Anxiety Road Podcast
378 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★ - 31 ratingsThis is the Anxiety Road Podcast, the involuntary journey in finding treatment options for people that have anxiety and panics attacks with side trips into related mental health disorders.
This podcast is treatment agnostic.
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Episodes
ARP 265 Social Anxiety AKA Social Phobia
November 03, 2021 03:03 - 8 minutes - 8.17 MBThis is the podcast sharing the medical, behavioral health, meditation/relaxation and x=the unknown treatment options for those of us on the anxiety condition or disorder spectrum. Everything is a story. If you listen to enough marketing people, the story is what makes the sale. Craft a good story and then herd them doggies down the sales funnel to rake in the dollars. That concept isn’t necessarily wrong but it is being seriously corrupted by the venal passions of the money obs...
ARP 264 Quick Look at Sleep Pod
October 27, 2021 04:10 - 5 minutes - 4.97 MBHi folks, this is a pebble in the road about finding helpful aids for a better sleep. Being the anxious folks that we are, sleep is not always obtainable or consistent. Especially if you are living the chaotic life. So there is this product called a Sleep Pod by a company called Hug Sleep. (I think, there may have been a name change) Oh, by the way this is not a sponsored or promotion product. Really more of my opinion about product that claims to help people sleep. How to descri...
ARP 263 What is Critical Thinking?
October 20, 2021 03:41 - 10 minutes - 10.3 MBI don't know if you have experienced this but either people are telling you that you are overthinking, underthinking or not thinking in the right way. There are reams of books about how to think the "right" way. Especially if you have an anxiety condition. And I know the depression folks catch double hell on it too. And let's not forget that freak flag that get's waived when someone expresses and opinion as fact and then when you try to educate or provide sources they accuse you of n...
ARP 262 Depression and Negative Talk
October 13, 2021 03:17 - 9 minutes - 9.48 MBThere is a study reported by the medical journal The Lancet about the increase in levels of anxiety and depression during the pandemic. The first sentence in the report got me thinking. Mental disorders are among the leading causes of the global health-related burden I have to look up the meaning of burden because I've never thought of my anxiety as a burden. A thorn, a pain in the ass, or at best, this thing that I have but not a burden. It has two meanings. a load, typically a heavy...
ARP 261 Tips May or May Not Help You
October 05, 2021 03:07 - 7 minutes - 7.04 MBThere are thinking people on the planet and that gives me some hope. I recently learned about turning a pot pie upside down on a plate or bowl. This is some genius level thinking that I aspire, to but will never have it the way I want it. Because the gravy part will seep down to the back of the lid or the top of the pot pie. Then, depending on how fast or slow you eat it, you got gravy and a crunchy lid. It is also a willingness to see something differently. F--k the ...
Pebble in the Road - Alcohol and Serotonin
September 28, 2021 02:26 - 3 minutes - 3.14 MBThis is just a quick pebble in the road about what happens to your brain if you drink booze to chill out or control your symptoms. Just a head's up, I did complete the longer version of the Serotonin episode. Has a bit more details and more context.
ARP 259 - Serotonin, The Long Version
September 26, 2021 21:09 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBWell, I did manage to get it down from 20 minutes to about 12 minutes. Essentially the same but with more about specific foods you can eat, more resources and just a touch less snark. Resources Mentioned: San Diego Union Tribune article about men ignoring their mental health issues. The Dana Foundation is a non-profit that provides information about the brain and brain health for kids and adults. Has a good explanation of Neurotransmitters. The Hormone Health Network is a w...
ARP 259 Serotonin Basics - Short Version
September 21, 2021 03:35 - 5 minutes - 5.12 MBI was reading an article that said I should eat pineapple to increase my serotonin level. I also seen other articles about kiwis, avocados and other foods. In those articles you might find something about serotonin ability to calm you down. Or to help with anxiety. Or depression. This one got me a little twitchy. Because the article mentioned the pineapple should be inside of a sugar cake of delight. This is like a person pointing to the ice cubes inside an alc...
ARP 258 All or Nothing Thinking
September 14, 2021 03:06 - 8 minutes - 8.16 MBThis episode was inspired by my real life experiences. Of which I have a bunch of them. So, so many of them. One of the things that I've learned it to not to be dragged down into a spiral. I still have negative thoughts but I don't have to hug and kiss up on them. 97.4% of the time, it is just a thought. It isn't a measurement of my worth. I am still in the remembering that thinking error are not me stage. There are all kinds of thinking errors that can affect you mood o...
ARP 257 Using Meditation Beads for Grounding Practice
September 07, 2021 02:17 - 9 minutes - 9.08 MBGrounding is a way to help you calm down. To get a grip on whatever caused your symptoms flare up. Meditation beads could be a way for you to have a tactile or touch means of centering yourself. You can use it to remember an affirmation, incorporate it into your breathing practice, or to remember that you are not defined by a random thought. You are a person in the here and now. There are all sorts of meditation bracelets in the marketplace. There always has been. The Catholic...
Do You Know Your Why About Medication?
August 31, 2021 04:00 - 5 minutes - 5.01 MBIn this week's episode is a look at some of the reasons why we need to look at taking medication. What is the reason? Number one has to be symptom management and control. Them SOB's have made me do things I'd never thought I'd do. Pour water on my head in a parking lot? Yep. And don't think that won't get folks attention. It will. Being clear about taking or not taking medication is a process of education. You have to learn what the medication is, what it does for you, what effect ...
ARP 255 Sleep Resources and Six Years
August 25, 2021 02:56 - 9 minutes - 9.14 MBThis is the sixth year of the podcast. Nothing like I envisioned it would be. The podcast was inspired by a lot of things. Many years ago, I went searching for a podcast to help me understand what was going on. I found one but the gentleman was ending the show because the anxiety of creating and producing was too much for him. I found others that were created by doctors using medical language I didn’t understand. Or ones selling books, cassettes for treatment. Or really pu...
ARP 253 Screening and Diagnostic Tests
August 05, 2021 04:19 - 7 minutes - 7.62 MBI'm still in vacation mode until September. One of the things I hoped I’ve emphasized in the podcast is that you should have a medical evaluation and diagnosis from a health care professional. The symptoms for anxiety are very similar to other physical health conditions. Having a medical examination would help to take some of the load off your shoulders. That is the topic of the show. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the...
ARP 252 Anxiety and Iceberg Thoughts
July 08, 2021 02:56 - 8 minutes - 8.34 MBAn iceberg belief is a self-limited thought. And one of the strange things about it is that some of those self-limiting thoughts can come from your family, broadcast and social media or your culture. Anxiety and anxiety symptoms can amp up or bring to the surface some of those embedded thoughts. Those thoughts can pop up as you watch a video. A car racing down the street. A song that brings up a memory. Or it is 1:57pm and you got a way to go before the end of the day. You are ...
ARP 251 Revisiting Crazy
June 24, 2021 02:08 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBStill in vacation mode but have plenty to talk about. Part of today's episode deals with digital and health literacy. Well, truthfully I try to sneak it in whenever I can. Digital Literacy is "is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills." Health Literacy is "the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health inf...
ARP 250 Stand in Your Truth
June 08, 2021 02:09 - 8 minutes - 8.03 MBSo many people do not accept that athletes and entertainers are real people with issues. Being an athlete or rich person does not exempt you from being human. You have to deal with like depression, anxiety or being an introvert being in the public realm. Broke or rich, having an anxiety disorder is rough. Depression is also no joke. But both are treatable. And I truly want to do an episode or two about the American Medical Association and their roll or lack of it when it c...
ARP 249 - Self Calming or Self Medication
May 31, 2021 23:55 - 9 minutes - 9.44 MBIn this episode, a quick look at what is self-calming and self-medication. Words are tricky. In this context, I’m speaking about a psychological concept of self-medication to seek relief from emotional or mental health symptoms. There is another meaning of the term about the necessity of self-treatment when you do not have access or can't afford healthcare services. That isn’t the topic of this episode. I've touched on that aspect in other episodes but that requires a dee...
ARP 248 Is Anxiety a Sin?
May 21, 2021 02:31 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MBThe short answer is no. It is a medical condition. It can be treated 99.5 times out of a 100. But many people do not know that they have an anxiety disorder or seek treatment. Some of the reasons for this is what they are being told in certain houses of faith. The good news is that is slowly changing. More faith based institutions are working with mental health professionals. There are practitioners that have both spiritual and mental health license credentials. This episode ...
ARP 247 - Benzodiazepines Medications for Anxiety Symptoms
May 14, 2021 04:55 - 8 minutes - 8.45 MBMedication is one, but not the only treatment option when it comes to anxiety. In this episode, a description of what Benzodiazepines Medication are, some of the names and resources to check out. In housekeeping news, thank you all that have stuck with me. I found out that the new software and microphone I was using had a distortion. I couldn't hear it on my side but I was checking an episode on a podcasting app and oooh, not what I intended. If you didn't hear the distortion,...
ARP 246 Awareness
May 07, 2021 03:05 - 8 minutes - 7.99 MBThey say it is Mental Health Awareness Month 2021. It is also National Barbeque Month, and so many more affinity items and groups. It is the things that we pay attention to that can define us. Or not. There is a New York Times article about research being conducted about talk therapy and MDMA for sever PTSD cases. Much more testing need to occur but it seems promising. There will folks that will be thrilled about this news. And others that will thump up on some book that prove...
ARP 245 Anxiety Symptoms
April 30, 2021 02:46 - 6 minutes - 6.44 MBIn the episode, I mentioned that your symptoms are not the enemy. They ain’t your friend either. Symptoms are a way for your brain and body to communicate with you. Your symptoms do not use words. They do not do that noun conjunction verb. They are good at telling you there is a problem. They are lousy at telling you why there is a problem. They try. They really do. Like if you really don't like riding in elevators your body will tense up. Could be because work will be hectic. Coul...
ARP 244 Causes of Anxiety
April 21, 2021 03:33 - 8 minutes - 8.53 MBIf your symptoms or your condition plays havoc with your ability to function you have a problem. It does help to know. Truth is, It doesn't matter how it got started. How you are going to handle it or get it treated is your decision. In this episode, a look at some but not all of the causes of an anxiety disorder. Knowing what you have can take the stink out of it. Just a heads up, there is a ADAA.org free webinar on How to Overcome COVID Re-entry Anxiety. Just beca...
ARP 245 Climb the Mountain
April 15, 2021 05:01 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBI truly don't know what to say. There needs to be some healing infusions and I don't have any. But I can say many of us are trying not to be overwhelmed or discouraged by hate based carbon units. It is hard. But we can do it. Are ancestors taught us that and we have to hold on waiting for our time to make changes. Not to wait on them. Make them. In this episode, a few words about why the podcast exist and in App that Attack, a few words on Apollo Neuro. If you need ...
ARP 242 Pebble in the Road - Book Recommendation
April 07, 2021 20:44 - 5 minutes - 5.8 MBI had wanted to do a show about writing anxiety. Then I got hit with a wave of brain fog. Pea soup thick. Three full days of trying to think around and over it. No can do. I can find items for the show. I knew what I wanted to talk about. I just couldn't put the words together. So this is a pebble in the road with a book recommendation. Dr. Brewer has self-declared he was a traveler on the road. He has the medical chops and it is a different approach to treatment.
ARP 241 - Learning from Ernest Hemingway
March 30, 2021 02:26 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MBI generally don't talk about famous people unless they self-declare their illness or there is a compelling reason. Not in a million years did I think that I would have something to say about Ernest Hemingway. I knew he was a writer. I knew that he seem to love adventure and liked the ladies both within and outside of the bonds of matrimony. And that he was thought of as a manly man. So when I heard that there was going to be yet another documentary about Hemingway, I couldn't drum ...
ARP 240 Cracking the Egg
March 25, 2021 03:29 - 9 minutes - 9.47 MBYou can find ways to deal with your symptoms. For some of us, there is medication. It isn't for everybody. Or you may choose to use a coping skill or relaxation technique. it isn't for everybody. What is important to know is that you have choices on how you want to handle your symptoms. In this episode, a look at some of my process and a few resources to check and hopefully use to make yourself more comfortable. You don't have to suffer. If you need support contact the...
ARP 239 There is Grief in Anxiety Too
March 16, 2021 03:44 - 5 minutes - 5.76 MBOne of the great things about WandaVision is that there was a shared communal place for joy, life and grief. Now the comic book nerd in me is huffing and puffing about conflating three different story arcs in the series. I normally don't like it but WandaVision gets a special dispensation for just how well it can be done. This episode is about grief. Anxiety can be a dance partner with it or make it presence know. But grief is a powerful thing. Do not disrespect when it walks into th...
ARP 238 Walking Out the Door
March 09, 2021 04:19 - 9 minutes - 9.03 MBSo, I’m going to lay out a more realistic approach or tips to help folks deciding to walk out the door. I got my sources. I got some real-life experience and not much more than that. There are folks on Twitter who are struggling on how to make the right decision for them. As it often happens, there are jerk faces who will pop in and state that you gotta man-up and stop being what they perceive to be weak. Or they will share that they never put on a mask. They never stopped living t...
ARP 237 Them Changes Anxiety Version
March 02, 2021 04:06 - 9 minutes - 8.98 MBThere is a lot going on. People are going to need to start thinking about re-entry into their world. Those those of us that have anxiety conditions and disorders that can be ruff. What you want to do might conflict with what you are able to do. If you've been on long term lockdown, your brain might put up a fuss about being outside. I speak from experience. I'm zero for three on it. I did it, but there was a commotion from deep inside about it. I have a link to a mus...
ARP 236 Screwed Up Again - Like I'm Supposed To
February 23, 2021 03:23 - 6 minutes - 6.04 MBNot having a great time but I'm ok. Not like I don't have stuff to do but currently in that vortex of when is the other thing that I think is gonna happen? And in the middle of the vortex are the old symptoms making a bum rush for the gate. So this episode is a bit more narrative. It is about an experience that I had when I though I was doing the right thing for me. And it was. But I still ginned up an attack. It happened for a lot of reasons. Many of which I wrote down...
ARP 235 Dealing with Loneliness
February 14, 2021 23:25 - 8 minutes - 8.52 MBLoneliness is a 365 day thing but it stings a bit more on February the 14th. Chronic loneliness is when you have long term feelings of isolation. You ain't go nobody and you feel it in your soul. You don't have to be a natural sad sack to feel this way. Some of the loudest party animals are also chronically lonely. For some people it is longing for more than superficial conversations. Or it can be persistent feelings of not being worthy, not being enough or dare I say it, not likin...
ARP 234 What is Mindfulness?
February 02, 2021 05:04 - 6 minutes - 6.32 MBA few years ago, I read an article about the tradition of the prisoners' last meal. And then how it ended in many states. One of the stories involved a man requesting a single olive as his last meal. That is all that he wanted. He looked at it, held it and then consumed it. To me, that is an example of a mindfulness practice. In this episode, I'll define what it is and a few resources for you to check out. I may not be the best person to talk about mindfulness. I...
ARP 233 More Emetophobia Resources
January 26, 2021 05:18 - 5 minutes - 5.44 MBEmetophobia is the fear of vomiting. That fear can be so strong that it dictates where you go, what you eat or who you trust to handle your food. Some mental health professionals think that it could be connected to obsessive compulsive disorder. In this episode, a look at some of the resources you can access about the phobia and what you can do about it. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488...
ARP 232 What is Stress and the Stress Triangle
January 19, 2021 04:16 - 7 minutes - 7.18 MBYou can't be for or against stress. You can't fight stress. You can learn that it is a normal body process. What is important to know is that good stress is a way to learn and improve on how you handle life situations. Bad stress is an opportunity to be aware of a problem and start the process of handling it. In this episode, a very simplified look at what stress is, and a verbal description of the stress triangle. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention ...
ARP 231 - Brain Health and Nutritional Support
January 12, 2021 04:38 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBI want to repeat the call to action. Your call to action this week is to begin making intentional choices on what goes into your body. You are not going to heal your body in a day. But each day that you replace a fizzy drink with clean water is a good day. Restoration first and then the healing will come. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741. Resources Mentioned...
ARP 230 Symptom Control for Newbies
January 05, 2021 03:49 - 10 minutes - 9.52 MBThis episode is for people that post questions on answer boards and get questionable responses. Or no response at all. Mainly because the questions gets asked so many times. This is a journey of stop, go, fail and try again. I hear you. Your symptoms of anxiety are interfering with your life. You don’t want mumbo-jumbo, you want answers. What specifically, can you do? For some, you will not be able to hear or understand what I have to say. Others will flat out not like it. And t...
ARP 229 Loneliness or Finding Joy Where You Can
December 29, 2020 04:10 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBLoneliness can come and go. But if it is on-going then that could be a form of chronic loneliness. Chronic loneliness can also intermix with anxiety and depression. That is never a good thing. I removed mention of Anna Magnani from the episode but she is another person that can make you reconnect to feelings and emotions. Anna Magnani was fierce. She was a first class, A1 scene stealer. I have great sympathy for any actor in any film she appeared in. In body, presence, and usin...
ARP 228 - Needle Phobia
December 22, 2020 05:06 - 7 minutes - 7.62 MBThis is a quick episode on needle phobia. I don't give as much wiggle room as I normally do. Your health is a stake. If you have dental pain and need treatment that you refuse to do, that is painful. On many levels. Having needle phobia that is stronger than tooth pain is serious. It affect not just your mouth but other body systems as well. If you need diagnostic testing but you won't do it then you are making yourself sicker. Because at some point, you are going to have a needle i...
ARP 227 Quick Look at the CalmiGo Smart Calming Companion
December 14, 2020 04:42 - 9 minutes - 8.6 MBIn this episode, a look at a device that might help you with symptom management and up your pattern breathing skills. For those of you reluctant to take medication or are looking for other ways to handle your symptoms, this could be an option. I want to make sure that folks know about a new talk show series from Taraj P. Henson called Peace of Mind. It is a talk show about mental health issues concerning the Black/African American community. It streams on Facebook Watch on Monday ...
ARP 226 Aromatherapy Oils for Stress Relief
December 07, 2020 05:40 - 9 minutes - 9.31 MBIn this weeks show I fess up to eating chocolate cookies, a look at the website and videos from MedCircle.com and a look at some of the essential oils that can be helpful to handle anxiety symptoms. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: "Aromatherapy is sometimes used for insomnia, but we don’t know whether it’s helpful because little rigorous research has been done on this topic. Aromatherapy is sometimes incorporated into massage therapy for ...
ARP 225 - Crafting Life from Mud
November 30, 2020 06:25 - 8 minutes - 8.2 MBIt has been a hard couple of weeks. Last week I had a public panic attack. If you are looking for a how to do it episode then I invite you to check out some of my prior episodes. The short version is that sometimes you think you get it but then you find out that you don't have it. That something from long ago can jack you up. The good news is that you can learn from it and get about making changes. Take that mud and find some value in it. If you need support contact the Na...
ARP 224 Questions about Amazon Pharmacy Service
November 23, 2020 00:39 - 5 minutes - 5.3 MBOne of the suggested treatment options is medication. Traditionally in the U.S. that meant going to the drug store/pharmacy. Now, that X=the unknown is catching up with us, very soon you will be able to make a tele-heath appointment with a mental health provider. That person will provide you a prescription for medication. You log onto Amazon.com and request delivery of your meds, which are delivered two days later. Amazon Pharmacy isn't the only way to have medication deliver...
ARP 223 Feeling Numb
November 09, 2020 03:08 - 8 minutes - 7.71 MBThe dictionary says that feeling numb is a lack of sensation. Those of us with anxiety disorders are usually feeling something. Until we don’t. Let’s say something big happened and everybody around you is celebrating. But you are not a part of it. Even if it is something that you really wanted. You are separated from the experience. There are a couple of names for this but the easy way to express it is feeling numb. In this episode, a look at what feeling numb is, the source an...
ARP 221 Being Out of Order
November 02, 2020 05:30 - 4 minutes - 4.45 MBOn one of the BBC web pages is an video about a man who started walking to control his panic attacks. it turned into a mission and career. I admire his determination and his ultimate goal of doing that in other countries of the world. I'm trying to hold my space in the here and now. Not as easy as it sound. But it is important. Find your peace where you can. In this episode a quick look at burnout resources. We all need a helping hand but some of us need just a bit more in dark tim...
ARP 222 Is it a Medical App
October 27, 2020 03:25 - 8 minutes - 8.52 MBI get a little long winded but in this episode, I needed to explain what are medical apps and what isn't. That breathing app on your phone probably isn't a medical app. That is the topic of this weeks episode. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741. Resources Mentioned: U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Device Software Functions Including Mobile Medical Appli...
ARP 220 Tell Me What to Do
October 20, 2020 02:45 - 8 minutes - 8.23 MBYou can be sitting in a doctor’s office. The doctor tells you that there is nothing physically wrong. Based on your symptoms, you fit the profile of a person having an anxiety condition. The doctor may or may not prescribe medication. The doctor may or may not give you are referral to a behavioral health professional like a therapist, psychologists or psychiatrist. Maybe, if you have a really good doctor, they provide you with a brochure or handout that gives you mo...
ARP 219 - Anxiety Journals and Workbooks
October 12, 2020 02:45 - 13 minutes - 13 MBThere are different types of anxiety journals and workbooks for different needs. There are books that you can use by yourself, and others that are best used working with a behavioral health professional. And you’d think I wouldn’t have to define what a journal or workbook is but in this case, I do. Because there are the bound type of books that you can find anyplace from the 99 Cents Only store to the most expensive stationary outlet. Bound blank pages with maybe the date and a section...
ARP 218 Focus on Your Treatment
October 05, 2020 03:26 - 8 minutes - 8.48 MBWe can get caught in a vortex of life responsibilities and obligations. However, there are times when we must pare it down to what is essential. So let’s get specific. Your physical and mental health are essential. This is not debatable. Your treatment is important. You do have the option to stop or start your treatment at any time but there is a cost to that decision. That cost isn’t always financial. Relationships. Being able to socialize in person. Being able to make no...
ARP 217 You Are Going to Make Mistakes
September 28, 2020 18:05 - 4 minutes - 4.44 MBA mistake is an act or judgement that is misguided or wrong. It isn't always a bad thing. You do the best you can with the information available. Sometimes you find out that what you thought would work, has problems. Or you are not in the right space to accept what you are being told. Or there is so much noise in your head that you grab on to the first thing you see. Sometimes that works. Sometimes it doesn't. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-...
ARP 216 Three Nutritional Audiobooks for Anxiety
September 21, 2020 02:10 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBThis week, a look at three audiobooks that talk about using food or nutrition as a way to deal with an mental health or anxiety condition. There are a lot of resources when it comes to finding materials about treating the various forms of anxiety. Finding authoritative and viable resources is a lot more difficult. Then there are books with ok content but with poor or non-engaged readers. I can't recommend those books. So, the books that appear in this episode had to pass...