This week's article is brought to you by Anxiety Guru reader Ashley. She was kind enough to share her story with us and provide a detailed glimpse into the world of health phobia and how she's learning to cope. - Paul Dooley I am a Christian. I have three beautiful children, a wonderful handsome husband, and a loving supportive extended family. I am a blessed girl. I have always considered myself a worrier. But, it was more of a funny thing. Something that made me quirky. To cut right to the beginning of recent events, I’ll just
Conquering Anxiety: My Story
Today's post was written by former anxiety sufferer Elisa. I am grateful to Elisa for sharing her inspirational story with us here at AG. Don't forget to visit Elisa at Averageyogini.com and share your comments with her below. - Paul Dooley My Own Brand of Anxiety My name is Elisa, and I’m an anxiety sufferer. I say “I am” rather than “I was” because the way I see it, anxiety is a little like alcoholism. Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic, even if you’re not currently drinking. I AM an anxiety sufferer, even though I haven’t
Confidence and Self-Esteem for Sufferers of Anxiety
Today's guest post is brought to you by former anxiety sufferer Jon Jones. Jon began his struggle with anxiety and depression over 18 years ago. And after years of struggling he's learned how to overcome these two challenging conditions. -- Paul Dooley Being confident and feeling great about yourself are two qualities that make life deeply satisfying. You have a spring in your step and a twinkle in your eye. People you meet are swayed by your natural charisma and charm. The good times are better and the bad times not so bad. You can
5 Years of Failed Blogging?
Can you believe it? I've been blogging for 5 years. I guess the old saying about time moving faster as you age is true. I can remember writing my first blog post in 2008 like it was yesterday. To be honest I have mixed emotions about this blog now. At first I wanted to create something remarkable. I wanted to create an important anti-anxiety resource. I ended up with something very different. For years I wrote blog posts and produced podcasts hoping that Anxietyguru.net would grow and evolve and you know what? It didn't. I tried
Is Your Diet Causing Anxiety?
Today’s guest post by Juliana Weiss-Roessler of Weight Loss Triumph. Last year, researchers found evidence that the kind of bacteria we have in our gut actually influences our brain chemistry and how we act. And what determines the types of bacteria that reside in our stomach and gastrointestinal tract? Food. Translation: psychologically speaking, we are what we eat. For years we’ve been aware of some kind of association between anxiety and things like irritable bowel syndrome, but now we know there’s a microbial component that may be
AG Members Launches in 10 Days
Last year I was sitting at home thinking about how I could deliver exclusive content to people who are serious about getting better. What I came up with was a private website packed with rock solid information. And finally, after months of work, my members only website is ready to launch. In the members only area you'll find new podcasts, videos, articles, and a brand new forum. You can take a tour of the new site here. Why is the new website private? Many people with anxiety problems are reluctant to talk about their issues in
Watch Paul Drive Across a 200 ft Tall Bridge
I don't produce videos because I'm wary of making myself vulnerable. Yet, I realize that if I put myself out there more, I have a greater chance of helping people. So today I'm releasing my first video, ever. I wanted to do something different in preparation for the launch of my new membership website. In this video, I cross over the 200 ft tall Coronado bridge in San Diego to prove - mostly to myself - that I've done away with my old fear of heights. It's nothing fancy, but I hope it encourages someone watching that overcoming their
Antipsychotic Drugs for Anxiety Disorders?
Abnormal anxiety isn't easy to live with. Seriously, who likes panic attacks? But are you willing to take an antipsychotic drug to make it stop? Some people are and I think this new trend is a slippery slope that could turn into a big problem. See, a few weeks ago I had to write a paper about the off-label use of antipsychotic medications for school. Right after I turned it in, like a day after, I ran into this article in the New York Times. In it professor of psychiatry Dr. Richard Friedman argues that unless you have
The Beginners Guide to Getting Better
How do you go from anxious to "normal"? Well, getting your hands on good information is part of it. But you'll need more than good information to get your life back. There's also a process, steps that you have to take mentally, before you can be free of abnormal anxiety. Understanding where you're at in that process, and how you can move forward from where you are, is just as important as any piece of information that you've ever, or could ever, learn about. See, when you're suffering from panic attacks or constant worry there's no