Content Warning: We discuss the COVID-19 epidemic on the day that the WHO classified it as a pandemic (March 11th) so some things have come to light about the severity of the disease which we didn’t know on the day of recording. Please keep this in mind as you listen. We have a follow-up episode talking about the Coronavirus coming up in two more episodes. Stay strong, and stay tuned.

Two episodes on the same day! We're here to help you through social distancing.

Health Anxiety, or "hypochondria", is the chronic and persistent anxiety about ones' health. How does health anxiety affect those with it on a daily basis? Can you use Exposure Therapy to change your reaction to the Coronavirus from panic to boredom? 

Joshua Fletcher is a therapist in Manchester and online at thepanicroom.co.uk - he has also written two books on anxiety which you can order online: https://www.amazon.com/Joshua-Fletcher/e/B00MPKAAR6?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1585313077&sr=1-1-spell

Get in touch with us to ask a question, you’d really help our podcast help others! [email protected]

Find us on instagram @joshuafletcher.author and @ellaofthenet

Content Warning: Pedophilia, Violence, Suicide

Having the ability to let a thought pass through your mind without getting attached to it is one of the most frequent human experiences. Thoughts don’t define us like actions do, but when present in an anxious brain, thoughts can become persistent and intrusive. Josh explains what he does to manage his clients' worries when it comes to intrusive thoughts. By exploring "false comfort" vs. "letting go of the thoughts", intrusive thoughts can be viewed as nothing more serious than a song stuck in one’s head.

The book Josh mentions is:

"Needing to Know for Sure: A CBT-Based Guide to Overcoming Compulsive Checking and Reassurance Seeking" by Martin Seif (PhD) & Sally Winston (PsyD)

https://www.amazon.com/Needing-Know-Sure-Overcoming-Reassurance-ebook/dp/B07MMQ7HRK

Get in touch with us to ask a question, you’d really help our podcast help others! [email protected]

Episode 7: Instant Gratification

Ella poses the question to Josh: What if you’ve followed all of your therapists advice, read all the books, tried all the techniques and still feel anxious? Josh explains the concept of “testing” and how sometimes we have to let go of trying so hard to ‘get better’ in order to find relief for our anxiety.

Mentions:

Get in touch with us to ask a question, you’d really help our podcast help others! [email protected]

Find us on instagram at @ellaofthenet and @joshuafletcher.author

Avoidance in the context of panic can prevent us from growing out of our overthinking habits. Ella has a fear of word documents and isn’t afraid to share. Josh and Ella discuss what their anxiety-coping ‘patronus charm’ might be.

Please send us questions at [email protected] or connect with us on social @ellaofthenet and @joshuafletcher.author

Content Warning: We do discuss the moment-to-moment sensations of a panic attack in this episode, so if this is sensitive for you please make an educated decision before you listen.

“What If…?” is a common intrusive thought for those experiencing chronic anxiety. It is frequently experienced alongside a sense of dread or doom. In this episode, Josh provides us with tools to recognise when one’s fears are irrational, and how to remind yourself that panic is not danger.

Do you want to get in touch with us? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected]

On instagram? Follow us @joshuafletcher.author & @ellaofthenet

If you’re about to have a panic attack on a train, who would you rather be travelling with? The friend who calmly observes what’s happening and reassures you that the outcome will be okay? Or the friend who is embarrassed by you and tries to stop you so you don’t cause a scene? In this episode, Ella’s voice doubles up as a sat nav, Josh explains the term “exposure” and how it applies to overcoming the body’s response to anxiety triggers, and generational perspectives on anxiety still demonstrate why it’s never too late to seek help for your anxiety. 

Do you want to get in touch with us? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected]

Many of the people Josh sees ask, "Where does anxiety come from?". In fact, when Josh and Ella first met, Ella asked the same question. Is it something you develop? Can you "give" someone anxiety? Why does it seemingly appear out of nowhere? Using a metaphor to describe the threshold of anxiety, we can better manage our relationships with fear and anxiety.

Josh asks Ella “What is Anxiety?” and boy, is it ever a loaded question. Josh explains the what anxiety is from an emotional perspective as well as giving insight into what different parts of the brain are being activated for the “fight or flight” response. This is a longer episode, because the question takes some considerable time to answer.

Content Note: While we do joke around a lot, we also discuss our experiences with panic attacks and anxiety and at times describe details which listeners may find unsettling. Please be mindful of this as you listen.

Josh is the author of best-selling book, Anxiety: Panicking about Panic, and the follow-up, Anxiety: Practical about Panic. He is a fully qualified Psychotherapist with a Masters in Counselling Psychology from Keele University and he also runs a private counselling practice based in Manchester called The Panic Room. Joshua spends his career helping others overcome anxiety and panic, by working with people directly in his practice, or writing self-help books on the topic.

Ella Jean is a Canadian singer and producer living in the UK. She is in a band called UGLY based in London and an alternative comedy troupe called A.C.I.D! based in Leeds. She first met Josh in 2016 before releasing her first mixtape Facetious Emo Niece and performing 25 hour-long improvised cabaret performances at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018. Ella has a degree in linguistics and spends her career producing songs and podcasts.

Ella asks Josh about his background and the reasons for starting the podcast. Josh is unprepared for Ella to open up about her experience with panic attacks. Josh gives an overview of different types of anxiety and what a panic attack is. Ella clarifies her role in that this podcast is not a free therapy session. Josh has a big head, but only in a literal sense.

Content Note: While we do joke around a lot, we also discuss our experiences with panic attacks and anxiety and at times describe details which listeners may find unsettling. Please be mindful of this as you listen.

Josh is the author of best-selling book, Anxiety: Panicking about Panic, and the follow-up, Anxiety: Practical about Panic. He is a fully qualified Psychotherapist with a Masters in Counselling Psychology from Keele University and he also runs a private counselling practice based in Manchester called The Panic Room. Joshua spends his career helping others overcome anxiety and panic, by working with people directly in his practice, or writing self-help books on the topic.

Ella Jean is a Canadian singer and producer living in the UK. She is in a band called UGLY based in London and an alternative comedy troupe called A.C.I.D! based in Leeds. She first met Josh in 2016 before releasing her first mixtape Facetious Emo Niece and performing 25 hour-long improvised cabaret performances at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018. Ella has a degree in linguistics and spends her career producing songs and podcasts.