1212: Why Trying to Fix Anxiety Can Make It Worse: What Helps Instead

In today's episode, Gina discusses why anxiety can be resistant when trying to address it directly. Through acceptance and curiosity, we can come to better understand our anxiety without causing it to flare up and become worse. Listen in for strategies on how to attend to your anxiety gently, with an open heart, and without undue force.Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors!https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/ Thank you for supporting The Anxiety Coaches Podcast. FREE MUST-HAVE RESOURCE FOR Calming Your Anxious Mind10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety Anxiety Coaches Podcast Group Coaching linkACPGroupCoaching.comTo learn more, go to:Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.comJoin our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership ProgramLearn more about our One-on-One Coaching What is anxiety? Find even more peace and calm with our Supercast premium access membership:For $5 a month, all episodes are ad-free! https://anxietycoaches.supercast.com/Here's what's included for $5/month:❤ New Ad-Free episodes every Sunday and Wednesday❤ Access to the entire Ad-free back-catalog with over 600 episodes❤ Premium meditations recorded with you in mind❤ And more fun surprises along the way!All this in your favorite podcast app!Chapters0:26 Welcome to the Anxiety Coaches Podcast2:59 The Trap of Fixing Mode7:20 Understanding Anxiety's Persistence9:50 Changing Your Relationship with Anxiety13:49 Practical Strategies for Relief15:25 Healing Through Compassion and PatienceSummaryIn this insightful episode of the Anxiety Coaches Podcast, I delve into the often misunderstood relationship between anxiety and our efforts to manage it. I explore the counterproductive nature of trying to "fix" anxiety and how this can inadvertently reinforce its presence in our lives. Instead of viewing anxiety as an adversary to conquer, I encourage listeners to reconsider their approach and shift to a mindset of coexistence and understanding.Drawing on the themes from our recent discussions, I highlight that anxiety, while challenging, is a natural human experience. It’s important to differentiate between healthy stress that comes and goes and anxiety that lingers, causing distress. Many of us fall into the trap of fixing mode, believing that we must eliminate anxiety entirely before we can lead fulfilling lives. This perspective can lead to constant self-monitoring, excessive reassurance-seeking, and avoidance behaviors that ultimately entrench our anxiety rather than alleviate it.The episode emphasizes the paradox that comes with the insistence to fix anxiety. Every time we obsessively monitor our feelings or seek validation from others, we signal to our nervous system that something is amiss, thus heightening our anxiety rather than softening it. I propose a radical shift in our mindset—inviting listeners to treat anxiety not as a problem, but as a companion on the journey of life. By putting anxiety in the backseat, we can focus on meaningful experiences and activities, regardless of its presence.#Anxiety #Stress #MentalHealth #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #AnxietyRecovery #NervousSystem #Safety #Mindfulness #Healing #SelfCare #InnerPeace #Calm #Psychology #Wellness #Acceptance #CarlJung #OvercomingAnxiety #PanicAttack #MentalWellbeing #HolisticHealth #AnxietyTips #MentalHealthMatters #HealthAnxiety #MindBody #RecoveryJourney #EndResistance #Allowing #Compassion #EmotionalIntelligence #Neuroscience #SelfHealing #AnxietySupport #MindfulLiving #StressRelief #VagusNerve #MentalHealth2026 #BreakTheLoop #ACPSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.