Dr. Tolin, a Sharecare expert, is Director of the Center for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy at the Institute of Living in Hartford, CT. He is also Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Tolin has been featured on several TV programs about mental disorders, including "Hoarders" and "The OCD Project," as well as numerous appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Dr. Oz Show, and others. Dr. Tolin has authored nearly 200 scientific articles, chapters, and books, including "Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding."
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David Tolin, PhD answered:How is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) treated?
In the largest comparative treatment study to date, published in 2005 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, 149 patients with OCD were randomly assigned to receive various treatments. These included exposure and response prevention, which means gradually facing scary things combined with strict instructions
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David Tolin, PhD answered:
Can alternative treatments help mental health problems?
I would encourage caution when it comes to alternative mental health treatments. In most cases, there is little or no scientific evidence to support their use, and in some cases they have even been shown to be harmful. Statements about the benefits of things like art therapy, music therapy, aro...Read More -
David Tolin, PhD answered:
How is panic disorder treated?
In the largest study to date on the treatment of panic disorder, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2000, 326 people with panic disorder were assigned at random to one of several treatment conditions. I'll just focus on two for now. One of these groups (77 people) received
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David Tolin, PhD answered:
What sort of therapy can help mental health problems?
There is increasing evidence that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has a distinct advantage over other forms of psychotherapy, particularly for depressive and anxiety disorders. CBT is generally time-limited, goal-oriented, and focused on alleviating specific patterns of unhelpful behavior or irrational
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David Tolin, PhD answered:
What are the symptoms of social anxiety disorders?
Social Anxiety Disorder (also called Social Phobia), is an excessive fear of social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny from others. The person with Social Anxiety Disorder isn't afraid of people per se; rather, he/she is afraid of acting in a way that will be embarrassing
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David Tolin, PhD answered:
What are the symptoms of a panic attack?
A panic attack, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-4th Edition, is a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which four (or more) of the following symptoms develop abruptly and reach a peak within 10 minutes:
--palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated...Read More -
David Tolin, PhD answered:
What causes panic disorder?
People who are vulnerable to develop panic attacks have high levels of anxiety sensitivity. Anxiety sensitivity refers to a tendency to become distressed about normal symptoms of anxiety, or to view them as more important or dangerous than they really are. Most of us, if we feel our heart pounding, would probably...Read More -
David Tolin, PhD answered:
How can a psychologist help with mental health therapy?
Psychologists specialize in providing psychotherapy or behavioral therapy for mental disorders and related problems.
The American Psychological Association only recognizes the doctoral degree (Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D.) and does not recommend using the term psychologist for clinicians with master's degrees...Read More -
David Tolin, PhD answered:
What are the basic approaches to psychotherapy?
The psychotherapy with the strongest evidentiary basis is called cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). The basic premise of CBT is that emotional problems stem from faulty or irrational beliefs or thought patterns, as well as maladaptive or unhealthy patterns of behavior. CBT therefore focuses on...Read More -
David Tolin, PhD answered:
How is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) diagnosed?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) notes that a diagnosis of OCD can be appropriate when the person experiences one or both of the following symptoms: Obsessions (intrusive thoughts, ideas, images, or impulses that are distressing) and Compulsions (repetitive behaviors...Read More