The Anxious Truth on Instagram - The Anxious Truth

The Anxious Truth

The Anxious Truth

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the.anxious.truth

ITS GONNA BE SCARY .. Anxious people realize at s

ITS GONNA BE SCARY ..

Anxious people realize at some point that the thoughts and fears that haunt them are distorted and magnified and not logical. We know that. We get it. But when that survival mechanism is activated none of that matters because “IT FEELS SO REAL!”

There are lots of useful tools that involve reframing and changing language and challenging thoughts and learning why the thoughts are safe and all that. Cool. Use them.

But at some point an anxious person - even after all the cognitive restructuring - is still tasked with facing what feels like a real risk. Leaving that alone and not responding to that threat is still ALWAYS part of the equation no matter now many techniques you wrap around it. All it takes is one anxious doubt and one catastrophic suggestion from an overactive threat response system, and biology kicks in to do what its designed to do. Then … you’re afraid and once again doubting that its really OK to leave it alone or resist that desire to save yourself.

If you throw all the words at it and still wind up scared and feeling like you just can’t leave it alone, know that you’re not failing, not broken, and not “doing it wrong”. 💜

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #ocd #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #facingfears

ACCEPTING ANXIETY I’m tired of that word now. N

ACCEPTING ANXIETY

I’m tired of that word now. Nobody wants to accept it. Everyone will argue that the simply can’t accept it. It’s nonsense, to be honest. Rather than worrying about acceptance , think about non-resistance instead. Non-resistance is easier to conceptualize. How are you resisting anxiety? What are you doing to stop it, fight it, wrestle to the ground, or manage it? What are you doing to brace against it or to save yourself from it?

Focus on resistance because that we can see. When you start to see your resistance, you can work on dropping all of those little resistance rituals. Some are big. Some are small and sneaky and take a while to ferret out. But in the end, if you can work on dropping your resistance behaviors, you will find that you are …

accepting. How about that?

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #acceptance #facingfear #facingfears

VALUE YOURSELF …. Enough to struggle. This sou

VALUE YOURSELF ….

Enough to struggle. This sounds ridiculous but recovery is a struggle and there are critical lessons to be learned in that struggle. Sometimes we have to recognize that valuing ourselves means not just soothing and protecting ourselves, but also allowing us to struggle in an intention way so we can learn and grow. 💜

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #acceptance #facingfear #facingfears

ANXIETY RECOVERY is not a mindset problem. It's a

ANXIETY RECOVERY is not a mindset problem. It's a behavioral change problem. Learning to act how we want to feel - even when we feel horrible - is what really paves the road to recovery.

Follow me and follow the links in my bio for more anxiety and recovery resources.

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp

ANXIETY ISN’T ALWAYS IRRATIONAL Sometimes there

ANXIETY ISN’T ALWAYS IRRATIONAL

Sometimes there really is danger. Just not nearly as much as your anxious mind will lead you to believe. An overly sensitive threat detection system will see FAR more risk than others see. It will insist that you avoid and take precautions to stay safe ... but you are already safe. The risk math is just wrong for now.

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #anxiousthoughts

I’M NOT READY …. to let go and take that leap

I’M NOT READY ….

to let go and take that leap of faith.

If this is you, that’s OK. You don’t have to be ready right now, especially if this is all new to you! Nobody changes instantly. Nobody feels brave right away. Nobody takes the leap on day one. We all take the leap in the end, but everyone gets there in their own time and in their own way. If this all feels too scary for you, or you keep cycling to the edge of the leap and backing away, that’s OK.

It doesn’t mean you’ll never get better. It doesn’t mean you’re weak. It doesn’t mean you’re broken. It doesn’t mean you’ll never get better. Be resigned to the idea that you’ll have leap one day, but also know that it’s perfectly OK if you’re just not ready … yet. Keep working toward, and don’t let anyone give you crap while you’re doing that.

For a deeper dive on courage, bravery, and anxiety recovery, check out “Approaching Anxiety Courageously” presented by me and @jenna.overbaugh

Follow the links in my bio for more info on this workshop.

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #facingfear #facingfears #courage

“TOO FAR FROM HELP!” This week on The Anxious

“TOO FAR FROM HELP!”

This week on The Anxious Truth podcast I recorded in one of those places I used to be too afraid to visit because it was “too far from help”. I also answer the question, “What do you do to stay recovered?”

Follow the links in my bio to watch or listen.

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp

FEAR AND COURAGE A few important facts to clear u

FEAR AND COURAGE

A few important facts to clear up some common traps when it comes to these two vital recovery concepts.

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #facingfear #facingfears #courage

AM I FAILING BECAUSE I’M AFRAID? No, you are no

AM I FAILING BECAUSE I’M AFRAID?

No, you are not. Do not expect that you should somehow just stop being afraid. We can only learn that we don’t have to be afraid, and we learn that be doing things that are not actually dangerous while we are afraid to do them. Go be afraid. Learn from it. And stop judging yourself as a failure when you feel it. That’s not being fair, or kind, to yourself.

For a deeper dive on fear, courage, and approaching anxiety courageously, follow the links in my bio for the “Approaching Anxiety Courageously” workshop with me and @jenna.overbaugh

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #facingfear #facingfears #courage

MOTHERS DAY AND ANXIETY If you're feeling this pa

MOTHERS DAY AND ANXIETY

If you're feeling this particularly hard today, that's to be expected. Remember that more than one thing at a time can be true. You can be struggling with anxiety and still be a good parent. 💜

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #anxiousparent #mothersday #feelingsarenotfacts

A Few Chuckles … on a Saturday morning. Once in

A Few Chuckles …

on a Saturday morning. Once in a while I fire up my Canva account and have a little fun with anxiety humor. Which can you relate to?

Inspired by @howmental with the Kermit meme. 🙂

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #anxietymemesofinsta

FACTS ABOUT THOUGHTS Thoughts can be scary and di

FACTS ABOUT THOUGHTS

Thoughts can be scary and disturbing. No doubt. But scary thoughts can set a trap for you when you assume that the level of scary is an indicator of how “dangerous” a thought is. Even the scariest thought is no more likely to be true, or to come true, than a happy or neutral thought. Anxious people will emotionally reason themselves into a dark place by assuming that being really disturbed by a thought means it must be really important and must need “fixing”.

The reaction you have to a thought is a real reaction. That’s real fear, anger, resentment, or whatever else comes up. So in that respect a thought isn’t “just a thought because your feelings do matter”. They just don’t indicate an emergency. That’s an important point that is often missed while gripped by fear and uncertainty.

It’s safe to have thoughts - even thoughts you hate. You don’t have to fight them or run from them. Leave them be, even when that feels VERY risky to do.

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #scarythoughts #intrusivethoughts #ocd #pureo

YOU ARE ALEADY BRAVE! 👊 💜 If you are waking

YOU ARE ALEADY BRAVE! 👊

💜 If you are waking up every day and battling through anxiety, fear, uncertainty, and all the nasty stuff that comes with it, you are already being brave.

💜 If you refuse to give up even when anxiety has been chasing you for a long time, you are already being brave,

💜 If you’ve been battered and bruised by unkind people and you’re still standing, you are already being brave.

💜 If you’ve gotten up every time anxiety knocks you down because you want to give it another shot, you are already being brave.

💜 If you’ve reaching out for help, you are already being brave.

People often insist that they can’t allow, accept, or surrender to anxiety symptoms or scary thoughts because they’re not courageous. But the are often wrong. They don’t even see their own bravery. They think brave means unafraid, but it doesn’t. If this sounds like you, look at how you’re already being brave in so many ways big and small.

Now your job is to recognize your capacity to be brave, then apply it in a new way. That’s the way of surrender, acceptance, and tolerance . That’s navigating instead of fighting. That’s becoming a student instead of trying to be a warrior. This is where the lessons of recovery are. There is where you find your strength, your capability, and your resilience. This is where you learn that you never had to be afraid of your own body and mind.

So … the odds are high that you are already being brave every day in some way. Maybe take a moment and recognize that, then give yourself a pat on the back, because you’ve earned it.

🎯 Save this post, share it with others, and check the link in my bio for more useful anxiety / recovery resources.

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #facingfear #beingbrave #courageous

Distraction for Anxiety? Does it really work? -

Distraction for Anxiety?

Does it really work?

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #copingskills #facingfears

ANXIETY: DOING THE OPPOSITE This is the recovery

ANXIETY: DOING THE OPPOSITE

This is the recovery principle that leverages the "afraid but safe" principle to inform the actions we take in response to feeling anxious or afraid. Doing the opposite is simple and powerful, but often hard to grasp because its ... well ... the opposite of what you want to do.

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #facingfear

ANXIETY FEAR AND DANGER … Core recovery princip

ANXIETY FEAR AND DANGER …

Core recovery principle number one. Fear and danger are not always connected, even when an anxious brain absolutely insists that they are. This is the principle that informs the rest of recovery and allows us to do scary things - but NOT dangerous things - to get better.

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #facingfear

DARING TO LET GO … is how we begin to overcome

DARING TO LET GO …

is how we begin to overcome anxiety, panic, and related problems. This is completely insane at face value when your anxious, overworked mind is screaming at you to hold on tightly to stay safe. Common sense says you should manage it, control it, and be a “warrior” to fight anxiety, right.

But really, the way is to let go. To stop fighting. To abandon the warrior mindset and adopt the student mindset. We do not squash fear. We embrace it and use it to teach us to see it as it really is. That is the way out.

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #lettinggo #facingfears

SITTING WITH ANXIETY? Anxious brains tend to over

SITTING WITH ANXIETY?

Anxious brains tend to overthink everything and will often be overly literal. The phrase “sitting with anxiety” can be confusing. Are you avoiding if you don’t stop everything and sit still when anxious? Let’s take a look at that, shall we?

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #sitwithit #sitwithanxiety

WHAT IF THE ANXIETY COMES BACK? This is a common

WHAT IF THE ANXIETY COMES BACK?

This is a common fear/question that in the end doesn’t even really have to be a question. For more on this topic use the links in my bio to listen to episode 256 of The Anxious Truth podcast. If you’re stuck on this fear/question, you may find it helpful.
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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp

Exercise and Heart Anxiety I was once terrified t

Exercise and Heart Anxiety

I was once terrified to do anything like this because I was afraid of my own heartbeat and did everything I could to prevent my heart from beating “too fast”.

Can you relate? Does it seem impossible to do what I talk about in this video? I once felt that it was impossible too. But it wasn’t. I just needed good information to work with and a big shot of courage to get the ball rolling.

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#panicdisorder #theanxioustruth #agoraphobia #panicattackhelp #panicattacksupport #agoraphobiarecovery #psychoeducation #anxietyhelp #healthanxiety #exerciseformentalhealth

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