Disordered: Anxiety Help

Emetophobia - an intense fear of vomiting and any thoughts or sensations associated with vomiting - is a more common struggle among anxious people than anyone might initial think. But Emetophobia can make its way into virtually every aspect of life, often resulting in a highly restricted lifestyle and a dramatic decrease in the ability to function.

This week Dara Lovitz and Dr. David Yusko join Drew and Josh to talk about emetophobia. Dara suffered for over 30 years before finally overcoming emetophobia through exposure based treatment with Dr. Yusko. Now they're sharing this experience with others in need of help, which is pretty awesome.

If your anxiety is driven by an intense fear of vomiting, this episode is absolutely worth a listen.

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Dara Lovitz is an attorney working for a legal nonprofit organization, adjunct professor of animal law at two law schools in the Philadelphia area, and an author. She is a recovered emetophobe and co-wrote her fourth book, Gag Reflections: Conquering a Fear of Vomit Through Exposure Therapy, with her therapist Dr. David Yusko. With Dr. Yusko, she also co-founded Emetophobia Institute, which is the premier online resource for individuals struggling with emetophobia as well as therapists of all experience levels who wish to learn how to help their clients conquer emetophobia.

Dr. David Yusko is a licensed clinical psychologist in Pennsylvania and is the co-founder of the Center for Anxiety & Behavior Therapy. He received his Psy.D. in clinical psychology from the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Upon completing his doctoral studies, Dr. Yusko joined The Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety (CTSA) at the University of Pennsylvania where his expertise in anxiety disorders broadly speaking was developed and refined. Under the mentorship of Dr. Edna Foa, Dr. Yusko focused his career on providing clients, and teaching other mental health professionals, evidence based treatments for anxiety related disorders (e.g. OCD, panic disorder, social phobia, PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and specific phobias).

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Want to talk about this episode, interact with us, and communicate with others that are sharing your experience? We're hanging out in the Disordered Community Space

⁠https://www.disordered.fm/the-disordered-guide-to-health-anxiety/⁠

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The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety is available now:

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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.

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Got questions or did it anyways to share? ⁠Send us an email or voicemail on our website⁠.

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Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, 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.

Existential Anxiety With Depersonalization/De-Realization (Episode 105) Mar 28, 2025

Show notes

One of the perfect storms in the anxiety disorder world is the combination of existential related anxiety with the sensations/experiences of depersonalization and derealization. Unfortunately for many, this is a common combination and it can be so difficult to understand and address that it seemed an episode dedicated to this issue was in order.

As you might expect, the overall message in this episode is that while this is a very scary combination that be difficult to accept without fighting or resisting, in the end having existentially based thoughts/fears alongside this common anxiety symptom (DP/DR) is safe. It really is OK - though difficult - to take an acceptance based approach in this situation too.

The discussion touches on how anxiety can turn curiosity and wonder into dread, how an anxious mind will try very hard to answer un-answerable questions, and how DP/DR might seem to confirm the important/dangerous nature of existential thoughts and fears (but it really doesn't confirm anything except the fact that you are afraid and anxious).

As usual, the guys share some of their own experience, add clinical experience and expertise, and sprinkle a dash of humor and a helping of kindness and understanding into the discussion.

If you feel like DP/DR alongside existential anxiety is a deal breaker or show-stopper for you .... tune in. This one might be helpful.

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Want to talk about this episode, interact with us, and communicate with others that are sharing your experience? We're hanging out in the Disordered Community Space

⁠https://www.disordered.fm/the-disordered-guide-to-health-anxiety/⁠

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The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety is available now:

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Got questions or did it anyways to share? ⁠Send us an email or voicemail on our website⁠.

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Anxiety and "Incomplete" Recovery (Episode 104) Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

Do you feel like you've "mostly" overcome your chronic or disordered anxiety issues but there are still challenges that linger? Maybe you've felt fully recovered once before, or even several times before, but you keep finding yourself back in the thick of it or unable to overcome a few specific challenges.

If this is you, then tune in as Josh and Drew talk about the concept of "incomplete" anxiety disorder recovery.

We're looking at the red zone concept - that set of triggers or circumstances that you may still deem unapproachable or too triggering to fully face.
We'll look at the very definition of what recovery means and why sometimes that word itself can be problematic.
There's some discussion of how earlier recovery can sometimes accidentally hinge on learning to do things without being triggered rather than working through triggered states.

And as usual, there's a healthy dose of understanding and a few laughs along the way!

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Want to talk about this episode, interact with us, and communicate with others that are sharing your experience? We're hanging out in the Disordered Community Space

⁠https://www.disordered.fm/the-disordered-guide-to-health-anxiety/⁠

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The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety is available now:

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Got questions or did it anyways to share? ⁠Send us an email or voicemail on our website⁠.

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Anxiety and Flying w/Dr. David Carbonell (Episode 103) Mar 14, 2025

Show notes

When working to overcome an anxiety disorder, the biggest challenge many in our community can identify is flying. For chronically anxious people, the idea of getting on a plane, being trapped for hours, and being terrified or out of control for that long seems like something they will never be able to.

Even for people that are well on the way to recovery, flying can still feel like the "ultimate test" of recovery. The fear that they will crumble and be in a totally uncontrollable, inconsolable state while in the air can be powerful. It leads some to avoid travel completely.

This week Drew and Josh had a chat with Dr. David Carbonell about the intersection of anxiety disorders and flying. Dave is well known in the anxiety disorder community and brings us not only a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area, but also a healthy dose of understanding and much needed humor.

We're covering all the usual issues:

anticipatory anxiety
struggling to decide if you should get on the plane or not
the worry over losing control or being in a full panic for hours while at 35,000 feet
storming the cockpit
trying to get out of the aircraft while its in the air
causing a scene and/or needing to be restrained in some way
experiencing a psychotic break
panic that leads to a medical emergency

If you're struggling with disordered anxiety and terrified at the thought of flying not because you fear a crash but because you fear your own thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations, tune in. This episode is for you.

For more on Dr. David Carbonell visit his website:

https://anxietycoach.com

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Want to talk about this episode, interact with us, and communicate with others that are sharing your experience? We're hanging out in the Disordered Community Space

⁠https://www.disordered.fm/the-disordered-guide-to-health-anxiety/⁠

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The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety is available now:

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Got questions or did it anyways to share? ⁠Send us an email or voicemail on our website⁠.

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Self-Soothing When Anxiety Appears? (Episode 102) Mar 07, 2025

Show notes

How can I learn to self-soothe when I get anxious and I'm terrified of my body or my thoughts?

Well ... while it might seem like launching into a soothing technique designed to control the fight or flight response is a good idea, this week Josh and Drew are talking about why the concept of self-soothing doesn't automatically make sense in the context of anxiety disorders.

Self-soothing, supporting yourself while you naturally work through difficult moments and experiences, is awesome. There are a few excellent examples in this episode of what that might look like (including a reference to Josh in a cozy onesie), but when we feel like we must immediately escape from feelings inside us because we are in what feels like an urgent situation, self-soothing can be counterproductive.

If you're struggling with the idea that you should be learning how to forcibly soothe your anxiety and frustrated because you can't find ways to reliably or consistently do this on demand, this episode is worth a listen ... even if it took us almost 30 minutes to mention crying, which is one of the greatest organic natural soothing responses of all time.

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Want to talk about this episode, interact with us, and communicate with others that are sharing your experience? We're hanging out in the Disordered Community Space

⁠https://www.disordered.fm/the-disordered-guide-to-health-anxiety/⁠

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The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety is available now:

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Got questions or did it anyways to share? ⁠Send us an email or voicemail on our website⁠.

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Breathing/Breath Anxiety (Episode 101) Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

https://www.instagram.com/drjanzenclaude/

Breathing anxiety! This is such a common issue in the Disordered community. Breathing or breath focused anxiety often involves a few key concepts:

"I feel like I can't get a deep enough breath!"

"When I get really anxious it feels like I can't breathe."

"I'm super focused on my breath all day long and I hate it!"

Today we're joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Amy Janzen-Claude to chat about breathing and breath-focused anxiety, and the most effective ways to approach and address this common struggle.

Of particular note is the discussion about how while acceptance and tolerance concepts are universal, how we apply them can be very individual and might look different from one person to the next.

In the end ... as expected ... approaching breathing anxiety isn't much different than approaching anxiety focused on any other somatic experience or core fear. You might feel like this a very special and super important issue, but that is your brain insisting that it must keep you safe ... while you ARE safe and always have been.

Thanks to Dr. Janzen-Claude for getting up early to join us today!

To find Dr. Amy Janzen-Claude online:

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Want to talk about this episode, interact with us, and communicate with others that are sharing your experience? We're hanging out in the Disordered Community Space

⁠https://www.disordered.fm/the-disordered-guide-to-health-anxiety/⁠

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The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety is available now:

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Got questions or did it anyways to share? ⁠Send us an email or voicemail on our website⁠.

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Did It Anyway - Volume 3 (Episode 100) Feb 21, 2025

Show notes

To celebrate the 100th episode (and over a million downloads) of Disordered, we thought celebrating listener and community wins would be a great way to mark the occasion!

Disordered would not exist without you, and when you guys do brave things, face your fear, learn lessons from that, and rise to meet challenges you previously thought impossible to meet, that needs to be acknowledged.

If you find inspiration and encouragement in the victories of others that share your struggle, tune in for this one. It's full of that stuff.

And thank you so much for supporting Disordered for the last two years. We appreciate you more than you can imagine.

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Want to talk about this episode, interact with us, and communicate with others that are sharing your experience? We're hanging out in the Disordered Community Space

⁠https://www.disordered.fm/the-disordered-guide-to-health-anxiety/⁠

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The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety is available now:

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Got questions or did it anyways to share? ⁠Send us an email or voicemail on our website⁠.

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Existential Anxiety! (Episode 99) Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

What is existence? What is the point of all this? Do I even really exist? The universe is so insanely huge! What even is time? What happens when we die?

These are questions all humans ask - and have been asking since we developed language. They are normal. They can even be fun questions to ask. An entire section of the human race dedicates itself to studying and pondering these questions.

But for people struggling with OCD and other anxiety disorders ... these questions can be huge triggers that create an intense state of anxiety and dread.

This week Drew and Josh are examining existential anxiety and dread within the context of anxiety and anxiety disorders. So if you are afraid to look at the sky because it makes you worry about your place in the universe, or if you ever worry about the nature of time or existence, pop in and have a listen.

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Want to talk about this episode, interact with us, and communicate with others that are sharing your experience? We're hanging out in the Disordered Community Space

⁠https://www.disordered.fm/the-disordered-guide-to-health-anxiety/⁠

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The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety is available now:

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Got questions or did it anyways to share? ⁠Send us an email or voicemail on our website⁠.

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Willful Tolerance and the Sensitized State (Episode 98) Feb 07, 2025

Show notes

When Drew and Josh form a band, they will call it "Willful Tolerance and the Sensitized State". Kinda like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble .... but way cooler.

But before then, they're releasing this episode of Disordered, which takes a look at the relationship between a sensitized state - where everything seems scary and triggering and you feel stuck - and the principle of willful tolerance (acceptance, surrender, non-resistance, etc.).

This episode is especially useful for anxious people that are declaring themselves to be in a setback, or experiencing a relapse, and wondering what they're doing wrong and why they aren't fully recovered and not anxious.

So if you are confused about how you're supposed to accept or tolerate things that feel so raw and so strong, pop in and join us for 39 minutes or so. We promise, at no point in the episode will you have to hear the guys playing instruments or singing.

But we can't promise that will never happen. Just saying.

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Want to talk about this episode, interact with us, and communicate with others that are sharing your experience? We're hanging out in the Disordered Community Space

⁠https://www.disordered.fm/the-disordered-guide-to-health-anxiety/⁠

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The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety is available now:

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Got questions or did it anyways to share? ⁠Send us an email or voicemail on our website⁠.

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The Compassionate Mind - The Role of Compassion in Anxiety Recovery (Episode 97) Jan 31, 2025

Show notes

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kindness-Workbook-Compassionate-Creative-Wellbeing/dp/1472143272/

If being anxious means you are less than, defective, doing it wrong, or that you are at fault for not being able to control or stop your anxiety, you may be struggling to move forward in recovery. If you feel that being an anxious person is proof that you are unworthy or defective, or if you feel that you are bringing it all on yourself because you do not deserve a better life, you may be struggling with self-compassion.

This is one of the primary obstacles to improvement when addressing an anxiety disorder. The inability to treat oneself with kindness or access feelings of self worth or self love really gets in the way of learning the lessons that facing our fears bring us. It leaves many in our community feeling stuck - and feeling even less worthy or capable!

Dr. Elaine Beaumont is one of the leading voices in the field of Compassion Focused Therapy. We were fortunate to have her stop by and chat with us about the role of compassion self-compassion in the recovery process. If you see yourself in a negative light and that's getting in the way of your recovery, this episode might be for you.

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Dr Elaine Beaumont is a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist, compassion focused therapist and Europe-approved eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing practitioner. She is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Salford and co-author of the bestselling books:

The Kindness Workbook: Compassionate and Creative Ways to Boost Your Wellbeing

The Compassionate Mind Workbook: A step-by-step guide to developing your compassionate self, which has helped tens of thousands of people to learn how to develop greater compassion for themselves and others.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Compassionate-Mind-Workbook-step-step/dp/1472135903

Elaine is co-author of The Self-Compassion app which is the first app to focus on the principles of Compassion Focused Therapy.

https://www.selfcompassion.me/

Fine Dr. Beaumont online at:

https://beaumontpsychotherapy.co.uk/

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Want to talk about this episode, interact with us, and communicate with others that are sharing your experience? We're hanging out in the Disordered Community Space

⁠https://www.disordered.fm/the-disordered-guide-to-health-anxiety/⁠

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The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety is available now:

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Got questions or did it anyways to share? ⁠Send us an email or voicemail on our website⁠.