"Healing" is a VERY popular word in self-help, mental health, and wellness circles. For many, this word resonates. For our friends struggling to overcome chronic and disordered anxiety, it can sure feel like there's healing to do.

But what if recovery wasn't all about healing? What if there was as much learning as there is healing in the process? Or what if the healing part doesn't always look the way you think healing looks and feels?

This week Josh and Drew are deconstructing the idea of "healing" in anxiety recovery. Are we saying that healing isn't a thing? Of course not! Everyone gets to pick the syntax and the words that resonate most for them. Surely there is some healing happening in some way. But when healing fuels and drives compulsive or ritualized recovery, or drives one into an endless loop of demanding to feel "properly healed", things can go off the rails quickly. This episode is designed to make you think a bit about the roles of healing and learning in recovery, and how you might be glued to words that aren't always serving you well.

As always, a healthy dose of flexibility and patience is required as part of this discussion and as part of the recovery process as a whole. Never forget that these questions can be confusing, there isn't always a definite answer to be had, and in the absence of patience and self-compassion this kind of thing can accidentally make you feel like you're doing it wrong or that you have to work harder to achieve "perfect" recovery. Beware of that trap at all times!

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Want to pre-order Josh’s book, “And How Does That Make You Feel?” 

⁠⁠⁠https://geni.us/JoshFletcher⁠⁠⁠

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If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

Anxiety triggered by exercise, exertion, or being in the gym is a common struggle for anyone dealing with issues like panic attacks, agoraphobia, or any anxiety disorder that places a focus on physical anxiety symptoms or feelings of shame, inadequacy, or embarrassment.

This week Drew and Josh share not only a professional take on this aspect of anxiety, but their own lived experience struggling with exercise, exertion, feelings they didn't want to feel, and sometimes wanting to run and hide while in the gym with others. As usual, the guys offer some familiar advice when it comes to how to navigate through these anxious moments, assurance about why anxiety doesn't make exercise dangerous for you, and a healthy reminder about being kind and compassionate to yourself as you work through all of this.

The challenge is real, but you can do it!

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Want to pre-order Josh’s book, “And How Does That Make You Feel?” 

⁠⁠https://geni.us/JoshFletcher⁠⁠

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If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

Productivity anxiety is an often overlooked subject in our community, so this week Drew and Josh are taking a look at anxiety triggered by an obsession with productivity and the fear of "failure" as defined by not meeting extreme productivity or output goals.

This can show itself almost anywhere in life. Work and career. School and academics. Parenting. Building perfect relationships. Even recovery from an anxiety disorder can be impacted by the drive to do recovery perfectly or to be highly productive in recovery by maximizing every moment to recover properly or as quickly as possible.

Productivity anxiety can also show itself as a need to be constantly busy and pre-occupied in an effort to remain distracted from anxious thoughts or sensations.

Join us to explore this less common but nonethess important topic.

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Want to pre-order Josh’s book, “And How Does That Make You Feel?” 

⁠https://geni.us/JoshFletcher⁠

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If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

This week Josh and Drew are talking about anxiety related to the holiday season.  This time of year presents extra challenges for people in our community, regardless of which holidays you celebrate, and even if you don't celebrate any holidays! Let's take a look at the added pressures of the holiday season, how that's likely to show up for an anxious person, the need to remain aware of this impact, and why sometimes faking it until you make it can make a difference!

As always, we're talking about being kind to yourself and being patient with yourself. Craig The Critic loves getting loud during this time of year, so resisting the urge to join in with his nonsense is something you can work on doing for yourself. This time of year can be challenging, but you can handle it. You always do.

Want to pre-order Josh’s book, “And How Does That Make You Feel?” 

https://geni.us/JoshFletcher

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If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

This week we're discussing GAD - Generalized Anxiety Disorder. GAD generates the most confusion in the community around Disordered, so we took some time to address a few important issues:

In the end, much of GAD is driven by excessive worry and rumination that creates an anxious state when it is directed at problems that can't be solved or don't need to be solved. GAD will demand that you ask questions that don't need to be asked, or engage in overplanning, worrying, and ruminating that you might think you shouldn't or can't walk away from.

Overcoming GAD is about recognizing some of these thinking and behavioral habits, then taking "risks" by leaving worries unanswered, questions unasked, things unfinished or open-ended, and problems unsolved. Sound hard? It is! But hard and impossible are not the same things.

Special thanks to Batman and Bane for pitching in on our opening, and to our friend Elizabeth Lyons for making a cameo appearance as the "Someone call the Ruminator!" woman. Top-notch acting right there.

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If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

ANXIETY QUESTIONS FROM OUR LISTENERS

This week Josh and Drew are answering questions sent in by the listeners.  The community around this podcast is amazing! Your feedback, questions, and “did it anyway” stories are a bit part of making Disordered what it is.  On this episode, the guys answer these questions:

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If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

BRAIN FOG!?!?!

One of the most common symptoms of anxiety reported in the community surrounding this podcast is "brain fog". That thing where your brain just isn't working the way you'd expect it to work. Maybe you're slow, have memory issues, or struggle to find proper words or names. Maybe you just feel "out of it" or like you're in a dissociated state. Brain fog is very common, very subjective, difficult to describe, and often disruptive.

But as with any anxiety symptom, brain fog is not dangerous, not indicative of some horrible brain injury, and not worthy of special tips, tricks, or methods to make it go away or stop it from happening. The way out of brain fog ... as usual ... is through it. Today Josh and Drew talk about how being patient with yourself, kind to yourself, and resisting the urge to hit the panic button when you feel foggy, is the best way to learn how to tolerate and function even when feeling this way.

Yes, this means that the way out is learning through practice and experience that you might not be functioning in an optimal state, but you're still functioning and that's OK.

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If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

Fear of losing control - and suffering some horrible consequence - is one of the top five core fears found in anxiety disorders. This week Drew and Josh delve into the fear that you may lose control and why this fear seems important and very real but isn't any different than any other expression of a misguided and misfiring threat response.

We look at different OCD themes that focus on the loss of control, how fear of losing control fuels monophobia (fear of being alone), and what horrible disasters anxious brains attach to losing control. Of particular note is a discussion about how even when you are sure you are out of control or are about to lose all control, you still have agency and the ability to make choices.

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If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠

-----

Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

When anxious, stressed, or afraid, the gut and GI tract are almost instantly impacted. This is true for a huge number of people, anxious or not. This week Josh and Drew are joined by health psychologist Dr. Sula Windgassen to talk about anxiety and IBS. Dr. Sula specializes in a cognitive behavioral approach to supporting people struggling with IBS, Crohn's, colitis, other GI issues, and other chronic illnesses.

In this episode we're talking about:

Find Dr. Sula online:

Instagram (@the_health_psychologist_)

All Dr. Sula's Links

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If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠

-----

Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

Extreme sensitivity to sound and misophonia (yes, it has a name) is a topic that doesn't get nearly enough attention in the mental health community so this week on Disordered we were lucky enough to have Dr. Jane Gregory stop by to talk about this often under-represented challenge.

Dr. Jane has struggled with misophonia since childhood so not only is she academically and professionally well-versed in the topic, she's lived this experience herself. Dr. Jane has immersed herself in misophonia research which is revealing some amazing insights into this issue and how it can be addressed by clinicians, and has even written a book on the topic ("Sounds Like Misophonia").

Today's discussion touches on not just anxiety triggered by sound, but also on the emotional, social, familial, and cultural impacts of this issue. People struggling with misophonia can often find themselves feeling isolated, and questioning themselves when triggered. Misophonia sufferers may find themselves confused as to why it feels like there are misophonia and non-misophonia versions of themselves.

Even if you do not struggle with misophonia or extreme sound sensitivity, this episode is worth a listen because it is chock-full of great information applicable across many of the topics we cover on Disordered.

Oh, and apologies for the fact that Josh was out rubbing elbows on celebrity podcasts rather than recording, and for the absence of the now traditional screaming American eagle sound effect in this one. I'm sure he'll bring it back next week. ;-)

Find Dr. Jane Gregory online:

https://instagram.com/drjanegregory

https://instagram.com/soundslikemiso

https://soundslikemisophonia.com

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If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠

-----

Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.