ADAA Mental Health Blogs for the Public
“Oh, the places you’ll go!” exclaimed Dr. Seuss, as he he hoped to inspire children to live a vigorous life of travel, exploration, and discovery. But for people with severe anxiety, travel could be considered the ultimate discomfort zone. A variety of unknowns can cause a cyclone of negative thoughts: “How will I get there? Will I be able to adjust to an unfamiliar environment? How do I deal with anxiety while I’m away from home?”
I recently discovered that two friends of mine suffer from trichotillomania, or compulsive hairpulling. It came as a surprise to me, and even as a clinical psychologist, it was difficult to detect because neither one of them pulls out their hair in an obvious manner. Although about 3 percent of the U.S. population experiences trichotillomania during their lifetime, few people know what it is — and even fewer want to talk about it, which adds to the elusiveness of this disorder.
Updated October 2020
If you’re lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer(LGBTQ) or are exploring your sexual orientation or gender identity, and you struggle with anxiety or depression, let’s start by putting things into context. By that I mean let’s think through powerful life experiences that fundamentally impact your sense of well-being.
Anxiety and Depression for Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals, and Transgender People