135: How Money Triggers Anxiety & What You Need to Chase Instead

What if the real scam isn’t the robocall, but the idea that your worth is measured in dollars?



In this episode, the lie that money can replace human connection takes center stage. A medical system built on billing codes pushed me to trade care for speed, and that disconnection fueled my own anxiety. Scams, ads, and constant grabs for attention keep the nervous system on high alert. The “monetization fairy” gets called out for what it is, and simple practices bring us back to intrinsic value and genuine human connection.

You’ll Learn:

• The reason anxiety often shows up when every interaction feels transactional
• What happens when human connection gets replaced by financial transactions
• The surprising link between COVID separation and today’s obsession with money
• The damage of a medical system that reduces patients to billable units
• Why short-term retail “therapy” mimics the cycle of addiction
• What it feels like to burn out when connection gets traded for profit
• How scams, robocalls, and ads activate the body’s alarm system
• The truth about why many doctors feel trapped, frustrated, and disconnected
• A simple way to call out the “monetization fairy” and reclaim perspective
• Practical steps to anchor in genuine connection and remind yourself of intrinsic value



Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[07:54] Why medicine became transactional and drove me to burnout

[09:49] Why doctors are losing trust and connection with patients

[13:42] Chasing status and money only makes anxiety worse

[17:09] How scams and scarcity keep the nervous system in alarm

[20:34] Practical ways to replace monetization with genuine connection

[25:49] Your value is not transactional

Find more from Russell:

Russell Kennedy | LinkedIn

Russell Kennedy | Facebook

The Anxiety MD | Website

The Anxiety MD | Instagram

The Anxiety MD | YouTube