Anxiety is a human response to stressful stimuli. In other words, it’s normal. Whether we’re late for work, have ruined our favorite shirt, or totally failed a first date, life certainly offers us a lot to be anxious about. However, when anxiety stops becoming an intermittent experience and becomes more…
Most of us aren’t exactly thrilled about having to give a presentation to our entire company. We might feel slightly awkward having to make small talk with a stranger. We might get the jitters before a blind date. But we still do the presentation, chit-chat, and go out. When you…
Depression and anxiety might be the Ross and Rachel of the mental health field. You try to think of them as separate entities, two platonic Friends with a romantic history, but then they’re back together again. And even in the episodes when they’re not together, you still feel the tension. …
How many of us have felt suddenly unwell for a time, and out of concern, googled our symptoms? Later on, when we’re better, we might feel a little bit embarrassed that we were so concerned—maybe our mysterious symptoms were all in our heads. Experiencing this fear of illness or disease…
Q: I make a point to go to the gym at least 3 times a week. It’s been one of my New Year’s resolutions, and so far it’s going great. It’s just that I get pretty bad gym anxiety when I’m there. There are a few things that set it…
Imagine that you’re going about your morning as usual – making coffee, feeding the cat, tidying the bedroom – when your chest starts to hurt. The pain quickly mounts. Within minutes you’re drenched in sweat and you feel as if you’re suffocating. You close your eyes and try to take…
When a child is scared, it’s natural for a parent to feel helpless. Childhood fears and specific phobias aren’t always rational, so you can’t just reason them away by saying, for example, “Only seven Americans die from spider bites every year,” or “Sweetie, there are zero monsters under your bed.”…
Mental health advice on the Internet often boils down to a few general teachings about emotional regulation. We’re encouraged to learn coping skills and strategies for dealing with stress. We’re supposed to become more resilient in the face of adversity. We’re meant to manage our negative feelings in healthier ways….
The Russia-Ukraine conflict — one of the biggest news stories of the year thus far — continues on without an end in sight. As a result, some difficult changes are occurring here in the US, including the cost of living, our diplomatic relationships with other countries, and (most personally), our…
Do you remember the last time you rode a roller coaster? Unfortunately for me, it has been over 20 years. I have developed vertigo as I have gotten older, and I’m scared to go on one now. However, I can still remember the nervous butterflies as the ride creaked higher…
In case you missed it, there’s a place on the internet called r/AmItheA**hole (AITA) which aims to determine which party should be blamed in ethical disputes. For example, someone posts the following (paraphrased) moral quandary on Reddit’s AITA forum: “My friend’s baby was crying, so I gave her a sip…
Buena Vista is as nice a neighborhood as you could imagine: Proper houses trimmed in white, all lined up in neat rows. It’s a labyrinth of new pavement and landscaping, baking underneath the Texas sun. Somewhere, the sounds of a lawnmower swirl together with a dog barking and a child’s…