Anxiety and Stress

Digital Therapists Get Stressed Too, Study Finds

David Bale1 month ago07 mins

Even chatbots get the blues. According to a new study, OpenAI’s artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT shows signs of anxiety when its users share “traumatic narratives” about crime, war or car accidents. And when chatbots get stressed out, they are less likely to be useful in therapeutic settings with people. The bot’s anxiety levels can be…

What Is Lorazepam? The Drug From ‘The White Lotus’ Carries Real Risks

David Bale1 month ago09 mins

Victoria Ratliff, the wealthy financier’s wife on season 3 of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” has a problem: She keeps popping pills. And her drug of choice, the anti-anxiety medication lorazepam, has left her a little loopy. In the show, which follows guests vacationing at a fictional resort, Victoria pairs her medication with wine, which leads…

Bad Therapists Are Out There. Here’s How to Handle Them.

David Bale2 months ago012 mins

In her first session with a new therapist in San Diego, Elise, 37, immediately felt turned off. Not because of anything the therapist said, but because of the fact that she was riding a stationary bike during their conversation. Maria Danna, 35, was alarmed when her therapist in Portland, Ore., “vigorously shook a maraca at…

Alcohol Makes Me Anxious. Is That Normal?

David Bale3 months ago08 mins

Q: Sometimes I feel really anxious the day after I drink. Can alcohol cause a panic attack? The short answer is yes. Panic attacks — sudden waves of overwhelming fear and apprehension, along with physical symptoms like chest pain and tightness, sweating, a racing heartbeat, nausea, difficulty breathing, feeling faint or numbness in the arms…