Disordered: Anxiety Help

BUT WHAT ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE TENSE AND SORE? HOW CAN YOU HANDLE THAT? This is one of those questions we get asked all the time. In this episode of Disordered, we're taking a look at how tension, soreness, twitches, and feelings of muscle weakness fit into the anxiety and recover picture. Anxious, scared bodies are going to anxious, scared body things. That's how we're designed. There's nothing wrong with being medically checked, and once you've been cleared your job becomes acknowledging that tension and related issues are going to be part of this equation. It's not the tension, the soreness, or the twitching that matters most. These are certainly impactful and unpleasant, but the part we care most about is the continued choice to focus on these sensations, ruminate on them, and attempt to frantically escape from them or force them to stop. That just makes things worse. Once again, we find ourselves confronted with the difficult task of acknowledging in a compassionate way, then exercising the skills of letting go and willfully tolerating an unpleasant experience. Why? So we can learn that unpleasant doesn't automatically equal dangerous or catastrophic. ---- Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can't stop or control? Check out ⁠⁠Worry and Rumination Explained⁠⁠, a two hour pre-recorded workshop produced by Josh and Drew. The workshop takes a deep dive into the mechanics of worrying and ruminating, offering some helpful ways to approach the seemingly unsolvable problem of trying to solve seemingly unsolveable problems. ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/worryrumination⁠⁠ ----- Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your 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.

"I know I'm not supposed to focus inward or engage with my anxious or intrusive thoughts, but what am I supposed to think about?!" This week Josh and Drew answer an excellent question from a listener that hasn't really been asked before. What do you do when your anxious thoughts keep coming even when you don't want them to come, and when you insist that you MUST only focus outward because that's how recovery is done? Spoiler alert ... if you're in the business of trying to stop your thoughts or never hear or notice them so you can perfectly focus outward to recover, you can get out of that business right now. Anxious thoughts focused on your internal state - thoughts about you and how you feel - are going to come no matter what we do. This is normal and expected for all humans. The secret sauce here is in the continued practice of noticing those thoughts when they happen, seeing that they exist, and not launching into thought stopping or thought control responses. Its OK to have whatever thoughts your brain creates. See them, acknowledge that you are thinking like all humans do, refrain from judging and evaluating the thoughts as proper or improper, then do your best to bring them with you as you do life. Is this frustrating at times? You bet it is. Be nice to yourself when you get frustrated and impatient with this process, and always remember that you simply cannot demand to not have a thought. Insisting that you must only think outward thoughts is a dead end and never works, so soften that stance, let your brain do its thing, and try not to treat your thoughts like they require control, management, or engineering. ---- Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can't stop or control? Check out ⁠Worry and Rumination Explained⁠, a two hour pre-recorded workshop produced by Josh and Drew. The workshop takes a deep dive into the mechanics of worrying and ruminating, offering some helpful ways to approach the seemingly unsolvable problem of trying to solve seemingly unsolveable problems. ⁠https://bit.ly/worryrumination⁠ ----- Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your 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.

Exploring different recovery lenses for anxiety, the hosts discuss the limitations of CBT and exposure-based approaches. They delve into Transactional Analysis, Carl Rogers, self-perception, and overcoming obstacles in the recovery process. The episode emphasizes the importance of shifting perspectives, self-reflection, and seeking therapy for emotional barriers in anxiety management.

MY NERVOUS SYSTEM IS DYSREGULATED! This week Drew and Josh get up close and personal with "nervous system dysregulation". This is a term that might have some benefit when dealing with issues like stress management or general wellness, but goes straight off the rails into the unhelpful zone when it comes to anxiety disorders. Declaring an anxious state to be a state of dysregulation might be defended from a semantics standpoint. Operationally however, when we insist that our internal states must be labeled as problems that must be fixed, this can and most times does backfire by activating the threat detection and response system that we're trying so hard to deactivate. The attempt to regulate winds up having the opposite result. Welcome to anxiety paradox number 10,641. Imagine stepping on the accelerator pedal in your car (insisting that you must find ways to extinguish your internal experience) then immediately looking for ways to slow the car down because going fast doesn't feel right. Now imagine what might be possible if you saw your nervous system as responding as designed to a perceived threat. Is it the nerves that must be addressed, or that off-kilter threat scanning and response routine? If you've been trying to find ways to hack your nervous system or force it into some kind of acceptable "regulated" state, and that's proving to be frustrating or disheartening for you in your recovery, this episode is for you. ---- If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your 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.

Embark on a whirlwind journey through the complexities of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, exploring subtypes like pure-O and somatic OCD. The hosts discuss the shared themes of doubt and anxiety, emphasizing empathy within the community. Personal stories reveal the cyclical nature of intrusive thoughts and the challenges of recovery. Insightful reflections on treatment methods highlight the value of exposure therapy. The conversation also touches on the pressures of overparenting and its emotional toll, setting the stage for deeper explorations in mental health.

What Is Your Therapist Thinking While You're Talking? Therapists are people too. They have feelings, opinions, insecurities, fears, and personality quirks. And they - like you - sometimes have an inner dialogue. If you ever wanted to know what goes on inside the mind of an anxiety therapist, this week Josh and Drew dig into this a bit, including a few moments where the guys exercise their drama and acting skills. Absolutely Oscar-worthy, so tune in. As usual ... it's quite a scene. --- Interested in Josh's new book, “And How Does That Make You Feel?”  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geni.us/JoshFletcher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your 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.

This is the one-year anniversary episode of Disordered! We've been at this now for a full year, and we cannot be more grateful for all the support you guys have provided along the way. What better way to mark a year of Disordered than with an episode dedicated entirely to celebrating the community surrounding this podcast? If you need some encouragement or inspiration in your recovery, listen in as we play and read "did it anyway" stories from our listeners and your peers. Thanks to everyone who shares their stories with us. We appreciate them, and we're happy to share them when we can. Now let's get on with year two, shall we? --- Interested in Josh's new book, “And How Does That Make You Feel?”  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geni.us/JoshFletcher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your 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.

What about all this "neuropathways" talk? What does it mean in anxiety recovery? Funny that you asked! This week on Disordered Josh and Drew are talking about neuropathways, anxious habits, and how the concept of "building new neuropathways" applies in the context of anxiety disorders and anxiety recovery. Let's start by acknowledging that even counterproductive anxious habits are built atop pathways in the brain designed to make things easier for us. We can learn good habits and develop responses and behaviors that almost feel automatic because that's metabolically efficient and frees our thinking brains up to concentrate on more important things. But sometimes, this amazing mechanism is accidentally used to create anxious or avoidant responses and habits based on a misfiring of our threat detection systems. Are there neuropathways beneath habits designed to avoid or escape anxiety triggers? Yes, there are. But the good news is that we can play an active role in building new neuropathways. New behavioral choices and new experiences can re-wire our brains, even in the case where we might be terrified of our own bodies and minds. The guys use a bunch of analogies (some clever, some not so clever) to illustrate how making new choices in responding to anxious thoughts and anxious sensations triggers the process of creating new neuropathways. The conversation also touches on the need for commitment and repetition in building these new pathways that support new behaviors, new habits, and a new relationship with anxiety and fear. Tune in for this, the usual "did it anyways", questions from the community, and maybe even a surprise for Josh and his now trademark screaming American eagle sound effect. ;-) --- Interested in Josh's new book, “And How Does That Make You Feel?”  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geni.us/JoshFletcher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- If you love Disordered and think you might benefit from spending 30 full days in an everyday intensive small group recovery support group led by Josh and Drew,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ check out Disordered Boost at https://disordered.fm/boost⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disordered.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your 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.

Discusses re-triggering of anxiety in recovery, re-sensitization to anxious thoughts, importance of allowing, accepting, and surrendering to de-sensitize internal state. Emphasizes reframing feelings as part of the journey, managing anxiety like a snow globe, and facing fears to enjoy time with horses. Explores managing intrusive thoughts, battling OCD against core values, and using gratitude for support in overcoming OCD.

Drew and Josh discuss the concept of burnout and how anxiety can amplify the fear of burning out. They explore signs of burnout, offer tips on avoiding it, and share personal experiences. Listeners can benefit from their small group recovery support program and gain insights on self-care and managing expectations.