The Anxious Truth - A Panic, Anxiety, and Mental Health Podcast

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I'm asked all the time ... "Does this recovery method apply to GAD?"

The short answer is that it does, but there are extra wrinkles with GAD that we must be aware of.  We must learn to relate in a new way to anxiety and the symptoms and thoughts that come with it.  This is the same way we approach the other anxiety disorders.  However, we also must be aware of the meta beliefs and thinking habits that drive anxiety.  Knowing how your beliefs and habits fuel your anxiety is the first step in changing those habits.  We cannot really address GAD effectively unless we also address these underlying issues.

So can you recover from GAD this way?  You can, but there's extra work for you to do, so let's talk about it in this episode.

For full show notes on this episode:

https://theanxioustruth.com/148

My books, website, and social media links:

https://theanxioustruth.com/links

Music credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)

https://bendrakemusic.com

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee.   Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website.  None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

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.

Send in a question or comment via text.

I used Paxil between 1996 and 2005. This is part 3 of a 3 part series detailing my experience. My experience with SSRI withdrawal was difficult, to say the least. I’ve been asked to tell this story, so I did for those that want to hear it. Spoiler alert: I survived and it turned out OK!

My experience with antidepressants and anxiety is mine. Yours may be different.  Please keep this in mind.

For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/147

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My books, podcast, and social media links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links 

Music Credit: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake (https://bendrakemusic.com) with permission

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee.   Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website.  None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

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.

Send in a question or comment via text.

In this episode I finally discuss an issue so many people have been asking me to discuss for so long.  My experience with anxiety medications.  I used Paxil between 1996 and 2005. This is part 2 of a 3 part series detailing my experience.  My experience on Paxil for 9 years was not a good one overall. In retrospect, the medication did its job, but there was a price to pay for that. My experience with antidepressants and anxiety is mine. Yours may be different.  Please keep this in mind. 

For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/146 

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My books, podcast, and social media links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links 

Music Credit: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake (https://bendrakemusic.com) with permission

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee.   Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website.  None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

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.

Send in a question or comment via text.

In this episode I finally discuss an issue so many people have been asking me to discuss for so long.  My experience with anxiety medications.  I used Paxil between 1996 and 2005.  This is part 1 of a 3 part series detailing my experience.  Today I talk about my position on medications, why I chose to use medication in 1996, what my and what my initial experience was.

My experience with antidepressants and anxiety is mine. Yours may be different.  Please keep this in mind.

For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/145

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My books, podcast, and social media links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links

Music Credit: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake (https://facebook.com/BenDrakeMusic) with permission

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee.   Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website.  None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

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.

Send in a question or comment via text.

On this episode I was able to spend 30 minutes or so chatting with Joshua Fletcher.  Josh is a working therapist in the UK that runs a practice specializing in anxiety disorders.  Josh is also the host of The Panic Pod podcast.  We covered therapy issues, recovery in general, and we managed to tell a few joke along the way.

For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/144

Thanks to Josh for taking the time to share his knowledge and perspective with us.

Find Josh online here:

• Instagram - @anxietyjosh
• Podcast - The Panic Pod
• Josh's Amazon author page

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My books, podcast, and social media links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links

Music Credit: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake (https://facebook.com/BenDrakeMusic) with permission

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee.   Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website.  None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

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.

Send in a question or comment via text.

We often talk about starting recovery by taking small steps, but did you know that those small steps can often be taken right inside your "safe zone"?  It's true!  Odds are your home base - your safe zone - is chock full of hidden avoidance and anxiety inducing gems that you can uncover and use to start building the foundation of your recovery.

For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/143

My books, podcast, and social media links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links

Music Credit: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake (https://facebook.com/BenDrakeMusic) with permission

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee.   Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website.  None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

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.

Send in a question or comment via text.

Donna grew up surrounded by discussion of cardiac health and blood pressure.  When she started experiencing panic attacks, and the blood pressure spikes that naturally come with them, her struggle with health anxiety and an obsession with her blood pressure was ignited. 

For full show notes on this episode, visit https://theanxioustruth.com/142

Donna worked herself into a position where she was obsessed with her blood pressure.  She was continuously terrified and convinced that she was on the edge of a fatal blood pressure spike at all times. This obsession drove the compulsion to check and record her blood pressure many times each day.  To Donna, the compulsion to check her blood pressure was an attempt to soothe her fear and convince herself that she was safe, even when she was sure that she was not. She became a slave to the blood pressure monitor and was frozen by the irrational fear that she was in mortal danger at all time

In the end, Donna not only conquered her health anxiety and blood pressure obsession, but learned that she is able to handle all kinds of obstacles that life sometimes throws at us.  The lessons she learned while conquering her anxiety disorder gave her a strong foundation to stand on when things went south in her personal life.  Donna has passed through major relationship changes and a global pandemic and social upheaval and all the things we've all been subject to over the last few years, and she's out there enjoying her life and in her own words ... "living big".  

GO DONNA!

My books, podcast, and social media links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links

Music Credit: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake (https://facebook.com/BenDrakeMusic) with permission

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee.   Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website.  None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

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.

Send in a question or comment via text.

In the field of anxiety disorders and the treatment of anxiety disorders, you will not find anyone with more street cred than Dr. Winston.  Dr. Sally Winston knows what she's talking about. Today I had the privilege of spending 25 minutes chatting with her about recovery, the obsessive need for certainty and comfort that drives many disorders, and why reassurance and soothing is decidedly NOT the way.

For full show notes on this episode (you'll WANT to read these):

https://theanxioustruth.com/141

Find Dr. Winston at https://anxietyandstress.com

My books, podcast, and social media links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links

Music Credit: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake (https://facebook.com/BenDrakeMusic) with permission

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee.   Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website.  None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

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.

Send in a question or comment via text.

I am often asked an important question. "How do I learn to float and accept when one person makes me anxious?"  This question is asked by people that will often explain that they experience anxiety or even panic when in the presence of a specific person or group of people.  Often, there is a history of abuse, or there is ongoing abuse of varying types (mental, emotional, or even physical).  So the question I am really being asked is, "How can I float through being with someone that has harmed me or is harming me right now?"

The answer is simple.  You are not required to accept and float through abuse.  Not now.  Not ever.  I am teaching you how to become non-reactive to irrational fear.  Fear that feels real, but has no basis in reality. This is why we learn to accept that fear and float through it.  This is why we surrender to it.  Because in doing so we learn that there is no real danger, and that we no longer have to be afraid.  When in an abusive relationship, there is REAL DANGER.  REAL HARM is being done.  Your fear and your anxiety are justified!  I am not teaching you how to float through that.

My old friend Joe Ryan joined me to discuss this important topic and share his experience with abusive relationships.

For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/140

My books, podcast, and social media links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links

Music Credit: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake (https://facebook.com/BenDrakeMusic) with permission

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee.   Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website.  None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

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.

Send in a question or comment via text.

Building your own personal recovery from an anxiety disorder means using ALL the resources you have available to you.  In this podcast episode I talk about combining books, podcasts, social media streams, online support groups, hard work and professional help into a powerful recovery toolkit.

For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/139

My books, podcast, and social media links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links

Music Credit: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake (https://facebook.com/BenDrakeMusic) with permission

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee.   Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website.  None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

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.