Anxiety, Stoicism, and Marcus Aurelius ... Gone Wrong? (Podcast Ep 333)

Описание: If you're struggling with panic disorder, health anxiety, OCD, or GAD, you've probably been told that Stoicism can help you master your emotions and control your fear. Odds are you keep hearing the name Marcus Aurelius. You may be told that the last of the great Roman emperors is teaching us lessons about mastery and control.

But that's not what Marcus Aurelius actually wrote about in his Meditations.

In this video, I break down what Marcus Aurelius actually said, why modern interpretations of Stoicism can hurt people with anxiety disorders, and what actually works based on evidence and research.

Stoicism and anxiety recovery aren't about gaining control over your internal state. Real Stoic philosophy—and modern evidence-based therapy—teach something very different: understanding what you cannot control and building psychological flexibility instead.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Introduction: Stoicism, Marcus Aurelius, and Anxiety Disorders
04:10 - Why This Matters: The Personal Development/Wellness Trap
06:45 - What Marcus Aurelius Actually Wrote in His Meditations
10:20 - Book 5: The Morning Struggle (Getting Out of Bed)
12:15 - Book 2: Dealing With Difficult People
14:05 - Book 11: The Anger Problem (Multiple Reminders)
16:30 - What This Tells Us: Practice vs. Mastery
17:45 - The Misapplication: Control, Warriors, and Ice Baths
19:50 - Why This Hurts People With Anxiety Disorders
21:35 - The Masculine Shame Trap
23:20 - What Stoicism Actually Teaches About Control
25:10 - What Actually Works: Flexibility Over Toughness
27:05 - Closing: Can You Consider Softening Instead?

RESOURCES:
📖 The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Modern Library translation)
🌐 Website: https://theanxioustruth.com
📚 New Book: The Disordered Guide to Health Anxiety (https://disordered.fm/bluebook)
🎙️ The Disordered Podcast (every Friday with Josh Fletcher) (https://disordered.fm)

For full show notes on this episode:
https://theanxioustruth.com/333

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