Getting misdiagnosed with the wrong mental illness was like having an itch in my brain that I couldn’t quite scratch. I knew the itch was there. I could scratch around it, but I was never satisfied. Even the doctors who saw the itch couldn’t scratch it either. They told me it was in the right place but never listened … Read more
An existential crisis is the feeling of unease people experience about meaning, choice, and freedom in life. This existential anxiety often causes people to feel that life is inherently pointless and that existence has no meaning. An existential crisis can also lead to feelings of confusion about an individual’s sense of identity. Existential anxiety tends … Read more
Sleep disturbances are extremely common throughout the population. Many individuals have trouble sleeping at night, which impacts their quality of life and psychological well-being tremendously.1 People find it difficult to fall asleep and remain asleep throughout the night. Some people also do not always prioritize sleep, especially when stressed by the demands of work and family.2 Adults often … Read more
Hyperventilation is rapid breathing that usually occurs as a result of anxiety or panic (also called over-breathing).1 This leads to low levels of carbon dioxide in your blood which causes a number of symptoms. Hyperventilation in anxiety can be a tricky thing to understand. On one hand, it can feel like you’re suffocating or not getting … Read more
Crippling anxiety is a severe form of anxiety that is so overwhelming it interferes with your ability to function. When you have crippling anxiety, you might experience symptoms like intense feelings of agitation or irritability, trouble sleeping, racing thoughts, or even physical symptoms like muscle aches, trouble breathing, and dizziness. Crippling anxiety is a sign … Read more
Anxiety is about more than just feeling worried or nervous—it is often accompanied by a number of unpleasant and distressing physical symptoms as well. There are a number of different types of disorders that are linked to such physical manifestation of anxiety, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), panic disorder, and specific phobias. Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Some … Read more
The relationship between these emotions—and their associated clinical conditions, anxiety disorders and mood disorders—is complex and somewhat idiosyncratic.1 For one person, anxiety can lead to avoidance and isolation. Isolation can result in a lack of opportunity for pleasurable experiences, which then leads to low mood. For others, the emotions may flow in the opposite direction. … Read more
Anxiety disorders are serious mental illnesses that cause significant worry or fear that doesn’t go away and may even get worse over time. We all feel anxious at times, but with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety tends to be fairly constant and has a very negative and intrusive impact on quality of life. According to the … Read more
Differentiating between normal everyday anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can be tricky. How do you know, especially if you are a little more anxious than others, whether or not your anxiety is significant enough to qualify as a disorder? Overview Many people feel anxious from time to time, especially during times of stress. However, when you worry excessively, so much … Read more
What Is Magical Thinking? Magical thinking is the belief that your thoughts, feelings, or actions will affect someone’s behavior or the outcome of a situation.1 Many of us engage in magical thinking from time to time. Superstitions fall into the category of magical thinking, such as avoiding the 13th floor of a building or needing your lucky pencil … Read more