Send in a question or comment via text. Real events that you witness or stories you see on social media or in the news show us the power of suggestion at work when it comes to triggering anxiety. Today an old friend popped in to relay his experience with being "triggered" by the death of a celebrity and how he navigated through that as mostly recovered person. It's a great chat. I can't thank my friend Jay Floyd for stopping in to share with us. For full show notes on this episode: https://thean...
Nov 16, 2022•30 min
Send in a question or comment via text. I am often asked if hypnosis and anxiety go together. Does hypnosis or hypnotherapy "work" for anxiety? Will it make your panic attacks or scary thoughts stop? Will it calm you down? I am far from an expert on hypnotherapy so I asked my friend and qualified psychotherapist Emma Garrick to join us to talk about the role of hypnotherapy in anxiety recovery. This episode is jam packed with really useful information so grab a coffee and take a listen! For full...
Nov 09, 2022•39 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Sleep Anxiety and Insomnia: A Success Story Sleep anxiety and insomnia are big topics in the community surrounding this podcast. My friend Ande Lyons struggled with sleep and tons of anxiety around sleep for many many years. She was gracious enough to stop by the podcast this week to talk about how learning to let go of the ritualization and distorted beliefs about her sleep changed everything. For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.c...
Nov 02, 2022•27 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Anxiety Recovery Program - Is The Anxious Truth One Of Those??? Is The Anxious Truth an anxiety recovery program? Does this podcast, the books I write, and all the content I create describe a program or method for recovery? Can you follow things step by step to know exactly what to do when anxious or afraid and how to feel better? This is something I am asked all the time, so is The Anxious Truth an anxiety recovery program? It is. And it isn't. How's that...
Oct 26, 2022•19 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Demanding to create positive emotional states on demand is common misguided strategy that many fall into during recovery. While often we fear emotions because they turn into fear so quickly, we can also demand that we should be able to experience positive emotional states when we want to. When we do this, we are generally trying to achieve a few basic goals: We are trying to escape the emotional state that we fear and hate by replacing it with a positive e...
Oct 12, 2022•22 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Even when we work with a therapist, listen to podcasts, watch videos, and read books, some parts of the recovery process remain completely our responsibility. There are recovery things that other people cannot do for us. We’re responsible for: Showing up and being an active participant in recovery Being consistent in the work we do Finding and displaying courage when we need to Remaining willing and open to the process and the experiences we have to have a...
Oct 05, 2022•19 min
Send in a question or comment via text. How Does Exposure Work For Anxiety? Habituation vs Inhibitory Learning We know about exposure. Going toward the thing we fear rather than trying to avoid it, escape from it, or engineer life so that it is never “triggered”. We know that exposure is en effective tool when it comes to anxiety disorders. But how does it actually work? Why does it sometimes only work halfway? Why does it sometimes not last? What is habituation? What is inhibitory learning? Let...
Sep 28, 2022•29 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Many people dealing with anxiety disorders experience problems sleeping from time to time. Many anxious people also wind up stuck in mental loops where they obsess about sleep and worry excessively about not sleeping and not sleeping "properly". This can result in a few common themes that revolve around disastrous feared outcomes associated with sleep or sleep distrubances. "If I don't sleep enough, I can't heal and will never get better!" "If I don't slee...
Sep 21, 2022•29 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Everyone loves a good success story. Katie's story certainly qualifies! When I first met Katie she was crippled with fear, riddled with anxiety and panic, and generally spending her time on the floor with a fan blowing trying to calm down. Now she's living her life and even traveling solo to Europe multiple times. What a difference 18-24 months can make! Go Katie! For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/224 --- My books, social, an...
Sep 14, 2022•39 min
Send in a question or comment via text. This week I'm joined by therapist and author Jennifer Swantowski as she shares her ongoing experience with benzodiazepine withdrawal and anxiety. Jennifer is the author of " The Waiting Room " a most excellent book that anyone dealing with this challenge will find useful and inspiring. For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/223 --- My books, social, and other links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links Support The Anxious Truth: http...
Sep 07, 2022•36 min
Send in a question or comment via text. This week on the podcast we're talking about the difference between a survival mindset and a defiant mindset when it comes to anxiety, panic, and fear. Like it or not, we all have an anxiety mindset. We have a framework or a conceptualization of our anxiety situation. We formulate a platform that we stand on when it comes to anxiety. This influences how we interact with anxiety, fear, and discomfort. Your mindset is formed over time based on your experienc...
Aug 31, 2022•31 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Flying Anxiety It's a thing. This is not the same as fear of flying. In this episode of The Anxious Truth we're talking about flying anxiety - being afraid to fly because of your anxiety issues. This is a topic I've been asked to cover for quite some time, so let's get to it! For full show notes on this episode: theanxioustruth.com/221 --- My books, social, and other links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links Support The Anxious Truth: https://theanxioustrut...
Aug 24, 2022•27 min
Send in a question or comment via text. I am asked all the time if it is OK to use safe people when doing exposures or facing anxiety challenges. Let's do our best to answer that question. We'll define the term "safe person" then explore situations where use of a safe person is perfectly fine. Then we'll look at situations where we must leave our safe people behind to go it alone for full and lasting recovery. For full show notes on this episode: theanxioustruth.com/220 --- My books, social, and...
Aug 17, 2022•19 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Many people in our community worry about the long term health effects of chronic anxiety. For some this is concern that pops up from time to time. For others, this can become an obsession and the primary driver of anxiety. Regardless of which situation you are in, we can acknowledge that the question is a reasonable one. This is a thing that we are justified in expressing concern about. Today we need to take a look at why concern may be warranted but going...
Aug 10, 2022•27 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Sometimes podcasts like this one can become soothing rituals, safety devices, and crutches in your recovery. While it might seem crazy for a podcaster to warn you against listening to his podcast, it's not in your best recovery interests to rely on crutches for too long. So stick with me, because there's a method to my madness and we examine this important concept in recovery. For full show notes on this episode: theanxioustruth.com/218 --- My books, socia...
Aug 03, 2022•23 min
Send in a question or comment via text. This week we have ten more of the most commonly asked questions about anxiety and recovery. Tune in as we tackle the following questions and issues: Is recovery possible even if I've suffered for many years? What if I don't have panic attacks and just feel anxious all day? How can I drive during a panic attack? Its not safe What if I have a real medical condition? How do you accept anxiety or surrender to it? What exposures can I do to get ready for ....? ...
Jul 27, 2022•32 min
Send in a question or comment via text. This week we're answering ten of the questions about anxiety and recovery that are most often asked in our community. Tune in as we tackle the following questions and issues: Am I fully recovered and do I experience anxiety or panic any more? Is full recovery possible? Can you recover without medication? This is all easier said than done, Drew! How can you be sure that this really is just anxiety? How can you be brave and face anxiety without running? Do y...
Jul 20, 2022•37 min
Send in a question or comment via text. There's no podcast episode this week but I wanted to remind everyone that every episode I've ever recorded is on my website for your consumption. Browse, listen, and read show notes for each old episode here: https://theanxioustruth.com/listen You can also search all the old episodes by using the search tool in the menu on my website, so check it out! We're back on July 20 with new episodes. There's a ton of good stuff coming up, so I'll see you then. Than...
Jul 13, 2022•2 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Being afraid that you MIGHT harm yourself or commit suicide even though you have no desire or intention of doing that is a very common fear in our community. Today I was joined by OCD and anxiety specialist Kimberley Quinlan who stopped by the podcast to help me address this scary and sensitive topic that I know is important to many listeners. Please remember that a podcast is not therapy nor a substitute for therapy or a suitable crisis management tool. I...
Jul 06, 2022•26 min
Send in a question or comment via text. You don’t have to recover. Nobody, including me, should force you or shame you into getting better. In the end, you have full control over the choices you make and you are free to make whatever choices you want to make based on what you think is best for you. Only you get to decide whether the things I say on this podcast are right for you, and that should always be respected. For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/214 --- My book...
Jun 29, 2022•13 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Accepting that you are responsible for your own recovery leads to empowerment and puts you in a position of strength. But often responsibility is confused with blame or fault, which can lead us into bad places that we don’t need to visit. Let’s talk about that in this week’s episode of The Anxious Truth. For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/213 --- My books, social, and other links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links Support The ...
Jun 22, 2022•18 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Spirituality. How does it factor into the recovery process? What even is it? How do we define it? How does it relate to religion and faith? How do those factor into recovery? All great questions that I have not paid enough attention to. This week on The Anxious Truth UK psychotherapist and bestselling author Joshua Fletcher stops by for a great chat about spirituality, its many forms, and the roles it can play in anxiety recovery. We need to spend more tim...
Jun 15, 2022•35 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Emetophobia - fear of vomiting - is a major driver of anxiety and even panic for many in the community. Today on The Anxious Truth my old friend and collaborator Holly is back to share openly about her experience with emetophobia and what ultimately helped her get past what can be a crippling phobia. For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/21 1 --- My books, social, and other links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links Support The Anx...
Jun 08, 2022•37 min
Send in a question or comment via text. This week I am joined by a friend and frequent collaborator, Lauren Rosen. Lauren in a licensed marriage and family therapist in California specializing in OCD treatment. In a bit of departure, we're doing a top five list! Lauren and I decided to share the top five anxiety busting recovery tips and concepts that helped us both along the path to recovery. Is it click bait? Is it helpful? It's probably both, so check it out! For full show notes on this episo...
Jun 01, 2022•42 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Are you feeling stuck? Are you struggling to make progress or overcome obstacles in your anxiety recovery journey? This is a really common situation for most members of our community from time to time. My friend and frequent collaborator Joe Ryan stopped by the podcast to talk about how he got himself un-stuck, one small step at a time. It's a great story full of lessons that you can apply in your own situation. For full show notes on this episode: https:/...
May 25, 2022•38 min
Send in a question or comment via text. “Recovery is not linear”. How many times have you heard this? There are ups and downs from day to day or even hour to hour. Some days it seems like we’re killing it. Other days we feel frustrated, impatient and discouraged. This is difficult to navigate. It confuses us. It also triggers an emotional reaction in many cases. This week on The Anxious Truth let’s take a look at how that emotional reaction can create a pattern that will have you swinging from o...
May 18, 2022•11 min
Send in a question or comment via text. “Change your thoughts, change your life!", right? NO! This is a thing we hear all the time in self-help and personal development but in all honesty, it's nonsense. Let’s talk about the fact that you cannot stop, control, or change your thoughts no matter how much you want to or how hard you try. And really, that's fine because controlling thoughts is not what will set us free. For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/207 --- My book...
May 11, 2022•16 min
Send in a question or comment via text. "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 memory. We remember being "anxiety free" before things went south, but often this is not true. There's a chance that you did have anxiety before you had anxiety! Most members of the community would look at this statement sideways, insisting that they were anxiety free before the wheels fell off. But you likely did e...
May 04, 2022•18 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 recovery?" The short answer is that there kinda is, and that secret sauce is overcoming your intolerance to distress! For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/205 --- My books, social, and other links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links Support The Anxious Truth: https://theanxioustruth.com/sup...
Apr 27, 2022•30 min
Send in a question or comment via text. 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 knuckling is the term we use to describe the act of holding on tightly and fighting through an exposure or a challenging anxiety experience just to get through it and back to safety. Imagine gripping something so hard that your knuckles turn white. That’s what we’re talking about. I’m often asked when white kn...
Apr 20, 2022•11 min
