WHAT DOES "VALUES DRIVEN RECOVERY" MEAN? Anxiety recovery can be seen as one long journey away from fear driven behavior and toward behaviors that support the things we really value in life. This week Josh and Drew are talking about what values driven recovery mean and how your values - the things that matter to you and make you who you are and want to be - play a role in the recovery process. A few key points from this episode: Identifying and exploring your values is worthwhile because knowing WHY you are choosing to do scary, difficult things can support your recovery efforts. Not really remembering what non-anxious you looks like is a common experience in our community. Focusing on values and can help us re-connect to who we really are rather than who anxiety tells us to be.Connecting to your values and working on values driven recovery is a great plan, but be careful about assuming that your values will instantly override your fear. Sometimes but look to your values as a source of motivation, not as a way to smash anxiety and run it over.Sometimes life gives us no choice and waves our values in our faces, demanding that we either follow them or retreat in a given moment. See if you can recognize those moments and use them in a positive way rather than defaulting to feeling defeated when you can't easily "rise up" to meet those challenges on demand. As usual we're celebrating some "Did It Anyway" submissions from members of the community, and we answer a question about how social anxiety and agoraphobia can be connected in some cases. ---- 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.

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.

WHAT RECOVERY LENS ARE YOU LOOKING THROUGH? This week Drew and Josh take a bit of an unexpected turn to explore ways that CBT and exposure-based approaches to recovery can fall short. Recovery can't always be about facing, accepting, exposures, and Claire Weekes. While we might not look to other models to unearth deeply hidden root causes for an anxiety disorder, other theoretical frameworks can be quite useful - or even necessary - to conceptualize why one might encounter obstacles in the recovery process itself. In this episode, the guys so a little Transactional Analysis role play, drag the venerable Carl Rogers into the recovery forum, and generally provide different ways of looking at how you see yourself and what recovery lenses you might be looking through. ---- 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.

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.

This week on Disordered we're taking a grand tour around the OCD loop! Josh and Drew talk about pure-O, somatic, and "traditional" obsessive compulsive disorder subtypes. While not every possible theme and subtype can be covered in a short podcast episode, the guys touched on some of the more common themes found in the community, taking care to address how regardless of the specific obsession, there are common characteristics that we can rely on when approaching recovery. Keep in mind that OCD subtypes and themes often morph and overlap, and that related anxiety disorders often look a whole lot like OCD because there really is quite a bit of common ground between these mental health issues. Coming soon ... follow-up episodes covering treatment for OCD, including guest appearances by some well known and respected OCD specialists. ---- 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 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.

OH NO! IT'S COME BACK! The habits we develop and the neuropathways that get created by a disordered state of anxiety mean that even long into recovery, an anxious person might be re-triggered by life events, stress, memories, or any number of expected issues. This is normal. If this happens, we can feel things again ... anxiety, anxiety symptoms, and scary thoughts. This is not failure, or returning to square one, or "doing it wrong". This is being human and alive. But exactly what has been re-triggered when this happens? How does a recovered person or nearly recovered person become re-sensitized to anxious sensations and thoughts? This week we're talking about how external events can re-trigger INTERNAL sensitization - the state where we treat how we feel and what we think as urgently important or even dangerous. When suddenly re-sensitized, what then? As you might expect, this episode goes into detail about the process of de-sensitizing oneself to your internal state, which isn't a process at all. It's OK to be re-triggered. The trick here is to steer clear of the usual traps - looking for steps, tools, and techniques for making the feelings go away. When re-sensitized, the object of the game is to de-sensitize as you did before by allowing, accepting, tolerating, and surrendering. Bring it all with you, do not launch into evasive action or retreat rituals, and you will likely find that de-sensitization happens much more quickly than you expect it to. --- Want to pre-order Josh’s 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.

BURNOUT! Running out of gas and being emotionally, physically, and/or mentally drained can happen to any human. This week on Disordered Drew and Josh explore how an anxious mind can twist and distort the concept of burnout. In many ways, the fear of burning out, and the catastrophic interpretation of what that might mean, can be worse than burnout itself! The guys explore different signs of burnout, how burnout comes in different shapes and sizes depending on context, and how obsession with and fear of burnout can mimic fear of depression or fear of the lack of enough or proper sleep. Finally, Josh and Drew share some tips for avoiding burnout and taking care of oneself. As always, there are a couple of great questions and "Did It Anyways" from the community in this episode, so tune in! --- Want to pre-order Josh’s 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.

Are you using wellness concepts, techniques, programs, and principles as a way to resist feelings of anxiety? There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking care of oneself and wanting to be healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. But in a large community of people struggling with disordered and chronic states of anxiety, compulsively seeking, chasing, and engaging in wellness rituals as a way to desperately stomp out any possibility of feeling anxious or uncomfortable can become a problem. This week on Disordered we're looking at compulsive wellness, characterized by the assertion that one must be perfectly healthy, manage or micro-manage bodily functions and systems, and always be perfectly stable, optimized, and fully prepared to minimize the chances of being triggered into an anxious state. Especially in a social media climate jam-packed with body-centric and often less-than-reputable anxiety management or cure programs, it can be easy to be drawn into the compulsive wellness cycle. If you find yourself there and trying to break out, know that you're not doing anything wrong, its OK to want to feel better, and even if you stop desperately chasing every wellness hack you come across, you can still be OK. --- Want to pre-order Josh’s 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.

The default state for most humans - to varying degrees - is for the brain to launch into inward thinking and inner dialogue when there's nothing else to pay attention to. If you're struggling with chronic or disordered anxiety, this can become a real issue and a major struggle. This week we're looking at the inward compulsion. That fear-driven habit of not only having thoughts, but answering them, engaging with them, checking in on them, and inviting them in for lengthy conversations that go on endlessly and drive anxiety and more discomfort. Can you stop the inward compulsion? Well, that's complicated. You can't stop your brain from making thoughts. That's just what brains do. But you can work on building a new relationship with those thoughts and refusing to engage with them or feel them with the attention they so crave when your brain thinks it needs to keep you safe. Over time, the inward compulsion stops being a compulsion and your regular, non-anxious relationship with your thoughts and inner dialogue (which will vary from person to person) goes back to a "regular" state where even a highly active inner dialogue simply exists without posing an obstacle in your life or causing significant struggle or disruption. --- Want to pre-order Josh’s 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.

"Is it normal for my symptoms, or thoughts, or my anxiety to get worse when I start engaging in recovery?" Even Dr. Claire Weekes acknowledged this experience when writing about recovery many years ago. This week on Disordered we're talking about feeling MORE when you stop hiding from anxiety. This is often misinterpreted as "getting worse" but feeling more doesn't mean your anxiety, your symptoms, or your thoughts are getting worse. It's OK to feel things. The recovery process is about learning how to get better at feeling things. You can feel all the things and still be safe. xx --- Want to pre-order Josh’s 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 does anxiety therapy look like?" "What goes on in a session with an anxiety specialist?" "How can I find the right therapist for me?" This week Drew and Josh address these questions, including a really interesting 12-minute mock therapy session to start the episode. Josh plays the therapist while Drew is the client struggling with panic and extreme levels of anxiety. It's role play, but it does give a reasonable idea of what a first session with an anxiety specialist might look and sound like. The guys also talk about different modalities in therapy (treatment styles or methods), the value of being able to bring different therapy concepts to bear on different problems, and the need to have at least some level of connection and relationship with a therapist to get the most from the endeavor. --- Want to pre-order Josh’s 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.

But what about hormonal issues, perimenopause, and menopause???!!! This is a question that we are asked all the time, and rightfully so. This week we're joined by Helen Bennett, a qualified UK psychotherapist specializing in supporting people who are dealing with fertility challenges and struggling with the menopause transition. This episode is chock full of excellent information about the experience of menopause and how it can so closely mirror chronic anxiety and the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. We also chat about how these things can and often do overlap, strategies for getting a handle on how or if hormonal changes are impacting your mental health, and ways to approach this natural but often highly challenging part of life. Thanks so much to Helen for taking the time to chat with us about this important issue. We needed some expert help on this one, and Helen was kind enough to come through for us. We'll have her back on for more in the future for sure. To find Helen online, visit her website: https://www.themenopausetherapist.com/ Check her out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MenopauseTherapy/ Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themenopausetherapist/ To find The Counsellor's Staff Room (mentioned in the episode as a resource for therapists and counselors in the UK): https://www.counsellors-staffroom.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/counsellors.staffroom Other links mentioned in this episode: Balance website for information on menopause and HRT: https://www.balance-menopause.com/Balance app for recording symptoms: https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/Current NICE Guidelines:  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23New NICE Guidelines currently under consultation (anyone can review and comment):  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10241/consultation/html-content-2NHS information on menopause:  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/ --- Want to pre-order Josh’s 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.

Do you ever get anxious ... because you're not feeling anxious? This is a real thing in our community! Anxious people who begin to experience moments where anxiety and agitation fade into the background will often find themselves becoming anxious because they're not feeling anxious! This week Drew and Josh explore this confusing but all too common anxiety recovery issue. The discussion includes: How old anxious brain habits die hard.Why it is normal to immediately worry that feelings of calm will not last.Treating yourself as fragile to keep the anxiety from "coming back".The importance of recognizing non-anxious moments as indicators of recovery rather than harbingers of doom. As usual, the episode includes a combination of professional experience, training, knowledge, and personal experience alongside a dash of good humor and a few reminders about the need to be patient and kind with yourself to keep "Craig the critic" at bay. --- Want to pre-order Josh’s 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.

"Healing" is a VERY popular word in self-help, mental health, and wellness circles. For many, this word resonates. For our friends struggling to overcome chronic and disordered anxiety, it can sure feel like there's healing to do. But what if recovery wasn't all about healing? What if there was as much learning as there is healing in the process? Or what if the healing part doesn't always look the way you think healing looks and feels? This week Josh and Drew are deconstructing the idea of "healing" in anxiety recovery. Are we saying that healing isn't a thing? Of course not! Everyone gets to pick the syntax and the words that resonate most for them. Surely there is some healing happening in some way. But when healing fuels and drives compulsive or ritualized recovery, or drives one into an endless loop of demanding to feel "properly healed", things can go off the rails quickly. This episode is designed to make you think a bit about the roles of healing and learning in recovery, and how you might be glued to words that aren't always serving you well. As always, a healthy dose of flexibility and patience is required as part of this discussion and as part of the recovery process as a whole. Never forget that these questions can be confusing, there isn't always a definite answer to be had, and in the absence of patience and self-compassion this kind of thing can accidentally make you feel like you're doing it wrong or that you have to work harder to achieve "perfect" recovery. Beware of that trap at all times! --- Want to pre-order Josh’s 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.

Anxiety triggered by exercise, exertion, or being in the gym is a common struggle for anyone dealing with issues like panic attacks, agoraphobia, or any anxiety disorder that places a focus on physical anxiety symptoms or feelings of shame, inadequacy, or embarrassment. This week Drew and Josh share not only a professional take on this aspect of anxiety, but their own lived experience struggling with exercise, exertion, feelings they didn't want to feel, and sometimes wanting to run and hide while in the gym with others. As usual, the guys offer some familiar advice when it comes to how to navigate through these anxious moments, assurance about why anxiety doesn't make exercise dangerous for you, and a healthy reminder about being kind and compassionate to yourself as you work through all of this. The challenge is real, but you can do it! --- Want to pre-order Josh’s 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.

Productivity anxiety is an often overlooked subject in our community, so this week Drew and Josh are taking a look at anxiety triggered by an obsession with productivity and the fear of "failure" as defined by not meeting extreme productivity or output goals. This can show itself almost anywhere in life. Work and career. School and academics. Parenting. Building perfect relationships. Even recovery from an anxiety disorder can be impacted by the drive to do recovery perfectly or to be highly productive in recovery by maximizing every moment to recover properly or as quickly as possible. Productivity anxiety can also show itself as a need to be constantly busy and pre-occupied in an effort to remain distracted from anxious thoughts or sensations. Join us to explore this less common but nonethess important topic. --- Want to pre-order Josh’s 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 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.