Anxiety Recovery: When You're Trying To "Win" (Episode 154)

Anxiety Recovery: When You're Trying To "Win" (Episode 154)

From Disordered: Anxiety Help by Josh Fletcher and Drew Linsalata

May 1, 2026 · 42 min

About this episode

Josh and Drew discuss the counterproductive nature of viewing anxiety recovery as a 'win' and explore healthier approaches to managing anxiety.

In this episode, Josh and Drew discuss a common hurdle in anxiety recovery: the desire to "win" against your anxiety. For many, especially those with perfectionist tendencies, anxiety is viewed as an adversary that has taken something away. This leads to a constant, habitual checking to see if the anxiety is gone, which inadvertently keeps you stuck in a cycle of monitoring and frustration. --- Want to talk about this episode with us and interact with others that are sharing your experience? https://disordered.fm/community --- We look at why defining recovery as a "win" can be counterproductive. The Lack of Closure: Unlike a sports match, there is no final bell or celebration when you recover. Recovery often just peters out until you realize you haven't thought about how you feel in weeks. Examination Compulsions: When you are hell-bent on winning, you might find yourself checking how you feel 50 times a day. Because anxiety involves a doubt response, even a "good" check is often met with more doubt, leading to increased frustration. The Perfectionist Hurdle: Perfectionists often want to get recovery "exactly right," looking for a…

People in this episode

Hosts: Josh Fletcher, Drew Linsalata

Topics covered

  • anxiety recovery
  • perfectionism
  • surrender
  • monitoring anxiety
  • functional impact

Keywords

  • anxiety
  • recovery
  • perfectionism
  • monitoring
  • surrender

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