Anxiety Matters

The Bonnies speak with Dr. Kirsten Thompson about treating anxiety and the importance of finding a therapist or psychiatrist who feels like a good fit, including meeting with more than one provider if needed. They discuss when medication may be worth considering, how to start slowly for people with health anxiety, and common options such as SSRIs, buspirone, supplements, benzodiazepines, and propranolol. They also cover the role of therapy and lifestyle changes, the benefits and risks of different medications, and how propranolol can help with performance anxiety. They wrap up by discussing social media, stigma, and Dr. Thompson’s telehealth practice, which provides medication management and collaborative care for patients in California. HIGHLIGHTS: 3:39 Meet Dr. Kirsten Thompson 5:43 When Medication Makes Sense 10:26 Ashwagandha and Supplements 14:28 Medication Feels Like Failure 16:38 SSRIs for Anxiety 21:45 Managing Side Effects 26:19 Benzos and Safety Risks 35:47 Propranolol for Performance 38:50 Social Media and Misinformation 43:58 Remedy Psychiatry Overview connect with Dr. Kirsten Thompson website: https://remedypsychiatry.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/remedypsychiatry FB: https://www.facebook.com/remedypsych CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

The Bonnies talk about how rare and frightening news stories can trigger anxiety and OCD, especially around postpartum mental health. They discuss postpartum psychosis, intrusive thoughts, and how anxiety can make people misread normal thoughts or fears as signs of danger. They also look at similar patterns with topics like suicide or serious illness, and how repeated news and social media exposure can make rare events feel more likely. They close by stressing the value of psycho-education and realistic probabilities, especially for pregnant and postpartum people. HIGHLIGHTS: 0:49 Postpartum Intrusive Thoughts 4:45 OCD and Suicide Fears 8:04 Threat Bias in Anxiety 10:48 Teaching Realistic Probabilities 14:48 COVID and Catastrophic Thinking 16:23 Managing Uncertainty CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

The Bonnies talk about hoarding with Dr. David Tolin, a clinician and researcher who has worked extensively in this area. They begin by distinguishing hoarding disorder from ordinary messiness or collecting, and note that hoarding is characterized by difficulty discarding items, strong attachment to possessions, and often excessive acquisition. They talk about how hoarding develops over time, including early onset in childhood or adolescence, and how stress or major life changes can make symptoms worse. Also, genetic factors and the idea that hoarding can run in families, while still requiring attention to behavior and environment. They then focus on treatment. Dr. Tolin explains that hoarding is not the same as OCD, even though it has often been grouped with obsessive compulsive disorders. He describes current treatment approaches that emphasize decision-making training, problem-solving, distress tolerance, cognitive questioning, and motivational interviewing rather than simply forcing the person to throw things away. They also discuss the importance of insight and motivation, since many people with hoarding disorder do not initially see themselves as having a problem and how clinicians can use Socratic questions to help people examine what their possessions mean to them and whether keeping them fits their values. Finally, they address family concerns, childhood hoarding behaviors, and the limits of medication research noting that there are no randomized controlled trials of medication for hoarding disorder, though some open trials have suggested possible benefit from certain medications. HIGHLIGHTS: 1:05 Clutter Versus Hoarding 4:21 The Fire Changed Everything 7:44 Meet Dr. David Tolin 8:38 Hoarding Is Not OCD 11:24 Defining Hoarding Disorder 15:32 Trauma, Stress, and Risk 18:56 Rethinking Treatment Goals 21:26 Therapy for Hoarding 27:47 Time, Values, and Insight 35:06 Health Hazards and Questions 36:21 A Severe Hoarding Case 39:26 Medication Evidence 41:38 Pediatric Hoarding Concerns 45:23 Insight and Self-Referral connect with Dr. David Tolin website: https://drtolin.com CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

In this episode, the BZW and BZE talk about how feeling understood in relationships can affect stress, well-being, and even physical symptoms. They discuss how anxiety is often misunderstood by partners and family members, and how advice or pressure can sometimes leave people feeling invalidated. They also focus on validation as a practical response, including finding the kernel of truth in what someone is feeling and saying things like “that makes sense” or “I can see this is hard for you.” They explain the difference between offering solutions and offering support, and suggest asking whether someone wants advice, validation, or something else. HIGHLIGHTS: 1:36 Feeling Seen, Feeling Stressed 3:54 When Loved Ones Miss It 5:45 Fixing Versus Validating 8:44 Why Validation Works 12:13 Find the Kernel of Truth 14:22 The Need to Feel Known 16:30 Practical Takeaways for Partners mentioned in episode How to Know a Person (book): https://a.co/d/04qD6vzj CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

In this episode, the Bonnies talk about doctor anxiety and how it can lead people to avoid appointments or feel intense worry before routine tests and screenings. They discuss the value of recommended preventive care, the importance of trusting relationships with doctors, and the role of therapy when health fears become difficult to manage. They also look at the balance between appropriate screening and excessive testing, including how more scans or wearable devices can sometimes increase stress. HIGHLIGHTS: 1:33 Vet Fears, Doctor Fears 2:40 Screening Protects Health 5:45 Facing Mammogram Anxiety 7:12 Trusting Doctors, Timing Tests 10:22 Full-Body Scan Dilemma 14:12 Too Many Tests 14:57 Wearables and Anxiety mentioned in episode Less Medicine More Health by Dr. H. Gilbert Welch: https://a.co/d/01SYYhru CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.