The Anxious Truth - A Panic, Anxiety, and Mental Health Podcast
The Anxious Truth is a podcast dedicated to helping people overcome panic attacks, agoraphobia, and other anxiety disorders. Hosted by Drew Linsalata, it provides education, encouragement, and practical advice for recovery. The podcast has been featured in the New York Times and Vogue Magazine. Listeners can also access books and a social media community for additional support.
Episodes
Anxiety and Avoidance Explained | EP 350
Anxiety and avoidance go hand in hand, and most people struggling with an anxiety disorder have been told that avoidance makes things worse. But there's a lot of confusion in this community about what avoidance actually means. What are you avoiding? What aren't you avoiding? And why does it feel like letting go of the scary thought is the same as ignoring the problem?In this episode I wa
Anxiety Recovery Relapse Prevention - The Morning Routine | EP 349
One of the more common mistakes people make as they progress in anxiety disorder recovery is treating recovery as something separate from the rest of their lives. You do the therapy work in one box, and everything else goes in another. That tends to backfire.In this episode I want to introduce the concept of relapse prevention, and I want to do it in the context of building a daily routine that ke
How Do I Stop Obsessing Over ...? | EP 348
Everybody wants to know how to stop obsessing over whatever has them scared right now. In this episode I explain why that's the wrong question, and what to ask instead.In OCD and anxiety disorders, an obsession isn't just a strong thought or a passing worry. It functions like a threat. That's why you can't just decide to turn it off. You can't out argue it, out logic it, o
The Truth In Anxiety Recovery. There Are No "Game Changing" Moments | EP 347
In my anxiety recovery journey, there were no game-changing moments. No mic drops, no epiphanies, no single concept or technique that suddenly moved me forward. And when I look at the people I've worked with in my therapy practice and the community I've built around this podcast, that's pretty much how it goes for everyone.You're probably searching for one, though. I get it. Ev
Core Principles of OCD Recovery w/Kimberley Quinlan | EP 346
In this episode, we are breaking down five core principles of OCD recovery. To help explore this topic, I am joined by Kimberley Quinlan, an anxiety and OCD specialist practicing in Los Angeles and host of the Your Anxiety Toolkit podcast.OCD recovery is often viewed as a rigid list of steps, but it is better understood through specific attributes and ingredients that you can learn to practice and
How Does an Anxiety Therapist NOT Get Triggered? | Ep 345
How Does an Anxiety Therapist Talk About Anxiety All Day Without Getting Triggered?People ask me this constantly. I'm a former sufferer of panic disorder, agoraphobia, OCD, and depression — and now I spend my days immersed in all of it. Therapy clients, podcasts, books, social media. Anxiety is basically my entire professional life. So how does a person like me not end up right back where the
OCD and Acceptance - How Does That Work? | Ep 344
Many people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) struggle to understand how the concept of acceptance applies to their recovery. While it seems straightforward in the context of panic disorder or health anxiety, where sufferers learn to accept temporary physical sensations, applying acceptance to distressing intrusive thoughts and images can feel confusing or even dangerous.In this episode of
Neuroscience and Therapy w/Ana Lund | Ep 343
This episode of The Anxious Truth dives into the messy intersection of neuroscience and psychotherapy. I’m joined by Ana Lund, a UK-based psychotherapist specializing in the link between brain science and clinical practice, to discuss how we actually use research to help you recover.--Want to discuss what you heard today? I'm hanging out on the Disordered Community Spacehttps://disordered.fm/
Blood Pressure Anxiety. How To Stop Checking and Start Living | EP 342
If you recognize the sound of a Velcro rip and your heart starts to pound the minute you hear that familiar hum, we need to talk. You likely bought a home blood pressure monitor to feel safer and healthier, but now you might feel like a slave to a rubber tube and a plastic screen.In this episode, we are looking at how a responsible health habit turns into a psychological nightmare in the form of f
Regular Emotions ... or Anxiety Recovery Problem? | EP 341
Want to talk about what you heard today? Interact with me and others that understand your experience on the Disordered Community app.https://disordered.fm/community----In this episode, we tackle a common trap: viewing every uncomfortable emotion through the lens of anxiety recovery. When you spend months practicing desensitization, acceptance, tolerance, and exposure, it is easy to mislabel normal
Anxiety and OCD Are Like Cult Leaders In Your Head! | EP 340
Want to talk about what you heard today? I'm hanging out on the Disordered Community space. https://disordered.fm/community----Living with an anxiety disorder or OCD often feels less like a medical condition and more like being trapped in a dysfunctional, predatory relationship. In this episode, we explore the metaphor of the "cult leader in your head" to explain why you keep gettin
Anxiety Recovery Questions & Answers | Ep 339
Want to discuss what you heard today with Drew, Josh Fletcher, and others that share your struggle and experience?https://disordered.fm/community----Overcoming an anxiety disorder comes with a TON of questions, so let's answer some!Questions Answered in This Episode03:45 — Why is it so hard to "just let the symptoms be"? I discuss why doing nothing in the face of fear is the biggest
Negative Self Beliefs in Anxiety Recovery | Ep 338
Want to discuss this episode with me and others that share your experience?https://disordered.fm/community-------In this episode of The Anxious Truth, we look at why the lessons of floating, mindful acceptance, and exposure can feel out of reach. While the principles of recovery are simple, they are difficult to execute because they are counterintuitive and require facing the things you fear most.
Understanding Mental Compulsions in OCD and Anxiety | EP 337
Questions about what you've heard today? Want to interact with Drew and other listeners of this podcast? Check out the Disordered Community space.-----When compulsions are behavioral, like hand washing or door checking, they are easy to identify. But when they are mental in nature, things get much fuzzier. In this episode, I’m joined by OCD specialist Lauren Rosen to take the mystery out of m
Anxiety And The Bad Weather Trap | EP 336
When a blizzard or thunderstorm is in the forecast, do you find your anxiety levels spiking long before the first snowflakes or raindrops fall? You aren’t alone. Many people struggling with anxiety disorders or chronic states of anxiety find themselves extra triggered by significant weather events. In this episode, we’re looking at why anxiety and weather often go hand-in-hand and why it isn'
Anxiety and Fear: Anxiety Disorders Are Just ONE Fear | EP 335
When you have an anxiety disorder, it can feel like your list of fears and triggers just keeps getting longer. You might have started being afraid of one or two things, but now it seems like everything sets you off. Driving, being home alone, intrusive thoughts, physical sensations, even opening a new bottle of medication.Despite what it feels like, you're actually only afraid of one thing.Al
Mental Health Misinformation: Why is Online Anxiety "Science" So Confusing? | EP 334
If you've been searching online for ways to deal with your anxiety, you've probably noticed there's an avalanche of information claiming to be "science-based" or "evidence-based." But here's the problem. That isn't always true.This week I'm joined by Dr. Birthe Macdonald, a research psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist, to talk about why onlin
Stoicism, Anxiety, and and Marcus Aurelius ... Gone Wrong? | EP 333
If you're struggling with panic disorder, health anxiety, OCD, GAD, or other anxiety issues you've may have encountered online content that references Stoicism, warrior philosophy, and Marcus Aurelius. The message: master your emotions, be tough, control your fear through discipline and suffering.But that's not what Marcus Aurelius was actually writing about.In this episode, I dig i
When Coping Skills for Anxiety Go Wrong | EP 332
Anxious people love coping skills and coping strategies. Everybody loves to cope. But today we're going to talk about how coping can go off the rails and become part of the problem instead of part of the solution.When you're dealing with chronic anxiety or an anxiety disorder, coping strategies can actually backfire. Every time you frantically reach for your grounding techniques or breat
Kids, OCD, Anxiety, and Implications for Adult Recovery | EP 331
Children with OCD and anxiety disorders have the same diagnoses as adults, but their experience looks and feels different in important ways. In this episode, I sit down with child anxiety and OCD specialist Natasha Daniels to explore those differences and what they reveal about the fundamental nature of these disorders.When you ask a young child why they're doing a ritual, they often can&apos
When Life Naturally Makes You Anxious | EP 330
Sometimes life throws real challenges at us—loss, relationship changes, health concerns, financial struggles—that naturally trigger anxiety. But when you're dealing with an anxiety disorder, these moments become especially confusing. How do you tell the difference between "normal" anxiety and disordered anxiety? And what do you do when recovery concepts don't seem to apply?In t
Anxious Parenting? Learning to do LESS with Joanna Hardis | EP 329
Anxious parenting can feel overwhelming, especially when your own anxiety drives you to do more - more rescuing, more protecting, more intervening. But what if the path to better parenting actually requires learning to do less?In this episode, I'm joined by anxiety/OCD specialist Joanna Hardis to talk about how anxious parenting patterns keep us stuck and what we can really do about them. Joa
Questions and Answers About Anxiety And Recovery | EP 328
This week we're doing a special "no frills" edition of The Anxious Truth (just like the old days). I asked my Instagram audience for questions, and I'm here to do my best to answer them. If you're dealing with panic disorder, agoraphobia, OCD, health anxiety, or generalized anxiety disorder, you've probably asked yourself many of these same questions.I cover the most
How Anxiety Is Constructed In The Brain | Ep 327
Anxiety that you cannot control, that keeps coming back, that you don't understand and are terrified of, will trick you into believing that something is really wrong. But what if that intense fear you experience—while absolutely real—is based on a prediction your brain is making that isn't actually true?In this episode, I speak with Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, neuroscientist and author of
How To Calm Your Anxious Feelings | Ep 326
If you're struggling with anxiety and searching for ways of calming your feelings, this episode is for you.I break down why the most popular strategies for calming your feelings - like using logic to talk yourself out of anxiety, trying to replace negative emotions with positive ones, attempting to control your body's responses, or avoiding triggers - often backfire when you're deal
Anxiety Recovery: Feeling Good About Feeling Bad? | Ep 325
There's whole industry built around helping people feel good about feeling bad, and while validation has its place, this endless cycle of anxiety content might actually be keeping you stuck. In this episode, we explore how consuming validation-focused content can become a form of modern reassurance-seeking that maintains anxiety disorders rather than promoting recovery.We'll discuss the
Anxiety Recovery: Mindset, Belief, and Motivation? | EP 324
If you're struggling with anxiety disorders and constantly being told you need a positive mindset, stronger beliefs, and better motivation to recover, this episode is for you. I'm breaking down why these three concepts are tragically misunderstood and misapplied in anxiety recovery—and why they might actually be keeping you stuck.What You'll Learn:Why you can't just "decid
Exposure For Anxiety: Common Misconceptions and Mistakes | Ep 323
Exposure for anxiety is the gold standard treatment for anxiety disorders, but most people get it wrong, especially when trying to use exposure without professional help. In this episode, we're breaking down why so many people struggle with exposure for anxiety and how to avoid the common traps that lead to frustration and giving up.If you've ever tried exposure therapy for panic disorde
Agoraphobia to Astrophotography: A Recovery Story | EP 322
For 25 years of my life, I struggled with panic disorder, agoraphobia, OCD, and depression. I was so anxious that I couldn't leave my house or be alone for more than a few minutes at a time. But last week, I finally did something I've wanted to do since I was 9 years old.In this episode, I share a personal story - not as a blueprint for your recovery, but as encouragement that anxiety re
When Your Mind Becomes Its Own Worst Enemy | EP 321
This week on The Anxious Truth, we're talking about what happens when a problem solving mind sees itself as a problem to solve.Your mind is an incredible problem-solving machine - it's what sets humans apart and has helped us thrive for thousands of years. But when that same problem-solving ability turns inward and starts trying to "fix" your own thoughts, emotions, and interna
Medication for Anxiety: Why We're Not Talking About It | Ep 320
I get asked about medication every single day. Can you get better without it? Is it necessary? What's the best one? Is it cheating to take medication?Today I'm explaining why I don't answer these questions - and why you should be cautious about content creators who do.In this episode, I cover:The three main reasons mental health content creators shouldn't give medication advice
How Do We Use Mindfulness In Anxiety Therapy? (Part 2) | EP 319
How do real anxiety therapists apply mindfulness principles when working with real anxiety clients in real therapy sessions? Let's check out part two of my chat with therapists Lauren Rosen and Joanna Hardis. We all make heavy use of the principles of mindfulness in our practices, and in our daily lives.What you'll learn in this episode:Why "being present" isn't about feel
Mindfulness in Anxiety Treatment (Part 1) | EP 318
What happens when three anxiety specialists get together to talk practically about how they use mindfulness in anxiety treatment? This week on The Anxious Truth, we find out.I'm joined by Lauren Rosen, who practices in Los Angeles specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders, and Joanna Hardis from Cleveland, also an expert in treating OCD, anxiety, and anxiety disorders. Together, we break down
OMG! Nothing Works For My Anxiety!!! | EP 317
If you've reached the point of declaring "I've tried everything and nothing works for my anxiety," this episode is specifically for you. Many anxiety sufferers fall into this trap and conclude they're uniquely broken or have a special form of anxiety that's resistant to recovery.As both a therapist and someone who personally recovered from panic disorder and agoraphob
Anxiety and Fearing Emotions: Becoming More Emotionally Allowable | EP 316
Do you find yourself running from difficult emotions or trying desperately to control them? Many people with anxiety disorders develop a deep fear of their own emotions, believing they're too intense or unbearable to experience fully. In this episode of The Anxious Truth, Drew is joined by therapist Joanna Hardis to explore the concept of "emotional allowability" – learning to coexi
Driving Anxiety and Driving Exposure | EP 315
Navigating driving anxiety with exposure therapy—but not how you might think. In this episode, Drew Linsalata (therapist, author, and former anxiety sufferer) challenges common misconceptions about addressing driving anxiety. Learn why the feeling is the exposure, not the driving itself, and discover how interoceptive and imaginal exposures can help without ever starting your car. Drew explains wh
Anxiety Recovery: Acceptance Is Better Than Control | EP 314
When struggling with chronic anxiety or anxiety disorders, our instinct is often to search for ways to control, manage, or eliminate our symptoms. But what if that approach is actually keeping us stuck?This week we're looking at the fundamental difference between acceptance-based strategies and control/management-based approaches to anxiety recovery. Drawing from both research evidence and re
Common Questions About Anxiety From ... You! | EP 313
In this no-frills episode of The Anxious Truth, I'm tackling common questions about anxiety sent in by you, the listeners. No fancy production today - just real talk about real anxiety concerns.We're diving into: 00:00 - Introduction 00:58 - Emetophobia (fear of vomiting) - what it is and how it's typically addressed 06:12 - Nocturnal panic attacks - why they're jarring and how
Your Anxiety Is Not Special (This Is Good News) | EP 312
This week we're looking at why the anxious fear that bothers you most is NOT special - and why that's actually good news for your recovery.After receiving countless messages asking me to address specific fears (passing out, heart attacks, going insane), I've noticed a pattern: everyone thinks their particular anxiety is unique, more dangerous, or requires special treatment.Here&apos
How To Accept Anxiety: Do What Matters (Part 3 of 3) | Ep 311
When anxiety hits, how do you know what to do? This week on The Anxious Truth we're exploring how your personal values can guide your choices in anxious moments. Tune in to learn practical ways to identify and connect with your values. This can inform more productive responses when anxiety gets triggered.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/311Send in a question or
How To Accept Anxiety: Open Up! (Part 2 of 3) | Ep 310
How to Accept Anxiety: Opening Up to New OptionsIn this episode, we explore the second component of the ACT Triflex framework for anxiety acceptance: opening up to new possibilities. Learn why considering options when triggered—even without knowing what to do next—is a crucial step in recovery.Key Points:Understanding the ACT Triflex framework for anxiety acceptanceWhy mindfulness is essential for
The Art of Accepting Anxiety: Getting Present (Part 1 of 3) | EP 309
HOW DO I ACCEPT ANXIETY?!?!?!?!Let's start a three-part series on accepting anxiety using the ACT Tri-flex framework. As both a therapist and former anxiety sufferer, I'm going to break down the crucial first practical step of getting present and what it really means in a practical way.KEY POINTS:Why there are no "steps" to accepting anxietyThe difference between "doing mo
Taking Time Off Because of Anxiety - Help or Harm? | EP 308
In this episode of The Anxious Truth, we tackle a question that comes up constantly in anxiety recovery: Should you take time off from work or school because of anxiety? We explore why this seemingly simple question has a complex answer, and why what feels intuitively right might not always serve your recovery.Key Topics Covered:Why the urge to take time off is completely normalThe paradox of anxi
The Truth About Rewiring An Anxious Brain | Ep 307
Are you tired of trying countless techniques to "rewire" your anxious brain, only to find yourself still stuck in the same patterns? In this eye-opening episode, we're diving deep into the science of neuroplasticity and anxiety recovery to reveal why popular brain rewiring methods might actually be reinforcing your anxiety.You'll learn why your brain doesn't have a delete
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy w/Dr. Debbie Joffe Ellis | Ep 306
Want to know more about Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and how it might be applied in your situation? Join us this week for insights from the world-renowned therapist Dr. Debbie Joffe-Ellis as she guides us through the origins, core concepts, and application of REBT. Discover how this pioneering cognitive behavioral approach can help you reshape your perceptions and beliefs, offering a
Doing Nothing (About Anxiety) Is A Good Plan | Ep 305
Unlock the secret to mastering your mental well-being by embracing the art of doing nothing. Join us as we explore this transformative concept with the insightful Joanna Hardis, an OCD and anxiety specialist from Cleveland. We delve into concepts rooted in Taoism and Buddhism that challenge the relentless drive for constant activity in Western cultures. Learn how surrendering to anxiety and panic
Anxiety Recovery: Learning To Trust Your Body Again | Ep 304
Why is learning to trust your body again so difficult in the face of chronic or disordered anxiety? What if chronic anxiety could make you feel as disconnected from your body as a chronic illness might? Discover the surprising parallels between the two as we unravel the complex relationship anxiety sufferers have with their physical selves. This week on The Anxious Truth we're talking about
Expectations and Demands in Anxiety Recovery | Ep 303
Resisting the reality of anxiety - the fact that it does exist in your life even when you are trying really hard to escape it or make it stop - means clinging to "feel good" expectations that are rarely met. This mismatch between expectations, demands, and reality can make overcoming chronic or disordered anxiety even harder than it already is.Let's take a look at how expectations a
Journaling Tips for Anxiety Disorder Recovery | Ep 302
Journaling can be a useful tool in anxiety recovery, but how do you ensure it works for you and not against you? This episode challenges traditional journaling methods, especially when grappling with chronic or disordered anxiety, by offering a fresh perspective on how to modify these practices to align with your recovery goals. Beware of falling into the trap of rumination and learn how to use jo
A Guided Mindful Acceptance Exercise for Anxiety | EP 301
Can you transform your relationship with anxiety by letting go and dropping your resistance? Well, the most effective acceptance-based treatments for chronic and disordered anxiety are based on this exact principle. The concepts are simple and the theory is sound, yet most anxious people struggle with fully letting to and engaging in mindful acceptance of anxiety, fear, panic, uncertainty, and oth
Micro Exposures in Anxiety Recovery | EP 300
Can skipping a daily calming ritual or delaying bedtime slightly really aid in anxiety recovery? Discover how these seemingly insignificant acts can accumulate into substantial progress on your journey to overcoming anxiety. This week on The Anxious Truth, we’re breaking down the concept of micro exposures—those small, yet powerful steps designed to help you face and manage your anxiety. By starti
Anxiety and Avoidance: How Can I Tell If I'm Avoiding? | Ep 299
Are you struggling to identify whether your behaviors are forms of avoidance in your anxiety recovery journey? This episode of The Anxious Truth addresses the often murky and uncertain nature of avoidance habits, emphasizing that nobody navigates these waters flawlessly. We'll share insights on how distinguishing between necessary avoidance for safety and avoidance driven by anxiety can help
Anxiety Recovery Without Exposure? | Ep 298
Is it possible to conquer an anxiety disorder without doing exposure? Well ... there are plenty of non-exposure concepts and techniques that can really help. No doubt about that. But in the end, thinking and feeling is rarely if ever all we need to change beliefs in a way that really makes a difference. Behavior and experience are almost always a part of this puzzle in some way, which means that
Bad Anxiety and Mental Health Advice | Episode 297
The Internet is packed with anxiety and mental health advice, but not all of it is useful or helpful. Some of it can be harmful. This week I'm joined by Emma McAdam, the therapist behind the Therapy in a Nutshell YouTube channel, to dissect the often misleading and sometimes dangerous information circulating online about conditions like anxiety, depression, ADHD, and bipolar disorder. Emma s
Healing From Anxiety | Ep 296
Healing from chronic or disordered anxiety. How do we do it? Do we do it at all? This week on The Anxious Truth we’re talking about healing from anxiety because this is a topic so many people want to hear more about!For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/296If you are going to scroll through any of mental health social media today, you WILL see content that includes the
Do I Really Have To Sit With My Anxiety? | Episode 295
What if you could transform your relationship with anxiety simply by changing your approach? This week on the Anxious Truth, we tackle the misunderstood phrase "sitting with anxiety" and reveal how it doesn't mean you have to be physically still. We'll break down the true essence of this concept, emphasizing the importance of allowing yourself to experience anxiety without tryi
When Panic Attacks Come Out Of The Blue | Ep 294
HELP! My panic attacks come totally out of the blue! I don't know how to handle that!For an anxious person struggling with the process of anxiety disorder recovery, it can sometimes seem like panic attacks strike completely randomly and "out of the blue", where no clear source of anxiety can be identified as triggering the attack. This can be frustrating, especially if you've
Thinking and Feeling ... About Thinking and Feeling | EP 293
Thinking and feeling are important to humans. Thinking and feeling about thinking and feeling is important to anxious humans!In the world of recovery from disordered or chronic anxiety, what we thinking and feeling about thinking and feeling - our metacognitive beliefs - play an important role in the process but are often overlooked.This week on The Anxious Truth I'm pretty exhausted so we&ap
Anxiety Grounding Techniques Revisited | Episode 292
You’re in the middle of a huge wave of intense anxiety and fear, or maybe you’re experiencing a full blown panic attack. Someone with all the best intentions and trying to be helpful instructs you to identify five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.This is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise. If you’ve follo
Common Themes in Anxious Fears | Ep 291
Among people that struggle with chronic or disordered forms of anxiety, there are a wide range of individual primary fears or concerns. When you ask a large enough number of our friends what they are afraid of, you’re going to get a pretty wide range of answers primarily because everyone experiences fear, worry, concern, and anxiety in a slightly different way. But hidden within this apparently wi
Anxious Sensory Overload & Overwhelm | EP 290
People struggling with chronic or disordered states of anxiety often find themselves in a situation where they are hyper aware and therefore overwhelmed by sensory input. Non-anxious humans are so oblivious to what we sense that we sometimes pay to have people tell us to notice what our eyes, ears, noses, and skin are sending and perceiving. But for anxious people dealing with chronic or disordere
EP 289 - We Do Have A Choice When Triggered. Even When We Don't Believe That Yet.
Sometimes the toughest opponent we have in anxiety recovery is the belief we can't outrun. This episode challenges you to question the certainties that have defined your battle with anxiety. Is the intensity of our emotions a reliable compass? Is our self-knowledge as accurate as we believe? We'll explore the potential for a fleeting moment of power even amidst the storm of fear, and how
EP 288 - Do I Have To Stop Fearing Anxiety To Fully Accept It?
DO I HAVE TO STOP BEING AFRAID TO TRULY ACCEPT ANXIETY (AND TO GET BETTER)?Good question. But this is a backwards interpretation of acceptance so let’s clarify.Acceptance is not finding a way to turn off your fearAcceptance is not figuring out some method for hating your anxiety lessAcceptance is not about creating a new state of being or feeling from an emotional or mental standpointAcceptance i
EP 287 - When Everything Becomes An Anxiety Trigger (Foundations of Panic #6)
Anxiety Triggers: When The List Is GrowingMany members of our community will find that over time their list of anxiety triggers or panic attack triggers is growing. More and more things become triggers, which starts to get frustrating and disheartening. Let's talk about why that happens, and what it means in the recovery process.Important Timestamps:02:17 - Everything becomes an anxiety trig
EP 286 - Anxiety and Recovery Questions and Answers
Let's do an old fashioned anxiety questions and answers session, shall we? Today we're answering questions from our friends on Facebook.02:24 How do I face a scary exposure?05:58 Is it normal to still have symptoms or scary thoughts in recovery?08:48 What do I do when I'm not anxious and have no symptoms or thoughts to deal with?10:40 Which comes first, scary sensations or scary th
EP 285 - Panic Attacks Or Panic Disorder? (Foundations of Panic #5)
Having panic attacks does not always mean you have panic disorder. This week on The Anxious Truth we're digging into what differentiates panic attacks - even recurring panic attacks - from panic disorder.In a nutshell, the primary differentiator here is fear/avoidance. When you begin to fear panic attacks because you interpret them as dangerous or too overwhelming, then you begin to modify a
EP 284 - Anxiety Recovery and Why Avoiding Panic Triggers Isn't A Good Plan (Foundations of Panic 4)
Struggling with constant anxiety, recurring panic attacks, or a full blown anxiety disorder? Avoiding anxiety and panic triggers might seem like the safest path, but let's look at why this understandable and common response can be more foe than friend. In this episode we'll look at some of the mechanics of panic attacks and panic disorder, shedding light on why evading anxiety can inadve
EP 283 - Living With Anxiety: Recover to Live, or Live To Recover?
LIVING WITH ANXIETY ...I HAVE TO RECOVER SO I CAN LIVE MY LIFE AGAIN!But really, do you? Or is it better to do your best to re-engage in life so that you can recover? This week we're examining the concept of life AS recovery rather than life as something you get to do only after you've reached some magic state of "recovered". Yes, at times recovery from an anxiety disorder in
EP 282 - How To Calm Down From A Panic Attack (Foundations of Panic 3)
HOW TO CALM DOWN FROM A PANIC ATTACK? This is one of the million dollar question in our community, so let's take a look at how to calm down from a panic attack. I know you likely want tips and tricks for how to stop a panic attack and calm down, but could the act of embracing, rather than fighting off a panic attack, be the hidden doorway to "calm"? Let's look at true acceptan
EP 281 - What Does A Panic Attack Feel Like (Foundations of Panic 2)
WHAT DOES A PANIC ATTACK FEEL LIKE?Let's unpack the harrowing reality of a panic attack, peeling back the layers to expose the heart-thumping, breath-stealing beast it can be. My journey as a therapist in training, fused with raw personal encounters, brings a unique perspective to the forefront. We dissect those suffocating episodes, where your own body feels like an unwieldy adversary, and t
EP 280 - Signs and Symptoms of Panic Attacks (Foundations of Panic 1)
Ever wondered how to recognize a panic attack? Want to understand the physical and mental symptoms that hint towards an oncoming episode? Not sure if what you're experiencing are panic attacks or something else? This episode of The Anxious Truth is for you. Tune in as we delve into panic and panic attacks, demystifying the sensations, the thoughts, the fear, and the need to escape that often
EP 279 - Finding the Right Therapist: Insights for Anxiety Sufferers
Struggling to find the right anxiety therapist?Are you curious about how a therapist becomes a therapist?Let's take a look through the maze of credentials - from Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) to Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Let's shed some light on the demanding journey of trai
EP 278 - Does My Anxiety Therapist Need To Know Dr. Clare Weekes?
Do you need to find a therapist that knows and follows the "Claire Weekes method"?This week we unpack the impact of Dr. Claire Weekes, shedding light on her influential role in the therapy world, specifically in the realm of anxiety disorders. Dr. Weekes' groundbreaking principles of acceptance have proven to be timeless, remaining relevant in therapy practices today. We go beyond t
EP 277 - Anxiety Recovery and Neurodivergence Issues w/Dr. Terri Bacow
Anxiety recovery can be a highly individual journey. This is especially true if you have ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or otherwise identify as neurodivergent. While there are certainly general principles we rely on, every person will find recovery to present specific and unique challenges that have to be addressed as part of the process. For neurodivergent members of our community, this is als
EP 276 - Anxiety and Recovery: A Holistic View
Anxiety and the recovery process do not exist in a vacuum. You are an entire person, and all the parts of you come into this process. Holistic is not a word you hear me use often, but it is a word we need to acknowledge because when dealing with chronic/disordered anxiety and the recovery process, your background, experiences, beliefs, and views of yourself and the world will enter the picture in
EP 275 - The Triggered AND TRICKED Anxiety Cycle
The anxiety cycle starts as a seemingly never ending loop where you get triggered, you fight through it, you calm down, then you worry and fret over the next time you might get triggered. It can become an exhausting merry-go-ground if you're new to this process and convinced that high anxiety and panic are horrible disasters that must be avoided or "managed" at all costs.But over ti
Podcast Schedule Update - September 2023
No new podcast episode this week, but we will be back next week with a new episode on September 27, 2023. Going forward, new episodes of The Anxious Truth will be produced every other week. I'm making this change based on time constraints and the fact that we are producing episodes of "Disordered" every week, and that's a really good podcast!Listen to Disordered here:https://di
EP 274 - Anxiety Recovery and Self-Care
Self-care in anxiety recovery. We hear about it all the time, but is self-care always essential oils and hot baths and candles and soothing? It certainly can by, but self-care is also giving yourself what you really need, which isn't always what you want. Sometimes self-care means challenging yourself a bit to help break the avoidance cycle. Sometimes self-care means you choose to be uncomfor
EP 273 - Anxiety Recovery: Questions and Answers
This week we answered some common - and not so common - questions about anxiety and recovery. Thanks to everyone on Instagram that submitted a question. I appreciate it!First I reviewed some basic principles you can fall back on when asking many of the questions that were asked. That's about the first 15 minutes of the episode, which will be useful if you're new to this or need a refres
EP 272 - Anxiety Recovery And Learning To Do .... Nothing?!
This week my guest is anxiety and OCD specialist Joanna Hardis who stopped by the podcast to talk about the art of doing ... nothing.Wait ... what? Nothing? Yes. Nothing. Humans are conditioned to automatically spring into action to solve problems, and often we declare that our emotional and mental states are automatically problems that must be solved. When we experience discomfort, distress, anx
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