16. How NOT To Measure Anxiety

About this episode

In this episode, Joshua Fletcher discusses the pitfalls of measuring anxiety and reframes the concept of progress in anxiety recovery.

In Episode 16, we explore why measuring and monitoring anxiety is one of the most common mistakes people make when they are in a sensitised state. When we constantly check how anxious we feel, we send a message to the brain that anxiety is not allowed. Once a feeling is treated as a problem or a threat, the threat response stays active and the cycle continues.In this episode, I explain why recovery is not measured by the absence of anxiety symptoms, but by a growing willingness to allow anxiety to be present while we continue with life. I share this perspective as both a therapist and a previous sufferer, helping to reframe what progress actually looks like in anxiety recovery.Keywords:anxiety disorder, anxiety recovery, panic attacks, threat response, overthinking, anxiety symptoms, health anxiety, intrusive thoughts, OCD recovery, Pure O, anxiety therapist, anxiety podcast, monitoring anxiety, anxiety cycle, sensitised nervous system

People in this episode

Host: Joshua Fletcher

Topics covered

• anxiety measurement
• anxiety recovery
• mental health
• sensitised state
• threat response
• anxiety symptoms

Keywords

• anxiety disorder
• anxiety recovery
• panic attacks
• threat response
• overthinking
• anxiety symptoms
• health anxiety
• intrusive thoughts
• OCD recovery
• anxiety therapist

More episodes of The Panic Pod: Anxiety Help

• 21. Somatic OCD · May 11, 2026 · 20 min
• 20. Perfectionism in Anxiety Recovery · April 22, 2026 · 18 min
• 19. Sleep Anxiety (How to fall asleep when anxious) · April 14, 2026 · 20 min
• 18. The Best Technique For Anxiety · April 14, 2026 · 18 min
• 17. The Fastest Way To Calm Anxiety · March 24, 2026 · 19 min
• 15. How to Make Anxiety Smaller · March 2, 2026 · 16 min