Shrinking World Syndrome
On my way to my friend Wendy’s wedding, I had the mother of all anxiety attacks: dizziness accompanied by severe nausea. The decision to pull over and curl into a ball until the episode passed was hardly a choice; needless
Whatever Doesn’t Kill Me…
I am definitely very suspicious of people who see life lessons in every terrible thing that happens to them. So, when people would suggest that my anxiety attacks could be a learning experience, I couldn’t see it. The only thing
Tips for Managing Back-to-School Anxiety
Have anxious kids? Here are seven tips for helping them transition back to school more smoothly: (1) Prepare: This step is not for them—it's for you. You need to stay calm so that you can separate your own anxiety from
Riding the Wave: How to Manage Acute Anxiety
Abs and I often tell other anxiety sisters that it is important not to fight their anxiety -- especially during a panic attack. We use the analogy of being pulled out by a riptide in the ocean. Any experienced swimmer
In Memoriam: Mental Illness Connects Us All
Like many of you, I cannot stop thinking about the suicide of Robin Williams. In fact, when I look at my Facebook friends—people I have known since elementary school and others who are new friends and acquaintances—I am astounded by
Managing Your Fear of Flying: Mags’s Take
Several folks have emailed us questions after reading Abs’ blog about her conquered fear of flying. Most of you want specifics regarding how to start flying again after fear has kept you away—in some cases, for years… Not that I’m trying
If At First You Don’t Succeed, Fly, Fly Again, or How to Conquer Your Fear of Flying in Lots of Difficult Steps
Good morning, Anxiety Sisters. I am writing this blog from 35,000 feet above Florida, as I head to a writing conference in Pittsburgh. I say this matter-of-factly, but it is, actually, no small miracle that I am able to type
7 Real World Ways to Manage Test Anxiety
The numbers swim in front of me, and the clock ticks loudly. My mind is blank. I'm dumb. I'm going to fail. My Mom is going to kill me. I'm way too hot and everyone around me is writing so fast, there
Mammo Whammo: Mammogram Anxiety and How to Manage It
A few weeks back, an anxiety sister told me she was a bit more anxious than usual. When I asked her if she knew why (after all, sometimes we have no idea what causes our spinning), she responded that she
Questions for Your Psychiatrist: A Checklist
A close friend of mine recently needed medication to treat her depression and anxiety symptoms. She asked me how to find a psychiatrist, and how to make sure that person was good. I told her that finding a good psychiatrist
