I Used to Think I Was Just Broken…Until: Breaking the Fear Loop and Reclaiming Your Life with Matt Codde

Are you struggling with anxiety, OCD, or that constant feeling that something is fundamentally “broken” inside you? For years, Matt Codde, licensed clinical social worker and founder of Restored Minds, believed he was irreparably flawed—until he discovered a critical truth that changed everything. In this post, we’ll break down his insights and help you understand how to move from feeling broken to empowered on your journey to recovery.

The Exhaustion of Living in Fear and Hypervigilance

Matt Codde shares a painfully relatable experience: waking up with racing thoughts, feeling on edge all day, and constantly trying to “keep a lid” on anxiety. That relentless hyperawareness—monitoring triggers, your emotions, and even what others say—drains you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Unlike a visible wound, this battle is invisible. Most people don’t understand how exhausting it is unless they’ve lived it.

“It is one of the most physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually draining experiences—living in fear, always on the lookout, always hypervigilant, and in a battle no one sees.” – Matt Codde

The Trap of Believing You’re Broken

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “I’m just broken.” Matt knew his experience was different from those around him. “I bought into the idea that I had a disorder, that something was inherently wired incorrectly in me,” he says. Sound familiar?

But here’s the pivot: You are not broken. Matt explains that what’s actually happening is you’re caught in an invisible loop—a cycle of fear and anxiety that feeds on itself.

The Invisible Fear Loop

Most people try to “solve” anxiety by controlling external circumstances or specific thoughts, missing the real problem: the loop. This loop projects fear onto external things, keeping you distracted from the real issue. Focusing on solving the “theme” of your anxiety keeps the loop alive.

How to Break Out of the Loop

Matt introduces the idea of the “triple A response” as an effective way to break the loop (for more on this, check out his book and resources at Restored Minds). Recognizing that it’s the loop—not your circumstances or thoughts—that needs attention is the first step to real change.

Prioritize Your Healing—Don’t Wait for “Perfect” Conditions

A common mistake is waiting for life to calm down or for some external circumstance to change before prioritizing recovery. Matt emphasizes that healing doesn’t happen in the future—it happens now. Avoiding the loop only reinforces it.

You have to want change more than you fear discomfort. When you realize the trajectory of your life needs to change now, you become willing to confront discomfort and do the real work.

You Have the Capacity to Heal

Matt Codde believes deeply in your ability to heal—and you need to believe it too. Let go of the belief that you are a broken individual. Understand that you can learn the skills necessary to transcend fear and anxiety. Recovery isn’t for a “select few”—it’s available to you.

No One Can Heal You—But You Don’t Have to Go It Alone

You are responsible for your own recovery, but you don’t have to figure out the implementation by yourself. Guides, coaches, and communities can help you build the skills and provide accountability. Yet, no one outside you can do the work for you. Accept this empowered mindset—that you guide your own recovery with the right support.

Closing Thoughts from Matt Codde

If you feel broken today, know it is just a feeling—a chapter, not the entire story. “The first thing that needs to happen is you need to let go of the idea that you’re broken,” Matt says. “Understand that the problem you’re attempting to solve is the loop. Get the people, the resources, everything you can to help you master and implement that, to the point of real transformation.”

Action Steps

• Take the Restored Minds Assessment: Free, personalized resources at restoredminds.com

• Check out Matt Codde’s Book & Audiobook Bundle: Gain deeper insight and actionable steps

• Decide Today to Prioritize Your Healing: Don’t put it off—momentum starts now

Final Thought

Feeling broken is not the end. Start your journey today and prove to yourself that you’re capable of healing, growing, and reclaiming your life. You deserve nothing less.