Areas of Expertise
Everyone feels anxious from time to time but when intrusive, anxious thoughts feel excessive and out of your control, you may be experiencing generalized anxiety disorder. GAD is different than the average worry because it is persistent, time consuming and disruptive to your every day life. This condition is common and very treatable.
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OCD is characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior. Obsessions are intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that cause significant anxiety. As a result, the individual engages in a behavior(s) to ease their anxiety (i.e. compulsions). Largely misunderstood, OCD is a debilitating condition that can present in many different ways, and is often not what we see on TV. Luckily, there is very successful treatment for OCD.
These conditions are defined by significant anxiety and/or OCD that presents itself during pregnancy (prenatal) or shortly after pregnancy (postpartum). Both conditions are much more common than we realize and are not given the attention they deserve. If you are struggling with either of these, you are not crazy and you most certainly are not alone.
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Also known as social phobia, social anxiety disorder involves intense anxiety and fear when encountering a situation where you may be judged or rejected by others. While anyone can become nervous in social settings, someone with social anxiety disorder experiences significant distress and tries to avoid these situations altogether.
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Agoraphobia is when individuals fear situations that may be difficult to escape: e.g. shopping malls, theaters, and elevators. These individuals may only travel within a specific territory or rarely leave their homes at all. Panic attacks are very common with Agoraphobia.
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Specific phobias are characterized by an intense fear of a particular situation. If you are struggling with a specific phobia, you likely try to avoid the event at all costs, feeling powerless to the anxiety. A few examples of specific phobias are:
Emetophobia
Fear of Driving
Fear of Flying
Fear of Needles
Fear of Animals
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BFRBs are characterized by repetitive, self-grooming behaviors that cause damage to the body. Individuals may unknowingly engage in these behaviors or they are responding to an urge or impulse. Despite attempts to stop and the harm it causes their bodies, individuals find it nearly impossible to control it. The most common BFRBs are:
Trichotillomania (hair-pulling)
Excoriation (skin-picking)
Onychophagia (nail biting)
Morsicatio Buccarum (cheek biting)