The Anxious Morning Drew Linsalata

Core recovery concept number four, and I think a fitting way to sign off in the final edition/episode of The Anxious Morning:
You can handle it. You always do ...


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theanxiousmorning.substack.com

Core principle number three I want to pass along as we wrap up The Anxious Morning is that when in doubt, doing the opposite can be a really useful guideline.
Sometimes this hits people like some kind of genius lightning bolt. Other times I get funny looks and head scratches. If you’re scratching your head and looking at me funny now, let me explain.
Most people will ask, “The opposite of what?” ...


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theanxiousmorning.substack.com

When I am asked for one thing I might say to anxious Drew if I could go back in time and talk to him, it would probably be this.
“Listen brother, everything is temporary. You just have to allow it to be.”
This is one of those core recovery principles that spills over into life too. Everything in the universe is transient and temporary. This includes the physical and/or emotional state of any person. It’s a pretty important feature in terms of the overall design of the universe, but we often overlook it and wind up fighting against it when we are struggling in recovery.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theanxiousmorning.substack.com

I do believe the very first thing I ever posted on Instagram was this statement:
You can be afraid and safe at the same time.
Today I want to remind you that it is possible to be afraid and safe at the same time. Why am I including it as a core principle? ...


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theanxiousmorning.substack.com

“BUT HOW CAN I NOT CARE ABOUT THIS?!”
This is a question that I get asked again and again and again because I often say that I simply do not care if I panic now. Let me clarify and refine that statement. I do care. The difference between now and then - when I was at my worst - is that now I only care for a few seconds ...


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theanxiousmorning.substack.com

If you are hoping I might talk about something that more accurately reflects your personal experiences or situations, but I don’t, you’re still not broken or beyond hope. I kinda wanted to start today’s edition of The Anxious Morning by saying that.
Last night I made a silly video about health anxiety that acted out a conversation between someone and their health anxiety. It got lots of laughs and I can see that people really identified with the struggle. However, it was also pointed out in the comment section that some people really do wind up with health problems that doctors miss or misdiagnose. Clearly, and unfortunately, this is true. We can’t deny that. I’m always careful to point out that there is never 100% certainty about anything in life, including your health, because in the real world this kind of thing is possible. The point is that my post about one health anxiety experience left another health anxiety experience unrepresented. I don’t think this is limited to health anxiety, so let’s talk about it.

What I’m thinking about this morning is the fact that there is no perfect answer to every question that will apply to every person and every situation. Especially when you’re seeing mental health information and help online, there are constraints on the part of the person providing that information. Even the most well informed, well meaning and well educated content creators have to work within the framework provided by any given platform. This means that for me - when I hit that “post” button - I know that I am almost always leaving someone out of the conversation. I am leaving some experience unrepresented while I represent another.
Unfortunately, not every post, video, podcast episode, book, or whatever else can cover all possible personal experiences and situations. This is where we drop down from the realm of huge digital support systems into smaller in personal support systems or even individual therapy or counseling. Only in those much smaller and likely in-person contexts can we be sure that our personal experiences are being seen and taken into account.
Why is this important? It’s important because I do see people wind up angry, frustrated, hopeless, or all of those things sometimes when they see information that does not directly speak to their personal situation. That always kinda sucks to see. It’s totally understandable though. One of the reasons I don’t talk about medication for instance is that it is a very personal and emotional issue. People that have had terrible medication experiences have a very low tolerance for people that are pro-medication. People being helped by meds have a very low tolerance for negative medication stories and experiences. Who can blame anyone for this? Everyone wants to feel seen, heard, and validated. That’s no crime.
Especially when struggling and trying to find a way out of that struggle, hearing your personal experience represented in the discussion can go a long way. Hearing your personal experience overlooked can be impactful on an emotional and even a practical level.
Beyond practical issues - a French chef is simply not going to talk about Italian food - I don’t think anyone means to mislead or exclude people from mental health discussions. People who do what I do really want to help at least at some level. But we’re going to sometimes miss things and when we talk about one issue we’re almost guaranteed to leave out some particular aspect of that issue. Know that it doesn’t mean that we’re saying that there’s something wrong with you. I don’t think anyone is trying to invalidate people. If someone is making you feel bad because they continually leave out your experience, its OK to speak up or ask about that. When the audience gets really large it can be hard to to respond to every question or comment, but you can put your voice out there into the universe and be heard. Maybe others will hear it and