Why does manifestation backfire when you need it most?

In this episode, I look at why affirmations and vision boards don’t land when your body is stuck in protection and alarm. That state makes it almost impossible to think positively, no matter how many times you repeat the words. The nervous system drives what you’re able to manifest, and when it’s wired for survival, positivity just slides off while negativity sticks. Real tools like hypno meditations, visualization, and the physiological sigh can shift the body out of alarm so the mind can believe what it’s saying. That’s when manifestation stops feeling fake and starts working.

You’ll Learn:

• Why manifestation often fails
• The tools I use to regulate my body first so that my mind and body can align and manifestation can take root
• The surprising link between childhood disconnection and difficulty creating positive change
• How the nervous system shapes what you notice, and why it can trap you in a negative echo chamber
• What it feels like to try affirmations that your body doesn’t believe
• Why regulating your body first makes manifestation more powerful and sustainable
• How your reticular activating system filters your reality based on what you expect
• The quiet damage of bypassing discomfort with positive thinking
• How breath work, hypno meditations, and somatic tools can align your body and mind for change
• What really happens when you manifest from connection instead of protection

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[02:02] Living in self-protection blocks manifestation. Focus on connection instead.

[05:32] Rewiring the unconscious mind with visualization and hypno meditations

[08:17] The science behind the chronic alarm system and why it blocks manifestation and reinforces negativity

[11:04] How to align your body and mind before working on manifestation

[14:48] Using somatic practices and inner child work to make manifestation real

[16:49] Healing anxiety by reconnecting with love and creating a positive echo chamber

Resources Mentioned:

MBRX Program by Russell Kennedy | Website

Anxiety Rx by Russell Kennedy | Book or Audiobook

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

In this episode, I cover why chaos feels so familiar and why we keep getting pulled into it even when it makes us anxious.



Today’s uncertainty from news, politics, money issues, AI, and climate change mirror the unpredictability many of us grew up with. That early wiring can make us attracted to chaos, even as it increases our alarm. The pull of distraction, overstimulation, and loneliness keep the body’s alarm system activated… but what helps? Reconnecting with the younger version of ourselves who didn’t feel safe, meeting their needs now, and finding ways to calm our alarm from the inside, no matter what’s happening in the world — this is a good place to start.

You’ll Learn:

• Why uncertainty in world events can spike old childhood anxiety
• What happens when distraction and overstimulation become your nervous system’s default state
• The link between growing up in chaos and feeling drawn to global chaos today
• Why financial stress often triggers a survival-level alarm in people raised with scarcity
• How AI and not knowing what’s real can recreate the same insecurity you felt as a child
• The quiet damage of loneliness, even when you’re surrounded by people
• Why accepting love and connection can be harder than you think
• How climate change anxiety taps into early feelings of helplessness and grief
• The specific practices that help you reparent the part of you that never felt safe
• Why real relief comes from changing your inner world, not waiting for the outer world to calm down

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[02:00] Why uncertainty fuels anxiety by mirroring childhood chaos

[07:36] How childhood scarcity shapes money anxiety and safety beliefs

[09:41] How AI fatigue and overstimulation trigger old childhood fears

[12:19] How healing loneliness through self-connection reduces anxiety

[15:11] How climate grief and ancestral trauma mirror childhood powerlessness

[18:43] How connecting with your inner child creates peace in a chaotic world

Resources Mentioned:

Anxiety Rx by Russell Kennedy | Book or Audiobook

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

In this episode, I unpack why your TikTok anxiety hacks might actually be keeping you stuck.



I get into the good, the bad, and the harmful when it comes to viral mental health content, like anxiety dance trends, “cortisol cocktails,” and trauma confessionals set to sad songs. I talk about why these things can help in the short term, but also why they fall short if you’re serious about actually healing your anxiety. I explain how most of these trends miss the deeper point: your anxiety isn’t just in your head; it lives in your body. And if you’re only reaching for quick fixes, you’re probably just kicking the anxiety can down the road.

You’ll Learn: 

• The real reason TikTok anxiety hacks can keep you stuck in chronic symptoms
• What happens when emotional expression online turns into performative pain
• The quiet damage of reframing panic attacks as “just anxiety”
• Why movement and music help anxiety, but only up to a point
• How dance trends disrupt your freeze state and shift nervous system patterns
• The surprising link between lemons, cold plunges, and present-moment awareness
• Why most viral “cortisol cocktails” are a placebo at best
• What it feels like to rely on comfort instead of doing the deeper work
• How misusing therapy language online confuses discomfort with pathology
• A practical framework for evaluating mental health advice on social media

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[02:44] The TikTok anxiety song trend and its impact on mental health

[04:48] The TikTok anxiety dance trend and its benefits and drawbacks

[07:58] The "It’s just anxiety" TikTok trend and how it impacts coping and healing

[10:44] DIY sensory hacks for anxiety

[14:14] Therapeutic life hack trends and why comfort is not the same as healing

[15:39] Misinformation and misuse of therapy language on TikTok

Resources Mentioned:

MBRX Program by Russell Kennedy | Website

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

What if someone can make you feel something, and the real problem is pretending they can’t?

In this episode, I talk about a phrase I used to hear all the time: “Nobody can make you feel anything.” I break down why I no longer believe that’s true, and what actually happens in the brain and body when we’re triggered. I get into how emotional responses are often reflexive, how easily anxiety hijacks intense feelings, and why staying grounded in the body, not the mind, is what really gives us choice.

You’ll Learn:

• The real reason “nobody can make you feel anything” doesn’t hold up to neuroscience
• What happens in your brain when someone triggers a strong emotional reaction
• Why fear responses can bypass your thinking mind entirely
• How anxiety often hijacks other emotions and turns them into alarm
• The quiet damage of suppressing anger in childhood
• What it feels like to lose your rational mind in a moment of overwhelm
• Why grounding in your body is more effective than “just thinking differently”
• The difference between emotional reflexes and how you choose to respond
• What the physiological sigh does for nervous system regulation
• Why emotional regulation takes practice and why that practice has to start before the trigger hits

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[11:31] Why intense emotions often get mistaken for anxiety and feed the victim loop

[14:26] How to break the fear habit by practicing emotional awareness and response

[17:01] Why intense emotions shut down your rational brain and how to stay in control

[20:37] How to stay grounded and choose your response when you're triggered

[21:54] How to train your body to stay calm during emotional overwhelm

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

Welcome back!

In today’s episode of Anxiety Rx, we’re diving into the real root of social anxiety…and spoiler alert: it’s not just about being shy at parties.

Social anxiety is often misunderstood as a surface-level fear of people, but it runs much deeper than that. It’s a fear of connection - especially with yourself. In this episode, I break down how social anxiety stems from a body-based alarm, not just overthinking or awkwardness.

If you grew up feeling like love had strings attached or rejection was around every corner, your nervous system probably learned to associate connection with danger. I’ll walk you through why that happens, what’s really going on in your body, and how to gently start rewiring that alarm.

We’ll talk about courage (not confidence), co-regulation, and why healing starts with reconnecting to the parts of yourself you’ve been avoiding. Because you can’t truly connect with others until you start feeling safe inside your own skin.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Understanding Social Anxiety

07:16 The Role of Childhood Experiences

13:39 Connecting with Your Inner Child

18:50 Courage and Connection in Social Situations

Hello everyone!

You’ve probably heard me talk about alarm - that raw, uncomfortable sensation in the body that actually drives anxiety. But in this episode, I break it down further into two distinct types: foreground alarm and background alarm.

Foreground alarm is the big, loud stuff (like someone jumping out and scaring you, or feelings of unease before a big presentation). It’s sharp, intense, and impossible to ignore.
Background alarm is quieter. It hums under the surface (like chronic tension, unease, a vague sense that something’s off, even when nothing obvious is happening.)

These two types of alarm shape your experience with anxiety in very different ways, and in this episode, I’ll walk you through how they interact, why they often go unrecognized, and how they can make it feel like anxiety is coming out of nowhere.

More importantly, I’ll share what to do about it. Not by trying to outthink it (you know how I feel about that), but by learning how to soothe the alarm in your body - through presence, breath, and connection.

If you’ve ever felt blindsided by panic or trapped in chronic anxiety without knowing why, this episode will help you finally understand what’s really going on.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Understanding Anxiety as Alarm

07:58 Foreground vs Background Alarm

15:39 Panic Attacks and Their Triggers

17:26 Understanding the Alarm in Your Body

17:55 Metabolizing Your Feelings

18:52 Healing Through Acceptance

Hello everyone!

In this episode of the Anxiety Rx podcast, I talk about something we cannot heal anxiety without: faith.

Not necessarily religious faith (unless that’s your thing) - I mean the kind of faith that says, I can handle what’s coming. I’ll figure it out. I’m not alone in this.

But if you grew up in chaos, unpredictability, or even emotional disconnection, that faith (especially in yourself) might have never had a chance to grow. And when there’s no faith, there’s fear. Anxiety steps in to fill the gap, and your nervous system whispers, you’re not safe, and your mind scrambles to make sense of it with endless worry.

In this episode, I walk you through how that loss of faith happens, how it wires itself into your body, and most importantly, how to begin building it back. Not through thinking, but through feeling. Through self-soothing, grounding, and connecting with the younger part of you that still needs to hear, you’re safe now.

Because real healing—the kind that actually lasts—doesn’t come from managing symptoms. It comes from restoring faith, so you can feel safe in your body, and in your adult self’s ability to handle whatever comes your way. In your ability to stay present, even when life gets wobbly.

If you’ve lost that inner knowing, this one’s for you.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 The Power of Belief and Faith in Healing Anxiety

02:41 Understanding the Alarm System in Our Bodies

05:06 The Cycle of Worry and Anxiety

07:25 The Role of Childhood Experiences in Anxiety

09:52 Faith as a Tool for Managing Uncertainty

12:13 Connecting with the Inner Child for Healing

14:52 The Importance of Trusting Love

16:47 Creating Safety Through Self-Love

19:31 Breaking the Cycle of Alarm and Anxiety

21:52 Embracing Uncertainty for Growth

23:47 The Journey to Healing Anxiety

26:27 Conclusion: Awareness, Self-Compassion and Faith as Keys to Healing

Welcome back everyone!

In this episode, I dive into the sneaky nature of worry—how it masquerades as a helpful strategy when really, it’s just our nervous system trying to avoid the discomfort of uncertainty.

Worry gives us the illusion of control, but underneath it is a scared, younger part of us that never learned how to feel safe in the unknown.

I talk about how this starts in childhood, when unpredictability wires us to constantly scan for “what ifs” as a way of preparing for the worst. But the problem is, this habit doesn’t actually keep us safe—it just keeps us stuck.

Instead of spiraling in our thoughts, the way out is through the body. I’ll explain why real healing from anxiety happens when we learn to feel our way through it, not think our way out.

And yes, that means learning to sit with discomfort and build a new relationship with uncertainty—not as a threat, but as a doorway to deeper trust in ourselves.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Understanding Worry and Anxiety

05:43 The Paradox of Worry and Uncertainty

12:51 Healing Through Sensation Without Explanation

20:12 Breaking the Cycle of Alarm and Anxiety

Hey Everyone!

In this episode, I pull back the curtain on the real driver of anxiety: the overprotective, fire-breathing ego dragon we forged in childhood.

We talk a lot about anxiety being in the mind—but it’s not. It’s a body-based response, rooted in old pain and fear that never got processed. That pain creates a background alarm in your system, and in comes the ego dragon: a powerful internal protector built by a scared, overwhelmed child. Its job? Keep you safe. Its strategy? Constant hypervigilance, control, and worry.

The problem is, the ego dragon doesn’t know the danger is over. So it keeps you stuck in fear, biting your own tail, creating more alarm through the very worries you hope will save you. In this episode, I show you how to unmask this dragon—not to slay it, but to soothe it. To recognize that your anxiety isn’t weakness. It’s your nervous system doing too good a job of trying to protect you.

We talk about how to come back to the present, connect with that inner child, and melt the alarm that fuels your thoughts—so you can finally step out of survival mode and into something that feels more like peace, and living.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction to Anxiety RX Podcast

00:27 Understanding Anxiety: Mind vs Body

02:00 The Concept of Background Alarm

03:03 The Alarm Anxiety Cycle

05:07 The Iceberg Analogy of Anxiety

05:42 The Ego Dragon: Protection vs. Fear

06:56 Hypervigilance and Its Effects

08:23 The Role of the Ego in Anxiety

10:29 Present Moment Awareness as a Tool

12:21 Understanding the Fear Bias

13:42 Healing Through Connection with the Inner Child

16:40 The Importance of Feeling to Heal

18:07 Conclusion: Taking Control of Your Healing

Welcome back!

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of my own anxiety story—from growing up with a father who had schizophrenia, to nearly losing myself during medical school, and finally (after many failed attempts) learning how to actually heal anxiety, rather than just manage it.

I talk about how my early life wired me for chronic alarm in my body, long before I even knew what “anxiety” was. I share what it was like navigating that as a physician and neuroscientist who, ironically, couldn’t fix his own mind with logic. (Spoiler: healing doesn’t happen in the mind.)

This episode is personal. It’s the origin story of the work I do now—and a love letter to anyone who’s ever felt like they were broken. You’re not. But you are likely carrying a scared inner child who needs you to come back for them.

Let’s talk about what that really means—and how reconnecting with your alarm is where real healing begins.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Russell's Personal Journey with Anxiety

09:53 The Impact of Childhood Trauma

19:58 Navigating Medical School and Anxiety

30:05 Understanding Alarm and Healing