Are shyness and Social Anxiety Disorder the same thing? If my child is shy, will he/she grow up to have Social Anxiety Disorder? The answer to both of these questions is NO. There are many differences between shyness and Social Anxiety Disorder. While shyness can eventually turn into Social Anxiety Disorder, it isn’t definite or…
Life moves fast. For many, perhaps too fast. So many of my patients report feeling stressed, pressured, overwhelmed, overworked, exhausted, and always feeling that they are at least one step behind. They report that, while they are aware that much of their lives are suffering, there seems to be little that they can do to…
“There is time enough for everything in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once, but there is not time enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time.” Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield Most people believe they can do two or more things…
Have you worried lately that your child may have ADHD because he cannot seem to concentrate? Maybe you have been concerned that your child has a mood disorder because she has been irritable and difficult to manage. Perhaps you think your child lacks social skills because of frequent conflicts with peers. Before jumping to such…
In recent years, the National Alliance for Caregiving estimates almost 40 million people in the U.S. care for a disabled or chronically-ill adult family member (aged 50 years-old or more). These numbers have grown and continue to grow as Americans are living longer, but also living with more disease, such as Alzheimer’s and other chronic…
Let’s face it: video games are fun! New games are amazing and the technology is quite impressive. Having family fun all while the kids are occupied all can be a positive thing, right? Yes, there are some positive sides to children and gaming. First, gaming introduces children to technology and can boost self-discipline. The games…
Playing with your hair – twirling it around a finger when you’re tired or bored, for example – is a harmless habit. But for millions of people, pulling at their hair isn’t harmless. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, up to four percent of the population* suffers from trichotillomania, a disorder characterized by…
It’s the first week of January as I sit to write this blog entry, and I suspect my thoughts are focused in much the same direction as yours—that’s right, it’s college football bowl season! Those of you who know me are no doubt aware of my obsessive love for, and dedication to, the University…
“Will I bark like a dog or quack like a duck? Will I say or do something silly? What if I can’t wake up?” These are just some of the questions I still get about hypnosis. Unfortunately, many people (including some health care professionals) still have a flawed understanding of hypnosis, even in 2018. Much…
In continuing our holiday/seasonal blog series, Larisa Wainer, Psy.D. offers a guide to anticipating and managing stress, and mood symptoms, that often emerge during this time of the year. The trees have shed their colorful adornments, intricate patterns of frost decorate your car window in the morning, and the stores are overflowing with cornucopia of…