EP 190 - Why Is Anxiety Recovery So Damn Hard?

The Anxious Truth - A Panic, Anxiety, and Mental Health Podcast

“I know what I’m supposed to do, but it’s just so hard to do it!” Am too broken or too weak?

No. You are not broken or too weak. This is a difficult process. I say all the time that recovery is a simple plan, but that plan is very hard to execute. Let’s look at the two main reasons why this is such a hard road to travel.

Why is recovery so damn hard?

There are many reasons that all come together to make the process of recovery from an anxiety issue as hard as it is. In this episode, let's focus on what I think are the big two. These are the primary reasons why recovery can be so challenging.

1. Humans HATE Fear and Discomfort

I’m not telling you anything you don’t know here. The bad news is that recovery requires that we intentionally and repeatedly move into a state of fear and discomfort.

2. Recovery Experiences Are NOT Conducive To Forming Good Habits

When we compare experiences that help build strong habits, and experiences that help us toward recovery, they are polar opposites. Recovery experiences - being afraid and uncomfortable on purpose - are more well suited to the inhibition or blocking of good habit forming. We don’t like to have negative experiences (see reason one above), and we sure as hell don’t want to repeat them when we have them. So there's almost nothing about intentionally creating panic or near panic that sounds encouraging in terms of forming productive recovery habits.

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https://theanxioustruth.com/190

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MUSIC CREDIT:

AfterGlow by Ben Drake (with permission)

https://bendrakemusic.com

Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.