Burnout looks remarkably like ADHD on a self-report symptom checklist. Physicians have misdiagnosed four of my clients with ADHD over the past several years. These individuals have big jobs. They carry a lot of responsibility and work huge hours. They can’t take a break when they get tired, and … [Read more...] about Physicians misdiagnose burnout as ADHD: How symptom similarities lead to errors
Ending panic attacks: Effective tools for immediate relief
Use simple physical and cognitive strategies to stop a Panic Attack. When a person has a Panic Attack, the level of adrenaline, which is a stress hormone, increases in their bloodstream. Adrenaline is responsible for the physical symptoms you experience during a Panic Attack, including accelerated … [Read more...] about Ending panic attacks: Effective tools for immediate relief
What causes panic attacks? Understanding the triggers
Most people are unable to identify the trigger when they have a Panic Attack. Most people that experience Panic Attacks try to identify what triggers the attacks, especially if they have had several and want to be able to avoid the next one. The majority of people, however, are unable to identify … [Read more...] about What causes panic attacks? Understanding the triggers
The evolutionary roots of panic attacks: Why they make sense
Many people visit the Emergency Room when they experience their first Panic Attack. Many people that experience a Panic Attack for the first time visit the Emergency Room at the nearest hospital because they fear they are having a heart attack. The Emergency Room physician assesses them because … [Read more...] about The evolutionary roots of panic attacks: Why they make sense
The path to recovery: How psychologists diagnose and treat panic attacks
A Panic Attack is an adrenaline rush: Your body believes it has seen a grizzly bear and reacts accordingly. Years ago, when I worked directly in physicians’ offices, I was asked to see five or six new clients each week that presented with Panic Attacks. At least 10 percent of people experience … [Read more...] about The path to recovery: How psychologists diagnose and treat panic attacks
Learn to recognize OCD: It’s more common than you think.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Six vignettes Many of my clients ask questions about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), so I thought it would be valuable to post some real-life examples of what OCD can look like. Most psychologists didn’t receive training in how to treat OCD in graduate … [Read more...] about Learn to recognize OCD: It’s more common than you think.
After a concussion: Overcoming sensitivity to light and sound
I worked with a middle-aged woman, named Brittany, that was experiencing chronic headaches and neck pain, as well as sensitivity to both light and sound, almost two years after receiving a concussion in a motor vehicle accident. … [Read more...] about After a concussion: Overcoming sensitivity to light and sound
Get over your fear of cats
Psychologists are taught to help their clients get over a fear of snakes during their first year of graduate school. This topic of taught in undergrad psychology classes, too, because the theory is pretty straight forward. Few of us get the opportunity to help people get over their fears of snakes, … [Read more...] about Get over your fear of cats
You have a better chance of winning the lottery than dying in a plane crash
I can understand why some people are afraid to fly. I personally don’t like turbulence when I’m in an airplane. It’s easy to let my imagination run wild and think that the plane will somehow fall out of the sky. But here’s the thing. Planes don’t crash. Not statistically. … [Read more...] about You have a better chance of winning the lottery than dying in a plane crash
Relationships with sociopaths
I will sometimes meet a new client that is struggling to come to terms with the actions of a sociopath. The sociopath may be a member of their family -- a husband or a father, for example. While the sociopaths in the following stories happen to be male, please be aware they can also be female. The … [Read more...] about Relationships with sociopaths