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

Send in a question or comment via text.

The recovery process will - unfortunately - include days where you still struggle.  This is to be expected.  In this episode I read lesson 5.5 from my book which discusses the struggles you will encounter.  I then discuss the basics of creating a "playbook" that you can turn to on the bad days when you need an easy to follow script rather than thinking on your feet.

For full show notes on this episode including the full text of the book chapter I read, visit https://theanxioustruth.com/118

CREATING YOUR "BAD DAY PLAYBOOK"

Bad days and period of struggle often include the onset of confusion and forgetting.  I see people declare that they can not remember what they are supposed to do when they find themselves faced with period of struggle in recovery.  This is clearly a normal situation experienced by many.  When discouraged, feeling defeated, and feeling confused and lost, having a playbook or a script that you can reference is VERY helpful.

Remember that your bad day playbook is not there to make you instantly feel better.  It will not create instant sunshine and rainbows.  It might, but that's now what it's there for. It exists only to keep up connected to your humanity, and to the process.  It is designed to prop you up and get you back to the basics that will show you that struggle or not, you are still in control and capable of making change in your life.

My Links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links

Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake

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.

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.

Find Dr. B online:

Instagram

Facebook

Website

Amazon Author Page

My Links

https://theanxioustruth.com/links

Intro/Outro Music: 

"Afterglow" by Ben Drake (https://facebook.com/BenDrakeMusic)

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.

One of the concepts that confuses people more than any other is understanding the difference between accepting and surrendering to anxiety, learning to be nonreactive to anxiety, or ignoring anxiety. Let's talk about that today.

There is a difference between ignoring anxiety and learning to become truly non-reactive to anxiety. This is subtle. It's reasonable for people to be confused especially in the early stages of the game. This is a thing that requires a fair amount of thought. It requires a bit of a change in mindset and approach. And it certainly does require practice!

For full show notes on this episode go to https://theanxioustruth.com/116

Highlights of this episode:

• Ignoring Anxiety Is PASSIVE
• Ignoring Anxiety Is Like Useless "Positive Self Talk"
• Non-Reactive Acknowledgement - An ACTIVE, Intentional, Purposeful Process
• Learning The Skill of Non-Reactive Acknowledgement With Practice
• Acceptance.  Surrender.  Floating.

My Links:

https://theanxioustruth.com/links

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.

Dr. Bridget Cooper is a cage rattler. Her penchant for confronting old beliefs and challenging thought patterns is helping people to break from from old negative beliefs and ideas.  Dr. B is passionate about showing you that a new way and a new life is possible.

Old Contracts

Many people want so desperately to recover from anxiety issues, but find themselves trapped by old beliefs and ideas that tell them that they are not capable of recovery.  The belief that one is less than, not strong enough, not smart enough, or simply not worthy of recovery can be crippling to the process of recovery.

Dr. Bridget frames these old negative beliefs as "old contracts" that you were forced to sign well before you had the knowledge, maturity, or ability to understand them or even sign them.  You've been given contracts against your will, and you've been acting in accordance with those contracts.

Here is news.  You are entitled to tear up those old contracts.  You didn't choose them.  You didn't understand them.  You didn't have the ability or opportunity to read them or object to them.  You can declare your old contracts null and void.  This is the first step toward shattering old beliefs and ideas that have been keeping you stuck.

For full show notes on this episode visit https://theanxioustruth.com/115

Dr. Bridget Cooper (Dr. B)

Website: http://drbridgetcooper.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbridgetcooper/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bridget.cannoncooper

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Bridget-Cooper/e/B00LXT7R26

My Links

https://theanxioustruth.com/links

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.

Here is a paradox. So much of this anxiety complex revolves around a desperate attempt to find 100 percent iron clad certainty. The search for certainty in the face of irrationally perceived threats destroys your ability to handle uncertainty in the face of real challenges and threats. The search for safety undermines the very thing you seek ...

For Full show notes on this episode, visit https://theanxioustruth.com/114

My Links:

https://theanxioustruth.com/links

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.

Sarah Doan Peace is amazing.  Having been born with VATER syndrome and after 35 surgeries and years of serious medical challenges, Sarah is finding her voice as a speaker and advocate for others that share her experience.  Sarah's honesty and willingness to openly share her story and struggle are educational, enlightening, and inspiring.

* For full show notes on this episode, visit https://theanxioustruth.com/113

* To find Sarah online, visit https://sarahdoanpeace.com

* My links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links

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.

Do you fear your emotions? Do you see them as threats, or indicators that you are failing in recovery, or destined for disaster? Do you attempt to escape from your emotions or avoid them?  You are not alone.

For full show notes on this episode, visit https://theanxioustruth.com/112

Emotions Are A Natural Part of Being Human

Every human being experiences emotions.  Some are great.  Some really suck.  But all are normal and natural.  While we may not always like our emotions, we do not have to fear them or see them as disaster.  Regardless of what you think about your emotions, if you are reading this right now, then you have handled and navigated every last thing life has ever thrown at you.  You have handled them and you are still here.  You can handle emotions and emotional waves too!  You are capable of this.

Is It The Emotion, Or The Reaction To The Emotion?

While all humans experience emotions, and often don't like them, not everyone FEARS emotions. Experiencing emotions is not a problem.  Being afraid of emotions is a problem.   If you see even just feeling some emotions as a failure or a disaster, you have developed this problem.    This happens when we lose sight of the emotion itself and its surrounding context.  Rather than dealing with the emotion or the situation that triggered it, we tag the emotion as a nightmare, put it aside, then write an entire additional fear-based story about the emotion. We construct elaborate tales detailing what the emotion says about you, what it means, why it proves that you are weak or broken, and how it must indicate that you are failing in recovery and doomed to wind up forever ill, depressed, or stuck.

So is the problem the emotion, or your reaction to the emotion?  Are you dealing with your emotions, or are you really dealing with the judgements and stories you add to your emotions?  It's very important to see the difference and to recognize when you're adding needless additional burden (judgements, interpretations and stories) to a natural and temporary burden (emotions and emotional waves).

We can address this reaction to emotions using the same tools and concepts that we use to address our physical and cognitive panic and anxiety symptoms.  Unlike our panic and anxiety symptoms, emotions are valid.  They do matter.  But that doesn't mean that they are more than they are. They are just emotions and you are capable of feeling them and handling them directly, however difficult that may be. When you pile judgements and fear-based stories on top of those emotions, you are making things harder on yourself than they need to be.

My Links

-----------

https://theanxioustruth.com/links

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.

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.

My friend Nick Maynard is an almost textbook example of how to recovery from panic disorder and agoraphobia.  At one point Nick was in a panic on the ground in a Costco on Black Friday.  He was then trapped in his bedroom for weeks, unable to even get a glass of water.  But Nick changed direction and started putting in the hard work.  Today he's back on his feet, excelling at work, and living a normal life again.  Thank you Nick, for taking the time to share your story today!

My Comprehensive Anxiety Recovery Guide Is Here!

 ------------------------------- 

https://theanxioustruth.com/recoveryguide

My Links

------------------------------ 

https://theanxioustruth.com/links

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.

For full show notes and a link to download this tutorial as an MP3, visit https://theanxioustruth.com/109.

HOW DO I RELAX, BREATHE, AND FOCUS????  

I've been asked to do something like this for a while. With some extra nudging from a friend, I took 15 minutes to record this little beginner's relax, breathe, and focus tutorial. This isn't my usual thing, but hopefully, it will be of use.  

This episode will take you through the basics of what it looks like and feels like when you surrender to anxiety or panic.  Instead of fighting and fleeing, this is how we relax into the fear, experience it, and let it pass.  This is how we learn that we do not have to fear our anxiety and the sensations that come along with it.  The basics are relaxing of your body, breathing into your belly, and focusing on your breath rather than on the symptoms and thoughts. This is a difficult skill to learn, and it will NOT make your anxiety go away instantly.  Please do not use is a calming tool or an escape tool to make your panic attacks end.  Use it as a LEARNING tool.  Understand that even if you did none of this, your panic attacks would end.  This is critical! 

My Links

https://theanxioustruth.com/links

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.