Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) will affect nearly seven million adults in the U.S. each year. Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder often have difficulties controlling even the most mundane of daily worries. They may worry more than is realistically necessary about actual events or expect the worst outcome when there seems…
Fear is built into our biology. In fact, it keeps us safe — alerting us to danger and saying, “Hey, you need to be careful.” A phobia, on the other hand, is an excessive or irrational fear. If you experience intense fear and anxiety in public, open, or enclosed spaces—such…
As toddlers and young children, we quickly and naturally form strong emotional bonds with our parents or caretakers. As a result, being apart from them at an early age is often accompanied by a level of anxiety. These feelings of distress are a normal stage of childhood development—but sometimes, our…
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. Perhaps we get the jitters before a blind date. But we’ll still complete that presentation, engage in chit-chat, and go out…
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…
Anxiety can take your emotions from stable to elevated and nearly out of control very quickly. This can mean anything from feeling disproportionate worry to having panic attacks. That’s why it’s important to have solid coping and grounding techniques to help yourself either avoid these situations or bring your emotions…
We often use “stress” and “anxiety” interchangeably, to describe intense worry or emotional distress. But in reality, there are distinct differences between the two—for example, one is considered a healthy emotion that can be beneficial, while the other is considered an unhealthy emotion that is all-around harmful. Let’s explore these…
Anxiety and anger are common emotional states that many of us experience—sometimes daily. But when we’re unable to manage the intensity of these emotions, they might transform into chronic issues. This means that it’s important to think through the causes of anxiety and anger, as well as how to prevent…
As one of the most well-known medications used to treat anxiety and depression, Prozac is almost a household name at this point. And for good reason; along with therapy, taking medications such as Prozac for anxiety is often a successful way to treat the challenging symptoms of many anxiety disorders. …
Journaling is a powerful tool. It serves as an outlet, allowing us to express our emotions and process our thoughts without fear of judgment — there is no need or temptation to censor ourselves when we’re writing to and for nobody but ourselves. What a gift. And yet, for some,…
As you wake up, your heart is pounding and thoughts are racing through your head. No coffee, no shower, and your feet haven’t even left the bed… yet you’re waking up with anxiety. But why? Sometimes a bad day starts with waking up on the wrong side of the bed,…
If you’re pregnant, or are trying to conceive, chances are you’re curious (and maybe a little nervous) about how certain medications and substances might affect your pregnancy. You probably know to avoid alcohol and limit caffeine among other things. But what about psychiatric medications? How can prescription drugs that you’re…
