ANXIETY SPECIALISTS BLOG
BlogCovering a range of topics from anxiety and OCD in children, teens, and adults.
Five Steps to Handle an OCD Relapse
For many people, managing OCD over the long haul means learning to bounce back from relapses. In terms of OCD, a relapse means a significant increase in intrusive thoughts and compulsions following a period of relatively mild symptoms. If you’ve been through this...
Why Is Seeking Out Anxiety a Useful Part of Treating Anxiety?
Today’s blog is by Sam Kramer, PhD, a clinician at Anxiety Specialists of St. Louis who specializes in working with adults who struggle with anxiety, OCD, phobias, and related disorders. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is typically our method of choice...
Five Reasons Group Therapy Might Be For You
Many people have reservations about group therapy. When I discuss the option of joining a group, people often bring up similar concerns. I’ll share these and my responses in the hope that it eases some of your worries. Then I’ll walk you though five reasons group...
What is Germaphobia?
Technically a fear of germs could be classified as a type of specific phobia where the focus is germs, bacteria, contamination, or infection. Specific phobias (and other mental health conditions) are diagnosed using a specific set of criteria outlined in the...
How to Cope with Anxiety About the Weather
As I’m writing this, the weather forecast is predicting a strong thunderstorm for later this afternoon. Every 10 minutes on the news, the weather update plays again. The map is full of orange and red, signaling danger. I wonder how many people watching are now...
Signs of a Panic Attack and Why They Happen
Having a panic attack can be a terrifying experience. If you’ve had an intense rush of anxiety or fear that comes out of the blue, you may have had a panic attack. Read on to learn more about signs of a panic attack and how CBT can help. Am I having a panic attack?...