Welcome 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, uncertain, or overwhelmed. From someone driving to the gym after a panic attack at work, to a listener climbing a boulder wall despite intense fear, to another person attending a job interview while experiencing physical symptoms - these stories show what's possible when we stop waiting for anxiety to disappear before we live our lives.

You'll hear about:

• Breaking the pattern of retreating when anxiety shows up
• Navigating workplace anxiety while still showing up professionally
• Taking on new challenges like rock climbing and learning musical instruments
• Attending job interviews despite panic symptoms
• Managing health anxiety during an actual medical situation
• The difference between an "acceptable bubble" and true recovery

These aren't stories of people who suddenly felt better - they're accounts of individuals who learned they could be capable and engaged with their lives even when anxiety was present. Each story demonstrates core principles from acceptance-based approaches: willful tolerance of difficult emotions, psychological flexibility, and values-driven action.

Whether you're just starting your recovery journey or you've been working on anxiety for years, these real-world examples offer hope and practical inspiration. They remind us that recovery isn't about eliminating anxiety - it's about reclaiming your ability to do what matters to you, regardless of how you feel in the moment.

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Disordered Roundtables are here! Think of it as "Disordered Live", a way for members of our audience to spend time with us in an intimate virtual setting (attendance is limited) to engage in real time sharing and discussion on specific anxiety disorder and recovery topics. To be notified when new Disordered Roundtable sessions are scheduled, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠visit our homepage and get on our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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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 unsolvable problems.

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Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Send us an email or voicemail on our website.

In 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 "nervous system regulation" quick fixes.

Dr. Macdonald shares her journey from neuroscience researcher to science communicator, sparked by sponsored ads for electrical vagus nerve stimulators that made bold claims without solid evidence. The trio explores why these pseudoscientific approaches are particularly appealing to people struggling with anxiety disorders – and why they can actually be harmful.

Key topics include:

• The dangerous appeal of "one thing" solutions that promise instant relief
• Why sponsored vagus nerve stimulation devices and similar products exploit vulnerable people
• How social media algorithms amplify misinformation while evidence-based content gets overlooked
• Red flags to watch for when consuming mental health content online
• The difference between what we know about how the brain works versus being able to "work" the brain directly
• Why ChatGPT and AI can become problematic reassurance-seeking tools for people with anxiety
• How to become a more critical consumer of pop psychology content

The conversation doesn't dismiss that some techniques may provide temporary relief, but emphasizes understanding why they work (often through distraction rather than magical nervous system manipulation) and recognizing when they become compulsive behaviors that maintain anxiety in the long run.

This episode serves as both a reality check and a guide for navigating the complex landscape of mental health information online, helping listeners distinguish between evidence-based approaches and appealing but potentially harmful quick fixes.

Find Birthe Online:

• https://www.instagram.com/dr.birthe.macdonald/
• https://www.birthemacdonald.com
• https://substack.com/@drbirthemacdonald

---

Disordered Roundtables are here! Think of it as "Disordered Live", a way for members of our audience to spend time with us in an intimate virtual setting (attendance is limited) to engage in real time sharing and discussion on specific anxiety disorder and recovery topics. To be notified when new Disordered Roundtable sessions are scheduled, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠visit our homepage and get on our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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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 unsolvable problems.

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Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Send us an email or voicemail on our website.

In 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'm experiencing intense physical sensations" can dramatically impact your recovery journey. We challenge common phrases like "sit with it," "just ignore it," and "regulate yourself," offering more accurate and useful alternatives.

We also address the importance of changing how others around you talk about your anxiety, and we introduce a memorable analogy: treating your anxiety disorder like an ex you're pretending to ignore at a party - acknowledging it's there without giving it center stage.

This episode features inspiring "Did it Anyway" stories from listeners who did what they didn't think they were cable of doing, along with the usual dose of humor.

We conclude with practical advice for responding to tinnitus-related anxiety, emphasizing how attention and resistance amplify symptoms, while acceptance allows the brain's natural filtering system to work.

Timestamps:

08:30 - Why "it feels like" is the most problematic phrase in anxiety recovery
16:45 - The difference between "soul-crushing panic attack" and "intense adrenaline rush"
23:45 - How compulsive commentary differs from detached awareness
28:15 - Why saying "just sit with it" can be misleading
32:20 - The "anxiety as your ex" analogy that will change how you think about ignoring symptoms
37:15 - Inspiring "Did it Anyway" story about grandparent anxiety recovery
38:45 - Comprehensive tinnitus and anxiety management advice