That Anxiety Guy - Straight Talk And Help With Anxiety, Panic And Agoraphobia

Send in a question or comment via text.Sometimes we take our inspiration and encouragement from outside the anxiety disorder realm.  Sometimes we find someone that had been knocked down HARD, yet found a way to stand back up and get back into the game of life on good terms.  Sometimes that person does it in creative and inspiring ways.  Then we can use that story and apply it in our own recovery person.Today that person is my new friend Lora Plank Cheadle.  Let's listen to Lora's story.  She was totally shattered by the discovery of infidelity in marriage, then had to figure out how to get herself out of a very dark place and back to living life again.  While she may not be talking specifically about anxiety, the lessons she learns and shares definitely apply to us!For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/166--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport T

Send in a question or comment via text.Anxiety recovery is a strange war.  You only win it when you stop fighting.In this episode we look at the need to stop being an anxiety warrior, and start being an anxiety student.  Learning, not fighting, is the way to recovery.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/165--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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 med

Send in a question or comment via text.This is part 2 of my conversation with my friend and social media collaborator Lily Bloomberg. In this episode Lily talks about the process of her recovery.  There are twists in Lily's story that I found fascinating, and I hope you will too.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/164--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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

Send in a question or comment via text.I had the privilege of spending an hour with my friend and some-time collaborator Lily Bloomberg.  Lily is a school psychologist and anxiety coach that has lived her own struggles with anxiety disorders and other mental health challenges.  Today Lily speaks about her anxiety struggles and the time she spent trying to find solutions to her anxiety, panic, and other mental health issues through the years.This is part 1 of 2.  Next week Lily returns to talk about her anxiety recovery story, so come back for that one too!For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/163--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy

Send in a question or comment via text.In this episode I take questions from listeners.  Some questions came in as voice messages on my Anchor podcast page.  Others were submitted on Instagram.  I wasn't able to answer all the questions because I only have 30 minutes or so for each episode, but I did my best to answer questions that were asked by multiple people.  I hope you find it helpful.If you want to leave me voice messages on Anchor, you can follow this link.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/162--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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

Send in a question or comment via text."What does it take to really recover?"Good question.  I can tell you one thing it takes.  It takes this.Calling out our habit of choosing temporary relief and comfort when we avoid and escape and run and refuse to face the scary stuff.  This is the habit of making decisions rooted in fear and based on achieving short term comfort at the expense of long term progress and recovery. Confronting this habit and recognizing the reality of what this repeated choice means is one of the first things you can do to move yourself down the path to real recovery.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/161--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSponsorships: off for this episodeSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciat

Send in a question or comment via text.This is a question I get asked literally every day.  The answer may not be the one you want, but it's the one you need.  In this episode we examine how we can learn to be sure (enough) that it really is just anxiety.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/160--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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 car

Send in a question or comment via text.SOCIAL ANXIETY - LET’S TALK ABOUT ITMy guest today is Sadie Hall, creator and host of the Your Social Anxiety Bestie podcast and a lifelong social anxiety sufferer. Sadie was kind enough to spend some time with me to help bring some understanding of social anxiety to the podcast. This is a topic I have not covered nearly enough so I appreciate Sadie helping me to remedy that.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/159--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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 i

Send in a question or comment via text.This is a theme that has come up now and then in the community surrounding the podcast.  When I asked my Instagram community how many people felt that anxiety means they are being punished in some way, I was blown away by the magnitude of the response.  Clearly, many people that suffer with anxiety and anxiety disorders see this problem at least to some degree as some form of punishment they are being subjected to.We need to talk about that, so let's do just that in this episode.  We don't be covering faith-based or religious issues in this podcast.  That's a topic I will return to down the road.Spoiler alert: An anxiety disorder is not evidence that you are being punished in any way.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/158--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podca

Send in a question or comment via text.ANXIETY IN CHILDREN AND OTHER FAMILY ISSUESToday we're joined by Dr. Jacque Bogdanov, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in anxiety and behavioral issues in children.  Dr. Jacque is trained in using CBT and PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy) and was kind enough to take the time to talk about anxiety issues in children and families in general.  It's a good listen full of great info!For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/157--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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

Send in a question or comment via text.RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE!Meg is a great example of someone that spirals into a full blown anxiety disorder, then works really hard to follow that spiral back out of the jam she was in.  If you're not sure if you can recover, or that your anxiety is somehow special or worse than anyone else's, Meg's story will be encouraging and inspirational.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/156--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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 psychoed

Send in a question or comment via text.For many anxiety sufferers, an obsessive and consuming fear of death and existential issues becomes a real problem. Let's talk about it in this episode of the podcast.  The most important thing to remember is that ALL humans struggle with thoughts and fears about death and existence from time to time.  This is NORMAL! Your relationship with those thoughts and fears is just a bit off the rails right now!For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/155--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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 o

Send in a question or comment via text.In this issue I had the good fortune to chat with Tori Chavira about her journey through OCD and mental health issues while also handling the issues faced by a member of the LBGTQ+ community.  Tori is a strong, positive voice in both the mental health and LGBTQ+ communities.  I appreciate having her stop by to share her story and her insights.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/154--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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

Send in a question or comment via text.I HATE MY INNER CRITIC!Everyone does! Your inner critic will say all kinds of horrible things to you. This builds obstacles along the path to recovery.  In this episode I am joined again by UK psychotherapist Joshua Fletcher to examine the inner critic, where it comes from, and how to best react to it and ultimately silence it.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/153--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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 alw

Send in a question or comment via text.Agoraphobia goes well beyond "can't leave the house".  In this episode, let's examine the nature of agoraphobia.  We'll talk about: What agoraphobia really is What it isn't How it develops The impacts of agoraphobia Recovering from agoraphobiaFor full show notes on this episode, visit https://theanxioustruth.com/152--------My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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 we

Send in a question or comment via text.A couple of months ago I did a "gender issues in recovery" episode with my friend Bridget Cooper.  The response was good!  ALL voices and experiences matter, so this week we chat with Dr. Lisa Cortez about anxiety and mental health issues in the Latinx community.  Lisa and I discussed cultural, religious and gender issues that impact mental health treatment and anxiety recovery in the Latinx community.Dr. Lisa is a VERY BUSY practicing therapist in south Texas.  Her region is predominately Mexican-American.  Lisa's own heritage and her involvement in the mental health of her community have provided her with an inside look at the issues that Latinx men and women face when approaching anxiety and mental health in general.For full show notes on this episode: https://theanxioustruth.com/151My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious

Send in a question or comment via text.How do I talk to my anxiety?  This is a common question.  In this episode we'll explore why and HOW you can "talk" to your anxiety as part of an effective recovery strategy.For full show notes on this episode visit https://theanxioustruth.com/150THE HIGHLIGHTS: Why talk to your anxiety? Your amygdala does NOT understand words! You Can Only "Talk" To Anxiety With ACTIONS!My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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,

Send in a question or comment via text.This is a topic that people have been asking me to talk about  lately. In the last six months, I've developed much more an interest in health anxiety. If you had asked me a year ago about it, I would have told you, "I don't want to get into that!"But actually, I do want to get into that!  So let's look at health anxiety.  What it is, what it isn't, and how the principles of recovery we talk about all the time apply. Does my book apply to health anxiety?  It does, but you have to know how to apply the principles correctly!For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/149My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or

Send in a question or comment via text.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/148My books, website, and social media links:https://theanxioustruth.com/linksMusic credit: Afterglow by Ben Drake (with permission)https://bendrakemusic.comSupport

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-----My books, podcast, and social media links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links Music Credit: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake (https://bendrakemusic.com) with permissionSupport The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. This is never required, but always appreciated!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