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The Siggy Blog

Expert articles on medications, conditions, and the future of mental healthcare, from the team building it.

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Fear vs. Anxiety: Understanding the Difference

Fear responds to a present threat. Anxiety anticipates a future one. Learn the neurobiological and clinical differences, and when anxiety becomes a disorder.

July 1, 2026Fear vs AnxietyAnxiety PhysiologyFight or FlightUnderstanding AnxietyAnxiety Disorder Signs
Symptoms & ExperiencesJuly 1, 2026

What Are the Most Common PTSD Triggers? A Clinical Guide

PTSD triggers are sensory, situational, or internal cues that activate the same threat response as the original trauma. Learn the most common types and the neuroscience behind why they work.

PTSD TriggersTrauma ResponsePTSD SymptomsManaging PTSDTrauma Recovery
Symptoms & ExperiencesJuly 1, 2026

Why Do I Overthink Everything? The Depression-Anxiety Link

Overthinking and depression share a neurobiological root. This guide explains how rumination bridges depression and anxiety, why willpower alone doesn't work, and what evidence-based treatment actually does.

OverthinkingRuminationDepression Anxiety OverlapCognitive Patterns
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 29, 2026

Anxiety and Memory Loss: What's the Connection?

Anxiety doesn't just feel bad, it can impair how your brain encodes and retrieves memories. Here is what the research shows about the cortisol-hippocampus connection and what you can do about it.

Anxiety and MemoryAnxiety Cognitive EffectsCortisol MemoryMemory ProblemsAnxiety Brain Effects
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 29, 2026

Anxiety and Shortness of Breath: How to Tell the Difference

Shortness of breath from anxiety affects 70% of panic attack sufferers. Here is how to tell it apart from cardiac causes and when to seek emergency care.

Anxiety Shortness of BreathCan Anxiety Cause BreathlessnessPanic Attack BreathingHyperventilation AnxietyAnxiety Physical Symptoms
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 29, 2026

Why Do I Cry So Much? When Crying Is a Mental Health Signal

Frequent crying can be completely normal or a clinical sign of depression, anxiety, or emotional dysregulation. Here is how to tell the difference and what to do about it.

Crying and Mental HealthDepression SymptomsEmotional DysregulationWhy Do I Cry So MuchUnexplained Crying
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 26, 2026

ADHD Paralysis: Why You Can't Start Tasks and What Helps

ADHD paralysis isn't laziness. A licensed PA explains why the ADHD brain freezes on tasks, the three forms it takes, and what clinical evidence says actually helps.

ADHD ParalysisADHD Task InitiationExecutive Dysfunction ADHDADHD Task AvoidanceADHD Productivity
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 26, 2026

Can Anxiety Cause Chest Pain? When to Worry

Yes, anxiety can cause real chest pain. A psychiatrist explains how anxiety produces chest pain, how to tell it from cardiac causes, and when to call 911.

Anxiety Chest PainPanic Attack SymptomsNoncardiac Chest PainAnxiety vs Heart AttackPanic Disorder Symptoms
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 26, 2026

Anxiety Chills: Why Anxiety Makes You Feel Cold and How to Stop It

Anxiety chills happen when the fight-or-flight response redirects blood flow away from your skin. Here is the physiology behind cold, shivering, and trembling from anxiety, and what actually helps.

Anxiety ChillsAnxiety Cold SymptomsFight or Flight ResponseAnxiety Body SymptomsPanic Attack Symptoms
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 26, 2026

Can Anxiety Cause High Blood Pressure? What the Research Says

Anxiety can spike your blood pressure in the short term and may contribute to sustained hypertension over time. A licensed clinician explains the research and what to do about it.

Anxiety Blood PressureCardiovascular Mental HealthHypertension AnxietyWhite Coat HypertensionAnxiety Physical Symptoms
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 26, 2026

What Are the Signs of Depression in Adults?

Depression in adults doesn't always look like sadness. A licensed PA explains the 9 symptoms, what they actually feel like in adults, and when to get evaluated.

Signs of Depression in AdultsDepression RecognitionAdult Depression SymptomsFunctional DepressionDepression Evaluation
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 26, 2026

Stress vs. Anxiety: How to Know Which One You're Actually Dealing With

Stress and anxiety share symptoms, but they are clinically different. A Psych PA explains the key distinctions, why they matter for treatment, and when to get help.

Stress vs AnxietyStress Anxiety DifferenceAnxiety Disorder SymptomsChronic Stress Mental HealthWhen to Seek Help Anxiety
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 26, 2026

How to Manage Test Anxiety: Evidence-Based Techniques That Work

Test anxiety affects 10 to 35 percent of college students and reduces academic performance. A Psych PA explains the evidence-based techniques that actually reduce it.

Test AnxietyStudy AnxietyExam Performance AnxietyTest Anxiety CBTAcademic Anxiety Students
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 26, 2026

Why Am I Depressed? Common Triggers You Might Not Expect

Feeling depressed but can't pinpoint why? A licensed PA explains the full spectrum of depression triggers, from obvious stressors to medical and biological causes that most people overlook.

Why Am I DepressedDepression TriggersSituational DepressionDepression Warning SignsUnexpected Depression Causes
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 24, 2026

What Does Anxiety Feel Like? Physical and Mental Symptoms Explained

Anxiety shows up in the body before the mind catches on. A clinician explains the physical and cognitive symptoms of anxiety, why they happen, and when they signal something clinical.

Anxiety SymptomsPhysical Anxiety SymptomsWhat Anxiety Feels LikeAnxiety vs StressAnxiety Signs
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 24, 2026

What a Manic Episode Feels Like: A Clinical Perspective

Mania isn't a mood swing or a productivity boost. A psychiatrist explains the specific biology, warning signs, and daily patterns that define a manic episode, and why continuous monitoring changes outcomes.

Manic EpisodeBipolar DisorderMania SymptomsBipolar IMood Episode
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 23, 2026

Am I Depressed? 10 Signs to Look For

Depression doesn't always feel like sadness. It can feel like numbness, exhaustion, or an inability to care about anything. Here are 10 clinically grounded signs and what they mean.

Am I DepressedDepression SymptomsSigns of DepressionDepression ScreeningMental Health Self-Assessment
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 23, 2026

Do I Have ADHD? 12 Signs Adults Often Miss

Adult ADHD goes undiagnosed in most people who have it. Here are 12 signs that adults commonly overlook or misattribute, what the ASRS-5 screening tool measures, and when to pursue a clinical evaluation.

ADHD Self-AssessmentADHD in AdultsUndiagnosed ADHDADHD ScreeningADHD Signs in Adults
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 23, 2026

What Does Depression Feel Like? Real Experiences Explained

Depression is not just sadness. People describe numbness, physical exhaustion, fog, and a quiet erasure of everything that once felt meaningful. Here is what depression actually feels like from the inside, grounded in clinical research.

Depression SymptomsWhat Depression Feels LikeDepression vs SadnessMajor Depressive DisorderDepression Physical Symptoms
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 19, 2026

What Are the 17 Symptoms of Complex PTSD?

Complex PTSD develops from prolonged trauma, not a single event. This guide covers Pete Walker's 17-symptom framework, the ICD-11 clinical criteria, and what effective treatment actually involves.

Complex PTSDCPTSD SymptomsTrauma RecoveryEmotional DysregulationChildhood Trauma
Symptoms & ExperiencesJune 18, 2026

ADHD Symptoms in Adults: Signs You Might Have Written Off as Something Else

Adult ADHD rarely looks like a hyperactive child. Here are the symptoms that show up differently in adults, why they get missed, and what the evaluation process involves.

Adult ADHD SymptomsADHD SignsADHD in WomenInattentive ADHDADHD Awareness