Jim is stuck in a cycle. He’s an athletic man in his 40s who works as an EMT, and he is prone to panic attacks. When panic strikes, Jim’s heart palpitates, his throat closes up, and he thinks, Oh no, I'm having a heart attack! or Oh no, I’m going to end up with super-high levels of anxiety and I’m not going to be able to tolerate it!In my practice, I’m often asked, “How do I know if my childhood negatively impacted me?”
I get asked this question a lot because there’s no definitive checklist for what makes a childhood dysfunctional or negatively impactful. We can come with resources like Kaiser’s invaluable ACE study, but what if you don’t see yourself in the extremity of those questions asked? Do your negative childhood experiences count as “negative” if they don’t look as “extreme” as the examples given in that study?
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Anxiety can be intense and persistent that it becomes a disabling condition for some people. When feelings of anxiety become overwhelming and extreme, it can mean an individual is experiencing pathological anxiety.
Helping Kids Become Good Decision-Makers
After a recent lecture, parents of a recently graduated high-school senior asked us whether they should let their daughter go with friends to a “Beach Week,” a week-long adventure in the sun before college for graduated high-school seniors, with no parents within miles. The possible perils send shivers of fear down parental spines—about liability, safety, and what is likely to be significant alcohol consumption and some drug use.How Do Child Abuse and Neglect Affect Social Relationships?
Why do some people have more trouble starting and maintaining positive, healthy relationships than others? One possible reason is experiencing trauma during childhood.Kids May Turn Their Anger Inward When Criticized by Adults
When children misbehave, we want to be good parents and discipline them. We want them to know what they did was wrong and should not be repeated. The truth is, we often lay it on pretty thick, especially when kids don’t seem to be getting the message.What if You Don’t Know You’re Anxious?
Earlier this month, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended anxiety screening for adults under the age of 65. The draft recommendations are designed to help primary care clinicians identify early signs of anxiety during routine care, using questionnaires and other screening tools. Although they did not specify a particular tool, the one commonly used is the GAD-7 scale.
How to Keep Anxiety From Spiraling Out of Control
After a recent lecture, parents of a recently graduated high-school senior asked us whether they should let their daughter go with friends to a “Beach Week,” a week-long adventure in the sun before college for graduated high-school seniors, with no parents within miles. The possible perils send shivers of fear down parental spines—about liability, safety, and what is likely to be significant alcohol consumption and some drug use.
Self-Compassion and Adult ADHD
Living with adult attention-deficit disorder/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often comes with emotional and social tolls. The nature of ADHD and the consistent inconsistency experiences in many life roles, endeavors, and relationships engender a sense of pervasive uncertainty, which is a prime source of anxiety, as well as feelings of frustrations and depression at various setbacks, even if not reaching a diagnostic threshold for formal anxiety or mood disorders.