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Exposure therapy is an effective method for treating a variety of phobias. An intolerable or intrusive amount of fear in one's life can be a sign that it's time to seek treatment. The power of exposure therapy—versus occasional encounters with the source of fear—lies in the purposeful and systematic learning experiences it provides. If you’ve struggled with a crippling fear, you’ve probably been told you "need to face it.” But it’s no easy thing to face what terrifies us. We might as well tell someone with insomnia that they should get more sleep. The goal might be reasonable, but how do we get there? Exposure therapy, a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), offers a pathway. This research-tested approach has helped countless individuals conquer the fears that were holding them back from living fully and freely. Source: Руслан Галиуллин/Adobe Stock I recently spoke with Dara Lovitz and Dr. David Yusko about exposure therapy on the Think … [Read more...] about 6 Ways to Overcome Your Worst Fears

This post was written by Ellen B. Luborsky, Ph.D. This post is part of a series on Parenting During COVID. Part 2 is here . It comes with the territory. Children express themselves through the language of behavior. When a small child puts her arms up, everyone knows what that means. But what about when a kid has a meltdown in the middle of the sidewalk? Or what about one who ignores everything you say? These are among the challenges that may end up in your lap. If the behavior was always difficult to deal with, it can be more so during COVID. With everyone home and the many stresses that families are under, it is not too surprising that kids feel it too. But it is important not to jump to conclusions about the meaning of behavior. Finding a way to understand and cope with feelings that come disguised as behavior is its own challenge. The Language of Behavior The language of behavior does not have a dictionary. There is no checklist that explains the meaning of a … [Read more...] about Decode the Message in Your Child’s Behavior

Source: Alen-D/Adobe Stock Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric conditions, with as many as one in four people affected during their lifetime. Anxiety can manifest itself in many ways: Being gripped by panic on a bridge or in a crowded restaurant The grinding worry of generalized anxiety Preoccupation with the judgment of others in social anxiety Terrifying memories following a traumatic event The repetitive, irrational fears of obsessive-compulsive disorder ( OCD ) Fear of specific things or situations in phobias Each of these conditions can severely limit one's freedom, eventually leading to a life that's dominated by efforts to avoid what one fears. We've all heard the maxim to "face your fears"—easier said than done, right? Most people know that running from our fears only makes them worse, and yet it's really hard to override our habit of moving away from what scares us. Fortunately there is a well-tested way to push back on … [Read more...] about Follow These Four Principles to Conquer Your Fear

A new study of psychedelic microdosing found that many of the beneficial effects of the practice may be due to the placebo effect . The research was based on a "citizen science" approach, recruiting people who were already microdosing. Many participants reported having intense spiritual experiences on the placebo. Oh, microdosing, the psychedelic equivalent of tapas. For years, microdosing has been creating a macro-hype. Interest has ballooned with “microdose coaches” charging massive prices and how-to articles on microdosing your dog . But a new, groundbreaking study by Imperial College in London has shown that a majority of the effects felt by microdosing can be explained by the placebo effect. This most recent microdosing study is a peer-reviewed study that uses blind control groups instead of anecdotes. While its findings join a litany of articles skeptical of the effects of microdosing, this study is unprecedented in its comprehensiveness. … [Read more...] about New Study Suggests Microdosing May Be a Macro Placebo Effect

Did anyone else see Melancholia , the new Lars Von Trier film? In one scene, Justine (Kirsten Dunst), a depressed young woman, is given meatloaf, her favorite meal, by her sister. She smiles when she smells it — then begins to weep at the first bite. "It tastes like ashes," she says. Justine's sadness is particularly severe, but all of us are familiar with the routine breeds of melancholy triggered by life's standard litany of losses and triggers for grief . And what's interesting (at least to us appetite researchers) is that the effects on our eating behavior are far from predictable. Imagine a close relationship ending, for example. It's tragic, it's gut-wrenching, you can't think about anything else. But are you most likely to a) curl into a little ball and forget to eat, or b) drown your sorrows in a pint of strawberry gelato with chocolate sauce? There are reasons to think that you might say (a). One of the hallmarks of major depression , after all, is an … [Read more...] about Sadness, Depression, and Appetite