<p>Want to talk about what you hear on this episode? Join us in the Disordered community space:</p><p><a href="https://disordered.fm/community" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://disordered.fm/community</a></p><p>---</p><p>In this episode, Josh and Drew tackle a common hurdle in anxiety recovery: what happens when an exposure feels like a &quot;failure&quot; or when you choose to &quot;bail.&quot;</p><p>An exposure is the deliberate act of evoking an anxious response. It is a way to rewire the brain by intentionally lighting up the threat response and practicing <strong>response prevention</strong>. The goal is to teach your brain that you are safe even when you feel scared, rather than trying to force yourself to feel calm.</p><p>Many people believe that feeling high levels of anxiety during an exposure means they have failed. This is a misconception. The exposure is designed to make you feel anxious; therefore, feeling those symptoms is exactly what is supposed to happen.</p><p>&quot;Failure&quot; is often a label generated by your <strong>Inner Critic</strong> based on perfectionist expectations. True growth comes from being willing to experience the discomfort, even if the execution feels &quot;messy&quot;.</p><p>Bailing occurs when the discomfort becomes overwhelming and you choose to retreat. While this can feel like a setback, it is often a signal that you need more self-compassion. We discuss the &quot;punch in the face&quot; moment. That&#39;s the the point where the plan goes out the window because the physical sensations or intrusive thoughts become intense.</p><ul><li><p><strong>The &quot;Bad Day Playbook&quot;</strong>: Don&#39;t try to make it up on the fly when you&#39;re panicked. Have a pre-planned set of actions to take if an exposure doesn&#39;t go as intended.</p></li><li><p><strong>Avoid &quot;White-Knuckling&quot;</strong>: Simply &quot;pushing through&quot; while counting down the seconds to escape is not the same as a willing exposure.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Goal is Willingness</strong>: Recovery is about changing your relationship with the anxiety, not eliminating the feeling. Even an &quot;unplanned&quot; exposure—like a sudden intrusive thought or a physical symptom—is an opportunity to practice these principles.</p></li><li><p><strong>Go Through the Peak</strong>: If possible, try not to leave the situation at the height of your distress. Leaving on the &quot;back end&quot; of the peak, on your own terms, provides the best learning opportunity for your brain.</p></li></ul><p>We also share &quot;Did It Anyway&quot; stories from the community, including a powerful example of navigating health anxiety during a family party.</p><p>---</p><p><br></p><p>Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can&#39;t stop or control? Check out <a href="https://learn.theanxioustruth.com/worry-and-rumination-explained">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Worry and Rumination Explained</a>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a two hour pre-recorded workshop produced by Josh and Drew. The workshop takes a deep dive into the mechanics of worrying and ruminating, offering some helpful ways to approach the seemingly unsolvable problem of trying to solve seemingly unsolvable problems.</p><p>-----</p><p>Got a question or did it anyway to share? <a href="https://www.disordered.fm/contact/">Send us an email or voicemail on our website</a>.</p><p><br></p>