Am I Dying?

Stress

How Stress Impacts Daily Life and What We Can Do About It

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on April 21, 2024

Stress and overwhelm can get in the way of our lives. When our daily functioning becomes impeded, we must take an honest look at our lives and consider how we can restore balance.

Stress and overwhelm can get in the way of our lives. When our daily functioning becomes impeded, we must take an honest look at our lives and consider how we can restore balance.

Anxiety

Anxiety and Masculinity: Dispelling Unhelpful Social Myths

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on March 27, 2024

Men are often implicitly and explicitly taught to suffer in silence. These outdated and unhelpful gender narratives can impede healthy coping with normal problems such as anxiety.

Men are often implicitly and explicitly taught to suffer in silence. These outdated and unhelpful gender narratives can impede healthy coping with normal problems such as anxiety.

Anxiety

Why Positive Thinking Doesn’t Always Reduce Anxiety

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on March 26, 2024

Society often tells us to "Look on the bright side" when we are feeling anxious or worried, but this is not necessarily helpful for finding comfort.

Society often tells us to "Look on the bright side" when we are feeling anxious or worried, but this is not necessarily helpful for finding comfort.

Anxiety

How Bedside Manner Can Contribute to Anxiety and Shame

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on March 13, 2024

Personal Perspective: It is incumbent upon medical providers to treat patients with empathy, compassion, and understanding.

Personal Perspective: It is incumbent upon medical providers to treat patients with empathy, compassion, and understanding.

Anxiety

How to Tell the Difference Between Anxiety and Panic

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on March 3, 2024

Anxiety and panic can disrupt our lives but when we begin to understand them and how they manifest, we gain control over their devastating impact.

Anxiety and panic can disrupt our lives but when we begin to understand them and how they manifest, we gain control over their devastating impact.

Anxiety

Why Existential Anxiety Is Not a Crisis

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on February 21, 2024

Society tells us that asking existential questions is a sign of crisis or neurosis. Therapists who embrace and encourage existential conversations help clients to feel humanized.

Society tells us that asking existential questions is a sign of crisis or neurosis. Therapists who embrace and encourage existential conversations help clients to feel humanized.

Anxiety

How to Advocate for Yourself at Medical Appointments

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on February 8, 2024

Have you ever felt like you shouldn't speak up at a doctor's appointment? Knowing that you have a voice in your medical treatment can reduce medical anxiety.

Have you ever felt like you shouldn't speak up at a doctor's appointment? Knowing that you have a voice in your medical treatment can reduce medical anxiety.

Anxiety

4 Common Responses to Illness Anxiety and How to Cope

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on January 24, 2024

When people with illness anxiety exhibit unhelpful behavioral responses, an understanding of why can help to support and cultivate healing.

When people with illness anxiety exhibit unhelpful behavioral responses, an understanding of why can help to support and cultivate healing.

Chronic Pain

Why Chronic Pain Scares Us

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on January 14, 2024

Individuals who experience chronic pain often feel significant emotional distress and frustration. But there are ways to be more accepting of pain and to learn how to manage it.

Individuals who experience chronic pain often feel significant emotional distress and frustration. But there are ways to be more accepting of pain and to learn how to manage it.

Anxiety

What's Really Happening During a Panic Attack

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on January 3, 2024

Panic attacks are really scary. But they can also be informative if we can learn to understand what they are trying to communicate to us.

Panic attacks are really scary. But they can also be informative if we can learn to understand what they are trying to communicate to us.

Anxiety

Viewing Illness Anxiety Through an Existential Lens

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on December 17, 2023

It is normal to feel uneasy when we have existential thoughts. But we may benefit from viewing these concerns as a normal part of the human experience.

It is normal to feel uneasy when we have existential thoughts. But we may benefit from viewing these concerns as a normal part of the human experience.

Health

The Problem With "Dr. Google"

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on December 2, 2023

When we use the internet to self-diagnose and research physical symptoms, we risk receiving unhelpful and inaccurate information that can cause our anxiety to spike.

When we use the internet to self-diagnose and research physical symptoms, we risk receiving unhelpful and inaccurate information that can cause our anxiety to spike.

Anxiety

Learning to Cope with Illness Anxiety

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on November 19, 2023

Understanding effective therapeutic interventions is vital in assisting clients struggling with illness anxiety. Here are a few of the most effective modalities.

Understanding effective therapeutic interventions is vital in assisting clients struggling with illness anxiety. Here are a few of the most effective modalities.

Anxiety

How a Narrative Therapy Approach Can Help us Heal

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on November 14, 2023

Beneath your dominant "problem-saturated" narrative lies an alternate story that can help you heal and that is more reflective of your true nature.

Beneath your dominant "problem-saturated" narrative lies an alternate story that can help you heal and that is more reflective of your true nature.

Anxiety

Where Anxiety Lives in Our Bodies

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on November 7, 2023

Stress "lives" in our bodies. Understanding where it takes up residence can help us in coping with uncomfortable anxiety-induced physical sensations.

Stress "lives" in our bodies. Understanding where it takes up residence can help us in coping with uncomfortable anxiety-induced physical sensations.

Anxiety

A Portal to Anxious Thinking

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on October 30, 2023

When test results are uploaded to patient portals without guidance, patients can become frightened about their physical health.

When test results are uploaded to patient portals without guidance, patients can become frightened about their physical health.

Anxiety

Illness Anxiety and Your Wallet

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on October 25, 2023

When anxious patients accrue large medical bills, it can helpful to begin investigating if their quest for answers to symptoms is an unhealthy anxiety response.

When anxious patients accrue large medical bills, it can helpful to begin investigating if their quest for answers to symptoms is an unhealthy anxiety response.

Hypochondria

Why We Don’t Call It Hypochondria Anymore

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on October 18, 2023

We don't always consider the emotional impact of clinical and diagnostic language, but clinicians must be aware of the risk of causing clients to feel pathologized.

We don't always consider the emotional impact of clinical and diagnostic language, but clinicians must be aware of the risk of causing clients to feel pathologized.

Anxiety

Should I Tell My Doctor I’m Anxious?

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on October 13, 2023

We often tell ourselves that doctor's offices are places to discuss the physical and not the emotional, but they must be viewed as intertwined.

We often tell ourselves that doctor's offices are places to discuss the physical and not the emotional, but they must be viewed as intertwined.

Anxiety

More Than "White Coat Syndrome"

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on October 10, 2023

If I get nervous at the doctor's office, is it "white coat syndrome" or illness anxiety disorder? Learn how to tell the difference and how to react healthily to medical anxiety.

If I get nervous at the doctor's office, is it "white coat syndrome" or illness anxiety disorder? Learn how to tell the difference and how to react healthily to medical anxiety.