Runaway Medical Delusions: How to Stop Believing Your Scary Thoughts

Finn and Sarah get real (and really funny) about health anxiety—the mental habit of turning every ache into catastrophe—and share how recovery tools like reality-checking, perspective, and self-compassion can break the spiral. You’ll hear outrageous mind-movies, why our brains escalate to “late-stage everything,” and simple practices to build a looser, friendlier relationship with your thoughts.

Takeaways

• Thoughts are not facts; feelings are not emergencies—build space before reacting.

• The mind loves worst-case stories (“late stage everything”); humor shrinks their power.

• Reality-check: get clarity with a call or simple test before catastrophizing.

• Past losses/trauma can prime health anxiety; name the trigger to lower intensity.

• Self-permission helps: if you do overreact (ER calls, extra vet visits), meet it with compassion and learn.

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 — Welcome & “I thought it was an aneurysm” opener.

• 02:00 — Why the brain jumps to late-stage diagnoses.

• 04:05 — The dog-at-the-vet spiral (and the bill).

• 05:10 — The “black spot” baby story: a washcloth cure.

• 08:00 — Panic calls after family loss—when trauma fuels alarms.

• 11:10 — Tools: clarity calls, humor, and perspective practice.

If this episode resonated, share it with a friend who might be stuck in their own CrazyTown—and don’t forget to subscribe for more raw recovery talk.

Come for the truth bombs, stay for the laughter, and leave with a renewed sense of agency. Subscribe and review the podcast, watch on YouTube @leavingcrazytown, and share episodes with a friend who’s ready to leave CrazyTown.