Topic: phobias

Sara Benincasa: Overcoming Irrational Phobia And Becoming ‘Agorafabulous’

Sara Benincasa: Overcoming Irrational Phobia And Becoming 'Agorafabulous'

Sara Benincasa is a comedian, sex advice columnist and creator of a popular one-woman show, “Agorafabulous!” about her struggle with agoraphobia, panic attacks and anxiety disorder as a teen and young adult. After taking the show on tour—and touring with other comedians, including Margaret Cho—Benincasa turner her writing into an honest but comedic memoir of the same name, released last month. I asked Benincasa about the book, how panic attacks can lead to agoraphobia, and her path from being afraid to leave the house to being a touring author and performer. More »

Why I Thought I Had Adult Onset Claustrophobia

Why I Thought I Had Adult Onset Claustrophobia

Earlier this year, we talked about a condition called Adult Onset Claustrophobia where one writer self-diagnosed herself with this anxiety disorder. Over the years, I have often wondered if I too suffer from this. I used to think I just had “personal space” issues (you know, like backing away from the dreaded close-talker that Seinfeld so eloquently portrayed in one episode) or not wanting to put my yoga mat too close to the next person. But then, as I hear more about Claustrophobia and how it can indeed happen in adulthood even though most phobias start during childhood, I started to think that it sounded an awful lot like me. More »

Adult Onset Claustrophobia: Is It Curable?

Adult Onset Claustrophobia: Is It Curable?

In January, I wrote a Blisstree post called Panic Attacks: Coping With Adult Onset Claustrophobia. Now, I’ve never actually been professionally diagnosed with this condition (or sought a professional diagnosis, for that matter), but having recently experienced some of its unnerving symptoms has made me curious about the ins-and-outs of claustrophobia. In daily life, lots of us may casually comment that we feel “claustrophobic” (in an elevator, a crowded subway train, a packed Bikram yoga class), but I wonder if we’re actually engaging in erroneous self-diagnoses. So what is claustrophobia? Where does it come from? Does it mean that I’m crazy? Can it ever go away? I got tired of wondering, so I talked to Dr. Yoav Cohen — a clinical psychologist in New York City who specializes in treating anxiety disorders and phobias — for some straight answers about the scary truths about adult onset claustrophobia. Here’s part one of my Q&A with the good doctor: More »

Morning Links: Exercise Phobia Is Real

Morning Links: Exercise Phobia Is Real

Obama Signed Food Safety Bill – The commander-in-chief gave his final stamp of approval on food safety yesterday. Now how to pay the bill… (The Atlantic)

The Secret Declining Life of Bees – A new study makes the largest decline in US bumble bees since the 1800s not-so-secret. (ScienceDaily)

Fear of the Gym Could be a Disorder – Exercise-phobia could be keeping you from accomplishing your new year’s resolutions. That, or laziness. (Psychology Today) More »