Latest news with #Pittenger
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Is the #1 Best Habit for Anxiety, According to Mental Health Experts
This Is the #1 Best Habit for Anxiety, According to Mental Health Experts originally appeared on Parade. Anxiety is the most common mental disorder in the United States, affecting about 40 million adults in varying degrees of severity, with nearly 16 percent of adults experiencing mild to severe symptoms of anxiety over a two-week period."Anxiety is the brain's danger signal. It's like an alarm going off," says , the Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry. However, there is one major problem, according to Pittenger: it's often a false alarm. "The brain evolved to be alert to signs of incipient danger and to go into a state of higher alertness when it detects a potential threat in the environment. And that's a good thing—if you're in an environment where bad things have happened in the past, it's good to be on alert for the possibility that they might happen again," he explains. "If there's a rustling in the bushes, and it's dark and you're alone and there are tigers about, it's good to be ready to run. This acute sense of alertness, and the emotions that go with it, we generally call 'fear.' When it becomes generalized and somewhat more amorphous, we call it 'anxiety.'"Unfortunately, anxiety can become untethered from actual threat, resulting in a state of chronically elevated alertness and stress. "This may be particularly pernicious in the modern world, where our environment is so different from the one in which we evolved," Pittenger continues. "And so anxiety—a chronic false alarm going off that is decoupled from any real danger—becomes a source of suffering and a target for treatment."Parade aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a There is a range of ways to treat elevated, autonomous anxiety. "Sometimes, in mild cases, all that's required is to recognize it for what it is—a false alarm, a reflexive search for danger when none exists," Pittenger explains. Lifestyle changes can be very helpful, too—good sleep, regular exercise, a healthy diet, walking in nature and sometimes these are not sufficient "because stubborn patterns of thought get in the way," Pittenger maintains. For example, some people feel a need to be sure that there is no danger before they can bring themselves to relax, "and of course, in a complex, uncertain world, one can never be absolutely sure," he points out. "It's always possible to imagine possible bad outcomes, even if they're not particularly likely." And in the cases where an environment is, in fact, dangerous—like in a toxic or abusive relationship or an unhealthy work environment, for instance—it is adaptive and appropriate to feel some anxiety. "Then, the goal of treatment isn't to remove the anxiety entirely, but rather to better understand and modulate it," he says. This is where therapy may be helpful, especially various forms of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). "A good therapist can help you identify cognitive structures and biases that reinforce anxiety and make it maladaptive, like perfectionism, intolerance of uncertainty and catastrophizing," he says. Related: There's also a role for medication in some cases—although these medications should absolutely only be taken under the supervision of a doctor. "Short-acting medications like benzodiazepines can be helpful for discrete episodes of anxiety, like panic attacks or performance anxiety, but they can create problems in the long term, including tolerance (reduced benefit over time) or addiction," he continues. The best-tested medications are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), like fluoxetine (Prozac) and escitalopram (Lexapro). "These won't help immediately, but over time, they can have a significant benefit," he says. In cases where you feel as though your life is out of control, you may develop catastrophic thinking, which happens when your emotions ramp up into a state of panic. In those moments, you might not have a therapist or medication on hand, so having healthy habits to treat anxiety is very useful, explains family and addictions therapist , author of Fragile Power."One of the best habits I teach my patients to pull themselves out of this dilemma is the age-old practice of counting from one to 20 as many times as needed," he says. Why does this work? It effectively "pulls their chaotic mind and emotions back from the realm of turmoil into the realm of linear logic." Related: For treating anxiety in the longer term, Pittenger recommends prioritizing self-care and doing things that will help shift attention to focus on the positive things in life. "I'm a big fan of walking in nature and of meditation, though these can be harder to do for some people, in practice," he says. "An easier strategy is to just focus on the breathing—in on a count of five, out on a count of 10. Both the slow breathing and the focus can be very helpful." Anxiety can present itself in several different ways. Some are more severe (and debilitating) than others. According to the Mayo Clinic, these are the most common signs and symptoms to look out for: Feeling nervous or restless Having a sense of impending danger/doom Increased heart rate Rapid breathing Sweating Trembling Weakness and fatigue Difficulty concentrating Trouble sleeping Gastrointestinal problems Excessive worry If you experience any of these symptoms, it's important to discuss the matter with your doctor or healthcare provider. Up Next:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 'Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Among Adults: United States, 2019' Anxiety and Depression Association of America: 'Facts & Statistics.' Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD, the Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry. Dr. Paul Hokemeyer, PhD, family and addictions therapist, author of Fragile Power This Is the #1 Best Habit for Anxiety, According to Mental Health Experts first appeared on Parade on Jul 3, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Machete-, shotgun-wielding man shot by officers in Macon arraigned
MACON, Ill. (WCIA) — A man from Macon is now facing formal charges following an incident in that village last week that left him shot and an officer hurt. Oscar McCurry Jr. has since been identified as the person who, on May 3, was armed with a knife when Decatur Police confronted him in a gas station parking lot. McCurry allegedly ran from officers, stole a Macon County Sheriff's squad car, rammed a Decatur Park Police squad car and pointed a police-issued shotgun at officers, prompting them to open fire on him. Second woman involved in Mattoon nursing home crash dies After being hospitalized, McCurry was booked into the Macon County Jail over the weekend on preliminary charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery to a peace officer and unlawful possession of a firearm. On Monday, he made an initial appearance in court and was arraigned on the following formal felony counts: Aggravated unlawful possesion of a weapon Felon in possesion of a weapon Aggravated battery/use of a deadly weapon Aggravated battery to a peace officer Possesion of a stolen vehicle Possesion of a stolen firearm A sworn statement filed in the case, signed by Sheriff's Sergeant David Pittenger, also revealed new details about the confrontation with McCurry and their attempts to negotiate with him. Deputies responded to the P&V gas station in Macon on May 3 in reference to a person with a machete who had crashed their car into a semi-truck. Pittenger said McCurry, whose machete was still in a sheath, told deputies he believed his daughter was being held inside the cab of the semi and was being sexually assaulted, which is why he crashed his car into the semi. The owner of the semi allowed deputies into the cab, and they found no one inside. Pittenger said this information still wasn't enough to convince McCurry his children weren't in danger. A deputy called McCurry's girlfriend to get him to calm down, but right as a deputy got off the phone with her, McCurry ran from the gas station and into the middle of U.S. Route 51. A deputy maneuvered their squad car onto the southbound lanes of the highway to block traffic at Andrews Road. Danville man sentenced to prison for aggravated domestic battery, battery while detained Pittenger said McCurry had unsheathed his machete and was standing in front of the squad car that had blocked traffic; the deputy inside quickly got out to put distance between him and McCurry. McCurry, who made suicidal statements, refused to put the machete down despite numerous commands to do so. 'A short time later, Oscar opened the driver's side door of the deputy's vehicle,' Pittenger said. 'Deputies observed Oscar then get into MSO squad car MC25 and drive away at a high rate of speed.' Pittenger said McCurry didn't get far, initially driving around in circles before driving west on Andrews Street and north on Wall Street. However, he aimed MC25 at multiple other squad cars, forcing the deputies driving them to take evasive action. One of those squad cars ended up in a roadside ditch. McCurry's ride came to an end when he rammed a Decatur Park Police car on Wall Street a quarter mile south of Route 51, disabling MC25 and the Decatur Park Police car. But while the ride was still happening, McCurry got his hands on the department-issued shotgun inside, which Pittenger said McCurry was holding as he exited the squad car. 'Oscar ignored all commands given by deputies [to drop the shotgun], at which time deputies fired their department-issued weapons at Oscar,' Pittenger said. 'At that time, Oscar dropped the shotgun but retrieved a knife from his pocket while still standing in the roadway.' Taylorville Police arrest 'dangerous felon' after tracking him to their city McCurry again refused demands to drop the knife, but Pittenger said he was taken into custody a short time later. Having been shot during the incident, McCurry was initially transported to Decatur Memorial Hospital for treatment of the gunshot wounds and then to a hospital in Springfield for injuries sustained in the crash. The Decatur Park Police officer who was hurt in the collision with MC25 was also taken to Decatur Memorial. He is expected to be okay. A week after the incident, a visibly injured McCurry was booked into the Macon County Jail. A check into his criminal history revealed that McCurry has a prior felony burglary conviction out of Oregon. In court on Monday, Judge Lindsey Shelton found that pretrial detention was necessary for McCurry and ordered him to remain in custody as his court case continues. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for May 28. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
