It’s tax time. Our accountant called to ask for another piece of paper. The regular drawer in which I stow stuff to do with mortgages is stuffed with large folders from various mortgage and title companies that we have dealt with over the last decade. Couldn’t find the paper—took out everything and slowly sorted through each folder—thinking that maybe the paper got stuck in with another stack. Anxiety starts to build. I start looking in another drawer, another filing system. This one contains recently paid bills, car insurance, health records, and stuff like that. Thought maybe that paper would be in with the mortgage payments—no paper. Although I am quite aware that I could call the title company and get another copy, this quest is getting too important. By now, my heart rate has increased and my mind is quickly filling with obsessional thoughts: “What if I die and my kids have to sort through this mess?” and “What’s wrong with me that I can’t remember where I put that paper?” Then, “Am I getting early dementia?” Finally, “If I make it though this, I vow to get better organized!”

Happy 4th of July. Tonight, we'll sit outside and watch the fireworks from our backyard. Our dogs will likely be close by; not terribly frightened, but a bit upset by the explosions. We'll keep an ...

Part II (see previous blog entry for Part I of this interview, conducted by David DiSalvo) Tell us what "anxiety" really is in a clinical sense, and how it's different than "a case ...

Today we spent the afternoon in Split, Croatia. Our moods were positive and we enjoyed lunch at a quaint local restaurant. The last few days presented a much greater challenge to our moods. In a ...

Though not typical, some people experience significant anxiety for the first time in their lives as adults. Other folks have had previous bouts with anxiety, but suddenly feel an intense new wave of anxious feelings ...

The line between the worries of people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and normal concerns can be quite fuzzy. Worries about a possible pandemic from Swine flu make the line even blurrier than usual. Advice ...