Anxiety creates two problems for people: physical arousal, or uncomfortable bodily sensations, and mental discomfort, usually tied to overly negative interpretations or catastrophic predictions about the self, other people or the situation. The way in which you respond to anxiety determines if you win or anxiety wins. You might think the way to win is to defend yourself against anxiety by learning to relax or breathing your way out of it, by distracting yourself so you don't think about what's making you feel anxious, or by avoiding those people or places where you feel anxious. Paradoxically, the only way to win against anxiety is by taking an offensive strategy - to step into the darkness by seeking out distress and uncertainty and learning that "whatever happens, I can handle it."

To learn how to play the Anxiety Mental Game, click here.

How CBT Helps Teens with Depression

Depression in teens is relatively common with about 1 in 5 teenagers experiencing a major depressive episode at one point during their adolescence. While mood changes can be a normal part of adolescence, frequent periods of sadness, irritability and crying spells, along with withdrawal from friends and family, changes in sleep and appetite, and, in some cases, hopelessness and thoughts of suicide, are indicators of a more serious problem. Low self-esteem, poor body image, high self-consciousness substance misuse and academic difficulties are also common among depressed teens.

Emetophobia is an extreme fear of vomiting that interferes with daily life functioning. Estimates of its prevalence range from 1.7% to 3.1% for males and from 6% to 7% for females. While the fear of vomiting is quite common, it is one of the least studied phobias. Emetophobia often has a childhood onset following traumatic experiences of vomiting or seeing others vomit and follows a chronic course that worsens with age in the absence of treatment. Safety-seeking and avoidance behaviors (e.g., checking food expiration dates, avoiding alcohol, avoiding poultry and seafood, and choosing not to have children) are common among people with emetophobia. 

Read the full article about CBT for Emetophobia by clicking here.