anxiety disorder

A recent survey found 62% of people in the U.S. with anorexia experienced a worsening of symptoms after the pandemic hit. And nearly a third of Americans with binge-eating disorder, which is far more common, reported an increase in episodes.

Eating Disorders Thrive In Anxious Times, And Pose A Lethal Threat

10:06am September 08, 2020

by Yuki Noguchi

Eating disorders strike nearly 1 in 10 Americans, with the second-highest death rate of all psychiatric disorders. The pandemic's food insecurity, stockpiling and stress are triggering flare-ups.

"If we can erase some of the stigma around [depression and suicide]," says podcast host John Moe, "that person can have at least a better shot at treatment and avoiding this kind of fate."

Humorist Lightens Depression's Darkness By Talking (And Laughing) About It

3:53pm May 05, 2020

by Terry Gross

Though John Moe's podcast, 'The Hilarious World of Depression' centers on mental illness, the conversations are funny. Humor "can bust me out" of a dark place, he says, the way platitudes never would.

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The holiday party season can be a particularly stressful time for people with social anxiety. But healthy ways to cope abound.

Holiday Parties Make You Squirm? Here's How To Conquer Social Anxiety

7:00am December 14, 2019

by Juli Fraga

People with social anxiety disorder fear their "fatal flaws" will be exposed by a wayward comment or other social misstep. If holiday parties send you spiraling, try these tips.

A file photo shows the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. Dr. Anthony Rostain, co-author of The Stressed Years of Their Lives, says today's college students are experiencing an "inordinate amount of anxiety."

College Students (And Their Parents) Face A Campus Mental Health 'Epidemic'

8:25pm May 28, 2019

by Terry Gross

Anthony Rostain and B. Janet Hibbs say college students today face an "inordinate amount of anxiety" — but parents can help their kids cope. Their book is The Stressed Years of Their Lives.

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Steep Climb In Benzodiazepine Prescribing By Primary Care Doctors

6:40pm January 25, 2019

by Rhitu Chatterjee

U.S. prescriptions for Valium, Ativan and other benzodiazepines have shot up since 2003, statistics show, especially for chronic pain. Roughly half those prescriptions are from primary care providers.

Toni Hoy, at her home in Rantoul, Ill., holds a childhood photo of her son, Daniel, who is now 24. In a last-ditch effort to get Daniel treatment for his severe mental illness in 2007, the Hoys surrendered parental custody to the state. "When I think of h

To Get Mental Health Help For A Child, Desperate Parents Relinquish Custody

6:25pm January 02, 2019

by Christine Herman

Doctors told Toni and Jim Hoy their young son needed intensive, specialized care away from home — institutional services that cost at least $100,000 a year. Insurance wouldn't cover the cost.

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Veterans in Murfreesboro, Tenn., enjoy a wheelchair tai chi class; other alternative health programs now commonly offered at VA hospitals in the U.S. include yoga, mindfulness training and art therapy.

To Treat Pain, PTSD And Other Ills, Some Vets Try Tai Chi

6:42pm April 02, 2018

by Blake Farmer

In hopes of reducing some veterans' reliance on pills for physical pain and psychological trauma, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is taking a look at alternative therapies.

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Scientists zeroed in on specific neurons in the brains of mice to gain insights into how anxiety is triggered and suppressed.

Researchers Discover 'Anxiety Cells' In The Brain

8:53pm January 31, 2018

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists who identified specific brain cells in mice that control anxiety say the discovery could provide insights that might eventually help people with panic disorder and social phobia.

About 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from some form of anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Health & Safety

What Is It Like To Suffer From An Anxiety Disorder?

11:34am October 05, 2017

by Barbara J. King

Empathy for people diagnosed with an anxiety disorder can come about by reading first-person accounts and by knowing the facts from science, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.