Many people think of stress and anxiety as the same thing. There are important differences, however. Understanding them can help you if you’re experiencing stress or anxiety.
[Read more…]Sex Avoidance and Anxiety: How Are They Related?
Anxiety can lead people to avoid all kinds of things — even sex. Understanding the role anxiety plays is a critical part to addressing sex avoidance.
One of the reasons you don’t read a lot about sex avoidance is because it’s more likely a symptom than a problem. But what is it a symptom of?
[Read more…]Cleithrophobia: The Fear of Being Trapped
If you get panicky in enclosed spaces or situations when you feel trapped, you’re not alone. Cleithrophobia is a well-understood and treatable problem. Learn more.
Cleithrophobia: Definition
Cleithrophobia is a fear of being trapped. It is a “specific phobia” (as opposed to a social phobia). Cleithrophobia can affect adults or children. The disorder involves significant symptoms of fear or anxiety when one is actually trapped, fears being trapped, or thinks about being trapped. These symptoms can include:
- racing heart
- elevated respiration rate or shortness of breath
- elevated blood pressure
- sweating
- dry mouth
- trembling or shaking, especially in extremities
- chest pain or muscle tension
- full panic attacks
Contamination OCD: How to Know If You Have It
Are you a germophobe? Typically, a fear of germs is actually not a phobia. Often, it’s is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder known informally as “contamination OCD.”
A fear of germs often causes temptation to avoid people, places, or things thought to be contaminated. Sometimes the concern is about a specific disease like HIV or hepatitis or just general germs. Other times the contamination is less well-defined.
The impact of this type of OCD can vary widely. If severe and untreated, contamination OCD can even result in people feeling that their homes are too contaminated to continue living in.
[Read more…]What Causes Depression? It May Not Be What You Think
If you or a loved one are struggling with depression, there can be several causes. The variety can be surprising.
There is not one simple cause for depression. Many other conditions have a clear cause. For example, genetic factors cause autism and viruses cause colds. The causes of depression are much more complex.
Research shows that several factors make some people more vulnerable to depression than others. Relevant factors include genetics, childhood experiences, as well as the meaning we ascribe to life events or circumstances. Many people assume the life circumstances or events themselves cause depression. However, it is far more likely that the way we think about those things causes us to cope well or to become depressed.
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