Disordered: Anxiety Help
Disordered is a podcast that provides real, evidence-based, actionable talk about anxiety disorders and anxiety recovery in a kind, compassionate, community-oriented environment. Hosted by Josh Fletcher, a qualified psychotherapist in the UK, and Drew Linsalata, a therapist practicing under supervision in the US, they combine lived experience, formal training, and professional experience to deliver an encouraging and inspiring mental health message.
Episodes
Depersonalization and Derealization w/Dr. Claudia Hallett (Episode 177)
Send a question or comment via text messageDepersonalization and derealization (DPDR) can feel like not recognizing yourself in the mirror, or like living behind a pane of glass. This week, clinical psychologist Dr. Claudia Hallett joins us. She leads a specialist DPDR clinic in London and works with this condition full time.We talk about why the experience is so hard to describe, and why that mak
Cognitive Reframing in Anxiety Disorders (Episode 176)
Send a question or comment via text messageCognitive reframing in anxiety disorders is not about arguing with a thought until it loses. This week we take some of the most common phrases we hear in this community and look at them from a slightly different angle, without trying to prove them wrong or talk anyone into feeling safe.We work through "I'm spiraling," "what if," &
Meditations on Anxiety Medications (Episode 175)
Send a question or comment via text message175 episodes in, we're finally talking about medication. This week we get into questions we hear constantly: if I take medication for my anxiety, does that mean I'm failing, or that I'll never really recover? Is medication cheating? Is it evil? Is there even an answer to these questions?We talk about why these questions don't even rea
Exposure Is Learning To Be Uncomfortable (Episode 174)
Send a question or comment via text messageExposure isn't about proving you can sit in traffic, go to the supermarket, or make it through dinner with a friend. This week we talk about what exposure is actually for: practicing being uncomfortable, on purpose, without trying to fix or manage the feeling once it shows up.We get into why the specific trigger, whether it's a bridge, a dentist
Making It Right Once You're Better? (Episode 173)
Send a question or comment via text messageOnce you're better, desensitized, and living your life again, a different feeling can show up: guilt over the years you lost, the plans you canceled, the people you pushed away. This week we talk about the urge to "make it right," and why that instinct deserves a closer look before you act on it.We get into the difference between amends tha
CBT For Anxiety Disorders Explained (Episode 172)
Send a question or comment via text message"I tried CBT and it didn't work" is a lot like saying "I tried food and it didn't work." CBT is a massive umbrella, and what you actually got depends heavily on which version of it you were given.This week we break down what CBT for anxiety disorders actually looks like, from the older, content-driven approach built around th
Anxiety And The "Yeah But" (Episode 171)
Send a question or comment via text message"Yeah, but." Two words that show up constantly in anxiety recovery, right after a win. You did the thing, and before it can count, the mind adds a condition: yeah, but I had my water bottle with me, yeah, but I still felt anxious, yeah, but a real doctor might find something the others missed.This week we break down why "yeah, but" is
Anxiety, People Pleasing, and Self-Esteem (Episode 170)
Send a question or comment via text messageNot everything is an anxiety disorder, but people pleasing and low self-esteem feed into it constantly. This week we talk about why the two overlap so heavily, and why learning to desensitize almost always requires putting yourself first, which can feel like the least safe thing in the world if pleasing people is how you've kept yourself safe.We get
Common Anxiety Recovery "Mistakes" (Episode 169)
Send a question or comment via text messageThis week we go through the most common mistakes people make while trying to recover from anxiety disorders, the ones that feel intuitive in the moment but end up keeping the cycle going.We cover minimizing your own wins, thinking a place or situation is the actual exposure instead of the feeling underneath it, overestimating anxiety's importance whi
Anxiety, Distraction, and "Running From Feelings" (Episode 168)
Send a question or comment via text messageIs distraction the same thing as running from your feelings? This week we answer a listener question about where that line actually is, and why the answer isn't as simple as always sit with it.We talk about why attention plays such a big role in anxiety disorders, why getting caught up in your life is not automatically avoidance, and why the real que
Popular But Dangerous Anxiety Advice (Episode 167)
Send a question or comment via text messageAnxiety recovery attracts an entire industry, and not all of it is safe. This week we talk about popular but dangerous anxiety cures, the methods and trends that get recommended constantly but that our community says actually made things worse.We cover the trauma narrative that convinces people their panic and OCD are rooted in trauma stored in the body,
Anxiety Questions and Answers (Episode 166)
Send a question or comment via text messageThis is our anxiety latest questions and answers episode, where we go straight to the community and tackle real listener questions about panic disorder, OCD, GAD, and health anxiety.We get into what to do when anxiety symptoms show up all day without fitting a specific diagnosis, why worrying about something you live with, like an aging house, does not co
Anxiety Always Has A Strategy, and Its Nonsense (Episode 165)
Send a question or comment via text messageAnxiety always seems to have a strategy for you, doesn't it?Check it, prepare for it, watch it closely so nothing bad happensStay on top of things so you can be the fixer, the predictor, the protector, the engineer of experiencesDo not take your eyes off the worry because worry is proof of how good you are and how loving you are.This week we're
Anxiety And Releasing Tension (Episode 164)
Send a question or comment via text messageEveryone tells you to release tension. But if you live with panic disorder, OCD, or health anxiety, that advice can backfire fast. This week we're digging into why chasing relaxation as a goal often makes tension worse, and what actually helps instead.We're talking about why physical tension is a normal response to stress and fear, not a problem
When Anxiety Says You're The Exception (Episode 163)
Send a question or comment via text messageAnxiety has a favorite move. It doesn't argue that acceptance and exposure don't work. It just convinces you they don't apply to you specifically. This thought, this sensation, this situation, is the one exception to every rule you already understand.This week we break down what fuels that exception: possibility, intensity, and importance,
Anxiety Recovery PROCESS vs CONTENT (Episode 162)
Send a question or comment via text messageIt's your heart. Or the dizziness. Or the one thought you can't get to leave you alone. If you could just solve that specific thing, you'd finally be okay. This week we push back on that.The subject of your fear, the heartbeat, the health scare, the intrusive thought, the situation you're avoiding, is the content. What's actually
Anxiety Recovery: Bring ALL Versions Of You (Episode 161)
Send a question or comment via text messageYou want to do the acceptance thing. You've read the books, you've listened to the podcasts, you intellectually get it. And then you get triggered, and suddenly the version of you that's anxious, scared, or doubting gets the door slammed in its face. That version of you is broken. That version shouldn't be here. That version needs to g
Anxiety: It's All About Attention, Baby! (Episode 160)
Send a question or comment via text messageThis week we're talking about attention. Specifically, how where you place your focus directly impacts your anxiety and your recovery.We discuss how an anxiety disorder naturally hijacks your attention, pulling it inward to scan for threats inside your own body and mind. While checking in on how you feel might seem like the safest thing to do, it act
Improving .... Or Optimizing Your Health and Wellness (Episode 159)
Send a question or comment via text messageImproving vs. Optimizing in Anxiety RecoveryIn this episode of Disordered, Drew and Josh tackle a topic suggested by the community: the hidden trap of the "optimization culture" and how it intersects with anxiety and OCD.There is a distinct difference between wanting to improve your health and falling into compulsive, perfectionist territory whe
Anxiety Recovery ... When You're Calm (Episode 158)
Send a question or comment via text messageWhat do you do when your anxiety finally quietens down for a few days? For many of us, a calm day triggers a completely new set of anxious habits. We treat the absence of panic as a fragile victory, freezing in place so we do not ruin it, or constantly checking around the corner to see if the fear is returning.In this episode, we address why the work of a
Is Distraction a Compulsion In Anxiety Recovery? (Episode 157)
Send a question or comment via text messageCan distraction be a compulsion in anxiety recovery? It is a question that comes up constantly in the anxiety community. Many people are told to simply "distract your mind" when they feel anxious, but if you are doing it specifically to escape a feeling, it can quickly turn into a safety behavior or a compulsion.In this episode of Disordered, th
Asking For Anxiety Help (Episode 156)
Send a question or comment via text messageAsking for help can be difficult, especially when you are struggling with anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, or agoraphobia. In this episode, Drew and Josh break down the nuances of asking for anxiety help. There is a fine line between asking for genuine support and looking for compulsive reassurance or soothing to make the discomfort disappear.Drew and Josh d
Taboo OCD Themes (Episode 155)
Send a question or comment via text messageOCD is a difficult condition to navigate, but it becomes significantly more challenging when obsessions center on taboo topics. Themes involving harm, pedophilia (pOCD), sexual orientation (HOCD), or moral and religious failure often carry a heavy burden of shame. This shame frequently drives people into silence, preventing them from seeking the help they
Anxiety Recovery: When You're Trying To "Win" (Episode 154)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode, Josh and Drew discuss a common hurdle in anxiety recovery: the desire to "win" against your anxiety. For many, especially those with perfectionist tendencies, anxiety is viewed as an adversary that has taken something away. This leads to a constant, habitual checking to see if the anxiety is gone, which inadvertently keeps you s
Let Me Tell You How I Feel (Episode 153)
Send a question or comment via text messageLet's start with a success story from the UK. While being medically monitored for four hours, our listener realized how much attention she was giving to her physical symptoms. Her story highlights the difference between noticing a sensation and compulsively monitoring it.Which leads us to a conversation about the urge to ALWAYS talk about how you fee
Anxiety in the Supermarket or Grocery Store (Episode 152)
Send a question or comment via text messageHave you ever felt like a supermarket was a high-stakes obstacle course you just couldn’t wait to escape? In this episode of Disordered, Josh and Drew dive deep into a struggle that almost everyone with an anxiety disorder knows well: anxiety in the supermarket or grocery store.Whether it is the harsh fluorescent lighting, the narrow aisles, or the trappe
Anxiety Disorders and Sneaky Compulsions (Episode 151)
Send a question or comment via text messageThis episode of Disordered dives into the concept of sneaky compulsions. Many people struggling with anxiety or OCD often find themselves performing behaviors that they do not immediately recognize as compulsions. These can look like productive research, seeking reassurance through a joke, or even "checking" to see if you still feel calm.Drew an
Same Time Next Week - Anxiety Recovery in the "Gaps" (Episode 150)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this milestone episode of Disordered, we discuss the concepts in Josh's upcoming book. The conversation focuses on the gaps in anxiety recovery and the modern hurdles that prevent people from effectively practicing desensitization.They break down how the obsession with "optimization" and the "wellness brosphere" often becomes a
Failing and Bailing on Anxiety Exposures? (Episode 149)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode, Josh and Drew tackle a common hurdle in anxiety recovery: what happens when an exposure feels like a "failure" or when you choose to "bail."An exposure is the deliberate act of evoking an anxious response. It is a way to rewire the brain by intentionally lighting up the threat response and practicing response preventio
Rolling Anxiety and Panic (Episode 148)
Send a question or comment via text messageThis episode of Disordered addresses the experience of constant, simmering anxiety that fluctuates in intensity throughout the day without fully disappearing. We refer to this as undulating panic or a loop of peaking anxiety.The Nature of Rolling Anxiety: Many people that they are different because they don't have anxiety that appears, then disappear
Did It Anyway - Volume 5 - Global Edition! (Episode 147)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode of Disordered, we celebrate the "Global Edition" of Did It Anyway. We're sharing inspiring stories from our community members around the world who chose to face their fears and take action despite experiencing intense anxiety.From navigating health anxiety at a drum and bass gig in London to managing emetophobia while being
The Stress Jug Explained (Episode 146)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode, Josh and Drew break down the "Stress Jug"—a metaphor designed to explain why anxiety and panic often seem to appear out of nowhere. The guys discuss how accumulated stress, both positive and negative, can cause your "threat response" to overflow, leading to sensitization and the search for a threat where none exists.Th
Self Compassion in Anxiety Recovery (Episode 145)
Send a question or comment via text messageThis week we're discussing the relationship between anxiety and self-compassion. Self-compassion is often dismissed as a way to avoid difficult tasks or "whine" about struggles, but it is actually a functional part of the desensitization process.Drew shares how he originally viewed self-compassion as a weakness that would lead to more avoid
Overcoming Anxiety: The Role of Attention (Episode 144)
Send a question or comment via text messageThis episode of Disordered explores the vital role of attention in anxiety recovery. Josh and Drew discuss the core skill of moving your attention while feeling high levels of fear.Many people struggling with anxiety disorders feel their attention is glued to symptoms or intrusive thoughts. Josh describes this as "threat-induced attention," whic
The Disordered Community Space (Special Announcement)
Send a question or comment via text messageAfter many months of building and planning, the Disordered Community space is now live. We could not be more pleased about this!Check out the community space here:https://disordered.fm/communityWhy did we do this?Endless scroll, algorithm-driven, attention focused platforms that only want to monetize your struggle are awful places to support anxious peopl
The Golden Rules of Anxiety Recovery and Desensitization (Episode 143)
Send a question or comment via text messageThis episode of Disordered examines the fundamental "Golden Rules" of anxiety desensitization. Josh and Drew break down two core principles designed to guide long term desensitization for those struggling with panic disorder, agoraphobia, OCD, and health anxiety. They move away from promising cures or quick fixes, focusing instead on changing th
How Do We Overcome Worry and Rumination? (Episode 142)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode of Disordered, guest co-host Kimberley Quinlan joins Drew to pull back the curtain on one of the most persistent hurdles in anxiety recovery: rumination. Whether you call it overthinking, worry, or mental "problem solving," the process is a universal constant across panic disorder, OCD, health anxiety, depression, and other relat
The Truth About Crazy Anxiety Cures (Episode 141)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode, Drew and Josh discuss the world of anxiety cures and the "miracle" solutions often marketed to those struggling with panic, OCD, and health anxiety. They share personal stories of the various methods they tried during their own recoveries and explain why many popular trends fail to provide long-term relief.The Magnetism of the M
"Temping Fate" In Anxiety Recovery? (Episode 140)
Send a question or comment via text messageHave you ever felt anxious about admitting you're doing better? Like saying "I'm okay" out loud might somehow jinx your progress or tempt fate?In this episode, Drew and Josh explore that uncomfortable feeling when someone asks "How are you doing?" and you're caught between wanting to acknowledge improvement and being afr
Anxiety Questions From The Audience (Episode 139)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this listener participation episode, Drew and Josh tackle your questions about recovery while celebrating inspiring stories from the community.Questions explored in this episode:Why does my anxiety disorder feel like it's protecting me? When you're struggling with OCD, panic disorder, or health anxiety, your threat response can feel like a cu
Anxiety and Not Feeling The "Right" Emotions (Episode 138)
Send a question or comment via text messageWhen you're at your child's birthday party, your wedding day, or on a much-anticipated vacation, do you find yourself feeling anxious instead of joyful—and then getting frustrated with yourself for "not feeling the right way"? In this episode, Drew and Josh explore one of the most common traps in anxiety recovery: judging yourself for
Anxiety Disorders and the Fear of Insanity (Episode 137)
Send a question or comment via text messageOne of the most terrifying fears in anxiety disorders is the fear of losing your mind. In this episode, Drew and Josh explore dementophobia - the fear of insanity - and why it's so common among people experiencing panic disorder, OCD, agoraphobia, and health anxiety.The guys discuss how the brain's threat response can turn inward when it can&apo
Health Anxiety: The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety (Episode 136)
Send a question or comment via text messageDrew and Josh announce the release of their first co-written book, The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety, and dive deep into the many faces of health anxiety. From the resource gatherer constantly Googling symptoms to the optimizer obsessing over perfect health metrics, they explore how health anxiety shows up differently for different people - and why i
Anxiety Symptoms: Dizziness & Lightheadedness (Episode 135)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode of Disordered, the guys delve into the common anxiety symptoms of dizziness and lightheadedness. They share personal experiences, discuss the impact of these symptoms on daily life, and explore coping mechanisms such as interoceptive exposure and mindfulness. The conversation also highlights community wins, listener questions, and the impo
Agoraphobia & Fear of Open Spaces (Episode 134)
Send a question or comment via text messageAgoraphobia. Is it fear of open spaces? Do people with agoraphobia always fear open spaces? What even is agoraphobia and how to I overcome it?This week we're looking at the complexities of agoraphobia, exploring its definitions, connections to panic disorder, and the fear of open spaces. We're sharing some personal experiences and insights on ho
Doing It Anyway - While Hurting And Challenged (Episode 133)
Send a question or comment via text messageSometimes life throws real challenges at you. Medical issues. Loss. Uncertainty. The kind of stuff that makes anxiety feel completely justified. So how do you move forward when you're genuinely scared AND dealing with actual difficult circumstances?In this episode, we share some of the most powerful "did it anyway" stories we've ever r
Anxious About Feeling ... Calm? (Episode 132)
Send a question or comment via text messagePanicogenic Relaxation: Why You Feel Anxious When Feeling CalmYou're finally feeling better. The anxiety has lifted. You're relaxed and calm for the first time in months or even years. So why does that feel so weird? And why are you suddenly anxious about feeling calm?In this episode, Drew and Josh explore "panicogenic relaxation". Thi
Anxiety Recovery - Learning To Believe In Yourself Again (Episode 131)
Send a question or comment via text messageWhen anxiety and its relentless inner critic take hold, one of the most profound losses is the belief and trust in your own capability. In this episode, Drew and Josh explore how to rebuild self-trust after anxiety disorders erode your confidence in handling life's challenges.The conversation centers on stories from listeners who confronted their wor
Craig The Critic (Episode 130)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode, Drew and Josh explore the powerful role of the internal critic—affectionately named "Craig"—in maintaining anxiety disorders and interfering with recovery. They discuss how this nagging inner voice criticizes, questions, and doubts us, often telling us we're doing things wrong or that we'll never be who we hope to be.L
Anxiety Symptoms - AIR HUNGER (Episode 129)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode of Disordered, Drew and Josh tackle one of the most frightening anxiety symptoms: air hunger - that terrifying feeling that you can't get a deep enough breath or fully fill your lungs.Drew and Josh draw from both their clinical expertise and personal recovery experiences to explain why this sensation happens, why trying to "fix&q
How Long Does De-Sensitization Take? (Episode 128)
Send a question or comment via text messageOne of the most common questions we hear from people working through anxiety disorders and OCD is: "How long is this going to take?" In this episode, Drew and Josh tackle the timeline question head-on—but probably not in the way you're expecting.We explore why asking "how long until I recover?" might be the wrong question, and why
"Anxiety Recovery OCD?" (Episode 127)
Send a question or comment via text messageCan your focus on getting better actually make things worse? In this episode, we explore what happens when the recovery process itself becomes an obsession - coining the term "Recovery OCD" to describe the fixation many people develop around their anxiety recovery journey.We dig into the counterintuitive reality that constantly checking "Am
When The News Triggers Anxiety (Episode 126)
Send a question or comment via text messageHow do you handle anxiety when the news feels overwhelming? With constant exposure to current events, political tensions, and global crises through social media and traditional news sources, it's no wonder many people with anxiety disorders find themselves struggling.This week on Disordered we're talking about the complex relationship between ne
Did It Anyway - Volume 4 (Episode 125)
Send a question or comment via text messageWelcome to another inspiring round of "Did It Anyway" stories, where we celebrate real wins from our community members who chose to move forward despite their anxiety.In this episode, Drew and Josh share powerful listener stories that illustrate a fundamental truth about anxiety recovery: you can take meaningful action even when you feel scared,
Anxiety and Mental Health Misinformation w/Dr. Birthe Macdonald (Episode 124)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this essential episode, Drew and Josh are joined by Dr. Birthe Macdonald, a psychologist and neuroscience researcher who's become a vital voice in combating mental health misinformation on social media. The conversation tackles the overwhelming sea of questionable advice that anxious people encounter online, from vagus nerve stimulation devices to
Anxiety Recovery: Semantics and Choosing Words Wisely (Episode 123)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode, we explore how the language we use to describe our anxiety experiences can either fuel our struggles or support our recovery. We examine the difference between helpful and unhelpful ways of talking about panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, and anxiety symptoms.We discuss why saying "it feels like I'm dying" versus "I&ap
Have You Learned How To Panic Yet? (Episode 122)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode, Josh and Drew tackle one of the most counterintuitive concepts in overcoming panic attacks: learning how to panic better, rather than trying to avoid panic altogether.When facing a new job triggers familiar panic patterns, many people focus on preventing anxiety rather than developing a healthier relationship with it. Drew and Josh explor
Forgiving Yourself In Anxiety Recovery (Episode 121)
Send a question or comment via text messageWhen you're struggling with anxiety disorders, you often do things that don't reflect who you really are - avoiding social gatherings, canceling plans, or making demands on loved ones that you normally wouldn't. As you start to recover, it's common to feel overwhelming guilt about how your anxiety affected the people around you.In this
Anxiety and the Death of Curiosity (Episode 120)
Send a question or comment via text messageWhen anxiety takes hold, one of the first casualties is our natural sense of wonder and openness to new experiences. In this episode of Disordered, lets explore how anxiety disorders systematically erode our curiosity about the world around us and our own capabilities.Drew and Josh discuss how anxiety creates a rigid, self-focused mindset that asks only &
Processing ... Or Anxious Thinking? (Episode 119)
Send a question or comment via text messageWhen something shocking or difficult happens, we're often told we need to "process" our emotions. But what if that endless loop of replaying events in your mind isn't actually processing at all? In this episode, Drew and Josh explore the crucial difference between healthy emotional processing and anxious rumination that keeps us stuck.
Healing in Anxiety Disorders (Episode 118)
Send a question or comment via text messageIn this episode of Disordered, the guys tackle one of the most misunderstood concepts in anxiety recovery: healing. Sparked by a listener question about balancing relationships with anxiety recovery work, the hosts dive deep into what healing anxiety really means - and what it doesn't.The Problem with "Healing" Language Drew and Josh explor
Getting Out Of An Anxious Head (Episode 117)
Send a question or comment via text messageEver feel trapped in cycles of rumination, overthinking, and constant mental chatter about your anxiety? In this episode, Drew and Josh tackle the challenging question of how to "get out of your own head" without turning it into another exhausting battle.Starting with a thoughtful question from a listener who has built an impressive life despite
Anxiety and The Illusion of Control (Episode 116)
Send a question or comment via text messageWhat If I Want To Control My Anxiety Holistically?In this episode, Drew and Josh examine tension between wanting to control anxiety through holistic approaches and recognizing when that desire for control becomes part of the problem itself.Key Topics Discussed:The difference between actual control and the illusion of controlHow the wellness and self-optim
Anxiety Recovery - Am I Doing Too Much (Episode 115)
Send a question or comment via text messageAm I Doing Too Much Recovery/Exposure?This week Drew and Josh tackle a common question in anxiety recovery: "Am I pushing myself too hard with exposures?" The guys explore the nuanced balance between challenging yourself and recognizing when you might genuinely need rest.In this episode:How to distinguish between being genuinely depleted versus
Listener Questions About Anxiety & Recovery (Episode 114)
Send a question or comment via text messageThis week Drew and Josh are answering questions from listeners. Questions addressed in this episode include:Is it "normal" to feel a letdown after completing and big successful exposure/challenge?What work can we do to address the fawn response?Isn't a panic attack a medical emergency? How can it possibly be safe to experience panic?!Stayin
Death Anxiety w/Professor David Veale (Episode 113)
Send a question or comment via text messageDeath anxiety - an obsessive fixation on death, dying and existence driven by intense fear of the inevitability of death - is a very common experience for listeners of Disordered.This week Josh and Drew were lucky enough to have a chat with Professor David Veale, one of the leading authorities in in the UK on the topic of death anxiety and mental health i
Rumination ... Or Reflection? (Episode 112)
Send a question or comment via text messageWhat's the difference between rumination and reflection? Ruminators, worriers, and over thinkers often struggle to recognize the useful limits of thinking. They can become unsure when they are engaging in helpful reflection or problem solving .... and when they are ruminating and worrying with no good outcomes and often actual negative outcomes.This
If Its Anxiety .... It MUST Be Trauma! (Episode 111)
Send a question or comment via text messageThis week on Disordered we're discussing the all too common narrative in wellness circles that demands that we ascribe all anxiety or suffering of any kind to unhealed or unprocessed trauma. And while its certainly a good thing that we are more concerned with life experiences than structural defects now, this narrative can be unhelpful or even harmfu
Anxiety Recovery: Worse Before Better - Part II (Episode 110)
Send a question or comment via text message"Help! I started doing exposures and trying to accept my anxiety and its getting worse!"This is a very common experience in anxiety disorder recovery. Its been spoken about at great length in the community surrounding the Disordered podcast. This week we're tackling the "worse before better" issue.When you stop running, hiding, av
My Anxiety Makes Me Frustrated / Angry / Sad / Guilty! (Episode 109)
Send a question or comment via text messageWhen we struggle with chronic or disordered anxiety, we regularly experience powerful emotions that tend to look like fear or tension. We may experience intense feelings of being vulnerable, or doomed. We talk about these things all the time. But what about when you have emotions about having those emotions? Struggling to overcome an anxiety problem that
Anxiety, ChatGPT, AI, Reddit ... and Dr. Google (Episode 108)
Send a question or comment via text message"Hey ChatGPT. Please tell me how I'll know if I'm accepting my anxiety or avoiding it.""Hey ChatGPT. When I get anxious my vision gets weird. Can anxiety do that? ""Hello Reddit. Does anyone else feel like ...."The guys are back after a short break to talk about the use of ChatGPT, AI, Reddit, Google, and the Intern
Two Week Break - April 18, 2025
Send a question or comment via text messageWe're taking a short two week break, so no new episode of Disordered for April 18 or April 25. We'll be back again on May 2!In the meanwhile, head over to disordered.fm and check out our back catalog of episodes. We've done some cool (and fun) stuff over the last two years so check it out. Thank you for all your support. We really appreciat
Doing ... And NOT Doing ... In Anxiety Recovery (Episode 107)
Send a question or comment via text messageWhen working on anxiety recovery, sometimes we're DOING. Other times we have to focus on NOT doing. How confusing is that!?This week Drew and Josh are chatting about how DOING things specific to anxiety recovery and NOT DOING things specific to anxiety recovery are related and how these two concepts work together. In a nutshell, doing is about activa
Emetophobia - Fear of Vomiting w/Dara Lovitz & Dr. David Yusko (Episode 106)
Send a question or comment via text messageEmetophobia - an intense fear of vomiting and any thoughts or sensations associated with vomiting - is a more common struggle among anxious people than anyone might initial think. But Emetophobia can make its way into virtually every aspect of life, often resulting in a highly restricted lifestyle and a dramatic decrease in the ability to function.This we
Existential Anxiety With Depersonalization/De-Realization (Episode 105)
Send a question or comment via text messageOne of the perfect storms in the anxiety disorder world is the combination of existential related anxiety with the sensations/experiences of depersonalization and derealization. Unfortunately for many, this is a common combination and it can be so difficult to understand and address that it seemed an episode dedicated to this issue was in order.As you mig
Anxiety and "Incomplete" Recovery (Episode 104)
Send a question or comment via text messageDo you feel like you've "mostly" overcome your chronic or disordered anxiety issues but there are still challenges that linger? Maybe you've felt fully recovered once before, or even several times before, but you keep finding yourself back in the thick of it or unable to overcome a few specific challenges.If this is you, then tune in a
Anxiety and Flying w/Dr. David Carbonell (Episode 103)
Send a question or comment via text messageWhen working to overcome an anxiety disorder, the biggest challenge many in our community can identify is flying. For chronically anxious people, the idea of getting on a plane, being trapped for hours, and being terrified or out of control for that long seems like something they will never be able to.Even for people that are well on the way to recovery,
Self-Soothing When Anxiety Appears? (Episode 102)
Send a question or comment via text messageHow can I learn to self-soothe when I get anxious and I'm terrified of my body or my thoughts?Well ... while it might seem like launching into a soothing technique designed to control the fight or flight response is a good idea, this week Josh and Drew are talking about why the concept of self-soothing doesn't automatically make sense in the con
Breathing/Breath Anxiety (Episode 101)
Send a question or comment via text messageBreathing anxiety! This is such a common issue in the Disordered community. Breathing or breath focused anxiety often involves a few key concepts:"I feel like I can't get a deep enough breath!""When I get really anxious it feels like I can't breathe.""I'm super focused on my breath all day long and I hate it!"T
Did It Anyway - Volume 3 (Episode 100)
Send a question or comment via text messageTo celebrate the 100th episode (and over a million downloads) of Disordered, we thought celebrating listener and community wins would be a great way to mark the occasion!Disordered would not exist without you, and when you guys do brave things, face your fear, learn lessons from that, and rise to meet challenges you previously thought impossible to meet,
