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Recovery from an anxiety disorder gets even harder when you judge the presence of fear as an immediate failure.  Dr. B - Bridget Cooper - joined me today to talk about fear, and the misconception that the presence of fear indicates failure of some kind.

For full show notes on this episode go to https://theanxioustruth.com/117

The Highlights:

1. Being afraid is NOT failure.  There are a few reasons you may be thinking this, most based on old self-limiting beliefs and what Dr. B calls "old contracts".  Being afraid during recovery does not mean you are failing or "doing it wrong".

2. The Fear - Trust - Control model.  Dr. B uses her model of fear to explain how high levels of fear and corresponding low levels of trust trigger exaggerated attempts at control. We discuss how trying to control things is expressed as our old safety, escape and avoidance behaviors.

3. Are you clinging to old self-beliefs because they are comfortable? We discuss why some people are reluctant to even try to face fear because it may mean becoming a new version of themselves.  Even when the current version is suffering to some degree, what is known is comfortable, and sometimes preferred over the discomfort and uncertainty of making changes.

4. You cannot "mantra" your way out of this situation.  We discuss Dr. B's concept of the inner critic and how attempting to convince your inner critic that it is safe to try hard things will never work.  This is directly related to my discussion of why positive self talk and attempting to simply ignore anxiety do not work.  You cannot dismiss your built-in protective mechanisms with words alone.

5. The only way to improve your fear perception and experience is to let go. Dropping all the old attempts to control (safety and comfort seeking) means passing THROUGH fear and learning through experience that you can TRUST yourself to get that job done.  These are the experiences we do desperately need as a core component of recovery.

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Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests 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.