Selective mutism is a rare type of anxiety disorder whose main distinguishing characteristic is the persistent failure to speak in specific social situations (e.g., at school, or with playmates) where speaking is expected, despite ...

Everyone feels anxious and under stress from time to time. Situations such as meeting tight deadlines, important social obligations or driving in heavy traffic, often bring about anxious feelings. Such mild anxiety may help make ...

Do you always remember criticisms and never compliments? Do you spend hours mulling over previous mistakes? You may be in the grip of negative thinking — but there is a way to escape the pattern. For ...

Dave is frightened of flying. In an airplane he gets nervous and thinks about the plane crashing. Amy avoids going to the dentist. She becomes apprehensive, fears the pain and is embarrassed by her nervousness. She ...

When stress builds up, there is the potential for it to develop into longer-term problems. Anxiety and depression both are extremely widespread in the modern world, so an awareness of the common symptoms may help ...

A panic attack is a sudden rush of physical symptoms -- like shortness of breath, muscle spasms, and nausea -- coupled with uncontrollable anxiety and sometimes a sense of impending doom. Visits to the emergency ...

If your child has frequent health or emotional problems, consider that a lack of sleep may be all or at least part of the problem. Every function in the body is affected by sleep. And ...

The soothing power of music is well-established. It has a unique link to our emotions, so can be an extremely effective stress management tool. Listening to music can have a tremendously relaxing effect on our minds ...

It is not clear why older adults have a higher rate of car accidents. Some speculate that vision loss or slowed reaction time plays a role. But a recent Canadian study suggests that a class ...

Everyone experiences anxiety at one time or another: "butterflies in the stomach" before giving a speech or sweaty palms during a job interview are common symptoms. Other symptoms of anxiety include irritability, uneasiness, jumpiness, feelings ...

Barry can feel the tension building, sometimes for hours, before he yields to his impulse. Although he knows he's affecting his dark good looks, the anxious feeling doesn't fade until he's yanked out another fistful ...

Anxiety disorders come in many varieties. Descriptions of some of the most common disorders follow: Generalized Anxiety Disorder: GAD is characterized by persistent anxiety unrelated to a specific event. People suffering from GAD cannot help worrying ...

Anxiety is a normal feeling of uneasiness, concern and apprehension that, when carried to an extreme, can become worry or outright terror. Some amount of anxiety and worrying is a normal and necessary part of life. ...

A kid can be just as phobic about school, or math class, or writing a sentence as another child might be about dogs. What can be done to help children who fear an aspect ...

In my work, I sometimes feel that there is an epidemic of low self-esteem. Even people who seem to be very sure of themselves will admit to having low self-esteem, a feeling that often makes ...