fear

After a long day, all you want is to quiet your mind and drift into restful sleep. That’s why few things are more frustrating—or anxiety-inducing—than a sudden rush of racing thoughts or the urge to mentally review tomorrow’s to-do list the moment your head hits the pillow. If this sounds…

When you’re stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, or all of the above, there’s nothing less helpful than being told to “calm down,” even if it’s your own internal monologue. Whether you’re drowning in work, trying to balance parenting with your own needs, or grappling with the loss of a relationship, sometimes life…

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), one in five U.S. adults is living with a mental illness right now. Yet, a large portion of this group never seeks help. Why? This statistic accounts in part for those who lack access to mental health services—but this doesn’t provide…

Healthy relationships have the power to bring joy, connection, and improved self-esteem. However, anxiety can disrupt those feelings and take a toll, both on the person experiencing it and their partner.  By understanding the roots of anxiety and its impact on the relationship, couples can create emotional safety and develop…

Whether it’s for OCD, trauma symptoms, or another condition, systematic desensitization therapy can help make triggers manageable, or even allow you to overcome them altogether. Read on to learn more about how systematic desensitization therapy works, how it differs from exposure therapy, and whether it might be right for you.

While anxiety is a universal emotion, it doesn’t affect everyone the same way. For some, it’s a fleeting feeling; for others, anxiety can grow into a persistent challenge that disrupts everyday life and negatively impacts mental well-being.  The good news is there are quick and effective ways to manage anxiety…

Trust issues are characterized by fear of betrayal, abandonment, or manipulation. And this fear is often triggered as a result of betrayal (such as infidelity), abandonment (think: leaving a child or foregoing a relationship with them), or manipulation (for example, dishonesty or gaslighting). If someone you trusted — a partner,…

Procrastination is a common work habit that most everyone engages in from time to time. It’s a habit that’s easy to get into, as the pattern of procrastination can build on itself and make it harder and harder to do things when you need to. Whatever is causing you to…

Navigating commitment issues in a relationship can be challenging, and recognizing the signs is the first step toward resolving them. Common signs of commitment issues include avoiding discussions about the future, self-sabotaging behaviors, fear of emotional intimacy, constant criticism of your partner over trivial matters, serial dating without progressing, and…

Throughout our lives, we will all face certain amounts of anxiety and fear. However, when anxiety and fear begin to control someone’s life, even keeping them from going to different places or participating in certain experiences, therapeutic intervention may be necessary. When someone is plagued by intense anxiety in safe,…

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…

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…