Anxiety Road Podcast

There are a lot of decisions that you have to make when you are seeking treatment. Hopefully you find a good doctor or a mental health professional to guide you though the process. Those are aspirational goals by the way. You might run into a doc that just wants to give you medication and then report back in four weeks.    Or you can't find or afford a provider in your area. I would suggest that you take some time and work on a decision guide as to what you want and don't want concerning your treatment.    This can mean getting a physical and diagnostic test to rule out another cause for your symptoms.   Or reviewing therapists to figure out the behavioral treatment options. Do you want short term or an extended treatment process? In person or virtual care?   A decision guide can help you plan out what you want and need to navigate the process. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741. Reso

In January, you often hear about the aspirational pledges. No shopping. No drinking alcohol.  Go vegan or as close to it as you can get. My year round goal is to get folks at a basic level to take time to breath. Slow it down. Chill as in being quiet. Not as in ice baths.    Me in a former incarnation; "Nuts to you, I breath all of the time. I still have symptoms." Future me: "Yeah, you dope. You also drink six cans of Coke or Dr. Pepper a day. Your diet is atrocious (but very tasty) and your rocking at best five hours of sleep a night.   Fortunately, former me studied at the school of hard knocks that the body need clean fuel, time to regenerate and making time on the daily to slow it down and practice breathing. And yes, give up the carbonation with the caffeine chaser. So in this episode, if you happen to have a fidget spinner or fidget ring then dig it out and try this breathing practice. If you don't have one, no worries you can do it with a pebble, pen or pencil or small palm sized object. If you ne

With all of the book banning in the United States, a person could make a case that some sections of the country has ideophobia or the fear of ideas.  Might also be bibliophobia. In this episode, a quick look at the definition of Ideophobia. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741. Resources Mentioned:    Mind.org.uk Causes of Phobias self-help guide.   https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/phobias/causes-of-phobias/    Mental Health America has an information page about phobias, the types of phobias and the treatment option of cognitive behavioral therapy.   From the UK National Health Service, a self-help guide to phobias, what they are and what you can do about them.  ADAA has on-line communities where you can communicate with other people that have your experience share their stories, experiences and there are mental health professionals that p

If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and anxiety or depression, you have to deal with both conditions at the same time. It is a challenge but not impossible. There are resources and options to help you deal with treatment.    This is just a quick mention of some of those resources that could be of assistance to you or someone you know.  If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741. Resources Mentioned:  American Diabetes Association Behavioral Health Toolkits for folks with Diabetes who might be experiencing anxiety.   American Diabetes Association Mental Health Directory   U.S. Centers for Disease Control page on 10 Tips for Coping with Diabetes Distress and Diabetes and Mental Health  Disclaimer:  Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements.  Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a

In this episode, a look at adult people that grew up in an addictive or dysfunctional family. Because if you did, there is a good chance you might have an anxiety condition or a related mental health problem.   How do you get to be an adult child of a dysfunctional family. There are many pathways.    Many are raised in an abusive or addictive family. Others are raised in a generational trauma system.    Some people are raised by adults who do not have a clue about how to be a parent because they were never taught or exposed to a healthy, stable or loving environment.   It isn't about poverty or wealth. Education is not a guarantee of being a good parent. Nor religion or faith. Or the lack of it.    It helps, but if you have taking a glance at the news, a Utah woman with a social media following pled guilty to committed serious crimes against two of her children.   In 2034 they will become members of Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifel

I did an episode about ACEs a long time ago. It was okay but I know a bit more now.    At the time I said something to the effect, "Childhood isn't easy even in the best of families, but what if your family of origin contributed to your current condition? I'm not saying that it has, but what if it did?"   That part was ok but listening to it now I did not fully define it or give examples.    When you know better, you do better. This is probably a three part series about childhood events that might have contributed to an anxiety condition.    If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741. Resources Mentioned:  The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) has Fast Facts: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences   ACEs Awareness is a California project to screen children for indicators of ACE events. There is a Healthy Way to Manage Stress pdf handout that offers suggestions on how to manage stress, su

So in this episode I wanted to put a bit more context as to why sucking sour candy could work to stop panic attacks. Or not. Or not for the long term.   Here is how it started. I have news feeds for anxiety. This story popped up.   Delish is a food recipe and kitchen gadget website. I've seen videos on YouTube. I was confused when I saw the story about sour candy and panic attacks.   It didn't match their usual beat. Sometime that can lead to good stuff. Like a fishing website that reviews a movie about Vets, fishing and PTSD.    It isn't an instant reject for me unless it is one of those way past NC-17 websites, but my radar is on high alert.    Publisher these days they need to draw people to the website. Delish saw a fit with there mission. They did have a series called Suck It Up. They would ask celebrities questions and if they refused to answer they would have to eat an increasing strong sour candy.    So this was in the Delish wheelhouse. Kinda. They got the story from Tik Tok.   USA Today did a story

I don't know if I'll ever go on a cruise ship. The only part that really interest me is tasting a wide variety of food in a short amount of time. Plus my anxiety about riding on a human petri dish would get the best of me and cause all kinds of embarrassment. Not to mention that there are hundreds of people around and having to move as a pack once you arrive for an excursion.   Gives me the shivers. Anyway, there is a recent news story about a person kicked off a ship because of CBD Gummies.   Those of an anxious nature need to know that you cannot travel on cruse ships that have a U.S. port with any form of marijuana or medicinal products derived from that substance. Under U.S. federal law, it is still illegal. And federal law supersede your local state law.    You can be fined. You can be arrested. Or worse, lose all that money you paid to cruise in the first place.   And that is just in a U.S. port. Don't even think about doing it oversees.  In this episode a heads up about not bring cannabis products on

You made it over the first hurdle. You know you have a problem.  You might have even gone to the doctor or your health provider to obtain help. They might have set you up with pills or talk therapy.   And that is a far as you got. You take the meds but you are still drinking.   Or eating high sugar or caffeinated beverages.   Babe, you gotta make some changes. Ones that you do not want to make but you have to do it.   The resource this week is a movie that covers a lot of anxiety topics. It is a primer on how not to handle your symptoms.   Sometimes a fictional movie about a real man can be very informative.  And can help you stay out of the hospital.   If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741. Resources Mentioned:  1979 All that Jazz movie trailer - if you don't like musicals or you don't have two hours to invest in the movie. It is a good movie but for some people, the just don't have the

There is a term called visceral anxiety. According to various sources, it isn't a medical term but more of a description of feeling anxiety in the lower center of your body. We are talking about the gastrointestinal track.  For some with anxiety it is a persistent problem of pain in the stomach, being gassy or bloated. Or feeling queasy each and every day. (Pregnant people excepted).   Now life happens, you get sick and have those symptoms. Or something you've eaten truly does not agree with your body.   That isn't necessarily anxiety related.   However, if you have constant problems in your gut area AND you have been reviewed by a medical doctor to rule out other health problems then it could be anxiety.    It could be anxiety. And no amount of Maalox or Pepto Bismol is going to fix it. In this episode, a brief look at gut symptoms and symptom tracking to monitor what is ginning you up.    If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-

Worry is powerful, it can dishearten you and have you see nothing but shades of gray. There are techniques that even anxious people can use to reduce the amount of worry and get on with the business of the day.    I've been around a few spins around the sun. There have been very few times when things haven't been crazy on this planet. Especially with humans having access to weapons.   Gasses me up just to think about it. The only people and industries happy about current events are profiteers and weapon makers.    Which is why you have to be careful about making global statements. Even in the bleakest of times, somebody on Earth is happy.   Many of us with anxiety conditions have excessive amounts of worry.  In this episode, a very basic look at some of the tools we can use to help us take it down a bit so that we can function and get on with the day.   If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-7

You can be a smoker that has anxiety or a person with an anxiety condition who smokes. Either way it is a bad deal that can not only make your symptoms worse but cause long term harm to your body. In this short pebble in the road episode, some resources to help educate yourself about the problem but some viable resources you can check out to separate yourself from the cigarette or the vape. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741. Resources Mentioned:  U.S. National Institute of Drug Abuse page on Cigarettes and Other Tobacco products.    Smokefree.gov helps folks kick the tobacco and vape habit by providing information and resources, including a page about stress and smoking.   The American Lung Association has a number of options about quitting smoking. There are groups, online version and self-directed guides.   For California residents only, there is kickitca.org, this is a state of Cal

I try to keep episodes short and to the point. But sometimes I need to talk about conceptual things that at first, doesn’t seem to have anything to do with anxiety treatment options.  But it does.   I need to talk about beans or knowledge. Or the do before the why. Which I like better but it isn't grammatical. I take comfort that I'm pissing off an A.I. generator.   I know that many people that listen to the podcast like the give it to me straight and let me be on my way aspect of the show.    That is not going to be this episode. I have to talk about non-anxiety things to show the anxiety examples. Might take me a while.  There are anxiety specific resources in the episode.   But I gotta talk about beans first.    So yeah, if you want a short one, wait until next week or dive into the archive.   If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741. Resources Mentioned:  Supplement Resources:   U.S. Nat

The American Psychiatry Association defines depression as loss of interest of activities once enjoyed, and that the symptoms must last longer than two weeks before an official diagnosis.   There isn't just one kind of depression and they don't all generate from the same source.    For people that have not experience depression, it is really hard for them to understand. Or they try to related to something that has no relationship to the actual condition.    You can tell they don’t know about when they offer responses like, “you just have to get out of yourself.    So this episode is a two-fer. It is for people that have an anxiety condition that may or may not have a side order of depression. You'll need info on what is is and some of the treatment options.   And, if you need a friend or loved one who doesn't connect with what you are experiencing, there are games and simulations that can help them get a glimmer of understanding.   If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800

When things go wrong and you need a break, like when none of your audio software will record and you have to use your phone, you need to take a moment.    Or two. Maybe have dinner as well. Some days you have to find ways to roll with it.    A meditative break can help. That is the topic of this episode.   If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.    Resources Mentioned:  Dharma Homies Virtual Meditation Groups   From the website Self-Compassion.org, Changing your critical self talk.    Tea Meditation Resources:   From a Buddhist perspective, How to Drink a Mindful Cup of Tea on the Lion's Roar website. Gabriela Green post on Tea Meditation: Breathe And Purify Your Mind Eye Restfulness Exercises   Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired page on five eye exercises that prevent digital strain.   Annie Thoa Eye Palming for Clear Vision and Deep Relaxation YouTube Vide

Many of us hold our tongues or clench our teeth to protect ourselves from saying what you really want to say. Or feel. And for most of us, that works and we go about our day. But if you are clenching and grinding your teeth on a daily basis there is going to be a problem.    Sometimes with your jaw. Or wearing away your teeth. Or having headaches or something worse.   In this episode, a look at what jaw clenching and teeth grinding and some of the things you can do to reduce the symptoms. The medical term is called bruxism.    I do want to mention that I did not make any references to medication. That is because there can be non-anxiety related forms of bruxism. There can be structural problems with the jaw or mouth.   If that is the source of the problem, then that is more of a dental treatment issue. I'm looking at jaw clenching and teeth grinding from a stress and anxiety point of view.    If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1

I’ve done a couple of episodes on generalized anxiety disorder, sometimes referred to as GAD. However, there have been changes to some of the medication treatment options.   And there are new options that did not exist in 2016 or 2018 so I thought that I’d catch everyone up on what is going to be current for the foreseeable future.   That is the topic for today's episode. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741. Resources Mentioned:  How to Tell if Shortness of Breath Is From Anxiety and How to Treat It from Livestrong.com Anxiety and Depression Association of America has a four question screener to help you figure out if you have GAD. The site also has a brochure about what the condition is and some of the treatment options.  The National Institute of Mental Health has a web page and downloadable booklet on Generalized Anxiety Disorder aka GAD. Consumer Version of the Merck Manual pages on

I try to stay off of sites like Kickstarter and Indigogo. Too much temptation and even more disappointment. Back in the day, I use to support the up and coming companies.    But I got tired of waiting sometimes month before the product arrived. I have been burned by companies that found out it was hard to be an innovator.   Few days ago, I got an email that I was about to toss in the trash. Looked like spam. Anyway, I found out that it is an actual company that claims to treat anxiety, sleep problems and helping to focus attention.   Supposedly, this is a device that you place on your neck, apply a gel to help you make contact with the Vagus nerve for a tingling session of calm and relaxation.    It has possibilities for some of us that want more non-drug based symptom options. But there are hitches in the giddy-up.    In this episode, a quick look at the Pulsetto VNS device. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or

The TLDR version: What I do know is that a coloring book could be an opportunity for those who have trouble with some of the traditional concepts of meditation or mindfulness practice.    But be careful about making a purchase. When possible, buy from a human creator.   The much longer version: I insist on being a human being so I still do my own research. Not saying I having dipped a toe or two into the new hyped up gizmo world of ask a question get a possibly faulty answer of A.I.    I have. I think I've learned more about human beings and the the decisions that they are making concerning the use of a service with a raft of ethical considerations tossed to the wind.   Which causes me to have certain types of additional anxiety about what humans do.    In searching for resources for this week's episode I discovered the world of Kindle Digital Publishing (KDP) and stress and anxiety coloring books.  For those that don't know, there is a group of people that produce low content books. These can be lined noteb

I'm on the summer slow down vibe, but there are lots of interesting ways to handle and reduce symptoms. One of those ways is combining a breathing practice with humming. To be clear, I'm talking about the sound that humans make with their mouths. Usually involves the sound "hum". Take the human body, the Vagus nerve and an open mind and you just might have an additional tool to tell the body to relax, there isn't a danger or problem. Might work for you. Might not.  I do know that it is a free, no risk, non-toxic option to try. This is a quick introduction to the topic and a few resources to get you started. If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741. Resources Mentioned:    There is a post on Verywell Health on Breathing Exercises for Anxiety. If you need visual help in practice breathing there is the Breathe Easy app for iOS and Android. Mayo Clinic Connect post on Humming Your Way to Relaxat