The myths around OCD delay diagnosis, misdirect treatment, and cause people to suffer unnecessarily — often for years — with a condition that is highly treatable. If you've been told you have anxiety or depression and something about that hasn't quite fit, a more targeted evaluation may be worth pursuing.

Perimenopause, the transitional phase leading up to menopause, can begin in the mid-30s to early 40s and last for several years. During this time, estrogen and progesterone levels don’t just decline — they fluctuate unpredictably. Those fluctuations affect mood, sleep, focus, and emotional resilience in ways that are real, measurable, and too often missed.

Here's what I've come to believe: health isn't just one part of a good life. It's the part that makes everything else possible. You can work hard, build a career, create financial security for your family — and all of that matters. But if your body is worn down or your mind is struggling, none of those things feel the way you hoped they would.

Anxiety disrupts sleep. Poor sleep amplifies anxiety. Over time, the two conditions feed each other in ways that make both harder to treat — and harder to recognize as separate problems at all.

Health anxiety is a general term for excessive worry about your health. When severe, it may be diagnosed as illness anxiety disorder (fear of serious illness with little or no symptoms) or somatic symptom disorder (real physical symptoms with excessive worry about them).

Postpartum OCD and postpartum anxiety are common conditions in new mothers that can look similar but have key differences. Postpartum OCD involves intrusive thoughts and compulsions, while postpartum anxiety presents as more generalized worry. Both are highly treatable with the right support.

Depression after a heart attack is linked to a 2–4 times higher risk of future cardiac events and mortality. The good news is that early recognition and treatment can significantly improve outcomes.

Many people use the words stress and anxiety interchangeably. They can feel very similar. Both can cause worry, tension, trouble sleeping, or a racing heart. But medically, stress and anxiety are not the same thing. Understanding the difference can help people recognize when what they’re experiencing is a normal response to life versus when it may be a mental health condition that deserves professional attention.

GAD is fairly common, affecting about 6% of people at some point in their lives in the United States. For many, symptoms are chronic and can significantly impact quality of life. People with GAD often worry about everyday responsibilities or future possibilities. Living with generalized anxiety disorder can feel exhausting, overwhelming, and isolating, but it is also highly treatable with the right support.

Although OCD and OCPD may look similar on the surface, the treatment plans differ significantly. Someone with OCD may need medication and exposure-based therapy, while someone with OCPD may benefit more from long-term therapy focused on identity, behavior patterns, and meaningful change.

Worry time is a cognitive-behavioral strategy that involves setting aside a daily 20–30 minute window for worrying. This approach has been shown to reduce excessive worry and anxiety and is supported by research as a helpful component of cognitive behavioral therapy, including for generalized anxiety disorder.

Welcoming a new baby is one of the most meaningful transitions in someone’s life, but it is also a time of major physical, emotional, and hormonal change. I never want new parents to enter the postpartum period feeling alone, overwhelmed, or unsure of what to expect. This is why I walk all my expecting moms and dads through a postpartum care plan well before delivery.

Lavender oil has gained attention for its potential calming effects. In this post, I’ve summarized the key findings from the best study to date examining the oral lavender oil preparation Silexan in people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Learn about lorazepam, a benzodiazepine medication seen in The White Lotus Season 3

Learn how propranolol, a beta blocker, can treat anxiety

Our thoughts play a big role in how we feel and act

Learn about health anxiety

Learn about different types of thoughts

Learn why doctors say “disorder” for mental health diagnoses.