Driving fears and avoidance in teens may reflect normal development or possibly an emerging anxiety disorder.Reader Question: My daughter just turned 15, and no matter what I say, I can't seem to convince her to practice her driving. It's strange, because in the past,...
Emetophobia is the fear of vomiting. Although vomit phobia may appear to be a simple phobia, it may actually be a symptom of OCD, social anxiety, or agoraphobia.Flu season will be quickly upon us and with it comes an unfortunate increase in the likelihood of...
Hope to see you in Chicago for the 2012 meeting of the International Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation!Just a few quick announcements: 1) The 2012 meeting of the International Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation (IOCDF) is just a week away. The IOCDF conference marks the...
Unlike Choose Your Own Adventure books, therapy is a forgiving process that gives you many potential paths to pursue on your road to recovery.For anyone new to exposure-based therapy, such as exposure and response prevention (ERP), there is often much anticipatory...
Although exposure is predicated upon the purposeful non-avoidance of anxiety-related stimuli, non-avoidance of anxiety triggers is not equivalent to exposure.Anxiety Principle of the Day: Non-Avoidance is not equivalent to exposure. Although exposure is predicated...
Exposure, when done right, is about much more than just habituation.Many people have an incomplete understanding of exposure therapy... ...be it exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD, intentional mistake practice for social anxiety, or interoceptive exposures...
Worried about feeling sick as a dog? You might be experiencing health anxiety, an umbrella term which is associated with several different underlying conditions.Think about the most significant health scare you have ever experienced. Then multiply this experience by a...
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...
Sometimes the most potent way to deal with a fear is learning to be okay with not knowing.Everyone I know has, at some point, had to deal with the monster under the bed. Some do it with grace. Others falter. I've always been clumsy. I can vividly recall many terrified...
Regardless of the origins of your child's school refusal, it is important to consider a separate parent-related factor that maintains school refusal: your fear of being perceived as a "bad parent".Like any other behavior, school refusal does not have a singular cause....
School refusal is not a random event. There's usually a reason for why your child might resist going to school.With the summer quickly fading to black and the academic year looming largely, we will soon be entering the season of school refusal. When I use the term...
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...
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,...
