Breaking the Stigma: Billy Todd's Story of Surviving Abandonment and Managing Severe Anxiety

The Lived Experience

In this episode of the Lived Experience podcast, mental health advocate Billy Todd shares his story of managing anxiety and turning his life around.

Billy emphasizes the seriousness of anxiety and its impact on a person's life, and shares what he did to manage it.
During the COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne in April-May 2020, he found comfort in chaotic environments, which research suggests is common among people with anxiety.
Despite the comfort he felt, he found that he neglected his own needs during that time and accumulated a lot of emotions, which hit him all at once and led to emotional distress.

Billy learned the importance of focusing on physical health, including exercise and nutrition, to improve mental health.
He also listens to science-based podcasts and does a lot of reading and research to further his knowledge. Additionally, Billy discusses how creating an alter ego named Pablo helps him to counteract his negative self-talk.

The episode also features a speaker who shares similar experiences with managing anxiety and finding ways to cope.
They sought help and spent three weeks at a psychiatric hospital in Sydney, where they received group and one-on-one therapy with a psychiatrist. Through therapy, they learned coping mechanisms to recognize and manage abandonment issues.

Listeners of the Lived Experience podcast can share their own stories by contacting the host through the podcast's website or social media.
The podcast focuses on sharing stories of lived experience on mental illness and mental health topics to help promote understanding and encourage conversations around these important issues.
Big thanks to Billy for sharing his lived experience.

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