<p>Want to talk about what you&#39;re hearing in this episode with Josh and Drew and others that share your experience?</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 break down the <strong>&quot;Stress Jug&quot;</strong>—a metaphor designed to explain why anxiety and panic often seem to appear out of nowhere. The guys discuss how accumulated stress, both positive and negative, can cause your &quot;threat response&quot; to overflow, leading to sensitization and the search for a threat where none exists.</p><ul><li><p><strong>The Mechanics of Overflow</strong>: How the amygdala misinterprets a full &quot;stress jug&quot; as immediate danger, triggering unexpected fear and physical symptoms.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Role of Meaning-Making</strong>: Why your brain creates narratives (like health anxiety or fear of &quot;going crazy&quot;) to explain internal discomfort.</p></li><li><p><strong>Beyond &quot;Emptying the Jug&quot;</strong>: Why recovery isn&#39;t about avoiding stress or keeping the jug empty, but learning to tolerate the overflow when life gets heavy.</p></li><li><p><strong>&quot;Meta-Stress&quot;</strong>: Understanding the additional weight of being stressed about being stressed, and how that contributes to the cycle of disordered anxiety.</p></li><li><p><strong>The &quot;Gunk&quot; at the Bottom</strong>: Addressing long-term factors like grief, self-esteem, or unprocessed emotions that occupy space in your jug.</p></li></ul><p>We&#39;re also sharing &quot;Did It Anyway&quot; stories from the community, including a listener’s trip to Jamaica despite anxiety and a first-time solo drive after years of avoidance. These stories highlight the importance of <strong>taking action even when you don&#39;t yet believe you are safe</strong>.</p><p>---</p><p>The <a href="https://disordered.fm/bluebook">Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety</a> is now available. If you&#39;re struggling with health anxiety, this book is for you.</p><p>---</p><p>Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can&#39;t stop or control? <a href="https://learn.theanxioustruth.com/worry-and-rumination-explained">Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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>Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? <a href="https://disordered.fm/">Send us an email or leave a voicemail on our website.</a></p>