Author Archives: David Russ

David Russ

About David Russ

Licensed Practicing Psychologist in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Facing your fear not working as well as you hoped? Well, maybe you are holding back.

Posted on May 4, 2012 by David Russ

Anxiety experts call them “safety behaviors”. They are subtle ways to try and minimize fear. “What is wrong with minimizing fear?” you might ask. Well, when you are trying to face your fears these little tricks teach you that you … Continue reading →

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What Causes an Anxiety Disorder?

Posted on May 4, 2012 by David Russ

There could be a number a causes for an anxiety disorder. It is often hard to answer it with confidence for someone who has an anxiety disorder. (Let me just note that when it comes to treatment, most of the … Continue reading →

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Coping With Your Child’s Anxiety, 12 Things You Need for Restoring Peace of Mind

Posted on April 6, 2012 by David Russ

If you have an anxious child, you know that at times your family gets hijacked. Plans and expectations get thrown out the window. Your dreams of a happy family are dashed by sudden outbursts, frozen resistance and unexplainable fear. Consider … Continue reading →

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Nowhere to Hide: The cycle of involuntary blushing

Posted on October 26, 2011 by David Russ

Everyone blushes but for some people their lives can be dominated with trying to prevent it. The fear of involuntary blushing impacts the daily life of more people than you would think. It is a very common characteristic of social … Continue reading →

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PTSD symptoms – problem or attempt to solve?

Posted on October 16, 2011 by David Russ

It is my opinion that the symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are actually an attempt by the soul to resolve the problem. One of the symptoms is the stubborn replaying of the experience in dreams, flashbacks, and other all … Continue reading →

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Anxiety and screaming babies

Posted on September 10, 2011 by David Russ

I was minding my own business in one of those warehouse shopping stores when suddenly I was assaulted by an eardrum shattering wail that made my skin crawl. A crying toddler, possibly the most painful sound known to shoppers worldwide. … Continue reading →

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Posted in Anxiety, Child, Children, Disorders, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), Panic, Phobia, Social Anxiety, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Thinking Mistakes: Part 3

Posted on September 5, 2011 by David Russ

Filtering out positive but allowing negative thoughts is this blog’s focus. Imagine that I ask my son to count how many dark socks he has for school. He says a number and then I ask, “Did you count the white … Continue reading →

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OTC pain meds may block effectiveness of antidepressants

Posted on August 28, 2011 by David Russ

An article in Scientific American Mind reports that Ibuprofen, aspirin and other anti-inflammatory over the counter (OTC) pain relievers may disrupt the action of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa and Luvox. Roughly a … Continue reading →

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Negative thoughts: Part 2

Posted on August 28, 2011 by David Russ

Thinking that someone is judging you in a way that causes anxiety. This is sometimes called negative mind-reading. For example, you might imagine that other children will think your child is messed up if they are anxious. You might think … Continue reading →

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Negative thoughts: Part 1

Posted on August 22, 2011 by David Russ

With many psychological problems comes a certain perspective that either creates, reinforces or escalates the negative emotions. In this brief series I will look at many of the common ideas and thoughts. The first one is thinking of a terrible … Continue reading →

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