep 12, 2017•48 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 current long-term treatment for panic disorder and related anxiety disorders. If you’re seeking professional help, look for a therapist that specifically specialized in CBT and anxiety disorders. Therapy focused on simply talking about your li...
Aug 30, 2017•35 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 different, our life circumstances are all different, and that means that there is no one “cause” for panic attacks. Learning to identify your triggers and deal with them is an important part of recovery, but only if you’re also facing the p...
Aug 24, 2017•19 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 that is to fully experience panic without fleeing, avoiding, or adding more fear to the situation. You have to be afraid before you can not be afraid. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at b...
Aug 15, 2017•26 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 symptoms of anxiety and panic. Reacting in fear only leads to the belief that something you did somehow made you “safer”, when in reality there is no danger at hand. Lets talk about how to just let your anxiety symptoms be without engaging with them or focusing on them. We talk about using coping techniques and al...
Aug 09, 2017•31 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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" from your anxiety. We contract this with the use of positive coping techniques that help teach you that you're in no real danger to begin with. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collect...
Jul 18, 2017•21 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Billy and I discuss the role of coping techniques in dealing with anxiety and panic issues. We touch on breathing, muscle relaxation and meditation techniques designed to quiet the mind on demand. Coping techniques are designed to limit the duration and intensity of a panic attack, not to stop it dead it its tracks. Coping techniques must be learned and practiced all the time in order to build the skills required to use them properly. We also briefly touch...
Jul 12, 2017•24 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support...
Jun 27, 2017•21 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 toward making forward progress in recovery. We discuss false danger during periods of high anxiety and "future perceived danger" that drives the lifestyle changes which can become the hallmark of an actual anxiety disorder like agoraphobia. ...
Jun 20, 2017•22 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 afraid and uncomfortable, and about building a recovery plan based on acceptance, courage, persistence and patience. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission...
Jun 16, 2017•33 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 on, and look at how to re-introduce exercise into your life in a step-by-step way. As with everything we walk about, this isn't necessarily easy, but its absolutely worth the effort! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find ...
May 20, 2017•22 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 covered in detail. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. Ot...
Aug 17, 2016•31 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 Nervous Illness". We discuss common anxiety symptoms and triggers, the role of fear, why knowledge and understanding is so important, and why fighting is not really the best approach. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Fin...
Aug 08, 2016•45 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 Breakdown". We discuss what defines anxiety disorders, two types of "breakdowns" and some basic strategies for dealing with the issue. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com ....
Jul 31, 2016•26 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 involuntary nature, and the idea that your panic and anxiety symptoms are normal, natural, not dangerous, and not to be feared. You cannot stop your body from doing what it's designed to do, but that you can change the way you interpret and react to your panic and anxiety symptoms. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/...
Jul 06, 2016•21 min
