Anxiety Matters

The Bonnies speak with Dr. Kirsten Thompson about treating anxiety and the importance of finding a therapist or psychiatrist who feels like a good fit, including meeting with more than one provider if needed. They discuss when medication may be worth considering, how to start slowly for people with health anxiety, and common options such as SSRIs, buspirone, supplements, benzodiazepines, and propranolol.
They also cover the role of therapy and lifestyle changes, the benefits and risks of different medications, and how propranolol can help with performance anxiety. They wrap up by discussing social media, stigma, and Dr. Thompson’s telehealth practice, which provides medication management and collaborative care for patients in California.
HIGHLIGHTS:
3:39 Meet Dr. Kirsten Thompson
5:43 When Medication Makes Sense
10:26 Ashwagandha and Supplements
14:28 Medication Feels Like Failure
16:38 SSRIs for Anxiety
21:45 Managing Side Effects
26:19 Benzos and Safety Risks
35:47 Propranolol for Performance
38:50 Social Media and Misinformation
43:58 Remedy Psychiatry Overview

connect with Dr. Kirsten Thompson
website: https://remedypsychiatry.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/remedypsychiatry
FB: https://www.facebook.com/remedypsych

CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS:
Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west)
website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com
Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf
Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ

Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east)
website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com
Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ
The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

The Bonnies talk about how rare and frightening news stories can trigger anxiety and OCD, especially around postpartum mental health. They discuss postpartum psychosis, intrusive thoughts, and how anxiety can make people misread normal thoughts or fears as signs of danger.
They also look at similar patterns with topics like suicide or serious illness, and how repeated news and social media exposure can make rare events feel more likely. They close by stressing the value of psycho-education and realistic probabilities, especially for pregnant and postpartum people.
HIGHLIGHTS:
0:49 Postpartum Intrusive Thoughts
4:45 OCD and Suicide Fears
8:04 Threat Bias in Anxiety
10:48 Teaching Realistic Probabilities
14:48 COVID and Catastrophic Thinking
16:23 Managing Uncertainty

CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS:
Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west)
website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com
Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf
Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ

Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east)
website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com
Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ
The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

The Bonnies talk about hoarding with Dr. David Tolin, a clinician and researcher who has worked extensively in this area. They begin by distinguishing hoarding disorder from ordinary messiness or collecting, and note that hoarding is characterized by difficulty discarding items, strong attachment to possessions, and often excessive acquisition.
They talk about how hoarding develops over time, including early onset in childhood or adolescence, and how stress or major life changes can make symptoms worse. Also, genetic factors and the idea that hoarding can run in families, while still requiring attention to behavior and environment.
They then focus on treatment. Dr. Tolin explains that hoarding is not the same as OCD, even though it has often been grouped with obsessive compulsive disorders. He describes current treatment approaches that emphasize decision-making training, problem-solving, distress tolerance, cognitive questioning, and motivational interviewing rather than simply forcing the person to throw things away.
They also discuss the importance of insight and motivation, since many people with hoarding disorder do not initially see themselves as having a problem and how clinicians can use Socratic questions to help people examine what their possessions mean to them and whether keeping them fits their values.
Finally, they address family concerns, childhood hoarding behaviors, and the limits of medication research noting that there are no randomized controlled trials of medication for hoarding disorder, though some open trials have suggested possible benefit from certain medications.
HIGHLIGHTS:
1:05 Clutter Versus Hoarding
4:21 The Fire Changed Everything
7:44 Meet Dr. David Tolin
8:38 Hoarding Is Not OCD
11:24 Defining Hoarding Disorder
15:32 Trauma, Stress, and Risk
18:56 Rethinking Treatment Goals
21:26 Therapy for Hoarding
27:47 Time, Values, and Insight
35:06 Health Hazards and Questions
36:21 A Severe Hoarding Case
39:26 Medication Evidence
41:38 Pediatric Hoarding Concerns
45:23 Insight and Self-Referral

connect with Dr. David Tolin
website: https://drtolin.com

CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS:
Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west)
website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com
Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf
Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ

Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east)
website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com
Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ
The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

In this episode, the BZW and BZE talk about how feeling understood in relationships can affect stress, well-being, and even physical symptoms. They discuss how anxiety is often misunderstood by partners and family members, and how advice or pressure can sometimes leave people feeling invalidated.
They also focus on validation as a practical response, including finding the kernel of truth in what someone is feeling and saying things like “that makes sense” or “I can see this is hard for you.” They explain the difference between offering solutions and offering support, and suggest asking whether someone wants advice, validation, or something else.
HIGHLIGHTS:
1:36 Feeling Seen, Feeling Stressed
3:54 When Loved Ones Miss It
5:45 Fixing Versus Validating
8:44 Why Validation Works
12:13 Find the Kernel of Truth
14:22 The Need to Feel Known
16:30 Practical Takeaways for Partners

mentioned in episode
How to Know a Person (book): https://a.co/d/04qD6vzj

CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS:
Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west)
website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com
Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf
Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ

Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east)
website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com
Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ
The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

In this episode, the Bonnies talk about doctor anxiety and how it can lead people to avoid appointments or feel intense worry before routine tests and screenings. They discuss the value of recommended preventive care, the importance of trusting relationships with doctors, and the role of therapy when health fears become difficult to manage.
They also look at the balance between appropriate screening and excessive testing, including how more scans or wearable devices can sometimes increase stress.
HIGHLIGHTS:
1:33 Vet Fears, Doctor Fears
2:40 Screening Protects Health
5:45 Facing Mammogram Anxiety
7:12 Trusting Doctors, Timing Tests
10:22 Full-Body Scan Dilemma
14:12 Too Many Tests
14:57 Wearables and Anxiety

mentioned in episode
Less Medicine More Health by Dr. H. Gilbert Welch: https://a.co/d/01SYYhru

CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS:
Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west)
website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com
Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf
Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ

Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east)
website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com
Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ
The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.