ADHD Hyperfixation and Hyperfocus: What It Is and How to Manage It
ADHD hyperfixation and hyperfocus: what they are, examples, how they differ from autism special interests, the benefits and downsides, and tips to manage them.
MEDIBILBAO SALUD · HEALTH BLOG
Psychology guides
Our psychology guides, written by the MediBilbao Salud team in Bilbao and reviewed by a medical doctor.
Anhedonia: When You Lose Interest and Pleasure, and How to Treat It
Anhedonia is the loss of interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy: types, causes such as depression, treatment and steps that can help.
Anxiety Chest Pain: What It Feels Like, Causes and When to Worry
Anxiety chest pain explained: what it feels like, why anxiety causes chest symptoms, how it differs from heart pain, what to do in the moment and treatment.
Anxious Attachment Style: Signs, Causes and How to Heal
Anxious (preoccupied) attachment explained: signs in relationships, where it comes from, the anxious–avoidant trap and steps that help you feel more secure.
Avoidant Attachment Style: Signs of Dismissive Avoidance and How to Change
Dismissive avoidant attachment explained: signs in relationships, where it comes from, how it differs from fearful avoidance and how to build closeness.
Disorganized Attachment: Signs in Children and Adults, Causes and Healing
Disorganized attachment explained: what it looks like in children and adults, links with fear and trauma, how it affects relationships and how healing happens.
Driving Anxiety: Why It Happens and How to Overcome Fear of Driving
Driving anxiety and fear of driving: causes such as accidents and panic attacks, symptoms, tips for motorways and bridges, and therapies that work.
Effects of Bullying: Mental, Physical and Long-Term Impact
The effects of bullying on children, teenagers and adults: mental and physical health, school and work, long-term impact, signs to look for and how to help.
Emetophobia: Understanding and Treating the Fear of Vomiting
Emetophobia, the fear of vomiting: symptoms, avoidance and safety behaviours, how it affects eating and daily life, and how CBT with exposure helps.
Fawn Response: What Fawning Is, Signs and How to Stop People-Pleasing
The fawn response explained: people-pleasing as a trauma response, signs, how it differs from fight, flight and freeze, and steps to set boundaries.
Fear of Abandonment: Signs, Causes and How to Heal
Fear of abandonment: signs in relationships, causes in childhood and past experiences, links with attachment and BPD, and therapies that help you heal.
Fearful Avoidant Attachment: Signs, Causes and How to Heal
Fearful avoidant attachment explained: wanting closeness but fearing it, signs in relationships, links with trauma, and steps and therapy that help.
How to Calm Your Nervous System: Quick Techniques and Long-Term Habits
How to calm your nervous system when stressed or anxious: breathing, the physiological sigh, muscle relaxation, grounding, movement, sleep and when to get help.
How to Help Someone With Depression: Practical Steps and What to Say
How to help someone with depression: signs to notice, starting the conversation, what to say and avoid, encouraging help and looking after yourself.
Journaling Prompts for Mental Health: 35+ Ideas and How to Start
Journaling prompts for mental health, self-reflection, gratitude and hard days, how expressive writing helps and how to start a daily journal.
Lack of Motivation: Why It Happens and How to Get Moving Again
No motivation? Common causes of lack of motivation, from stress and burnout to depression and ADHD, and practical, evidence-based ways to get started again.
Managing ADHD Without Medication: Strategies That Work
Managing ADHD without medication: CBT, routines, structure, exercise and sleep, strategies for task paralysis and exhaustion, and what the evidence shows.
Mental Breakdown: Signs of a Nervous Breakdown and How to Recover
What people mean by a mental or nervous breakdown, the warning signs, common causes, what to do in the moment and how to recover with support.
Midlife Crisis in Women and Men: Signs, Causes and Healthy Ways to Cope
Midlife crisis in women and men: what research says, common signs, links with menopause, work and family pressures, and healthy ways to cope.
Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Becomes Unhealthy
Orthorexia is an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating: warning signs, how it differs from anorexia and OCD, proposed criteria, effects and treatment.
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria and ADHD: Signs, Causes and How to Cope
Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) in ADHD: what it is, signs, why rejection hurts so much, what the research says and strategies and treatment that help.
Relationship Anxiety: Signs, Causes, Jealousy and How to Cope
Relationship anxiety and jealousy: common signs, causes such as attachment and past experiences, how to cope, talking to your partner and therapy.
Relationship OCD (ROCD): Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Relationship OCD explained: obsessive doubts about your partner or your feelings, compulsions such as checking and reassurance-seeking, and effective treatment.
Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship: Toxic Traits and Gaslighting Examples
Signs of an unhealthy relationship: toxic traits, controlling behaviour, contempt, gaslighting examples, unhealthy versus abusive, and where to get help.
The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique: Step-by-Step Guide
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique for anxiety and panic: step-by-step instructions, why it works, variations for children and adults, and when it is not enough.
Trauma Bonding: Signs, Why It Happens and How to Break It
Trauma bonding explained: why people stay attached to someone who hurts them, the signs, the cycle of abuse and steps to break the bond safely.
ADHD Symptoms in Women: Signs, Masking and Getting Diagnosed
ADHD in women often looks like disorganisation, anxiety, forgetfulness and emotional overwhelm. Common symptoms, masking, hormones, diagnosis and treatment.
Anxiety and ADHD: Overlap, Differences and Treatment
Anxiety and ADHD often occur together. How they overlap and differ, why anxiety is common in ADHD, assessment, treatment (CBT, medication) and daily strategies.
Anxiety and Depression Together: Symptoms and Treatment
Anxiety and depression often occur together. Overlapping symptoms, why they coexist, how they are assessed, treatments that work for both and when to seek help.
Anxiety Symptoms: Physical, Emotional and When to Get Help
Anxiety symptoms: physical signs, emotional and behavioural symptoms, types of anxiety disorder, how it differs from normal worry and when to seek help.
Burnout: Symptoms, Causes, Recovery and Prevention
Burnout: exhaustion, cynicism and reduced effectiveness from chronic work stress. Symptoms, causes, how it differs from depression and how to recover.
Can’t Sleep? What to Do Tonight and in the Long Run
Can’t sleep? What to do tonight (get up, quiet activity, relaxation), why it happens, habits that help, CBT for insomnia and when to see a doctor.
Caregiver Stress: Signs, Prevention and Where to Find Help
Caregiver stress and burnout: signs, risks to health, practical ways to cope, respite care, setting limits, guilt, when to seek help and support services.
Deep Breathing for Anxiety: Techniques That Work
Deep breathing for anxiety: belly breathing, 4-6, box breathing and 4-7-8 explained step by step, how they calm the body and when they are not enough.
Emotional Exhaustion: Signs, Causes and How to Recover
Emotional exhaustion: feeling drained, numb and unable to cope. Signs, causes (burnout, stress, caregiving), how it differs from depression, and recovery.
Feeling Anxious for No Reason: Causes and What to Do
Feeling anxious for no apparent reason has real causes: stress, sleep, caffeine, hormones, medical conditions and anxiety disorders. What helps.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Symptoms and Treatment
Generalized anxiety disorder: persistent excessive worry. Symptoms, diagnosis, causes, CBT, medication, self-help and how it differs from normal worry.
Grounding Techniques for Anxiety: 12 Methods That Work Fast
Grounding techniques for anxiety and panic: 5-4-3-2-1, breathing, cold water and body-based methods, how to practise them and when to seek professional help.
Health Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes and How to Treat It
Health anxiety (illness anxiety): constant worry about having a serious illness. Symptoms, causes, the checking and reassurance cycle, CBT and when to get help.
How to Stop a Panic Attack: 10 Steps That Help in the Moment
How to stop a panic attack: 10 steps (slow breathing, grounding, acceptance, reassurance), what not to do, how long attacks last and when to get help.
How to Stop Overthinking: Practical Techniques That Work
How to stop overthinking: why rumination and worry happen, techniques that work (worry time, defusion, action, mindfulness), CBT and when to seek help.
Insomnia: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment That Works
Insomnia: causes, symptoms, how it is diagnosed and treatment. Why CBT for insomnia is first-line, sleep habits that help, medicines and when to see a doctor.
Low Self-Esteem: Signs, Causes and How to Improve It
Low self-esteem: signs, causes, how it affects mood and relationships, practical strategies (self-compassion, CBT, experiments) and when to get help.
Morning Anxiety: Why You Wake Up Anxious and What Helps
Morning anxiety: why you may wake with dread, racing heart or worry (cortisol, sleep, caffeine, blood sugar), a calming morning routine and when to seek help.
Nocturnal Panic Attacks: Why You Wake in Panic, What Helps
Nocturnal panic attacks wake you with racing heart and fear. Causes, how they differ from nightmares, what to do during an attack and treatment.
OCD: Types, Symptoms and Treatment
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): obsessions and compulsions, common types (contamination, checking, harm, symmetry), diagnosis and ERP therapy.
Over-the-Counter Sleep Aids: Types, Risks and Better Options
Over-the-counter sleep aids: antihistamines, melatonin and herbal products. How they work, their risks, who should avoid them and safer alternatives.
Panic Attack: Symptoms, What to Do and How to Prevent Them
Panic attacks: symptoms, what to do during one, how long they last, how they differ from heart attacks, panic disorder, CBT and when to see a doctor.
Panic Disorder Treatment: CBT, Medication and Self-Help
Panic disorder treatment: how CBT, SSRIs and self-help work, what to expect, how long it takes, relapse prevention and when to seek help.
Postpartum Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Postpartum anxiety: constant worry, racing thoughts and tension after birth. How it differs from baby blues and depression, treatment and self-care.
Pregnancy Insomnia: Causes, Safe Remedies and When to Worry
Pregnancy insomnia is very common. Causes by trimester, safe ways to sleep better, what to avoid, and when to talk to your midwife or doctor.
Social Anxiety Disorder: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Social anxiety disorder: intense fear of being judged in social situations. Symptoms, difference from shyness, causes, CBT, medication and self-help strategies.
Therapy for Burnout: What Helps, Types and What to Expect
Therapy for burnout: CBT, acceptance-based and mindfulness approaches, workplace changes, recovery time and when to seek help for exhaustion and low mood.
Valerian Root for Sleep: Does It Work? Dose and Safety
Valerian root for sleep: what the evidence shows, how it is taken, dose, side effects, interactions, who should avoid it and better-proven options for insomnia.