Agoraphobia might not be what you think it is. Contrary to popular opinion, agoraphobia is the fear of having physical symptom attacks in situations where escape might be difficult or embarrassing.Let's dispel a common misconception about agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is...
Mindfulness and ACT-based approaches are becoming increasingly popular in treating depression, anxiety, and OCD and distinguish pain from suffering.Mindfulness & ACT-based Approaches to Therapy Mindfulness & Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based...
Believe it or not, channeling your inner daredevil can actually help you fight social anxiety.When I was a kid, one form of mischief that was briefly popular in my neighborhood was crank calling strangers. Usually, the bravest kid in the group would pick up the phone,...
Symptoms of depression can be emotional, social, occupational, or physical.Signs of depression can be obvious or subtle, but regardless, they often severely impact your quality of life. For help in addressing your symptoms of depression, seek the assistance of a...
Although panic feels terrible, panic attacks are actually supported by activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which is associated with self-preservation.Panic attacks feel awful. However, despite the unpleasantness of panic attacks, we're actually lucky to have...
Panic has a secret ally. Although beneficial in many different contexts, this ally has the potential to dramatically increase your symptoms of panic and anxiety.If you have panic disorder or suffer from panic attacks, chances are you might be inadvertently doing one...
Because many other conditions can mimic or exacerbate test anxiety, it is important to undergo a thorough diagnostic evaluation before beginning treatment.When considering treatment for test-taking anxiety, make sure that you have a comprehensive diagnostic assessment...
Many untreated anxious test-takers give up desired career opportunities for less evaluatively-laden roads that are more easily traveled.Although most of us (at one point or another) have experienced significant fear, uncertainty, or dread about an upcoming examination...
The obsessions experienced by individuals with "Pure-O" OCD are commonly accompanied by mental compulsions.As a follow-up to my previous post on Pure-O OCD, I thought it might be helpful to identify some obsessions that are commonly reported by individuals with Pure...
"Intentional Mistake Practice" can be used to challenge the problematic perfectionistic beliefs that are core to social anxiety and OCD.Looking for ways to overcome social anxiety or OCD-related perfectionism? At the end of this post, you'll find some strategies I...
Perfectionism is likely to be helpful in moderation but increasingly problematic when taken to extremes.There is more than one type of perfectionist. First, there is the adaptive perfectionist. This perfectionist is the prototypical workaholic student/employee who...
Panic attacks are associated with accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling, choking or smothering sensations, chest pain, nausea or GI problems, dizziness, lightheadedness, feelings of unreality or detachment from one's body, numbness or tingling sensations,...
OCD is associated with an intolerance for uncertainty. Help your child by not feeding the reassurance monster.Many excellent parents struggle with how to appropriately parent their child with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Unfortunately, this process is rarely...
Although it's not something that many individuals speak openly about, problematic hoarding is surprisingly common and affects about 1 in 20 individuals.The topic of hoarding is rarely met with disinterest. Maybe that's because nearly all of us can relate to hoarding...
OCD is often characterized by subtle, hidden rituals. Avoid OCD's subtle rituals to supercharge your ERP.As any good psychologist experienced in treating OCD can tell you, the most effective treatment for OCD is exposure and ritual prevention (ERP). You may also see...
