The Spiritual Root of Anxiety Nobody Is Talking About | Madison Prewett Troutt

August 20, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Madison Prewett Troutt appeared on The Bachelor as a committed Christian who had just finished Bible college. She walked into an environment she describes as full of "temptation everywhere, darkness everywhere," where some production staff "would literally consider themselves witches." To stay grounded, she would sneak away, lock herself in a bathroom, and "cry out to the Lord." That raw, practical dependence on prayer under pressure became the foundation for everything she later learned about anxiety, comparison, and spiritual health. In this conversation with Dr. Josh Axe, she breaks down the spiritual root of anxiety that most people never talk about—and what to do about it.

Anxiety as a Spiritual Battle

Troutt insists that anxiety is "a spiritual battle" before it is a chemical or psychological one. She does not dismiss medical or therapeutic help—she has used both herself—but she argues that the starting point must be spiritual. "You have to fight spirit with spirit," she says. The first step is prayer, not as a formulaic fix but as a basic posture: "Don't be anxious about anything. As much as you've thought about it, as much as you've talked about it, pray first."

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What you'll learn

1 (04:44) **Faith-Driven Approach to Anxiety** - Madison Prewett Troutt introduces her conviction that anxiety has a spiritual root often overlooked in medicine.
2 (11:03) **Three Pillars of True Health** - Dr. Axe and Madison affirm that lasting health requires deep connection to God, people, and nature.
3 (13:45) **A Spiritual Prescription for Anxiety** - Madison outlines a practical, scripture-based protocol for overcoming anxiousness.
4 (16:23) **Healing Childhood Trauma Through Community** - Madison discusses how unresolved trauma manifests physically and spiritually, and how to address it.
5 (18:54) **Staying True to Faith on The Bachelor** - Madison recounts her unexpected journey onto the show and the spiritual warfare she faced.
6 (22:57) **Discovering What You Want Most** - Madison explains how to identify your deepest values and build your life around them.
7 (28:27) **Understanding Spiritual Warfare** - Madison breaks down how Satan operates and how believers can fight back.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Dr. Josh Axe

Show Notes

Most people treating anxiety are starting in the wrong place. Madison Prewett Troutt — author, speaker, and podcast host — makes the case that anxiety, loneliness, and chronic exhaustion are primarily spiritual battles, and that no supplement or protocol will produce lasting freedom until the foundation is addressed first.

**In this episode:**

- Why your body is a temple and what it actually means to steward it well — physically, spiritually, and relationally

- The three things every human needs to be truly healthy: connection to God, connection to people, and connection to the earth

- Satan's specific strategies to keep you stuck in fear, comparison, and compromise — and how to recognize them

- A real spiritual prescription for overcoming anxiety (prayer, confession, praise, gratitude, and addressing childhood trauma)

- How community, marriage, and mentorship shape your health just as much as what you eat

- The health habits Madison and Grant actually practice — cold plunge, infrared sauna, and the mindset behind all of it

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CONNECT WITH GUEST

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