Anxiety 101: Understanding Its Effects and Why Managing It Matters

Welcome to the raw, real talk debut of ANXIETY: Let's Make Sense of This Shit - where we rip off the Band-Aid on mental health's biggest bully.

🎧 In This Gut-Punch Episode:
"Why your brain's ancient wiring is gaslighting you (hint: it's not your fault)"
3 neuroscience hacks to silence false alarms (tested by 1,200 anxiety warriors)
The life-changing difference between "stress" and full-blown anxiety spirals
Your new emergency toolkit for when the mental freight train hits
We're exposing anxiety's dirty secrets: how it hijacks your body, warps your thoughts, and why 92% of what you fear NEVER happens. Perfect for anyone tired of "just breathe" advice and ready for battle-tested strategies.

💥 Why This Matters NOW:
"Anxiety disorders surged 300% post-pandemic" (WHO, 2024). This isn't just self-help - it's survival gear for modern life.

We see you. We ARE you. Let's rewrite the f*cking rulebook together. 💪

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/anxiety-let-s-make-sense-of-this-sh-t--6351689/support.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, hey, hey, welcome to the first ever episode of Anxiety.
Let's make sense of this shit. I'm your host, and
let me tell you I've been there. You know, that
place where you're lying in bed, staring at the ceiling,
convinced you've forgotten something critical, but it's just your brain
doing that overthinking thing again. Yep, that's the anxiety ride.

(00:20):
It's not a fun one. But hey, you're not alone,
and that's why we're here today. We're tackling anxiety head on,
what it is, why it happens, and why managing it
is crucial if we want to live our best lives. Because,
let's be real, anxiety can feel like that one guest
who shows up to the party, eats all the chips

(00:41):
and refuses to leave. But it's more than just stress
about an upcoming deadline or that awkward thing you said
at last week's dinner party. It's deeper, more stubborn, and
sometimes completely irrational. We'll dig into how anxiety affects us physically, mentally,
and emotionally. Ever wondered why your heart races during a
casual conversation, or why your stomach feels like it's hosting

(01:03):
a butterfly convention right before a big meeting. Yeah, that's
all anxiety doing its thing. And don't even get me
started on those middle of the night wake ups. Thanks
anxiety for the three am existential crisis. This podcast is
all about stripping away the fluff and getting real about
what anxiety actually is, because the more you understand it,

(01:26):
the less power it has over you. And no, we're
not here to give you generic just breathe advice. We're
going to dive into the science, the emotions, the ridiculous
moments that make anxiety so frustrating, and believe it or not,
how to deal with it in a way that makes
sense sound good. So, whether you're dealing with mild anxiety,

(01:47):
the kind that nags at you from time to time,
or full blown anxiety that makes even getting out of
bed feel like a victory, this episode is for you.
Let's break it all down so we can figure out
how to kick anxieties butt together. All right, time to
get into the nitty gritty. First off, what is anxiety?
If anxiety were a person, it'd be that one friend

(02:09):
who thinks they're helping but ends up making everything worse. Like, yes,
thank you anxiety for trying to keep me safe. But
do we really need to freak out about running into
my high school teacher at the grocery store. No, no,
we do not. On a technical level, anxiety is a
part of our body's natural survival system, an evolutionary relic

(02:30):
from when running away from predators was a daily necessity.
Back then, anxiety kept us alive. If you saw a
sabertoothed tiger lurking near your cave, anxiety kicked in to
give you that adrenaline rush to either fight or flee.
Flash forward a few millennia and the sabertoothed tigers are gone,
but your brain hasn't exactly caught up. Now, instead of

(02:52):
running from tigers, your anxiety is going off when your
boss sends you a vague can we talk email? So
what exactly has happened in your body? When anxiety hits
It all starts with your brain, specifically the amygdala. Think
of the amygdala as your brain's alarm system. It's constantly
scanning for danger, and when it thinks it's spotted something,

(03:13):
it sounds the alarm. Cue. The physical symptoms racing heart,
shallow breathing, sweaty palms, and that gnawing feeling in your stomach.
These are all signs that your body is gearing up
to fight or flee. Problem is, there's usually nothing to
fight unless you count that awkward social situation, and nowhere
to flee. You're literally just in a meeting. Now I

(03:37):
know what you're thinking. Okay, so anxiety is just my
brain being a little too cautious. But why does it
feel so bad? The answer is simple. It's because anxiety
hijacks both your body and your thoughts. Physically, your body
is prepping for danger, which is exhausting in and of itself. Mentally,
your brain starts spinning out of control, creating worst case

(03:59):
scenarios that feel so real in the moment. You're not
just worried about being late for work. You're worried that
being late means you'll get fired, and getting fired means
you'll lose your house, And before you know it, your
brain has you living under a bridge, selling handmade crafts
just to survive. Sound familiar, and let's not forget the

(04:19):
emotional toll. Anxiety can make you feel helpless, overwhelmed, and trapped.
It messes with your mood, your motivation, and even your relationships.
Ever tried explaining to someone why you're so anxious about
something that seems totally irrational. Yeah, that conversation never ends well.
Anxiety has this way of isolating you, making you feel

(04:41):
like no one else really gets what you're going through.
But here's the thing. Anxiety is normal. It's a part
of being human. Everyone experiences anxiety at some point, whether
it's over a big life event or something seemingly small.
The key difference is how often and how intensely you
experience it. For some people, anxiety is a brief, fleeting

(05:02):
feeling that passes once the stressor is gone. For others,
it's an overwhelming, constant companion that sticks around even when
there's nothing to worry about. If you fall into the
latter category, welcome to the club. You're not alone. Let's
talk about the different types of anxiety, because, like anything else,
anxiety isn't one size fits all. There's generalized anxiety disorder

(05:26):
gad D, which is pretty much anxiety on overdrive. People
with gad tend to worry about everything, money, health, work, relationships,
the future, the weather, whether or not aliens are real,
you name it. Then there's social anxiety, which is the
fear of being judged or embarrassed in social situations. This
isn't just shyness, it's full on dread that makes even

(05:49):
small interactions feel like a high stakes game show where
you're constantly at risk of getting the wrong answer. And
let's not forget panic disorder, which takes anxiety to a
whole new level. Panic attacks can feel like you're dying,
chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, and that terrifying sense
of doom. They're unpredictable and can happen out of the blue,

(06:11):
which only makes them scarier. Then there's phobia related anxiety,
where the fear is focused on a specific thing. Heights, spiders, flying,
you name it. So where does all this anxiety come from? Well,
it's usually a combination of factors genetics, environment, and experiences.
If your parents were anxious, there's a good chance you

(06:32):
inherited some of that anxious wiring. Throw in a stressful job,
some unresolved trauma, and a social media feed that constantly
reminds you of everything that's going wrong in the world,
and boom, you've got a recipe for anxiety overload. But
don't worry. We're not just going to sit here and
talk about how awful anxiety is without offering some hope.

(06:54):
The good news is that while anxiety might be a
part of your life, it doesn't have to control life.
There are tools and strategies you can use to manage it.
And no, it's not about curing anxiety. It's about learning
to live with it in a way that feels manageable. Spoiler,
it's totally possible. All right. We've talked about the sciencey

(07:16):
stuff behind anxiety, but what about the day to day
reality of it. Let's be honest. Anxiety doesn't just show
up in convenient little boxes, like during life threatening emergencies
or huge moments. Nah, it prefers to crash the party, uninvited,
at the worst possible times. Let's talk real life examples
of how anxiety loves to pop up and remind us

(07:37):
it's still hanging around. Let's start with Sarah. Sarah is
a classic overthinker. Every social event, every conversation, every text message,
Sarah's brain goes into overdrive, analyzing every word she said
or didn't say. Picture this. Sarah goes out for dinner
with a group of friends. The evening's going great, she's laughing,
she's having fun. But then bam. The moment she he's home,

(08:00):
the replay starts. Did I talk too much? Maybe I
didn't ask enough questions? What if they thought I was
rude when I joked about their job. By the time
Sarah's head hits the pillow, she's convinced her friends secretly
hate her and she's doomed to be the outcast of
the group. Sound familiar, Yep. Anxiety's like that annoying back

(08:21):
seat driver, constantly second guessing everything. Now meet Jake. Jake's
anxiety doesn't do the whole overthinking thing like Sarah's. It's
more of a full body experience. For Jake, anxiety means
sweaty palms, a racing heart, and that weird feeling in
his chest like he's about to take a final exam
he didn't study for. And it doesn't show up in

(08:42):
obvious stressful situations. Oh no, Jake could be sitting in
a meeting at work, everything calm and normal, when wham,
out of nowhere, his body decides it's time for a
panic party. Jake's heart is pounding. He's convinced everyone can
see how nervous he is, and now he's just trying
to focus on passing out the kicker. No one else

(09:02):
in the room has any idea what's going on, because
Jake's anxiety is doing its thing internally, he's stuck in
a silent battle, just waiting for the meeting to end
so he can catch his breath. But wait, it's not
always that extreme, right. Anxiety loves to take on different forms.
Take Emily for instance. Emily's anxiety doesn't show up as

(09:23):
full blown panic or intense overthinking. It's more subtle, like
a constant, low hum in the background. It's there when
she wakes up, it's there when she's doing her work,
and it's definitely there when she's trying to unwind. It's
not always overwhelming, but it's persistent, like that one HouseGuest
who never quite gets the hint to leave. And the

(09:46):
thing is, this type of anxiety can be harder to
recognize because it's not loud. Emily might even go weeks
thinking she's fine, until one day she realizes that constant
tension in her shoulders, that feeling of not quite being
able to relax. That's anxiety too. It's the kind that
makes it hard to enjoy the little things, even when
everything seems fine On the surface. Then there's James. Now,

(10:10):
James has what we'd call situational anxiety. He's mostly chill
in his day to day life, but throw him into
a high pressure situation and it's game over. Public speaking,
no way going on a first date, forget it, job interviews.
He'd rather jump out of a plane. For James, his
anxiety hits hardest when there's something on the line, when

(10:31):
he feels like he's being judged, or when he's in
a situation where things could go wrong. The build up
before these events is the worst. His mind starts creating
worst case scenarios like it's its full time job. What
if I say something stupid? What if I freeze up?
What if they ask me a question I don't know
the answer to. By the time the event rolls around,

(10:53):
James is already mentally exhausted from all the hypothetical disasters
he's imagined. And let's not forget Lena, who deals with
a special kind of anxiety that revolves around health. Lena
is what some might call a hypochondriac, but that word
doesn't quite do justice to the very real experience of
health anxiety. For Lena, any slight pain or odd sensation

(11:16):
in her body sends her into a spiral of googling symptoms.
Got a headache, it's probably a brain tumor. A little
shortness of breath after going up the stairs clearly a
sign of a heart problem. By the end of the day,
Lena's convinced she's got at least three life threatening conditions,
and no amount of reassurance from doctors can shake the

(11:37):
feeling that's something's seriously wrong. The worst part, even when
she knows she's overreacting, it doesn't stop the fear from
creeping in. It's like her brain has a glitch. It
just can't let go of the possibility that something's wrong.
But it's not all doom and gloom. Let's talk about Dave,
who's actually learned to laugh at his anxiety. Well, most

(11:59):
of the time, Dave's anxiety shows up in the weirdest places,
like when he's ordering food at a restaurant. Somehow, the
simple act of telling the waiter what he wants turns
into a full blown performance in his head. What if
I pronounce something wrong, What if I order too much?
What if I sound stupid? By the time the waiter

(12:20):
comes around, Dave's forgotten what he even wanted to order
in the first place, and he ends up blurting out
whatever comes to mind just to avoid the awkwardness. Daves
learned that his anxiety loves to make mountains out of
mole hills, and while it's frustrating, he's found that sometimes
the best way to deal with it is to laugh
at how ridiculous it is. And this brings us to

(12:43):
the all too familiar scenario of sleep anxiety. If you've
ever experienced this, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Let's say you've had a long day, you're ready to crash,
and you finally lie down in bed. The room is quiet,
your body's tired, and you close your eyes. Then bam,
your brain's like, oh, hey, remember that embarrassing thing you

(13:04):
did in fifth grade. Let's think about that for a while.
Or worse, your brain decides now's the perfect time to
start planning for all the things that could go wrong tomorrow.
What if I'm late to work, what if I forget
my presentation, what if I get stuck in traffic. It's
like your brain has saved all its best anxious thoughts
for the moment you're trying to fall asleep. Thanks brain.

(13:28):
These stories might sound ridiculous, but the truth is they're real,
and if any of them hit close to home, just
know you're not alone. Anxiety has a way of making
us feel isolated, like we're the only ones dealing with
these weird, irrational thoughts and feelings. But here's the thing.
Anxiety is really good at hiding in plain sight. The

(13:50):
person sitting next to you at work, your friend at
the gym, your sibling. They could all be dealing with
their own version of anxiety, even if it doesn't look
like yours. That's the wild part about anxiety. It doesn't discriminate,
and it can show up in anyone at any time,
in a million different ways. The more we talk about it,
the more we share our stories, the more we realize

(14:12):
just how common it is. And that's important, because when
we talk about anxiety, we take away some of its power.
Anxiety thrives in silence in those moments when we're convinced
that we're the only ones who feel this way. But
when we speak up, when we laugh at the absurdity
of it all, we remind ourselves that we're in this together.

(14:34):
We've all got our own Sarah moments, our Jake meetings
and our Emily low hums, and yeah, anxiety might be
a jerk, but it's not unbeatable, all right. So we've
spent some time diving into the what of anxiety, what
it is, how it messes with your mind, and how
it loves to show up at the most inconvenient moments.
But now it's time to talk about the what can

(14:56):
you actually do about it? Part? Because let's be real,
knowing you have anxiety is great in all, but what
we really want is some tools to make it suck less. Right,
First up, cognitive behavioral therapy CBT. If you've ever dipped
your toes into therapy or googled how to deal with anxiety,
you've probably heard of CBT, But what is it? Exactly?

(15:18):
In a nutshell, CBT is like training your brain to
be less of a drama queen. It's all about recognizing
those negative, spiraling thoughts that make you feel like the
world is ending and challenging them. You know, the ones,
I mean, I'm going to mess up this presentation, get fired,
and end up living in a van down by the river.
CBT teaches you to step back and go wait, is

(15:41):
that really true? Or is my anxiety just exaggerating. Here's
an example of how CBT might play out in real life.
Say you're about to go to a job interview and
your anxiety is telling you that you're going to bombit.
Instead of letting that thought spiral, CBT would have you
break it down. What's the evidence that you're going to fail?

(16:02):
Have you failed every single interview in your life? Probably not.
What's the worst that could happen if the interview doesn't
go well? Are you really going to lose everything because
of one bad interview. When you start looking at the
situation more rationally, the anxiety doesn't seem as powerful. It's
like shining a flashlight into the dark corners of your brain.

(16:24):
It's never as scary once you see what's actually there.
Next up on the list is mindfulness. Now, before you
roll your eyes and say, yeah, yeah, I've heard this before,
hear me out, mindfulness isn't about sitting cross legged on
the floor chanting and trying to reach enlightenment. It's simply
about staying present. And when it comes to anxiety, staying

(16:45):
present is a game changer. Why Because anxiety tie lives
in the future. It's all about the what ifs. What
if I mess up? What if something goes wrong? What
if they don't like me? Mindfulness brings you back to
right now, not next week, not next year, just right here.
Here's a quick mindfulness exercise you can try the next

(17:07):
time your anxiety is going into overdrive. The five four
three two one method. Start by noticing five things you
can see around you. Maybe it's your coffee cup, the
plant on your desk, or that weird stain on the carpet,
no judgment. Then four things you can touch, your sweater,
your phone, the chair you're sitting on. After that, three

(17:28):
things you can hear, the hum of your computer, birds outside,
or maybe just your own breathing. Then two things you
can smell. If you can't smell anything, that's fine, just
take a deep breath. Finally, one thing you can taste.
If you don't have food on hand, just notice how
your mouth feels. This exercise brings you back into your
body and into the present moment. It sounds simple, but

(17:51):
it's surprisingly effective at pulling you out of an anxious
thought spiral. Let's talk about another tool that might sound
basic but works. Wonders breathing, I know, I know, telling
someone with anxiety to just breathe feels like the most
unhelpful advice ever, but stick with me. The key isn't
just any kind of breathing. It's deep, slow, and intentional breathing.

(18:14):
When you're anxious, your breathing tends to get shallow and quick,
which actually feeds your anxiety by triggering more of that
fight or flight response. Deep breathing does the opposite. It
tells your brain, hey, we're safe, we can calm down now.
A super easy technique is called box breathing. Here's how
it works. Breathe in for account of four, hold for four,

(18:37):
breathe out for four and hold for four. Repeat that
a few times. What's cool about this is it forces
your mind to focus on the counting and the breathing,
giving your anxious thoughts less room to take over. It's
like hitting the pause button on your stress. And the
best part, you can do it anywhere, whether you're at work,
in a crowded place, or even mid panic. Bock breathing

(19:00):
is a quick way to get a little control back. Now,
let's switch gears and talk about something that doesn't always
get enough attention self care. And I'm not talking about
bubble baths and candles. Though, if that's your thing, go
for it. I'm talking about real, sometimes unglamorous self care,
like getting enough sleep, eating regular meals, and setting boundaries.

(19:23):
One of the easiest ways to let anxiety take over
is to neglect your basic needs. Think about it. When
you're tired, hungry, or overwhelmed, your brain is way more
likely to go into anxiety mode. Take sleep for example.
Have you ever noticed that when you're sleep deprived, your
anxiety is like one hundred times worse. There's a reason

(19:43):
for that. Lack of sleep messes with the part of
your brain that regulates emotions, making it harder to manage stress.
So yeah, getting enough sleep isn't just about feeling rested.
It's literally about protecting your mental health. If you're one
of those people who's struggle to wind down at night
because of racing thoughts, try creating a bedtime routine. It

(20:06):
doesn't have to be fancy. Turn off your screens an
hour before bed, do something relaxing like reading or listening
to music, and stick to a regular sleep schedule. I know,
easier said than done, but even small changes can make
a big difference. Speaking of self care, let's talk about boundaries.
I know boundaries sound boring, but they're actually one of

(20:28):
the best tools for managing anxiety. Think about it. How
many times have you said yes to something when you
really wanted to say no, or agreed to help someone
out even though you were already stretched thin. Every time
you overextend yourself, you're inviting more stress and yep, more anxiety.
Setting boundaries is about protecting your energy and your mental health.

(20:51):
It's okay to say no, to take a step back,
or to tell someone hey, I can't take this on
right now. Easier said than done, sure, but setting boundaries
is like building a little fence around your piece of mind.
Another great strategy for managing anxiety is physical movement. I'm
not going to tell you to go run a marathon

(21:12):
or spend hours in the gym, but studies show that
even a little bit of movement can reduce anxiety. You've
probably heard about the endorphins exercise releases, yay happy chemicals,
but it's more than just that. Moving your body helps
burn off some of that anxious energy that gets stuck
when you're sitting still. So whether it's taking a quick walk,

(21:33):
doing some yoga, or even just dancing around your kitchen,
moving your body can help calm your mind. And here's
something that often gets overlooked. Connection Anxiety can be super isolating.
It has a way of making you feel like you're
the only person in the world dealing with this stuff.
But the truth is you're not talking about your anxiety

(21:55):
with someone you trust. Whether it's a friend, a family member,
or a therapist can make a huge difference. It's like
taking a weight off your shoulders when you realize you
don't have to carry it all by yourself. And if
talking feels too hard, even just spending time with people
who make you feel safe can be enough. You don't
have to go through this alone. Lastly, let's talk about medication.

(22:20):
Now this isn't for everyone, but for some people, medication
can be a game changer. If you've tried all the
coping tools and you're still struggling to manage your anxiety,
it might be worth talking to a doctor about medication.
There's no shame in getting a little extra help, whether
it's short term or long term. Medication can help balance

(22:40):
out the chemicals in your brain that are contributing to
your anxiety. But remember, medication isn't a magic bullet. It
works best when combined with other strategies like therapy and
self care. And there you have it, anxiety one oh
one wrapped up in all its messy, confusing, and sometimes
downright ridiculous glory. Hopefully we've managed to break down what

(23:03):
anxiety actually is, how it tends to show up in
sneaky ways, and some of the tools you can use
to start managing it. The thing to remember is this
anxiety doesn't define you. Sure, it can be loud and obnoxious,
but it doesn't have to control every part of your life.
You're still in charge here. Now, before you log off

(23:24):
and go back to scrolling your phone or dealing with
whatever life's throwing at you today, let's talk about what's
coming up next on the podcast. This was just the beginning.
We've got so much more in store for you, because,
let's face it, anxiety isn't something you can tackle in
one episode. Each week, we'll be releasing a main podcast

(23:44):
episode just like this one, where we'll dive deep into
specific anxiety related topics. We'll be talking about things like
social anxiety, the joys of feeling awkward and literally every
social interaction, panic attacks and how to survive them, anxiety
around relationships, work, stress, and so much more. We're going

(24:06):
to break down how anxiety shows up in different areas
of life and what you can do about it, all
while keeping things real and hopefully making you laugh a
little along the way. We'll also be sharing more real
life stories from listeners, because the more we talk about anxiety,
the less alone we all feel. But wait, there's more.
On top of these deep dive episodes, We've got something

(24:29):
special for you, our Saturday Boost episodes. What's that you ask?
Think of it as your anxiety quick fix for the weekend.
The Saturday Boost episodes are short, punchy, five minute episodes
packed with practical tips, exercises, or little stories designed to
give you a boost of encouragement as you head into
the weekend. We know anxiety doesn't take weekends off, but

(24:51):
sometimes you don't have thirty minutes to dive into a
full episode. That's where the Saturday Boost comes in, just
a quick hit of You've got this, delivered with the
same no nonsense, relatable vibe you've come to expect from
this podcast. The idea behind the Saturday Boost is simple.
Anxiety management doesn't always need to be a huge, time

(25:12):
consuming process. Sometimes all you need is a quick tip
or a little reminder to help y'all I'll get through
the day, whether it's a breathing exercise, a piece of advice,
or just a funny story to remind you that we're
all in this together. The Saturday Boost episodes are there
to give you that extra support when you need it most.

(25:33):
And let's be real, who doesn't love a little extra
boost to get through the weekend, especially when anxiety has
decided it's time to kick up the stress levels. So
make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss any of
our full episodes or those quick Saturday Boost hits. And
of course we want to hear from you. If you've

(25:53):
got an anxiety story to share, or if you've found
a strategy that works wonders for you, send it in.
We'll be sharing listener stories throughout the series because nothing's
better than hearing how real people are dealing with the
same stuff you are. Plus, who knows your story might
help someone else make sense of their own anxiety. That's

(26:15):
it for to day, folks, Thank you so much for
tuning in to the very first episode of Anxiety. Let's
make sense of this shit. Remember, anxiety is a part
of life, but it's not the whole story. You've got
the power to take back some control, one deep breath,
one mindful moment, and one weirdly anxious thought at a time.

(26:36):
We're in this together, and we've got a lot more
to cover in the weeks to come. Until next time,
take care of yourself, keep breathing, and don't forget to
laugh at how ridiculous anxiety can be sometimes. Oh and
definitely come back for that Saturday boost. It'll be just
what you need to kick start your weekend.