19 Comments
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Jennifer's avatar

THIS IS IT. I spent the first half of my recovery journey buried in the books and constantly listening to the podcast and everything I did or thought I analyzed. I was consumed with the idea of recovery and with getting better and in fact, I was not getting better. It wasn’t until I stopped listening, stopped reading, stopped over analyzing my exposures and even planning them when I noticed change. And ironically I didn’t just wake up and notice that something had changed. I just was “doing” life and I still kept up with my exposures but I stopped putting so much pressure on myself and just lived. For the first time in so long. And after awhile, things got easier. But I wasn’t consumed with my anxiety anymore. I wasn’t even thinking about recovery at all. I was so busy living that I almost forgot that I had an anxiety disorder. And that’s when I realized.... oh wow, I did it. I’m on the other side.

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Karyn's avatar

This is ME!!!!!!

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eileen corado's avatar

Oh the synchronicity here! I have been seeing and feeling this reminder

“ EVERYWHERE “. Even in watching one of my favorite movies….

Finding Nemo.

Dory and Marlin are in a whale and he’s losing hope of finding his son. Dory tells him ….

“ It’s TIME to let go” and that has so many meanings.

As corny as it sounds,

It spoke to me.

This was a great message and reminder Drew!!!!! AND OH SO TRUE.

Let’s all take a deep breath …

And take this in❤️❤️

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Barbara Oliva's avatar

So true!!! I think I was much better before with less information ( me compulsively looking for it) than now that I have all the strategies, tools, books, you name it.

Suddenly life is all about recovery!!! And I’m frozen.

So Balance is the only way out plus stop evaluating our behaviors, thoughts, and movements every single second!!!

Thank you Drew, I’m just getting it 🥴, 😘✨✨✨

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Vivien's avatar

Barbara, i think the same!! I was better before over-inform myself about everything.

As soon as i feel bad, i compulsively go to my self help books, instagram- accounts of healers, podcasts...

Maybe we should put a time limit for every day, when we are allowed to research, read again etc...

This subject is in my head all day long...

„What you focus on grows“...

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Barbara Oliva's avatar

Dear Vivien, I’m totally with you. What I have been doing one month ago, is to stick to Drew’s books, podcasts, the anxious morning plus following him on IG and his great group of colleagues in the “recoveryliferoom” they have all the knowledge, experience, and the latest in anxiety issues. I deleted everything else ( so much information is overwhelming and confusing ) these people are the best!

I don’t see or listen or read more than one hour a day. Once Drew told us “ you need to DO, to take action”so practicing everything he kindly teaches has been working enormously.

I highly recommend you to begin CBT therapy. I gave myself the opportunity to do it, with not a doubt.

In the sites written above you can find qualified therapists.

It hasn’t been easy because I still want to hold onto my comfort zone but now I know it and I can’t fool myself. Staying there and not doing any change in my behavior, recovery was an ilusion.

Do whatever you need to do, in order to find the right path to your own recovery.

You’re wise, I can tell,go for it! I’m

here to cheer you up!!! as anyone else in this amazing community ❤️

(Ps , sorry for my bad grammar, English is not my first language 😊

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Alysia Huff's avatar

Thanks Drew for this great advice. Every morning I find myself scanning my body first thing for any physical sensation symptoms!

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RyGuy's avatar

Great advice Drew! I too focus too much on my anxiety and how to get better. It’s nice to just get on with life and be surprised by joy, or whatever comes up.

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Elizabeth Ritchie's avatar

Thank you!

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Samantha Caputi's avatar

This one hit hard, I have been focusing way too much on recovery. I do suffer with obsessive thought patterns so this makes sense, health anxiety after all is a lot of rumination and obsessive thoughts. I need to learn to just live a little.

As always, great advice.

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Theresa's avatar

Drew……Bruh ( as my kids say, lol). I think this is the most eye opening thing I’ve read in a long time. I have been told I have OCD thought patterns. I’ve been told I am recovering but I feel like I’m not. I spend too much time overthinking about what I’m gonna do when I recover, oops, not the right idea. I realize now that I am able to do more than say 6 months ago, so I am recovering….and I’m ready to stop worrying about “doing it right” and just live….WOW.

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Simon Collin's avatar

I think I’m keeping myself stuck . I’m in therapy which tbh , we just spend time going Over and Over everything that has happened to me in the last two years , and re iterating how it’s o my right I’m in the state Of mind I am in. I am begging to wonder if this really is benefiting me at all.

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Rick Larson's avatar

Start by planting a garden.

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AngieL's avatar

Drew, I believe sometimes you live right inside my head!🤣. This is exactly what I have been doing. Trying to plan my days so that everything is around recovery. It is exhausting! Thank you for sharing this!

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Bee's avatar

This message is just what I needed because this is me! Obsessing about recovery. My question is: how do we let go and at the same time have a recovery plan?

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Drew Linsalata's avatar

Letting go of the plan sometimes IS part of the plan. I didnt say to abandon your plan. Only to recognize that you can’t plan recovery 24/7.

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Renee's avatar

I too was asking Bee’s question and you’ve summed it up perfectly, thanks. The ‘Balance’ thing (as mentioned by Barbara above) is key I guess👍🏼

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Susan's avatar

Drew this makes so much sense it’s just difficult to put in place as I think the above just becomes a habit each day n habits are hard to break once they are in our heads

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Drew Linsalata's avatar

Hard, yes. But hard and impossible are not the same thing.

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