Exercise, Gym, and Exertion Anxiety (Episode 41)
Disordered: Anxiety Help
Josh Fletcher and Drew Linsalata
4.9 • 665 Ratings
🗓️ 24 December 2023
⏱️ 45 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Anxiety triggered by exercise, exertion, or being in the gym is a common struggle for anyone dealing with issues like panic attacks, agoraphobia, or any anxiety disorder that places a focus on physical anxiety symptoms or feelings of shame, inadequacy, or embarrassment.
This week Drew and Josh share not only a professional take on this aspect of anxiety, but their own lived experience struggling with exercise, exertion, feelings they didn't want to feel, and sometimes wanting to run and hide while in the gym with others. As usual, the guys offer some familiar advice when it comes to how to navigate through these anxious moments, assurance about why anxiety doesn't make exercise dangerous for you, and a healthy reminder about being kind and compassionate to yourself as you work through all of this.
The challenge is real, but you can do it!
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Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey Drew and Josh, just wanted to send along and did it anyway. |
| 0:04.2 | I've been up to my ears and exposures these past few weeks, |
| 0:06.8 | and one of the ways I've been moving forward has been by using exercises and exposure in and of itself. |
| 0:12.0 | Like many people, I long believe that the symptoms of strenuous physical activity |
| 0:16.4 | and the symptoms of a panic attack felt the same. |
| 0:19.2 | And as a result, my damned amygdala was always |
| 0:21.4 | screaming at me to stop, stop, stop now before you hurt yourself. But as I've approached exercise |
| 0:26.4 | recently, I've discovered that it's a great way to dig two holes with one shovel. I'm getting |
| 0:30.7 | out there and doing the thing while also being able to act back, not talk back to those worries. |
| 0:36.9 | I almost ran six miles today and I didn't have |
| 0:39.0 | to fight my mind at any point. It's a huge step in the right direction. Thank you both for all you do. |
| 0:45.2 | Welcome to Disordered. This is episode number 41. We're talking about heart, gym, exercise, and exertion |
| 0:52.4 | anxiety. I am Drew Linzalata, a graduate student in clinical mental health counseling, and a therapist |
| 0:57.5 | in training in the state of New York and the US of A. |
| 1:00.4 | I am an author, a podcaster, an educator on the topic of anxiety disorders, and a former |
| 1:04.7 | sufferer for over 25 years on and off with anxiety disorders and depression. |
| 1:09.6 | And I am Joshua Fletcher, also known as anxiety Josh. |
| 1:12.8 | I'm a psychotherapist, specializing in anxiety disorders in Manchester and the UK and co-host |
| 1:18.9 | of this podcast. |
| 1:21.1 | I love this topic, heart gym and exercise anxiety. |
| 1:25.7 | Yeah, I mean, that did it anyway was a brilliant way to start this episode. |
| 1:32.3 | I did struggle with this for a while, years back. |
... |
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