What if worrying is just your mind’s way of trying to stop you from worrying?



In this episode, I pull apart the myth that positive thinking can cure anxiety. The alarm in the body and the worries in the mind feed each other in a loop that never ends. Childhood separation leaves a mark when you aren’t seen, heard, or protected, and that’s where the alarm takes root. Growing up with a father who had schizophrenia, I learned to escape into worry as my coping strategy. The real healing began when I turned toward the younger version of myself and felt what I’d spent years running from.

You’ll Learn:

• The reason changing your thoughts alone can’t heal chronic anxiety
• What happens when childhood separation creates an alarm that gets buried in the body
• The surprising link between being highly sensitive and carrying lifelong anxiety
• The damage of relying on worry as a coping strategy that turns into addiction
• Why the alarm–anxiety cycle keeps looping between body and mind
• What it feels like to abandon your younger self and the pain it creates
• How the brain’s insular cortex and amygdala drive the fight-or-flight loop
• Why worry is the mind’s attempt to stop you from worrying
• The path back to connection by feeling the alarm instead of escaping into thought
• How seeing, hearing, and defending your inner child becomes the foundation for healing

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[03:31] How unmet needs in childhood turn sensitivity into lifelong alarm

[04:04] How the alarm anxiety cycle traps us in worry

[09:32] The deeper separation between mind, body and inner child that fuels anxiety

[10:28] The neuroscience of how alarm in the body fuels anxiety in the mind

[13:50] Reconnecting with the inner child through feeling the body’s alarm

[19:13] Healing anxiety by feeling the body’s alarm and reconnecting with the inner child

Resources Mentioned:

Anxiety Rx by Russell Kennedy | Book or Audiobook

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

What if the real scam isn’t the robocall, but the idea that your worth is measured in dollars?



In this episode, the lie that money can replace human connection takes center stage. A medical system built on billing codes pushed me to trade care for speed, and that disconnection fueled my own anxiety. Scams, ads, and constant grabs for attention keep the nervous system on high alert. The “monetization fairy” gets called out for what it is, and simple practices bring us back to intrinsic value and genuine human connection.

You’ll Learn:

• The reason anxiety often shows up when every interaction feels transactional
• What happens when human connection gets replaced by financial transactions
• The surprising link between COVID separation and today’s obsession with money
• The damage of a medical system that reduces patients to billable units
• Why short-term retail “therapy” mimics the cycle of addiction
• What it feels like to burn out when connection gets traded for profit
• How scams, robocalls, and ads activate the body’s alarm system
• The truth about why many doctors feel trapped, frustrated, and disconnected
• A simple way to call out the “monetization fairy” and reclaim perspective
• Practical steps to anchor in genuine connection and remind yourself of intrinsic value



Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[07:54] Why medicine became transactional and drove me to burnout

[09:49] Why doctors are losing trust and connection with patients

[13:42] Chasing status and money only makes anxiety worse

[17:09] How scams and scarcity keep the nervous system in alarm

[20:34] Practical ways to replace monetization with genuine connection

[25:49] Your value is not transactional

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

What if being “too sensitive” isn’t a flaw but the hidden root of your anxiety?

In this episode, I unpack what it really means to be a highly sensitive person and why that trait so often shows up alongside chronic anxiety. I walk through Dr. Elaine Aron’s DOES framework and how depth of processing, overstimulation, emotional reactivity, and sensing subtleties can both fuel alarm and unlock creativity. You’ll hear how childhood experiences shape sensitivity into either anxiety or resilience, why re-parenting is essential, and how creativity becomes a pathway to healing. I also share practical ways to stop shaming sensitivity, honour it as a gift, and turn it into strength instead of suffering.

You’ll Learn:

• The reason highly sensitive people are more vulnerable to chronic anxiety
• What happens in the brain when HSPs process information more deeply
• The surprising link between overstimulation and the need to withdraw to recover
• The damage of shaming sensitive children and how it shapes lifelong anxiety
• What it feels like to carry responsibility for other people’s emotions from a young age
• Why creativity and play regulate the nervous system and counter alarm
• Right-brain practices that restore balance
• The key role of re-parenting and the SHOULD framework in healing old wounds
• Why sensitivity isn’t a disorder but a trait with unique strengths and gifts



Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[02:15] Understanding highly sensitive people and the link to chronic anxiety

[06:39] How emotional exhaustion and people pleasing shape highly sensitive people

[07:32] Harnessing creativity and right-brain healing for highly sensitive people

[11:05] Parenting strategies to support and repair highly sensitive children

[12:15] Reparenting the inner child with the SHOULD framework for healing sensitivity

[15:25] Embracing sensitivity as a source of healing and personal strength

Resources Mentioned:

The Highly Sensitive Person by Dr. Elaine Aron | Book or Audiobook

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

Ever pushed yourself to eat clean and work out, hoping it would calm your anxiety, only to feel even worse? Here’s why it happens…

In this episode, I dig into why gut health, exercise, and diets, while helpful, aren’t the cure for chronic anxiety. They can lower the intensity, but they don’t touch the root. The real work is creating safety in your nervous system and reconnecting with the younger version of you that still carries the alarm. I talk about the trap of chasing quick fixes, how hypervigilance keeps us stuck, and why small daily practices of safety can shift everything. By building that foundation, all the other healthy habits finally have a place to stick.

You’ll Learn:

• The reason gut health alone won’t heal chronic anxiety
• What happens when diet and exercise are used as coping strategies instead of real healing
• The surprising link between childhood hypervigilance and constant feelings of danger in adulthood
• Why quick-fix solutions like probiotics or gluten-free diets often fall short
• The damage of forcing yourself into rigid health routines without emotional regulation
• What it feels like to create “islands of safety” in your body for the first time
• How connecting with the younger version of yourself shifts the foundation of healing
• Why safety is the real supplement for anxiety, not another pill or trend
• The critical role of nervous system regulation before diet and exercise can truly help

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[02:59] Why gut health alone won’t heal chronic anxiety

[06:49] Building safety as the real foundation for healing anxiety

[12:31] Why focusing only on gut health misses the deeper work of anxiety healing

[17:10] Healing anxiety by creating safety and reconnecting with the inner child

[20:47] Why safety and inner child connection must come before gut health and exercise in healing anxiety

[23:49] Healing anxiety by reconnecting your adult and child self through safety

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

What if burnout isn’t failure, but your body’s protective shutdown?



In this episode, I open up about burning out as a doctor and why it went far beyond just being tired. Burnout showed up as a split between my mind pushing forward and the younger part of me saying, “I can’t do this anymore.” The mask of “Dr. Russell Kennedy” gave me income, status, and validation, but it also crushed my sense of self.

I get into how burnout differs from stress and depression, and why rest only scratches the surface before it pulls you back under. Healing started when I finally listened to the alarm in my body, reconnected with the child in me, and practiced things like yoga nidra, breath work, and inner child work.

You’ll Learn:

• The real reason burnout can feel more like a spiritual crisis than simple exhaustion
• How early childhood experiences of not being heard can set you up for people-pleasing and burnout
• The surprising link between external validation and staying too long in a career that’s hurting you
• What it feels like when your mind drives your body far past its limits
• Why leaving a job can trigger shame and how to work through it
• The quiet damage of tying your identity to your profession
• How burnout differs from depression in symptoms and recovery
• Practical ways to reconnect with the “younger version” of yourself to begin healing
• Why burnout can be your body’s last attempt to get your attention
• How practices like yoga nidra, breathwork, and inner child work can help rebuild safety in your body

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[01:17] How chasing external validation led to burnout and identity loss

[06:39] The cost of tying identity to caregiving and medicine

[10:10] When identity and overwork lead to burnout and breaking points

[14:25] The difference between depression and burnout as self-betrayal

[16:22] How people pleasing and endless demands drive burnout

[17:47] Healing burnout by reconnecting with the younger self and body

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

What if the very things that feel like they’re protecting you are actually keeping you stuck?

In this episode, I break down the five unconscious strategies that block healing from anxiety. I call it MADDS: medication, addiction, distraction, dissociation, and suppression. Each of these starts as a survival tool, but over time they numb us, disconnect us from our bodies, and cut us off from the younger self that needs our attention. I get real about the role medication plays, why worry itself can become addictive, and how dissociation becomes a default setting for many of us. Most importantly, I show how awareness, acceptance, and compassion can start to break the cycle so we can finally move toward real healing instead of just coping.

You’ll Learn:

• The five nervous system strategies that quietly block anxiety healing
• Why medications can help in crisis, but often numb long-term emotional recovery
• The surprising link between worry and the brain’s dopamine reward system
• How addictions form as self-medication for the body’s stored alarm
• The subtle ways distractions like social media pull you further from your body
• What it feels like to live in dissociation and why it’s so hard to stop
• How suppression of emotion can lead to deeper anxiety and physical illness
• The role of awareness and acceptance in breaking the anxiety coping cycle
• A simple ABC method to reconnect with your younger self and release the need for coping strategies

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[03:30] The role and limits of medication in healing anxiety

[09:17] How addictions and worry become coping mechanisms for anxiety

[13:00] How distraction masks anxiety and deepens disconnection

[14:58] How dissociation protects us from pain but blocks healing

[17:10] How suppression of emotions leads to disconnection and illness

[19:11] How awareness and self-compassion break the cycle of anxiety coping strategies

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

Why does manifestation backfire when you need it most?

In this episode, I look at why affirmations and vision boards don’t land when your body is stuck in protection and alarm. That state makes it almost impossible to think positively, no matter how many times you repeat the words. The nervous system drives what you’re able to manifest, and when it’s wired for survival, positivity just slides off while negativity sticks. Real tools like hypno meditations, visualization, and the physiological sigh can shift the body out of alarm so the mind can believe what it’s saying. That’s when manifestation stops feeling fake and starts working.

You’ll Learn:

• Why manifestation often fails
• The tools I use to regulate my body first so that my mind and body can align and manifestation can take root
• The surprising link between childhood disconnection and difficulty creating positive change
• How the nervous system shapes what you notice, and why it can trap you in a negative echo chamber
• What it feels like to try affirmations that your body doesn’t believe
• Why regulating your body first makes manifestation more powerful and sustainable
• How your reticular activating system filters your reality based on what you expect
• The quiet damage of bypassing discomfort with positive thinking
• How breath work, hypno meditations, and somatic tools can align your body and mind for change
• What really happens when you manifest from connection instead of protection

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[02:02] Living in self-protection blocks manifestation. Focus on connection instead.

[05:32] Rewiring the unconscious mind with visualization and hypno meditations

[08:17] The science behind the chronic alarm system and why it blocks manifestation and reinforces negativity

[11:04] How to align your body and mind before working on manifestation

[14:48] Using somatic practices and inner child work to make manifestation real

[16:49] Healing anxiety by reconnecting with love and creating a positive echo chamber

Resources Mentioned:

MBRX Program by Russell Kennedy | Website

Anxiety Rx by Russell Kennedy | Book or Audiobook

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

In this episode, I cover why chaos feels so familiar and why we keep getting pulled into it even when it makes us anxious.



Today’s uncertainty from news, politics, money issues, AI, and climate change mirror the unpredictability many of us grew up with. That early wiring can make us attracted to chaos, even as it increases our alarm. The pull of distraction, overstimulation, and loneliness keep the body’s alarm system activated… but what helps? Reconnecting with the younger version of ourselves who didn’t feel safe, meeting their needs now, and finding ways to calm our alarm from the inside, no matter what’s happening in the world — this is a good place to start.

You’ll Learn:

• Why uncertainty in world events can spike old childhood anxiety
• What happens when distraction and overstimulation become your nervous system’s default state
• The link between growing up in chaos and feeling drawn to global chaos today
• Why financial stress often triggers a survival-level alarm in people raised with scarcity
• How AI and not knowing what’s real can recreate the same insecurity you felt as a child
• The quiet damage of loneliness, even when you’re surrounded by people
• Why accepting love and connection can be harder than you think
• How climate change anxiety taps into early feelings of helplessness and grief
• The specific practices that help you reparent the part of you that never felt safe
• Why real relief comes from changing your inner world, not waiting for the outer world to calm down

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[02:00] Why uncertainty fuels anxiety by mirroring childhood chaos

[07:36] How childhood scarcity shapes money anxiety and safety beliefs

[09:41] How AI fatigue and overstimulation trigger old childhood fears

[12:19] How healing loneliness through self-connection reduces anxiety

[15:11] How climate grief and ancestral trauma mirror childhood powerlessness

[18:43] How connecting with your inner child creates peace in a chaotic world

Resources Mentioned:

Anxiety Rx by Russell Kennedy | Book or Audiobook

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

In this episode, I unpack why your TikTok anxiety hacks might actually be keeping you stuck.



I get into the good, the bad, and the harmful when it comes to viral mental health content, like anxiety dance trends, “cortisol cocktails,” and trauma confessionals set to sad songs. I talk about why these things can help in the short term, but also why they fall short if you’re serious about actually healing your anxiety. I explain how most of these trends miss the deeper point: your anxiety isn’t just in your head; it lives in your body. And if you’re only reaching for quick fixes, you’re probably just kicking the anxiety can down the road.

You’ll Learn: 

• The real reason TikTok anxiety hacks can keep you stuck in chronic symptoms
• What happens when emotional expression online turns into performative pain
• The quiet damage of reframing panic attacks as “just anxiety”
• Why movement and music help anxiety, but only up to a point
• How dance trends disrupt your freeze state and shift nervous system patterns
• The surprising link between lemons, cold plunges, and present-moment awareness
• Why most viral “cortisol cocktails” are a placebo at best
• What it feels like to rely on comfort instead of doing the deeper work
• How misusing therapy language online confuses discomfort with pathology
• A practical framework for evaluating mental health advice on social media

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[02:44] The TikTok anxiety song trend and its impact on mental health

[04:48] The TikTok anxiety dance trend and its benefits and drawbacks

[07:58] The "It’s just anxiety" TikTok trend and how it impacts coping and healing

[10:44] DIY sensory hacks for anxiety

[14:14] Therapeutic life hack trends and why comfort is not the same as healing

[15:39] Misinformation and misuse of therapy language on TikTok

Resources Mentioned:

MBRX Program by Russell Kennedy | Website

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

What if someone can make you feel something, and the real problem is pretending they can’t?

In this episode, I talk about a phrase I used to hear all the time: “Nobody can make you feel anything.” I break down why I no longer believe that’s true, and what actually happens in the brain and body when we’re triggered. I get into how emotional responses are often reflexive, how easily anxiety hijacks intense feelings, and why staying grounded in the body, not the mind, is what really gives us choice.

You’ll Learn:

• The real reason “nobody can make you feel anything” doesn’t hold up to neuroscience
• What happens in your brain when someone triggers a strong emotional reaction
• Why fear responses can bypass your thinking mind entirely
• How anxiety often hijacks other emotions and turns them into alarm
• The quiet damage of suppressing anger in childhood
• What it feels like to lose your rational mind in a moment of overwhelm
• Why grounding in your body is more effective than “just thinking differently”
• The difference between emotional reflexes and how you choose to respond
• What the physiological sigh does for nervous system regulation
• Why emotional regulation takes practice and why that practice has to start before the trigger hits

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[11:31] Why intense emotions often get mistaken for anxiety and feed the victim loop

[14:26] How to break the fear habit by practicing emotional awareness and response

[17:01] Why intense emotions shut down your rational brain and how to stay in control

[20:37] How to stay grounded and choose your response when you're triggered

[21:54] How to train your body to stay calm during emotional overwhelm

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube

Welcome back!

In today’s episode of Anxiety Rx, we’re diving into the real root of social anxiety…and spoiler alert: it’s not just about being shy at parties.

Social anxiety is often misunderstood as a surface-level fear of people, but it runs much deeper than that. It’s a fear of connection - especially with yourself. In this episode, I break down how social anxiety stems from a body-based alarm, not just overthinking or awkwardness.

If you grew up feeling like love had strings attached or rejection was around every corner, your nervous system probably learned to associate connection with danger. I’ll walk you through why that happens, what’s really going on in your body, and how to gently start rewiring that alarm.

We’ll talk about courage (not confidence), co-regulation, and why healing starts with reconnecting to the parts of yourself you’ve been avoiding. Because you can’t truly connect with others until you start feeling safe inside your own skin.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Understanding Social Anxiety

07:16 The Role of Childhood Experiences

13:39 Connecting with Your Inner Child

18:50 Courage and Connection in Social Situations

Hello everyone!

You’ve probably heard me talk about alarm - that raw, uncomfortable sensation in the body that actually drives anxiety. But in this episode, I break it down further into two distinct types: foreground alarm and background alarm.

Foreground alarm is the big, loud stuff (like someone jumping out and scaring you, or feelings of unease before a big presentation). It’s sharp, intense, and impossible to ignore.
Background alarm is quieter. It hums under the surface (like chronic tension, unease, a vague sense that something’s off, even when nothing obvious is happening.)

These two types of alarm shape your experience with anxiety in very different ways, and in this episode, I’ll walk you through how they interact, why they often go unrecognized, and how they can make it feel like anxiety is coming out of nowhere.

More importantly, I’ll share what to do about it. Not by trying to outthink it (you know how I feel about that), but by learning how to soothe the alarm in your body - through presence, breath, and connection.

If you’ve ever felt blindsided by panic or trapped in chronic anxiety without knowing why, this episode will help you finally understand what’s really going on.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Understanding Anxiety as Alarm

07:58 Foreground vs Background Alarm

15:39 Panic Attacks and Their Triggers

17:26 Understanding the Alarm in Your Body

17:55 Metabolizing Your Feelings

18:52 Healing Through Acceptance

Hello everyone!

In this episode of the Anxiety Rx podcast, I talk about something we cannot heal anxiety without: faith.

Not necessarily religious faith (unless that’s your thing) - I mean the kind of faith that says, I can handle what’s coming. I’ll figure it out. I’m not alone in this.

But if you grew up in chaos, unpredictability, or even emotional disconnection, that faith (especially in yourself) might have never had a chance to grow. And when there’s no faith, there’s fear. Anxiety steps in to fill the gap, and your nervous system whispers, you’re not safe, and your mind scrambles to make sense of it with endless worry.

In this episode, I walk you through how that loss of faith happens, how it wires itself into your body, and most importantly, how to begin building it back. Not through thinking, but through feeling. Through self-soothing, grounding, and connecting with the younger part of you that still needs to hear, you’re safe now.

Because real healing—the kind that actually lasts—doesn’t come from managing symptoms. It comes from restoring faith, so you can feel safe in your body, and in your adult self’s ability to handle whatever comes your way. In your ability to stay present, even when life gets wobbly.

If you’ve lost that inner knowing, this one’s for you.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 The Power of Belief and Faith in Healing Anxiety

02:41 Understanding the Alarm System in Our Bodies

05:06 The Cycle of Worry and Anxiety

07:25 The Role of Childhood Experiences in Anxiety

09:52 Faith as a Tool for Managing Uncertainty

12:13 Connecting with the Inner Child for Healing

14:52 The Importance of Trusting Love

16:47 Creating Safety Through Self-Love

19:31 Breaking the Cycle of Alarm and Anxiety

21:52 Embracing Uncertainty for Growth

23:47 The Journey to Healing Anxiety

26:27 Conclusion: Awareness, Self-Compassion and Faith as Keys to Healing

Welcome back everyone!

In this episode, I dive into the sneaky nature of worry—how it masquerades as a helpful strategy when really, it’s just our nervous system trying to avoid the discomfort of uncertainty.

Worry gives us the illusion of control, but underneath it is a scared, younger part of us that never learned how to feel safe in the unknown.

I talk about how this starts in childhood, when unpredictability wires us to constantly scan for “what ifs” as a way of preparing for the worst. But the problem is, this habit doesn’t actually keep us safe—it just keeps us stuck.

Instead of spiraling in our thoughts, the way out is through the body. I’ll explain why real healing from anxiety happens when we learn to feel our way through it, not think our way out.

And yes, that means learning to sit with discomfort and build a new relationship with uncertainty—not as a threat, but as a doorway to deeper trust in ourselves.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Understanding Worry and Anxiety

05:43 The Paradox of Worry and Uncertainty

12:51 Healing Through Sensation Without Explanation

20:12 Breaking the Cycle of Alarm and Anxiety

Hey Everyone!

In this episode, I pull back the curtain on the real driver of anxiety: the overprotective, fire-breathing ego dragon we forged in childhood.

We talk a lot about anxiety being in the mind—but it’s not. It’s a body-based response, rooted in old pain and fear that never got processed. That pain creates a background alarm in your system, and in comes the ego dragon: a powerful internal protector built by a scared, overwhelmed child. Its job? Keep you safe. Its strategy? Constant hypervigilance, control, and worry.

The problem is, the ego dragon doesn’t know the danger is over. So it keeps you stuck in fear, biting your own tail, creating more alarm through the very worries you hope will save you. In this episode, I show you how to unmask this dragon—not to slay it, but to soothe it. To recognize that your anxiety isn’t weakness. It’s your nervous system doing too good a job of trying to protect you.

We talk about how to come back to the present, connect with that inner child, and melt the alarm that fuels your thoughts—so you can finally step out of survival mode and into something that feels more like peace, and living.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction to Anxiety RX Podcast

00:27 Understanding Anxiety: Mind vs Body

02:00 The Concept of Background Alarm

03:03 The Alarm Anxiety Cycle

05:07 The Iceberg Analogy of Anxiety

05:42 The Ego Dragon: Protection vs. Fear

06:56 Hypervigilance and Its Effects

08:23 The Role of the Ego in Anxiety

10:29 Present Moment Awareness as a Tool

12:21 Understanding the Fear Bias

13:42 Healing Through Connection with the Inner Child

16:40 The Importance of Feeling to Heal

18:07 Conclusion: Taking Control of Your Healing

Welcome back!

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of my own anxiety story—from growing up with a father who had schizophrenia, to nearly losing myself during medical school, and finally (after many failed attempts) learning how to actually heal anxiety, rather than just manage it.

I talk about how my early life wired me for chronic alarm in my body, long before I even knew what “anxiety” was. I share what it was like navigating that as a physician and neuroscientist who, ironically, couldn’t fix his own mind with logic. (Spoiler: healing doesn’t happen in the mind.)

This episode is personal. It’s the origin story of the work I do now—and a love letter to anyone who’s ever felt like they were broken. You’re not. But you are likely carrying a scared inner child who needs you to come back for them.

Let’s talk about what that really means—and how reconnecting with your alarm is where real healing begins.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG and TikTok here: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Russell's Personal Journey with Anxiety

09:53 The Impact of Childhood Trauma

19:58 Navigating Medical School and Anxiety

30:05 Understanding Alarm and Healing

Hey Everyone!

In this episode, I dive into something I know far too well—that frozen, stuck, can't-move-no-matter-how-hard-you-try feeling that so often comes with anxiety.

It’s not just in your head—it’s in trapped in your nervous system.

That freeze response? That immobility? That’s not laziness or weakness. That’s trauma.

We talk about how early life experiences can lock us into patterns of helplessness and victimhood, and how reclaiming your healthy anger (yes, it has a good side!) can be the key to unfreezing your system.

I share some practical ways to start moving again—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—so you can start breaking the cycle of anxiety and alarm, and get back in the driver's seat of your own life.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

______________________________

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction to Anxiety RX Podcast

00:30 Understanding Immobility and Anxiety

02:46 The Role of Anger in Overcoming Anxiety

03:58 Breaking the Cycle of Victimhood

06:12 The Science Behind Immobility and Anxiety

07:28 Strategies to Overcome Immobility

14:32 Empowerment Through Movement

Welcome back, everyone!

In this episode, I dig into the sneaky link between anxiety and victim mentality—and how we often don’t even realize we’re caught in that loop. If you’ve ever felt stuck in your worries or like life is just happening to you, this one’s for you.

We talk about how early emotional wounds can wire our nervous systems into a constant state of protection, and how that can quietly evolve into a mindset of helplessness. I walk you through the alarm-anxiety cycle—my term for what happens when unresolved pain in the body sparks anxious thoughts in the mind, which only feed the alarm even more (fun, right?).

But there’s hope. With awareness, curiosity, and a few grounding techniques, you can start to separate from those thoughts and reconnect with your body in a way that actually heals—not just copes. This episode is about moving from surviving to thriving, without shaming yourself for where you are now.

Let’s untangle it together.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction to Anxiety and Awareness

01:26 Victim Mentality and Its Impact on Anxiety

04:18 Understanding Awareness and Its Role

06:55 The Alarm Anxiety Cycle

09:47 The Role of Childhood Experiences

11:27 Curiosity vs. Judgment in Managing Worries

14:44 Breaking the Cycle of Victim Mentality

17:40 The Illusion of Safety and Its Consequences

20:10 Creating Awareness and Grounding Techniques

23:26 Moving from Surviving to Thriving

Welcome back, everyone!

In this episode, I sit down with psychiatrist Dr. Dimitrios Tsatiris to unpack a spicy little tangle many of us know all too well: anxiety and achievement.

We dive into how our culture’s obsession with success can quietly (or loudly) erode our mental health—think burnout, chronic worry, and that nagging sense that no matter what you do, it’s never quite enough.

We explore how trauma can wire us to chase gold stars at the expense of our nervous systems, and why learning to be here—not three steps ahead—is actually the most revolutionary act of self-care.

Dimitrios brings a grounded clinical lens, I bring my usual blend of neuroscience, stand-up comedy, and soul (yes, that’s a combo now), and together we offer some real-world tools to soften your grip on striving and build a gentler, more present relationship with success.

Come for the insights, stay for the laughter... and maybe, just maybe, leave with a little less anxiety in your achievement.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 5000+ anxiety HEALERS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction to Anxiety and Achievement

00:57 The Pressure of Achievement in Society

03:51 The Illusion of Happiness Through Achievement

07:01 Recalibrating Our Relationship with Achievement

09:54 Mindfulness and Presence in Nature

13:00 Understanding the Default Mode Network

15:53 Agency and Control in Managing Anxiety

19:00 The Role of Trauma in Anxiety

22:01 Practical Strategies for Managing Anxiety

30:46 Understanding the Amygdala's Role in Stress Responses

33:34 The Importance of Somatic Awareness in Managing Anxiety

36:46 Repetition Compulsion: Patterns from Childhood to Adulthood

39:30 The Pressure of Achievement and Its Psychological Impact

42:04 Finding Happiness in the Present Moment

45:32 The Power of Expression: Talking and Writing as Healing Tools

Hello Everyone!

We're kicking off Mental Health Month with a mind-expanding episode of the Anxiety Rx podcast—literally! I sat down with the insightful Julie Hagen to dive into the fascinating world of psychedelics, healing, and personal transformation.

In this episode, we explore how psychedelics can shift our perspective on anxiety, trauma, and the default mode network (yes, we get a bit nerdy—but in a good way).

Julie shares her inspiring journey from the world of corporate law to becoming a coach, and we both open up about the deep impact childhood trauma can have on our adult lives.

We also talk about the power of somatic awareness (getting out of your head and into your body) and why intention and integration are absolutely essential when working with psychedelics.

This isn't about quick fixes—it's about meaningful, mindful healing.

Tune in if you're curious about the intersection of neuroscience, emotional healing, and some of the most fascinating tools we have for growth.

Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG: @theanxietymd

P.S. If you would like to join the MBRX family of 4500+ anxiety WARRIORS who are shifting from coping with their anxiety to actually HEALING it, click the link below:

https://www.theanxietymd.com/MBRX

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction to Psychedelics and Personal Journeys

03:08 Childhood Trauma and Its Impact

05:44 Transitioning from Law to Coaching

09:02 The Role of Therapy and Coaching

11:52 Discovering Psychedelics and Their Effects

15:04 Understanding Anxiety and the Alarm Cycle

17:46 The Default Mode Network and Presence

20:59 The Future of Therapy with Psychedelics

23:17 Understanding the Default Mode Network

26:48 The Impact of Trauma on Present Moment Awareness

30:42 Navigating Pain and Anxiety Through Somatic Awareness

37:20 The Role of Psychedelics in Healing and Self-Discovery

46:51 Integrating Intentions in Psychedelic Experiences