Anxiety Road Podcast

Caffeine is one of those substances that can be a friend-enemy. We all know of or experienced the friend-enemy, the one that seems to be supportive while doing dirt in the background.  In limited use like period relief medications, I have no problem supporting that use. Taking caffeine  daily when you have anxiety or depression, might not be such a good idea. It can amp up your existing symptoms or give you new ones.    In this episode, the foods and drinks you might find caffeine and a few resources on how to slowly and safely detox from the stuff. Resources Mentioned:    Both Medline Plus and the Harvard TC Chan School of Public Health Nutrition Source have pages about caffeine. The following resources have information about withdrawing or reducing your intake:   Sutter Health on breaking your caffeine habit Cornell University download flyer tips on Reducing Caffeine Use The Cleveland Clinic on How to Quit Caffeine   Emergency Resources The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community.    Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options.    National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.     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 intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

The way it is presented you'd think that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the only therapy treatment for anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions. No, it isn't. It does work, but not for every person or every mental health condition.   In this episode, a quick review of what CBT is and some of the pros and cons. This isn't an attempt to praise or condemn the therapy. I just want to point out that it might not be right for you at this time or you might needs to get your symptoms in control before you can consider this type of treatment.   Resources Mentioned:  American Psychological Association on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy   Book publisher Wiley has the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Dummies book. On the website you can read sample chapters and there is a cheat sheet you can review to see if the book is a good match for you.   MindDoc is an app that is a CBT type education that you can access via your phone. You can read or listen to a variety of topics, monitoring and self-management your mental health and check in on you daily. There is a free and paid version of the app that is available to Android and iOS users.   What's Up app for iPhone/iPad users provides a basic grounding in CBT topics and skills. it has a journaling and notes section, breathing exercises and grounding tools. It is free but there are in-app purchases. Emergency Resources The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community.    Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options.    National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.   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 intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  

Anhedonia is the inability to experience pleasure or enjoyment from activities that normally bring satisfaction. You can do things but you can't feel things. Your brain cannot process or have access to pleasure, reward or satisfaction.  This is a quick episode on what the condition is, some of the symptoms and a few learning and treatment options. Resources Mentioned:    Anxiety and Depression Association of America has a video about Anhedonia ADAA also has a support group for people with Major Depression Disorder.    Psych Hub video is also a good starting place to learn about Anhedonia   UC Irvine has an informational blog page about Anhedonia called There is help if it all seems too much   From Helpguide.org Anhedonia Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment   Emergency Resources:   The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community.    Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options.    National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.   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 intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.