Anxiety Road Podcast

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

As I mention in the podcast, it is the eight anniversary of the podcast. The need to connect people to the various mental health services  is still necessary. There have been times that my symptoms were stable and I could crank out an episode, no problem.   But there are times when I'm at high tide, the symptoms are showing themselves to the public and I can or cannot produce an episode.   Thing is, more often or not, I found a way. Making mistakes. Learning new ideas and concepts. Understanding that treatment is an ever expanding concept.   In 2015 I did not say anything about virtual mental health care. It wasn't on the radar or a minor blip accessible to some people, probably using Skype.   So I still do this podcasting dance with my symptoms and my goals.    Which begs the question, Is it always going to be like this? 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:  Fro

It is the start of the summer slowdown where I'll post less often as I try to catch up on my sleep and elocution skills. I've been talking a lot lately and I can hear multiple imperfections.  Really a bad idea to do five things at the same time.    Anyway, last week's error has created this episode. As a standing warning. Never upgrade as you are working on a project. I've gotten away with it before but not last week. It destroyed my audio file. Totally my fault. I knew better but didn't do better.   This week is the definition of PTSD and some but not all of the accessible resources you might want to check out if you don't know about the 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:  Mending the Line  Blue Sky Entertainment official movie trailer on YouTube.   Field and Stream interview with director Joshua Caldwell about the movie and the challenges in bring it

After missing last week, I was determined to get an episode up.  I recording and edited it. The SOS software decided to garble my speech.  And then it stopped working. So I turned to my phone and made something happen. It ain't pretting but I dood it. This is a quick look at the new movie called Minding the LIne, which is a fictional movie about fly fishing, PTSD and coping as best you can.  I'll get the rest of the episode re-jiggered and try again.  I might have to miss an episode or two, it is getting hectic at Amalgamated Salt and Brimstone and some times you have to yield to the sulfur.  

It has been a while since I’ve mentioned this; the focus on the podcast is for folks that have been medically diagnosed with an anxiety condition or disorder.    However, all are welcome. The over-stressed, the somewhat anxious or those that are up against it and don’t know what to do.   Everybody has anxiety. That is normal and necessary. We need it for our personal safety and awareness that there is a possible problem or danger. Anxiety’s job is to bring awareness. Not a good thing or a bad thing.    For some of us, our anxiety alert system is out of whack. Our brain is on constant high alert. There are symptoms that are hard to control.   That is the topic of this episode. How do you deal with your symptoms?   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:  National Institute of Mental Health definition page on Anxiety Disorders. They also have downloadable booklets on:

There are days when we muck it up. And spend hours berating yourself that you were not perfect or you did not catch one of the dozens of bug a boos that you handle in a day.    On this day I would like to suggest that you stop being mean, nasty or hyper-critical about being fallible. Practice your breathing, drink some water, move your body and actively be kind to yourself. 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:    Katie McLaughlin six minute guided meditation on peace and acceptance VeryWell Mind post on How to Embrace Self-Acceptance   Psychology Today blog post on How to Practice Acceptance 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 medical or mental health disorder. This blog and podcast is intend

For those of you that don’t understand about the experience of depression, I have two websites that might help folks get a grip on it.     The first is Will O’Neil’s Actual Sunlight.    It is a fictional narrative game about the experience of living and trying to exist in a depressive state.     Another expression of the experience is an old school HTML website called Deprression Quest.   It is an interactive experience about living with depression.   What am I talking about this?    In this episode, a word or two about Heather Armstrong and a few resources that might help you understand depression a little bit more and a resource or two to help some of you stay on this side of the life fence. 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:  Washington Post article about Heather Armstrong. The website Live Through This Will O’Neil’s Actual Sunlight   Old school HTML interactiv

Last time, I talked about coaching. How there are different types of coaches and that it is an unlicensed and unregulated practice. There are good and bad coaches, and we need to find ways to figure out who is who.   I tried to chop it down into chunks but this is a big topic. And not a lot of consumer friendly information sources. Many of the resources I found where connected to vendors wanting to either have folks sign up for their telehealth service or to take a class or course on health couching.    The somewhat neutral sources I've listed below.    I know this one is wordy. But honestly, I whacked it down from 22 minutes to about 14 minutes. Probably should have knocked off another seven but you do what you can when you can.   For my overseas folks. I do not know if you have the expression "wham, bam, thank you mam." It applies to the vending machine approach to obtaining sexual services from an in-demand vendor.    Going to a doctor or medical office can be a long wait, then you get into the office, say

I’m working my way through the mental health telemedicine providers and I’m coming across the word “coach.”    I get a little leery about that word because I’ve had some experiences with people using it to wrap themselves in a health wellness cloak of respectability.   I’ve gone to conferences and sat in on sessions that I thought were about how to best provide information to people wanted health information.    A couple of those sessions went into details about how to lead your audience down a sales funnel by appealing to fears, wants and needs.   And how you can position yourself as an expert to sell $47 a bottle worth of healing.   Yeah, I have a lot of preconceived bias about that word. But are my preconceived bias getting in the way of what is happening in the mental health care space?  Maybe.    This is the dipping of the toes into the coach space. Just want to define the term and some of the ways people are using it.    The next episode will be a deeper dive into health coaches and coaching. If you ne

This episode is not for everybody. Some of you will be highly dismissive. That is okay. Different strokes for different folks.     Knitting provides an object of focus for our practice. We can practice focusing our attention and letting go of distractions.   The point is, doing something analog or tactile can help you relax. Or meditate or route you and keep you in the present tense. In this pebble in the Road a quick look at crafting as a gateway to meditation. 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:  Meditation 101 and Mindfulness Exercises Guided Meditations & Mindfulness Talks    Color Yourself to Mindfulness Book by Melissa Launay published by CICO Press distributed by Simon and Schuster Publishing.   Marshall at Wristwatch Revival on YouTube   Becky at Knit Om on Knitting as Meditation   Disclaimer:  Links to other sites are provided for information purposes

Long time listeners know that I am a connoisseur of the sequential arts.    It is truly the theater of the mind because I can co-create with the artist to experience an environment or an adventure.   I bring this up because sometimes healing can come from unexpected places. Like a graphic novel or a comic book.    Three of the books talk about the experience of having a perpetual negative voice interfering with the quality of their lives.    Three of the books speak to what they have done to connect with their better selves.    In this episode a look at five graphic novels memoires about anxiety. 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:    Marie and the Worrywart by Jen Woodall. The cover gives a good example of going from being normal to transition into symptom flare up. It is published by Silver Sprocket Press.   MonsterMind: Dealing with Anxiety and Self-Doubt by Alf

The anxiety symptoms can muck up our ability to see what we've done, whether it was fair, good, or excellent. There are a lot of wonderful people that have anxiety conditions that do mighty good things. People write, create or force a revolution into how we should treat each other as human being. In this week's episode, a look at a pioneer that helped to improve mental health care in the U.S. and a look at Mental Health America. 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:  George Dunnett Video I am Not Very Well   Clifford W. Beers book A Mind That Found Itself. You can find versions of the book to download at Project Gutenberg. And for those of you that prefer your reading via audio, there is a Librevox version of the book at the Internet Archive. National Library of Medicine American Journal page on Clifford W. Beers From a Patient's Perspective: Clifford Whittingham B

As one section of America tries to move forward there are others that are determine to hold on to what didn't work in the past and certainly won't work in the future.    In this day, do the best you can. That is the lesson to be learned across all of time and space. I had to record this episode seven or eight times.    I kept messing up. Mispronounced words. Forgot to explain something. Then there were the birds and the trash truck.   Together. In harmony.   You can aim for perfection, but in the meantime you do what you can. You might muck it up but do what you can.     In this episode, a window shopping look at AmWell for anxiety treatment and mental health services.   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:  Discovery Magazine article about possible blood testing for anxiety.   Engadget post on Cerebral sharing data with Meta and other companies.     AmWell Mental

There are times when I find myself in unexpected territories. This is one of those times. It is why I'm trying to include more attention to the virtual mental health providers.  If you have ever listed to a podcast or watch YouTube, you probably have heard or seen something about the company known as BetterHealth.    You might have seen an advertorial from a social media influencer or from a podcaster.    Yeah, this is pickle. BetterHealth presented itself as a service that helps users find and connect with behavioral health providers. Not only under the BetterHealth name but also under a number of doing business as names as:   Faith Counseling - Christian focus therapy Pride Counseling - LGBTQ therapy focus Teen Counseling - Teens with parent approval Terappeutia - Spanish speaking users. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a complaint against the company BetterHealth had customers provide personal identifiable information.   BetterHealth made promises and assurances about the level of privacy an