Mark heads off on a trip and shares about some of the tips and tricks he uses to cut out checking compulsions and embrace uncertainty before the trip has even started.
This month, we’ve been exploring anxiety and it’s the perfect opportunity to talk about the most popular EHAB quote ever (yet): “It’s not the future that you’re afraid of. It’s repeating the past that makes you anxious.” It’s from a post I made on Everybody has a Brain way back in 2012 when we were […]
We could also call this: Recovery is like rowing. You’ll be bad at both until you’re not. And then you’ll just push harder. If you’re working with a personal trainer on your physical fitness, it’s not strange if you expect to work with somebody that’s in better shape than you, that practices the skills you want […]
I saw an article recently criticizing workplace mental health programs as nothing more than attempts to make people work harder and longer. That’s a valid criticism if a workplace or an individual is trying to use “stress relief” as an excuse to ignore the things they’re doing to cause that stress. But for me, that […]
There’s this old Buddhist story about a king that proposes a game to a group of monks. They must compete to identify an animal in a dark room. Whichever monk identifies the animal first will become the head monk at a temple the king is building. Eager to demonstrate their wisdom to the king, to […]
One thing I found key to recovery was preparing to walk away from the illness. After years of fighting, I didn’t know how to live without mental health problems to manage. My existence was just a reaction to controlling anxiety. I only knew how to feel good by first feeling bad and then controlling that […]
A solar eclipse is coming and that can only mean one thing: it’s apocalypse prophecy season! The rationalizing people do with prophesies is a useful way to explore magical thinking. You might not believe the world is about to end but understanding how people arrive at those conclusions can help you spot your own compulsive […]
When we’re struggling with anxiety or mental illnesses like OCD, reacting to fears can take over our lives. From all around us and inside of our heads, there’s a never ending stream of uncertainties to react to and catastrophes to prevent. As we get started on recovery, we learn to not react to that stuff with compulsions. […]