ARP 392 - Quick Look at Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics
Release Date: 12/26/2025
ARP 392 - Quick Look at Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics
Anxiety Road Podcast
In the before times, I would have been hostile to meditation and mindfulness. I didn't have time for it, I wanted the quick cure, the fix and no B.S. I had stuff to do and no time for body symptom nonsense. I had to be karmically convinced to change my mind. Hard lessons. Embarrassing lessons. But I came to understand the lesson is repeated until you learn. Meditation might work for you. It might not. But give it a fair chance. You might not be ready for it now. That is okay. But take a moment to learn about it, understand the potential benefits and then decide. ...
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ARP 391 Mindful Walking Without Your Phone
Anxiety Road Podcast
In this episode I talk about what is a mindful walking meditation, the difference between meditation and mindfulness and a few resources to help you get more information about it. I know that in some places in the world you cannot walk freely or without consciousness of your immediate area. Some places in the U.S. do not have sidewalks. Other cities are actively hostile to pedestrians. The good news is that you can walk at home, in the back yard or visually in your mind. It is okay, main thing is moving your body or your spirit. Resources Mentioned: Serene...
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ARP 390 A Look at the Opera Air Browser
Anxiety Road Podcast
Well, I have a new to me and probably to you do-dad to help with anxiety symptoms. It is the Opera Air Mindfulness browser. In addition to the standard browsing features it has tools to help you breath and relax, guided meditations and a musical audio mode that can help you focus. Is this a good or bad thing? The TLDR: Some of the tech bros say it is a gimmick and who in their right mind would use it? In my bad times, I would have glommed on to it because I was looking for help. Lots of people are looking for mental health support and aren't too picky where they find it. (we should be, but...
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ARP 389 What is Situational Anxiety?
Anxiety Road Podcast
If your are an adult human being, you have experienced situational anxiety. It is when you know that this specific thing is making you upset or anxious. It could be about money, your job, the lack of prospects of getting a job. Housing insecurity. Your car breaks down and you do not have cash or credit for the repair bill. In this episode, a look at situational anxiety. Resources Mentioned: To learn more about you can take a look at the page on VeryWell Mind. They do tend to go long with their description on the condition, symptoms and treatment options. VeryWell Mind is...
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ARP 388 - No Joke About Dental Anxiety
Anxiety Road Podcast
There is a video about a dentist joking about giving less medication to people not of her political persuasion. To her audience, I guess they found it funny. There is a larger story than the dentist and the joke. I waited. I hoped someone would bring a non-political reason what the joke was bad, very bad and unprofessional. For the record, there are million of us that have some form of dental anxiety or dental phobia. We need the skills of a professional, qualified and compassionate dentist. We are scared out of our skulls because we don't know what a few bad...
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ARP 387 What is Fear?
Anxiety Road Podcast
This is a quick definition of fear, why it is an important emotion and two informational resources to help you learn more about. Fear is an emotional response to real or imaginary danger. Your body enters into protection mode. It is not as some would describe it, a weakness or lack of backbone. You are in trouble and your body is helping you do deal with it. When you understand what fear this can help you find the tools and skills needed to make healthy adjustments to your natural defense system. Those tools can be food or nutrition, therapy, exercise, education or other...
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ARP 386 Evaluating Anxiety Herbal Supplements
Anxiety Road Podcast
I've done episodes about dietary supplements. I didn't take into account the ones sold at the gas station or corner store. People with an anxiety condition or disorder should be very careful about promises of herbal supplements treatment. I don't want to be elitist here. There is bad stuff in U.S. pharmacies that do not work, known not to be effective or dangerous and yet still on sale. I have examples from . PharmD and , PharmD. It is one thing to buy Slim-Jims from the gas station. I've bought water, two cans for three dollars then I get to the counter...
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ARP 365 What is Fright?
Anxiety Road Podcast
Living in a place with non-human beings can give you an appreciation of the unexpected. I've had encounters with possums, coyotes and skunks. Main skill is be aware of your surroundings, back up and give them a path to exit. Haven't had a bear encounter yet. Do not want one either. Part of the inspiration of this episode is an old video of a man leaving his home, preoccupied on getting to work only to discover a big ole bear in his driveway. This can cause most people a wee bit of fright. That is the topic of this pebble in the anxiety road. Resources Mentioned: On...
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ARP 384 Changes to 988 Suicide Hotline
Anxiety Road Podcast
I had a flashback. What generated it was that I watched a video of a congress person telling his constituents that only the truly deserving should have access to free health care. Those that work are worthy. That is my understanding of what he said. I could be wrong. The example he gave was that a 28 year old person who refused to work. Once upon a time, I was truly ill. I had no savings. I owed bills. I couldn't work. The congress person would have deemed me unworthy. Just like the Department of Health and Human Services did with the removal of LGBTQ+ access to the 988 suicide hotline....
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ARP 383 Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts
Anxiety Road Podcast
I can talk about intrusive thoughts. Doesn't mean I don't still have them. Because I do. Here is the thing. Not only is the intrusive thought false but it is repetitive. There are things and practices you can do to reduce the intensity of intrusive thoughts. In this episode, a recent experience of an intrusive thought and three ideas on how to handle the little haters. I messed up the name of the song so I had to take it out. You can find it on YouTube. It is officially on the CartoonNetwork page. I don't know how long it will last. A lot of cable channels properties are going to be...
info_outlineIn the before times, I would have been hostile to meditation and mindfulness. I didn't have time for it, I wanted the quick cure, the fix and no B.S. I had stuff to do and no time for body symptom nonsense. I had to be karmically convinced to change my mind.
Resources Mentioned:
At the Penguin Random House website you can listen to an audio sample or read the introduction chapter of the book to get a sense of if it is right for you.
Mr. Harris also has a paid app called Happier Meditation. It is a subscription service starting at $99 a year. For those that can afford the up front that come out to $10 a month or 27 cents per day. There may be an option for those that have money issues. You should check out the website for more info.
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