The DARE Team's Journey Through Anxiety

DARE Founder Barry McDonagh along with DARE coaches Michelle Cavanaugh and Aida Beco engage in a personal discussion about their experiences with anxiety as part of DARE's newest evidence-based guided program - DARE Academy.
Michelle shares her struggle, recalling moments of claustrophobia, nausea, and difficulty breathing that led to her avoiding situations. She explains how her anxiety often centered around her stomach and feeling trapped, which persisted for years.
Barry discusses his childhood anxiety, the panic attack he experienced in a church, and how he gradually exposed himself to anxiety-inducing situations, using techniques he eventually compiled in the "Panic Away" book. He reflects on his journey to recovery, emphasizing the importance of not fearing anxiety and the empowering feeling of regaining control.
Aida also contributes her story, describing how a panic attack in an MRI escalated into avoidance behaviors and mental distress. She highlights the pivotal moment when she found the DARE book, recognizing it as the missing puzzle piece in her recovery process.
The trio underscores the idea that anxiety can take different forms for different people, but the common thread is the transformative potential of the DARE method taught in the DARE Academy in achieving lasting freedom from anxiety.
WHAT IS DARE ACADEMY?
DARE Academy is an evidence-based program meticulously designed to empower individuals to confront and overcome their anxiety challenges.
What is unique about this guided program is that we assist you every step of the way!
Here is how the program will look:
Stage 1: DARE Learn - Master the Foundation
Three Weeks of guided DARE Academy coursework led by renowned expert Aida Beco. This immersive experience offers a deep understanding of DARE principles, equipping you to overcome anxiety. Over three weeks, engage in guided coursework and live group calls for a step-by-step roadmap to conquer anxiety and regain empowerment.
Stage 2: DARE Guided Implementation - From Theory to Triumph
Move from learning to doing with Michelle Cavanaugh's three-month Guided Implementation. Turn concepts into real-life victories as interactive calls help you apply DARE principles in your daily life. This phase connects theory to practice, offering personalized support and real-time insights for your success.
Stage 3: DARE Advanced Peer Support - Thrive Beyond Anxiety
After Guided Implementation, enter the lively peer support community. Join discussions on applying DARE principles, share wins, learn from peers, and foster ongoing personal growth beyond anxiety recovery. This phase celebrates your journey toward fulfillment and offers a supportive network for continuous development.
Learn more about DARE Academy here: www.dareresponse.com/dare-aca...

[@teehulk]

Barry, I've been a gracious follower of yours for the last 18 years!! Till this day I can't thank you enough for your teachings that helped me own my anxities!! Forever grateful to you!! You folks are all champions and angels!!

[@RealGSingh]

Do you consider yourself recovered ?

[@dankaf3383]

dude Barry you're amazing for creating all of this and you're also the kindest looking man i've ever seen in my life haha i love you so much man

[@msage510]

I'm really glad Michelle said this process isn't easy at the end because Barry was making it sound like all you need is the DARE mentality and you can instantly switch off your anxiety forever, which hasn't been the case for me. I was fortunate to discover DARE only a few weeks into my journey with anxiety and it has been extremely helpful in the way it has taught me how to navigate all the scary experiences that come with anxiety. But just because I know how to navigate them doesn't mean they're not scary or uncomfortable. Michelle said in a different podcast that you have to grow out of anxiety - which I fully agree with. The more you go through, the more you learn to cope and slowly become less affected by it, which really enables you to effectively grow out of this phase. I've been dealing with it for six months and have had a lot of ups and downs, but I do get the sense that I am slowly growing out of it. The DARE teachings have been great because they've taught me how to be less scared during this time and not make it harder on myself. I would probably be suffering a lot more without DARE.

[@meghasehdev9779]

Thank you Barry, Michelle, Aida, you are my heroes ❤

[@DeavionHolland]

Helping me with this work

[@rebeccaturner8579]

Barry I can’t thank you enough for writing the DARE book, the difference it has made to my life is unbelievable. As a sufferer of anxiety for so many years, and feeling like I was ‘broken’ or there was something acutely ‘wrong’ with me, I am finally enjoying my life again and have ‘hope’ for the future which feels amazing. Thank you!!

[@HarrisCassie]

You give me hope ❤ its just been 1 week for me. God bless

[@prismatic1239]

@@HarrisCassieHow has it been?

[@Kevin-hy8ok]

Thank you so much! This was great. I really appreciate all of the vulnerability the three of you model which helps normalize the experience of anxiety while showing how easily we can get lost in “anxiety about anxiety “. I do think some of us are more affected by shame due to our upbringing or individual sensitivities. I know shame has made my recovery all the more challenging, but I’m working on it.

[@HarrisCassie]

Omg. barry. You are so strong going through that alone. Its your video on dare response that gets me to sleep. You guys are a blessing ❤ i love all of you

[@sobaanmohammed3304]

Thank you for sharing. I am benefitting so much from your videos and it is especially reassuring to know that you have all gone through what we are struggling with at the moment 🙏 Bookmarks... 25:03 Michelle and taking small steps to get over her fear of nausea; show up and take small steps; accepting however you feel 25:48 what story are you telling about your anxiety? Michelle's story - "i feel smothered, i can't breathe, i'm going to throw up" but she switched it to something else - "i feel like i'm being hugged, i feel warm". Thinking about situations differently made her feel differently. 27:37 trying to find a problem by waking up and searching FOR the anxiety. Is it there? 27:50 accepting that this is the case. Accepting that you get nauseous every morning. 28:06 The issue is trying really hard for something NOT to happen - the resistance. Instead, resign / surrender yourself to however the body feels. 30:32 breathing and using your senses - helpful? 31:20 Dr Claire Weekes - Hope and Help for Your Nerves 32:04 Dr Viktor Frankl and paradoxical resistance 34:16 Believing there's something wrong with yourself 37:08 what is recovery? 41:46 freedom 44:55 courage

[@laudashra]

it’s so interesting listening to their stories, Michelle describing that mornings were the worst for her amazes me because mornings are the most relaxing since nights are what i have been struggling with. waking up after finally sleeping is always a great feeling! I just started trying to implement the dare response. I’ll keep track of my progress, and try to remind myself that it’s okay to take steps back

[@laudashra]

and i know that trying to implement it doesn’t sound like actually doing it, im working on it and allowing myself to take in the whole book and using the steps there to help myself free myself from myself

[@beetlejews]

Amazing channel, amazing speakers. Thank you.

[@Spartan-mv7fe]

You guys are real legends!

[@SandungaLuna]

Thank you for sharing your stories.

[@margo5919]

I believe in your approach, thank you!

[@fractalofgod6324]

Barry I really resonate with you, I'm from across the water in Wales and in 1994 I had my first major panic attack after witnessing my younger brother passed away from cancer. I too was drinking heavily and looking back I was always an anxious child with lots of trauma. In 1994 I had no idea what to do, no internet, no mobile phones ect,I didn't even know what was happening to me, I didn't know it was normal.i went to the doctor who instantly put me on SSRI for the next 30 years, I stopped them 4 years ago because they no longer worked and the last 4 years have been hell, every symptom under the sun. I can honestly say it's ruined my life, ruined my health, ruined my marriage and ruined my career. I've lost track of how many times I've listened to your book and it's been invaluable. Thank you for your video, I wouldn't wish panic on my worse enemy.

[@elmuthalleth1384]

You will get it!❤

[@fractalofgod6324]

@@elmuthalleth1384 thank you

[@barrymcdonagh9646]

Very understandable. Sorry for your loss back then. We’ll done that you continued to search for help.

[@fractalofgod6324]

@@barrymcdonagh9646 thank you Barry for everything, it's been a life saver. God bless.

[@Terrybrewer33]

The first place my mind went was that mine was triggered by a traumatic event and that I must be different because mine didn’t start out as a panic attack. And I never experienced the shift or aha moment I just went deeper and deeper into anxiety all day every day barely able to function.

[@fractalofgod6324]

Very helpful

[@mniiu6524]

Hi, I am having a hard time dealing with all intrusive thoughts to the extent that it has got repetitive and frequent that many of these have turned into a core belief having a varying content, like sometimes appears to be true and other times false. When I analyze these thoughts it leads to more What ifs. How to be more accepted of such repetitive intrusive/disturbing thoughts? This is really annoying and brings me to square one every time I have it.

[@nufargilat3139]

You guys are wonderful! I have a question. Aida you were saying that after the first 2 panic attacks you didn't give it much thought, had the whatever attitude, still years later a 3rd one came. And even after that one you mentioned that you just thought whatever it'll settle down, but it didn't. How come the first 3 times you took the whatever no big deal approach did not get you out of the cycle?... Thank you! 🙏 I'm asking cause when I started feeling anxiety symptoms I was totally in the "I'm stressed and overwhelmed and my body response to that. It's fine, nothing is wrong. I will not stop change or limit my life because of it" attitude and instead of actually fading away symptoms got worse and worse. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[@elenora67]

Curious if you still had fear of it even though you told yourself it’s fine? That’s how I was. I started having panic attacks and didn’t think anything of it, untill I started to have them more and more and then started to fear them

[@JW-qz4jl]

Are you all on anxiety medication? I also think stress is the cause of anxiety, I caught Covid and developed anxiety because I believe viruses stress your body and if you were already operating in a chronic low to moderate level to begin with because society has normalized it then you go over your limit with a stressful event the virus for me boom all these symptoms