ARP 418 What is Mysophobia AKA Germophobia?

This brief episode is about mysophobia or germophobia. When I went to do my research, a lot of search engines wanted me to learn about misophonia. 

The AI didn't believe that I wanted to learn about the fear of germs. It insisted that I wanted to know about the sensory brain problem where certain noise patterns are painful to hear or be exposed to for a person. 

It is a very interesting condition but it is not an anxiety condition. 

For those about to roast me for not spelling germophobia correctly, per the dictionary, both germophobia and germaphobia are correct.

It is getting rough on these internet streets. It was like, hey little girl, let me tell you something you didn't ask for but I'm going to give it to you anyway. 

This is why you need a brick in your purse. But I digress. This is a short look at this particular type of phobia.

Resources Mentioned: 

WonderMind is a website that writes about mental health and fitness issues for adults of a certain age, not boomers. They have a post called  How to Do Life When You’re Scared of Germs.

The Cleveland Clinic has an explainer page about mysophobia aka germophobia.

The International OCD Foundation has an abundance of resources about OCD information. 

Emergency Resources:

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ADAA Video on Borderline Personality Disorder

There are so many topics that I can't cover effectively, but I do know where to find authoritative sources. This is a video from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America about Borderline Personality Disorder. 

After viewing the video you might have more questions. Here are some resources that are safe to check out: 

The National Institute of Mental Health has an information page about BDP that was last edited in 2025. It talks about the condition, symptoms and treatment for the condition.

Mental Health America has similar information about the condition, however they do add additional treatment options. 

On the ADAA website, there are people that share their experiences with an anxiety condition. There is a page where are woman talks about she is learning to cope with BPD.

Sara Abbott, LCSW host the Bold Beautiful Borderline Podcast where she talks about the condition 

There is also From Borderline to Beautiful: Hope and Help for BPD with Rose Skeeters, who is a licensed therapist, nutritionist and mind coach. 

Emergency Resources

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP 417 NAMI Homefront

In this episode, a pebble in the road on a NAMI resource for military folks. As I mentioned in the show, this day is the Memorial Day observance and the start of barbeque season. Well, for the rest of the country. 

Around these parts the sun shines almost all of the time so anytime is a good time to fire up the grill. Unless you live in a fire prone area. Then it is bad, very bad. 

It is also the time for making evaluations or decisions on how the next six month are going to go. Great opportunity to get your act together or let it fall the hell apart and rebuild.

Your choice. 

Oh, one more thing. I need to juggle some work demands, vacation and other stuff. One of my ideas was to bank a few episodes on viable links of interest. I'm going to try to do that so I can keep my brain from turning into mush. So there might be a few more pebbles in the road as I try to balance the impossible concept of time enough.

I never have enough time.

Resources Mentioned: 

Health.mil is the official website for active soldiers that need mental health resources.

The NAMI website has resources and educational programs for current military, family members and caregivers. https://www.nami.org/programs/nami-homefront/

Emergency Resources

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP 416 Mindful Dishwashing

This is an episode on washing dishes mindfully. I have a pan that I've mucked up one time too many. I don't have patience with it any more. But maybe I need to slow down and care for it proper. 

And by it, I mean me. Slow down and look at the pan. What does it need? Can it be saved from the land fill? Focusing it on being in the moment with that dang crusted up multi-ringed pan of hell.

Ok, I might need a bit more work on being in a kind and loving mode of mindfulness. We all have to start somewhere and it ain't going to be perfect. Doesn't have to be. 

Just start.  Do the best you can, when you can.

Resources Mentioned: 

From Insight Timer, there is an audiogram by Michelle Tao that explains how to do a mindful dishwashing session.

The website Care and Self Love goes deep with the power of dishwashing mindfulness.

Mindful Exercises has a script that you can follow as you set your mind to the task of taking care of yourself and those dishes.

And trusted Consumer Reports has an article on how to wash dishes.

Emergency Resources:

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP 415 Facts about Mental Health Licenses

In this episode, I want to give an overview of what a mental health license is, why it is necessary and some of the types of providers that have a specific type of license.

Part of the reason the podcast exist is to provide accurate, verifiable information. 

So when I hear a statement like, "a license is only for insurance purposes," I have flashbacks of being that girl in class with her arms waving as the rest of the class groans.

Resources Mentioned: 

There is a simple version from Mental Health Foundation on the types of mental health professionals. 

From NAMI, that is the National Alliance of Mental Illness is a PDF fact sheet on the types of mental health professionals, the titles and what they do.

Mental Health America also has a page on the various types of mental healthcare providers.

Emergency Resources

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP 414 Quick Look at Beyond Anxiety Book

This is a quick look at the book Beyond Anxiety by Martha Beck. I think most of us would like to be beyond it but our current reality is making that extremely hard to do. 

There are ways to calm the mind. Creativity might be something you want to embrace or at least check it out.

Resources Mentioned: 

I found two open chapters of the book Beyond Anxiety on Google Books.

If you are interested in author Martha Beck, there is her main website where you can look at some of her social media history and connections.

If you want to get a sense of her tone and point of view there is an 2025 interview on the Today show.

Emergency Resources:

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP 413 Caffeine The Friend Enemy

Caffeine is one of those substances that can be a friend-enemy. We all know of or experienced the friend-enemy, the one that seems to be supportive while doing dirt in the background. 

In limited use like period relief medications, I have no problem supporting that use. Taking caffeine  daily when you have anxiety or depression, might not be such a good idea. It can amp up your existing symptoms or give you new ones. 

In this episode, the foods and drinks you might find caffeine and a few resources on how to slowly and safely detox from the stuff.

Resources Mentioned: 

Both Medline Plus and the Harvard TC Chan School of Public Health Nutrition Source have pages about caffeine. The following resources have information about withdrawing or reducing your intake:

• Sutter Health on breaking your caffeine habit
• Cornell University download flyer tips on Reducing Caffeine Use
• The Cleveland Clinic on How to Quit Caffeine

Emergency Resources

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.