I'm Anxious About - A Humorous Podcast About Anxiety

If you thought either of us could relax with a nice bit of knitting or cross-stitching, well, I guess this is probably your first time listening to this podcast! In this week's episode, we tackle the paradox of why hobbies actually make us anxious. Allison's anxious because she has a deep-seated fear of being dull and uninteresting; also, she gets anxious being a beginner at things... even low-stakes hobbies. Meanwhile, Chris is anxious because he turns every hobby into a goal and tracks it frantically, even when it makes him act like a loon. Both discuss the pitfalls of the "cult of the side hustle" and the danger of making your hobbies your profession. Turns out it doesn't work quite as well as you'd think. If you enjoyed this episode, please join us over on our Facebook group, We're Anxious About, or share it with a friend who you think will get a kick out of our show. Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

Can we have just one nice, anxiety-free day on our birthdays? Nope? All righty then. Chris and Allison blow out the candles on their anxiety-iced cakes and dive into what it is about birthdays that makes them spin out. Perhaps unsurprisingly for longtime listeners, Chris gets philosophical and slightly melancholy about the aging process, but wags his tail at the prospect of seeing all his friends gathered together at once so he can make eye contact and tell everyone how much they mean to him. Meanwhile, Allison cowers in social anxiety central (in a party of no more than six people) and kind of wants you to forget it's her birthday so she won't be the center of attention... but she also still kind of wants presents. Chris referenced this article from Refinery 29, as well as this article in Thought Catalog.  Remember that we've got a Facebook group, We're Anxious About, where you're invited to our non-birthday party! Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

Coming up on a year into the coronavirus pandemic, there's one thing we're all feeling: Zoom fatigue. In this episode, Chris and Allison dive into why Zoom (or any kind of video call) is a particularly difficult medium for people with anxiety.  From anticipatory stress about speaking up in a large meeting room to the overstimulation of video calls to the pandemic-flavored ennui that has us wondering why this all couldn't just be an email, Zoom is a part of pandemic life whether we like it or not. We might as well dive into it and make ourselves laugh a bit in the process! The articles discussed in the episode include "Zoom fatigue is taxing the brain" by National Geographic and "The struggle with Zoom fatigue is real" on the Daily Aztec.If you'd like to join our Facebook Group, which we promise is infinitely less soul-sucking than a 50-person Zoom call, you can find us at "We're Anxious About" on Facebook.  Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

Chris and Allison expected this episode to be fun and lighthearted but, looking back, they're kind of happy things got a little deeper than they expected.  Like all human beings, Allison and Chris have experienced loss, but the anxious brain, as you well may know, can experience (or obsess over) loss in different ways.  The laughs and lightheartedness are here, don't you worry, but they'd also like to think something more is in this episode. Your co-hosts are criminally biased, but they feel this may just be the best episode yet.  Here's a link to the article on how Generalized Anxiety Disorder affects memory. And here's a link to the (spoiler!) poem that Allison reads at the end.  Remember that we've got a Facebook group, We're Anxious About, where we're happy to welcome you with open arms.  Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

Windows down, hair blowing in the wind, wheels on the road, nothing to worry about, right? Uhh, not if you're Chris and Allison. These two anxious co-hosts share all their worries about hitting the open road, from Allison's traumatic solo Iceland road trip woes to Chris's propensity to throw a very unnecessary, wildly preemptive middle finger. Allison shares her deep dark secret about being the world's worst backseat driver and her coping mechanisms for dealing with anxiety about lack of control as a passenger, and Chris vows to never road trip with Allison literally anywhere, but especially in a manual car.    If you'd like to hop in our super-fun, not-at-all-cripplingly-anxious road trip, you can join us on our Facebook group for listeners, We're Anxious About. Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

While it may seem a bit obvious to have anxiety about the future, Chris and Allison dive into why exactly the future can be so scary to people with anxiety.   From overreacting and spiraling out about a hypothetical future scenario that will likely never come to pass to the temptation of "positive anxiety" in the form of perfectionist tendencies and future fantasies that end up eliciting shame when your perfect future never comes to pass, there are lots of different ways our lack of control over the future messes with our minds. We dive into just a few of those ways and try to share some tips about how we manage our relationship to and expectations of the future.   We reference two articles: "Anticipatory Anxiety" on Healthline and "Four Tips To Help You Feel Less Anxious About The Future" on Fast Company.   Allison also discusses the book "The Antidote" by Oliver Burkeman, and Chris lets rip approximately 393 references to the fact that he's read the entirety of Stoic philosophy.If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends or join us at We're Anxious About, our  Facebook community for listeners.Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

Looking at the title, you might think "wait, how can you be anxious about relaxation? Isn't that counter-intuitive? I mean is there anything you two aren't anxious about?" And to that, we would kindly answer, "listen to the episode, and all shall be answered." And, we also might insert an expletive or two.  Before this becomes an accidental parable, we'll note that this episode should actually be quite helpful for those that, like Allison & Chris, need to actively unwind so that they're not always tenser than a taut rope.  Your co-hosts talk about their relationship to relaxation, how they combat the voice that tells them they don't deserve to relax, and a whole bunch more. As always, we hope it resonates and, if not, perhaps at least you'll get a smile or two out of it.  Happy listening.  A reminder that we've got a Facebook group you're welcome to join, "We're Anxious About!"  Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

Have you ever woken up in the morning with a feeling like your stomach is a pit of writhing snakes? Or is it just us? In the first episode of 2021, we tackle mornings and why they make us so anxious. It's partly science and that dastardly brain chemical cortisol, but it's also the expectations we place on ourselves and the struggle of setting a morning routine. We go on a lengthy side tangent about the insane morning rituals of the rich and successful, and why you should never trust anyone who tells you to take a cold shower. By the way, you can join us in our Facebook group, "We're Anxious About," and if this episode resonates with you, we encourage you to subscribe, review, or share with a friend! Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

The final episode of 2020 is a fitting one, filled with healthy doses of crystallized learnings, as well the appropriate amount of absurdity. Allison and Chris talk about what they've learned during this trying year, and what they hope to do in the coming year.  They also talk about the podcast at large, and the effect that starting this podcast, as well its growth, has had on their lives.  They also dole out a bunch of thank yous and get a tad mushy at the end. It's a fitting end to what has been a horrid year for living, but evidently not quite as horrible a year for podcasting.  By the way, you can join us in our Facebook group, "We're Anxious About," and if this episode resonates with you, we encourage you to subscribe, review, or share with a friend! Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

What is it about our inboxes that make us feel scattered, panicked, and nervous? Chris & Allison tackle the anxieties of email, from the struggle of maintaining 'inbox zero' to the pressure to respond quickly to the way our email inboxes reflect our mental states. This is a topic that triggers us both greatly, so it's no surprise this episode is particularly filled with laughter and jokes as a haphazard coping mechanism. Hurrah!   You can join us in our Facebook group, "We're Anxious About," and if this episode resonates with you, we encourage you to subscribe, review, or share with a friend!Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

Usually, this time of year brings both snow and hangovers in abundance. We have the snow, but the lack of gatherings hasn't quite brought the flurry of hangovers one might expect.  That hasn't stopped Allison and Chris from being anxious about them.  In this episode, they dive into their relationship to alcohol, and what too much alcohol can do when it comes down to anxiety. They also dive into tips for drinking a little bit less, and Allison takes many chances to curse Chris for having hangovers that aren't quite as debilitating as hers.  Here's the article referenced on "Hangxiety." Don't forget to join us in our Facebook group, "We're Anxious About."  Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

Ho, ho, ho, your favorite podcasting Grinches are back to decry all things merry and cheerful! Chris & Allison discuss their anxieties about all things gift-giving, and particularly its intersection with Christmas and other societally-dictated gifting traditions. With a fair amount of anti-capitalist screeds and a rant from Allison about scented lotion, we hope you'll laugh along and that this podcast helps to alleviate some of the gifting anxiety you might be experiencing this consumerist -- uh, I mean holiday? -- season!   As always, listeners can join the fun and find Allison & Chris in the We're Anxious About Facebook community.     Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

In this episode, Allison and Chris are lucky to be joined by Rebecca Durance Hine, who, like your co-hosts, has battled anxiety over the years. However, her most notable battle is with cancer, and she shares how she overcame anxiety during a difficult time, and actually came out on the other side of cancer with a huge amount of perspective, and also empowered.  She talks about how we can be proactive with our health, and offers some important insight into handling a diagnosis, particularly as it relates to the fact that, no matter what, it's always only just information.  This is an episode that's filled with tidbits for folks who suffer from health anxiety, and we hope it's an empowering episode!  You can find out more about Rebecca through her blog, by checking out her Facebook community, Facebook page, her YouTube channel, or on Instagram.  Of course, listeners can always find Allison & Chris in the We're Anxious About Facebook community.  Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive

Clutter is just one of those things that you know is so bad for your anxiety, and yet you feel overwhelmed by the thought of even making a dent in it. In this episode, we continue to put off tackling our own physical clutter by ruminating ad nauseam about our own mental clutter surrounding the supposedly-simple act of tidying up. We mention a few articles, a Men's Health article titled "A Psychologist Explains Why Clutter Can Lead to Anxiety and Stress" and a NYT piece called "The Unbearable Heaviness of Clutter." And we encourage you to declutter yourself mentally by joining us in our Facebook group, We're Anxious About, and joining in the fun there.Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive.

This episode was a long time coming, so both Allison and Chris were collectively relieved and excited to tackle the topic today. They address how, with anxiety, we need to look just beyond the black and white/good and bad dichotomy and try to look at what spending might actually be a benefit.  They also talk about how sometimes being anxious about wasting money is actually useful, but other times, it can just be another tool for self-flagellation. This is a topic that is near and dear to both of your hosts, and the result is a humorous, passionate, and lengthy episode.  Here's the article that Allison referenced, "Say Buy Buy to the Blues."  If you like what you heard and want to be a part of our community, come check out "We're Anxious About."  Theme music: "I'm Not Nervous" by Square People, used under a CC BY 3.0 license, via the Free Music Archive.