Anxiety disorders are a diverse group of  similar psychological disorders. Anxiety disorders have the common elements of unusually high levels of fear accompanied by anxiety and behavioral abnormalities.

There has been a lot of media attention lately on the condition known as hoarding. We all know someone that we may describe as a “pack rat” and they do not like to throw things away or feel like the items may be necessary later on, hoarding is something different.

There is a stranger in your house. You can hear the noise, but you are not sure who it is, or what they want. Without thinking anything, your body is already gearing up for some sort of action.

Everyone gets anxious from time to time. Anxiety is sometimes thought of as the energy of life, as it motivates us to do, or not do, certain things. But there is a point where it becomes painful, where it interferes with daily living, and that is where it becomes Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

It’s another sleepless night, already 4am, and you have to get up in two hours. You have yet to sleep. Your mind will not shut off long enough to let sleep come. You keep thinking and thinking, worrying at times. This is insomnia and it’s one of the sleep issues that can arise from anxiety and anxiety-based disorders.

Research indicates that showing gratitude everyday can increase happiness and improve self-esteem while decreasing depression and stress.

According to a recent study, individuals who are exposed to sunlight or bright indoor light early in the morning experience less stress, feel less depressed and sleep better at night than those who are not.

Both Buddhism and contemporary neuroscience agree: there is no permanent “you” or consistent, objective self. The Western idea that we remain the same moment to moment is an illusion. Rather, we are a set of cells, with brain and body in constant flux.