If You Struggle With Anxiety, You Need To Hear This | The Mel Robbins Podcast

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

February 16, 2023

Duration

58m

Channel

The Mel Robbins Podcast

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Order your copy of The Let Them Theory 👉 https://melrob.co/let-them-theory 👈 The #1 Best Selling Book of 2025 🔥 Discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words. Let Them. — In this episode, you’re invited to sit in on a really personal and raw conversation with our 17-year-old son, Oakley. Whether you experience #anxiety yourself or you’re just worried about someone you love who does, this episode is a powerful gift from my family to you. What Oakley shares based on his personal experience is life-changing. You will hear Oakley describe two periods of anxiety and some pretty scary and #overwhelming thoughts that rose up freshman and sophomore years of high school. The biggest takeaway is that big #overwhelmingthoughts are normal and keeping them to yourself makes them worse. Too many of us experience anxiety and try to deal with it on our own. Let Oakley inspire the people you love to open up to you. You are not weird or messed up if you have fleeting dark thoughts, but if those thoughts persist, please reach out to a therapist, family, friends, spiritual leaders, or other trusted people in your life to talk about them. You matter and you don’t have to go through this time alone. Disclaimer: The content in this episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for professional therapeutic support. If you’re experiencing feelings of hopelessness, please seek the professional support you deserve. If you suspect someone you love is suicidal, please talk to them and share the U.S. Suicide Hotline: 988. Help is available; do not go it alone. Xo Mel In this episode, you'll learn: 00:00 Intro 02:03 Is your teen resistant to therapy? Here’s what Oakley had to say about it. 02:45 The way Oakley thinks about journaling is pretty profound. 03:33 My son schooled me on therapy and why I should have done it for myself sooner. 08:30 Oakley explains something he was feeling that I had no idea about. 09:31 Oakley describes his panic attack and dark thoughts (trigger warning). 14:41 Here’s why Oakley didn’t share his feelings with me and his father. 15:56 This is what everyone has to know about big, scary thoughts. 20:10 There is a big difference between these kinds of thoughts. 25:03 Here’s what Oakley suggests for those struggling on their own. 26:48 Oakley’s existential crisis that led to his breakdown. 33:14 My panic attacks and anxiety felt like this when I was growing up. 34:28 Here’s what we did to support Oakley. 35:40 The John Mayer song that had a powerful impact on Oakley. 39:19 Here’s where Oakley is now that he’s been working with his therapist. 55:59 Two profound quotes that really resonated with us both. — Follow Mel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@melrobbins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melrobbins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrobbins Website: http://melrobbins.com​ — Sign up for Mel’s newsletter: https://melrob.co/sign-up-newsletter A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want. — Subscribe to Mel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/melrobbins​?sub_confirmation=1 — Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday! https://melrob.co/spotify https://melrob.co/applepodcasts https://melrob.co/amazonmusic — Looking for Mel’s books on Amazon? Find them here: The Let Them Theory: https://amzn.to/3IQ21Oe The Let Them Theory Audiobook: https://amzn.to/413SObp The High 5 Habit: https://amzn.to/3fMvfPQ The 5 Second Rule: https://amzn.to/4l54fah

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Mel Robbins

  host

• Oakley Robbins

  guest

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast, featuring Mel Robbins and Oakley Robbins, If You Struggle With Anxiety, You Need To Hear This | The Mel Robbins Podcast explores teen Son Shares Raw Journey Through Anxiety, Purpose, And Therapy Mel Robbins sits down with her 17-year-old son Oakley as he candidly unpacks his history with severe anxiety, suicidal ideation, and a life-changing therapy session. Oakley describes hidden panic episodes in 9th grade, a full-blown existential crisis in 10th grade triggered by climate change content and big questions about meaning, and how medication plus therapy helped him stabilize. Central to his recovery is reframing life’s meaning through personal purpose and a powerful metaphor from his therapist: each person lives in their own “universe” created at conception, and you choose what you allow to exist in it. The episode normalizes scary intrusive thoughts, urges young people to tell someone instead of suffering alone, and offers an accessible way to think about purpose, agency, and living an “extraordinary ordinary life.”

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