On today's podcast I spoke with an Anxietyguru.net reader named Peter. Peter is from Sudbury, Massachusetts and has lived with bipolar disorder and anxiety for the better part of his life. I think this episode is particularly interesting given that Peter has taken medication for his condition for the past thirty plus years. There is something to be said about experience, and Peter has a great deal of insights to provide as a result. The interview was mainly based on Peter's own experience but we also delved into a general discussion about
Archives for February 2009
The Chemical Imbalance Test: Does It Exist?
Today I want to explore a basic question: Is there such a thing as a test for a brain-based chemical imbalance? Sounds simple enough but as you'll soon see there is nothing simple about the question. And this is mainly because there is currently a debate raging about the matter, and there seems to be no clear cut answer. Given the monstrous size of this issue it is mind bending that after sending people to the moon (and back), creating weapons of apocalyptic destruction, and the flowbee, that absolutely no one has a firm handle on what
Pfizer throws in the towel on developmental pain and anxiety disorder drugs
Anxiety Disorders And Sexual Problems
As if anxiety sufferers didn't already have enough to worry about, there is now growing evidence to suggest that people with anxiety disorders also have higher rates of sexual problems. We are all familiar with the more common anxiety symptoms like palpitations, racing thoughts, perfuse sweating, but now you can add sexual aversion, sexual dysfunction, and a lower libido to the already long list of things you already hate about having an anxiety disorder. Sexual Aversion Sexual aversion is very much like it sounds. The intense
The Time I Became Too Relaxed
Relax, relax, that's what people are probably always telling you to do. And more to the point I'm sure that's what you wish you could do on demand, but anxiety has a way of cramping this aspiration. But do you really want instant relaxation? A boneless body on tap? There was this one time that I became way too relaxed and I want to talk to you about it. Like you and many others I sometimes would lose sleep because of my anxiety and as a result would lie awake on my couch late at night. Well about 5 years ago I had one of these late night
The Anxiety Dating Dilemma
A 28 year old women details her troubles with love and anxiety. (Click image)
Wanted: Volunteer To Appear On The Anxiety Guru Show
As part of my never ending quest to bring you information about anxiety disorders I'm seeking a volunteer. I'm in search of one person that has had experience with anxiety medications. I will be interviewing this brave soul via telephone and then airing the interview on my podcast the Anxiety Guru Show. This will provide great insight into the reality of anxiety medication, their effectiveness, and other related topics. The drug therapy issue is a touchy one and that's exactly why I want to tackle it head on. So if you or someone you know
Mars vs. Venus: Women And Anxiety Disorders
Over the years I've heard the phrase, "women suffer from anxiety disorder twice as much as men" many times. However, there was never an explanation attached to such statements, so today I wanted to present a few ideas about the possible reasons for this. Based on all the research information I reviewed it turns out that women having double the rate of anxiety disorders as men is not just a catch phrase, but a statistical fact. And its not just restricted to one type of anxiety disorder either. Women have higher rates of GAD, panic
Dying A Thousand Deaths
To be honest with you I feel like I'm going to die suddenly sometimes. I'm not ashamed of this fact, it's just the way it is. Interestingly, I have developed a rather deep sense of acceptance when it comes to feeling fear and anxiety symptoms. I accept the feelings and thoughts without much commotion, but I still think that instant death is likely at least every other Thursday or so. That's the amazing thing about anxiety that I still have trouble understanding. It's particularly hard to understand because I have a rather clear notion