Anxiety Recovery - Am I Doing Too Much (Episode 115)

Disordered: Anxiety Help

Am 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 being scared
• Why feeling anxious after successful exposures doesn't mean you've done "too much"
• The difference between active, reasoned decisions to rest and anxiety-driven avoidance
• Special considerations for people with OCD and chronic health conditions
• How to balance recovery work with other life priorities like family time

Featured listener stories:

• Nicole shares her experience flying to Munich for a Champions League game and wondering if she's overdoing exposures
• Tyler's victory over health anxiety by choosing the gym over Google searches
• Matt's success working an 8-hour shift without his "safety person"
• Chris's inspiring story of dating while tapering off medication

While you can't actually "break" your recovery by doing too much, it's important to allocate your resources wisely and remember that feeling scared doesn't mean you've made a mistake - it means you're doing exactly what recovery requires.

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