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If you have anticipatory anxiety, you are fearful for an extended period of time about an imagined future situation you perceive as an unpredictable threat.

This mental health condition is usually not seen as a specific disorder, but rather a symptom of certain anxiety-related disorders, including panic disorder, generalized anxiety, and social phobia.

Your anxious feelings can reach a peak in the hours before a scheduled event or last for months prior to a situation that may or may not happen.

Symptoms of Anticipatory Anxiety

If you know that you will soon need to face the object of your fear, you might develop physical and emotional symptoms, such as:

• Hyperventilating
• Chest pain
• Muscle spasms
• Rumination
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feelings of apprehension

It can put stress on your personal relationships because you’re distracted and appear self-absorbed. You may also find it compromises your ability to function competently at work if you are consistently distracted.

Phasic Fear vs. Anticipatory Anxiety

Phasic fear lasts for a short time and is a reaction to a predictable threat. Anticipatory anxiety, in contrast, lasts a longer time and is a reaction to an unpredictable threat. In a study published in the journal Depression and Anxiety, neuroscientists using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning technology discovered these two types of fear are not the same because they activate different parts of the brain.

Types of Anticipatory Anxiety

Certainly we’ve all experienced anticipatory anxiety at one time or another—before a job interview, first date, school exam, or a major trip—but if you or someone you love struggles with one of the following anxiety disorders, anticipatory anxiety can go beyond the limits of what people normally experience prior to something new or out of their comfort zone.

Panic Attacks

When you suffer from anticipatory panic attacks, you are constantly worrying about your next attack—When will it happen and what will occur? Will it happen when I’m driving? Will it cause me to get into a car accident? Will it happen it a store? Will I embarrass myself? Will I be able to get home?

The fear of having a panic attack can be linked to any life situation or event (big or small). In severe cases, this type of anticipatory anxiety can prevent you from leaving the safety of your home, a fear known as agoraphobia.

Fear of Flying (Aerophobia)

When you have flight anxiety, you are perceiving the present and experiencing fear in real-time. You are sitting in a seat on a real plane and worrying about the takeoff or you might feel anxious if you hear a strange noise in flight.

In contrast, if you have anticipatory anxiety about flying, you are afraid of an imaginary plane and what might happen if you get on the plane—imagining one or a variety of possible in-flight disasters.

Social Phobia

If you have anticipatory social phobia, you may feel anxious about work or social events that aren’t even scheduled to happen. For example, you may be imagining yourself giving a speech with people judging you or saying the wrong thing when meeting a new person.

Coping Strategies

In addition to getting help and seeking proper treatment for your specific type of anxiety, there are some general techniques you can do to stay calm and better cope with anticipatory anxiety. Experiment with one or two and see which works best for you.

Get Enough Sleep

Getting a sufficient amount of sleep may help ameliorate anticipatory anxiety, but not getting enough could exacerbate the situation, according to UC Berkley neuroscientists. This is because a lack of sleep fires up the regions of your brain associated with processing emotions such as the amygdala and the insular cortex.

Develop Your Relaxation Response

Whether deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), guided imagery, or meditation, having a handful of relaxation techniques at your ready can help you focus on the present and reduce your level of anticipatory anxiety.

Talk to Yourself Like You Would a Friend

What would you tell a loved one or trusted friend if they were feeling anxious about something that hasn’t even happened? You would likely be kind and offer support—and you should use compassionate words with yourself, too.

For example, you might assure a friend with anticipatory anxiety about flying that it’s OK to be afraid and that there is a less than a 1% chance of getting on a flight headed for disaster.

Distract Yourself

Sometimes it’s helpful to just make yourself focus on something other than your anxious thoughts. Healthy distraction activities can include going for a walk, listening to music, doing some quick chores, watching a funny video on YouTube, reading a book, or calling a friend.

Face Your Fear

Ask yourself: What am I really anxious about? How likely is it that my fears will come true? Once you identify your anxiety, you can work to change your thought process. For example, remind yourself that you thought the flight was safe enough to make the reservation. Tell yourself to stop thinking about it and that you’re going to get on that flight no matter what.

Phobias are often treated with exposure therapy to help desensitize you to the object of your fear. This is the same idea.

Reframe Your Thinking

You can use reframing to overcome faulty thought patterns and change your perception of a feared situation. For example, if it’s the fear of turbulence that keeps you up at night, remind yourself that the best place for you to be in turbulence is in your seat with your seatbelt on.

Getting Help

If these self-help strategies aren’t cutting it, set up an appointment with a mental health professional. Together, you can work to formulate a treatment plan that might include medication, therapy, and coping techniques. With a little practice and professional help, you can learn to manage your anticipatory anxiety, pick up a more positive outlook, and enjoy the many experiences of life.

Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) is an anticonvulsant (also known as an antiepileptic drug) used to treat seizures. It is sometimes prescribed off-label to treat bipolar disorder.

Oxcarbazepine is available under the brand names Trileptal and Oxtellar XR. No major differences between brand name and generic oxcarbazepine have been reported; however, more studies are needed for conclusive evidence.

What Is Trileptal Used For?

Trileptal is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat partial seizures in adults and children. Children and adults with epilepsy are commonly prescribed this medication. Oxcarbazepine has also been used to treat neuropathic pain; however, studies are limited on its efficacy.

Before Taking Trileptal

Tell your doctor about any of the following before taking Trileptal:

• If you have thoughts of suicide
• If you’ve had adverse effects or allergies to medications
• If you have other psychiatric or medical problems
• If you take other medications (including over-the-counter and herbal preparations)
• If you receive any non-medication treatment, such as therapy
• If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding or have plans to become pregnant
• If you use alcohol or other substances

These can help your doctor determine whether you are a good candidate for Trileptal.

Before prescribing it, your doctor may perform blood tests to assess liver function, electrolytes, kidney function, pancreatic enzymes, and a complete blood count.

Your kidneys play a major role in processing medication. Because of this, your doctor will make sure your kidneys are fully functioning. In some cases, your doctor can decrease your dosage of Trileptal so that your kidneys can better process it.

Side Effects of Trileptal

There are many potential side effects of Trileptal. Be sure to monitor your symptoms after starting Trileptal and discuss concerns with your doctor.

Common Side Effects

The most common side effects of Trileptal include:

• Abdominal pain
• Abnormal vision
• Acid reflux (dyspepsia)
• Appetite loss
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty concentrating
• Dizziness
• Double vision (diplopia)
• Drowsiness
• Fast, uncontrollable eye movements
• Fatigue
• Thirst
• Forgetfulness
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Slower thoughts
• Taste changes
• Tremor
• Unsteadiness on your feet (ataxia)

Only 1% to 2% of patients experience weight gain.

Severe Side Effects

Serious side effects of Trileptal include:

• Blistering or peeling skin
• Intense fatigue or weakness
• Painful sores in your mouth or near your eyes
• Recurring infections or infections that don’t go away
• Severe muscle pain
• Signs of an allergic reaction, such as difficulty breathing or swallowing, hives, itchy skin, rash, or swelling in your arms, legs, or face
• Signs of an infection such as fever, sore throat, chills, or swollen glands
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Yellowish skin or eyes

Oxcarbazepine treatment, like other anticonvulsants, carries a warning about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

Trileptal Dosage

Trileptal is available as 150, 300, and 600 mg film-coated tablets. A typical dose to treat partial seizures might start at 300 mg twice a day and increase over several weeks.

The dosage for treating bipolar disorder may be similar. However, doctors often start on the smallest dose possible and increase as needed.

Check your prescription and talk to your prescribing doctor to make sure you are following the dosage regimen that’s right for you.

Modifications

Trileptal oral suspension is the liquid form of the drug, which may be prescribed for people who have trouble swallowing pills. Children are commonly prescribed the liquid form, too.

How to Take and Store

Typically, Trileptal is taken in pill form. You also can take it as an extended-release pill or liquid. All forms should be stored in a cool, dry place; no refrigeration is necessary.

If you’re prescribed the liquid, shake the bottle before pouring. Take the medicine from the spoon your pharmacy provides, or mix it into a glass of water and drink it.

You can take Trileptal with or without food. You may find it easier to swallow the pill with water.

If you miss a dose of Trileptal, take another dose as close as possible to the time you were scheduled to take it. If you’re forgetting many doses or haven’t been able to take your medication at a consistent time each day, discuss this with a healthcare provider.

Precautions and Contraindications

Trileptal may have adverse effects on certain people. Talk to a healthcare provider if any of the following apply to you.

Sensitivities to Medication

If you have an allergy to oxcarbazepine or to any of its components, you should not take Trileptal. If you’re unsure, consult your prescribing doctor and discuss any other allergies you have to medications, especially if you have known allergies to Tegretol (carbamazepine).

Kidney or Liver Disease

Tell your doctor if you have or have had kidney or liver disease. These conditions affect how your body processes medication and should be evaluated before taking new medications.

Pregnant or Breastfeeding

If you’re pregnant or become pregnant while taking Trileptal, let your doctor know. This medication has been associated with craniofacial and heart deformities in some infants. Trileptal also passes into breast milk, so you shouldn’t breastfeed while taking it.

Tell your prescribing doctor if you are taking hormonal birth control. Trileptal can reduce its effectiveness, so you’ll need to use additional birth control methods to prevent pregnancy.

Tell your prescribing doctor if you’re planning to become pregnant; stopping Trileptal while pregnant can cause a significant relapse of your symptoms.

Suicidal Thoughts

Suicidal thoughts are a possible side effect of medications such as oxcarbazepine. Tell your doctor if you’ve had suicidal thoughts in the past. Your doctor may work with you directly or refer you to a mental health professional who can help monitor your symptoms as you take the medication.

It’s important that you, your family members, and loved ones recognize this risk with Trileptal before beginning treatment and watch for any signs of it while you are taking the drug.

Contact a healthcare provider immediately, or have someone do it for you if you experience any of these symptoms, especially if they are new, worrisome, or become worse:

• Acting out dangerous impulses
• Aggressive, angry, or violent behavior
• Agitation or restlessness
• Giving away prized possessions
• Insomnia
• Mania, which involves a notable increase in your activity level
• New or worsening irritability, anxiety, or depression
• Panic attacks
• Preoccupation with death and dying
• Thoughts or talk of harming or killing yourself
• Withdrawal from friends and family

Tell your doctor about any other unusual changes in behavior or mood.

Other Anticonvulsants

Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) is closely related to Tegretol (carbamazepine), which is also used as a mood stabilizer in bipolar disorder.

Although Trileptal and Tegretol are used to treat the same conditions, Tegretol was found to be more likely to decrease the impact of other medications taken at the same time.

See your healthcare provider for all your follow-up appointments, and take Trileptal precisely as directed.

Warnings and Interactions

A fairly rare but dangerous side effect is hyponatremia, which is low sodium levels in your blood. Symptoms include headaches, nausea, confusion, tiredness, and, in severe cases, seizures and coma. Contact your doctor if you suspect this.

One sign of angioedema is a red rash in a localized area, which might spread to other parts of the body. If you show signs of these reactions, contact your doctor; they might decide to discontinue Trileptal and start you on an alternative medication.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are potentially fatal skin conditions that can be triggered by Trileptal. Your prescribing doctor might perform a blood test before prescribing oxcarbazepine because some people have a higher genetic predisposition to these conditions.

Don’t drive or operate heavy machinery until you have gauged your response to Trileptal. Some people have experienced decreased motor coordination, slower speech, and fatigue as a result of taking Trileptal.

Do not stop taking Trileptal without consulting with a healthcare provider first. When stopping Trileptal, you must wean off of it under medical supervision.

Other Medications

To guard against interactions, make sure your prescribing doctor knows about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you’re taking, including supplements, vitamins, and herbal products.

While some drugs pose minor interaction risks, others might preclude use altogether or prompt careful consideration of the risks and benefits.

Medications that can interact with Trileptal include calcium channel blockers, other anticonvulsants, diuretics, proton-pump inhibitors, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and some other medications, specifically:

• Cardene (nicardipine)
• Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac (diltiazem)
• Celexa (citalopram), Cymbalta (duloxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), and other SSRIs
• Cordarone (amiodarone)
• DynaCirc (isradipine)
• Elavil (amitriptyline)
• Norvasc (amlodipine) or other calcium channel blockers
• Plendil (felodipine)
• Procardia (nifedipine)

Your doctor can tell you if these or any other medications you take may interfere with Trileptal.

If you’ve had an argument with a loved one, a friend or family member may nudge you to sort it out sooner rather than later. ” Don’t go to bed angry” is advice you’re likely to hear while they’re persuading you to reach out to the person you’ve argued with.

There is a belief that taking your anger to bed allows it to intensify and build from a simple conflict to a significant rupture, says Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Yeshiva University.

You’ve probably wondered whether you should follow the “Don’t go to bed angry” rule and how this practice affects your mental health. Anger can wear you out, increase overnight, and interfere with your sleep, which is why clearing the air before you go to bed can be helpful. However, it can also lead to impulsive decisions and greater conflict. 

Benefits of Not Going to Bed Angry

There may be some truth behind this advice. Below, Dr. Romanoff outlines the benefits of practicing the “Don’t go to bed angry” rule.

Anger Can Be Exhausting

If you resolve your differences with the person you’re arguing with, you can direct your energy toward reconciling with them instead. This can help you reconnect with them and feel close to them again.

Anger Can Build Overnight

Angry emotions tend to linger more at night than during the day, when you can be distracted and busy yourself with other tasks. Taking your anger to bed can cause you to dwell on the situation and make it into a much bigger issue, which can cause you to feel worse and drag the problem into the next day.

Additionally, a 2016 study notes that sleeping on an issue overnight changes the way your brain organizes it in your memory, making it harder to reverse negative associations and memories. Nipping your anger in the bud early can prevent a buildup of negativity.

Anger Can Disrupt Your Sleep

Being angry at night can disrupt your sleep. It can make it hard for you to fall asleep, lead to poor sleep quality, and make you more prone to nightmares.

Research has found that being sleep-deprived makes it harder to regulate emotions. It also makes you more likely to react to emotional stimuli that provoke negative emotions.

Drawbacks of This Practice

However, Dr. Romanoff says there are also some exceptions to the rule as there are in fact situations where it may be better to take some time before you approach the person you’re angry with. She outlines some of these scenarios below.

Anger Can Cause You to React Impulsively

Sometimes people can be impulsive when they’re angry. This includes saying things they don’t mean and being hurtful to the other person. Taking space and committing to revisiting the situation at a later time when your anger levels have reduced can be productive in some situations.

The intensity of your emotions may reduce with time. Not acting impulsively in the moment can allow you to respond more effectively once your anger has subsided.

This can give you time to process your emotions, think about the situation more deeply, and see if your emotional reaction or position on the situation changes with time.

Anger Is Not Something to Avoid

It is important to note that anger can be a natural response—often a valid one—to a difficult situation. It is a valuable emotion that you must give yourself and the people around you permission to feel; it is not something to avoid.

It is fine to feel angry and you don’t need to feel pressure to cap the length of your anger, which could only cause it to arise in other situations. Instead of focusing on your anger, it may be more helpful to focus on the trigger or stimulus for the emotion.

Should You Follow This Rule?

According to Dr. Romanoff, the “Don’t go to bed angry” rule does not work in a one-size-fits-all manner. Whether or not you should follow it depends on many factors, such as the cause of your anger, your temperament, and the circumstances. 

If you’re having a disagreement or an argument with a loved one, Dr. Romanoff outlines some steps you can follow:

Communicate

The first step is to find a way to communicate with the other person. If it does not seem likely that a resolution will be reached, be honest with each other and hit the pause button on the argument.

Use Your Anger as a Guide

Anger can be a useful emotion that can guide you to locate your boundaries, speak to your values, solve problems, and provide information about what you need from the other person.

The key is to learn how to deal with it effectively and resolve it in a healthy way. Venting your anger can reinforce unhealthy patterns, but strategies like taking a break, talking about the problem, and calming yourself with relaxation techniques can help improve your ability to regulate emotions more effectively.

Commit to Finding a Resolution

It’s important to commit to resolving the issue instead of merely trying to avoid conflict. This means recognizing the emotions that are behind your anger in order to engage in more honest communication with the other person to move forward. 

Seek Support and Comfort

It can be helpful to call a friend and vent about the situation, getting validation or another viewpoint of the situation through their eyes. Distract yourself by doing something comforting, such as baking your favorite dessert, watching your favorite show, or engaging in some self-care, like by taking a long shower or applying a face mask.

Putting It Into Practice

If you’re having an argument or conflict with a loved one, you may have to decide between holding on to your anger or letting go for the sake of never going to bed angry. 

It can be helpful to check with the other person and see whether you can reach a resolution with them—this can help both of you release your anger and move forward, instead of carrying the negativity forward to the next day.

On the other hand, if it doesn’t seem likely that the problem will be resolved or if you or your loved one are prone to acting impulsively when you’re angry, it can be helpful to take some time to cool off, get a fresh perspective, and come back to the issue when you’re feeling calmer.

We’ve all been in this exact situation. You get invited to an event you’re excited about, the only problem is you have to go alone and you probably won’t know anyone there…oh, and you hate making small talk. Unsurprisingly, a recent survey found that a majority of Americans—a whopping 71%—prefer sitting in silence to small talk with others. 

But in certain situations, like weddings, networking events, parties, and workplace functions, talking to people that you don’t know is hard to avoid. And for some people, that’s awkward.

“Going to an event where you don’t know anyone can be an overwhelming and uncomfortable experience. Many of us feel awkward when we are in a situation where we don’t know anyone, and we may also experience social anxiety, worrying about how we are being perceived or judged,” explains Saba Harouni Lurie, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Owner and Founder of Take Root Therapy.

These feelings are normal, but we still have to figure out how to get past them to make connections with others and have a good time. And it’s easier than you think! Here are some expert-approved tips on navigating these situations, plus several conversation starters to help you break the ice.

Why It Feels Weird and What to do About It

We have conversations all the time with family and friends. And we’re all used to making casual interactions when we’re in a long checkout line or talking to a server at a restaurant. So why is talking to people you don’t know at an event so different?

“When confronted with a room full of strangers, you might experience a variety of physical sensations that can be deeply unsettling. These feelings are entirely normal and are your body’s natural response to fear in the face of a perceived threat. Many of these sensations can be linked to the fight, flight or freeze responses,” notes Lurie.

“If a person is uncomfortable about starting a conversation, emotionally they may feel nervous, stressed, insecure, anxious, and afraid. This can manifest with physical signs like blushing, sweating, trembling, muscle tension, rapid heart rate, nausea, headaches, muscle tension, and difficulty speaking,” she adds.

While it may not be possible to completely remove the negative feelings you’re experiencing when it comes to small talk conversations, there are strategies you can use to make it easier for you.

Make Light of the Situation

You know you’re anxious. And you know you’re probably not alone. Why not use it as a way to break the ice? “Try to be open about your anxiety. When we release something negative inside of us, it loses some of its power,” says Sarah Sanders, Mental Health Ambassador, Milton Recovery Center. “Crack a joke about how awkward you actually are and you’ll be amazed at how many people will actually relate to you! You’ll hear sighs of relief from the crowd you didn’t expect.”

Help the Host

Offering to help at a party or networking event can do a few things. It keeps you busy, allows you to gently mingle with the other guests while you’re working, and may even score you brownie points for being so selfless.

Just Say Hi!

At the end of the day, no matter how nervous you might be, almost everyone is open to a new person joining the conversation.

If it’s just two people clearing in an intense heart to heart on a specific subject it’s better to let them continue on their own. But if it’s a group of 3 or 4 standing around, I promise you no one will think it’s weird if you walk up to them and introduce yourself. Try saying something like “Hi! I’m (your name), I don’t know a ton of people here, can I join you guys?” Odds are they will welcome you into the conversation with enthusiasm.

Set Realistic Goals

Don’t go in expecting to be the life of the party. But if it’s a networking event, maybe decide you’ll connect with at least two people while you’re there. If it’s a birthday celebration, maybe you can set a goal of sharing at least one fun story about the guest of honor. Perhaps your goal is to spend an hour at the event and interact during that time.

Have Some Conversation Starters in Mind

Part of your trepidation about the event can be not knowing how to start a conversation. Think of a few topics that interest you, or that you are knowledgeable about. Consider ways you can casually start conversations or integrate these ideas into a discussion. If you’re stuck, read on for several ideas that can help.

Getting the Conversation Started

When you walk in a room and don’t know anyone in the crowd, here are 50 ways that you can kick start the conversation.

Casual Conversation Starters

1.      Are you having fun?

2.      Are you listening to any good podcasts that you can recommend?

3.      Do you play or watch any sports?

4.      Have you seen any good movies lately?

5.      Have you traveled recently? What’s your favorite place you visited?

6.      Hi I’m (your name). What’s your name?

7.      How did you find out about this event? (works well if a networking event)

8.      How do you know (bride, groom, guest of honor)?

9.      How was your week?

10.  I’m looking for something new to read. What books do you recommend?

11.  What are the best local restaurants in this area?

12.  What brings you here?

13.  What’s your favorite kind of food?

14.  Where are you from?

Conversation Starters for Meaningful Conversations

1.      Anything new on the horizon for you?

2.      Can you name five things on your bucket list?

3.      Have you ever thought of an invention that could make your life easier? What was it?

4.      How did you get started in your career?

5.      How do you de-stress?

6.      If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you want to go and why?

7.      Is there a habit you want to change or work on?

8.     Tell me more about yourself.

9.     What does an average day look like for you?

10.  What is something you’re looking forward to these days?

11.  What is the best thing you’ve learned recently? How did it impact you?

12.  What kinds of things do you like to do when you’re not at work?

13.  What is the perfect gift that someone could give to you?

14.  What would you want to pursue if you had the time?

15.  What’s one goal you’re working towards?

16.  When are you the happiest?

17.  Where do you see yourself in five years?

18.  Which of your accomplishments are you proudest of?

Fun Conversation Starters

1.      Are you a cat or a dog person?

2.     Comment on the music playing, i.e. “This music takes me back” or “I love 90’s music.”

3.     Do you have any pets? Tell me about them!

4.     Do you think you would like to be famous?

5.     How do you feel about attending events like this?

6.     If you could be any superhero, who would you be?

7.     If you could create your own superpower, what would it be?

8.     If you had a million dollars, what would you buy?

9.     Is this as awkward for you as it is for me?

10.  Tell me your biggest pet peeve.

11.  Tell us your funniest story.

12.  Do you play a musical instrument?

13.  What song do you wish they’d play next?

14.  What’s your favorite dessert? (you could also start by saying, “Am I the only chocolate lover here?”)

15.  Where did you get your earrings/belt/outfit/purse?

16.  Which do you hate more – being really hot or being really cold?

17.  Which holiday do you like the most?

18.  Who is your favorite celebrity and why?

Having a few surefire conversation starters can help put you more at ease. The goal in these types of situations is to help you relax, work through any awkwardness, and have a positive and memorable experience.

“Initiating a conversation with someone you don’t know can be overwhelming and vulnerable, and it also has the potential to help you get to know someone and build a new relationship. While it may be hard, it can be worthwhile and it can be more fruitful if you let yourself be open and share more of yourself,” Lurie concludes.

First up, just to state the obvious for a second let’s talk about what sexual attraction is. According to the LBGTQ Center at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, sexual attraction is “attraction that makes people desire sexual contact or shows sexual interest in another person(s).”

Pretty self-explanatory, right? What’s less self-explanatory is how it happens in the brain. Everyone has been in the situation of not understanding why they are or aren’t attracted to another person, and it turns out science has a lot to do with why.

This article explores the many factors that affect your level of attraction to other people.

Biological Factors That Affect Attraction

When you meet someone new, it might be difficult to discern why you find yourself attracted to (or not attracted to) them. However, studies show that biology has a lot to do with your level of attraction to someone else.

Adrenaline and Excitement

Let’s talk about one of the cornerstone studies in the psychology field regarding attraction: The Love Bridge study. This study made the connection between arousal and attraction. In this study, psychologists Donald Dutton and Arthur Aron had 85 men walk across either a scary suspension bridge or a sturdy regular bridge.

On the bridge, the men were approached by a female interviewer who asked them to fill out questionnaires in response to pictures. After each interview, she passed along her phone number. It turns out, people who were on the scary bridge were much more likely to call and put down sexual content and imagery in their responses to the questionnaire. This is an example of the misattribution of arousal.

In other words, they were excited about something, and that person was there for them to project their excitement on. Looking back, it’s likely that the men just remembered feeling excited and then seeing a pretty woman.

Another studyshowed a photo of a moderately attractive person to people getting on or off of a roller coaster. They asked the people to rate the photo in terms of attractiveness and dating desirability. They were also asked to rate their seatmate’s desirability. The people getting off the roller coaster rated their seatmates higher in terms of attractiveness than those getting on the roller coaster.

Natural Scent

In addition to adrenaline, studies have found that smell plays a role in attraction. For example, after being asked to smell different t-shirts worn by men, women actually chose the shirts of men whose genes signified their immune systems were different from their own.

Then, of course, there’s always the case for pheromones, which is a natural scent that your body produces.

Psychological Factors That Affect Attraction

Aside from biology, psychology plays a role in how attractive you perceive someone else to be.

Mood

Justin Lehmiller, PhD, a social psychologist, notes that people tend to be drawn to partners who are psychologically similar to themselves. He expands on this by saying that mood can impact the level of attraction you feel toward someone.

For example, if you’ve just received great news, you’re more likely to like the next person you meet more than you normally would. This, Lehmiller says, can impact whether or not you’re likely to develop an attraction to them.

Attachment Style, Values, and Emotions

Patrick Wanis, PhD, human behavior and relationship expert, says that attachment styles can also greatly impact attraction. On his blog, he suggests that “we subconsciously become attracted to people who will reflect and reinforce our beliefs and expectations about caring, trust, abandonment, dependence, support, intimacy, vulnerability.”

Wanis also believes that people search for partners with similar values and beliefs and people at similar life stages.

Another study supported the idea that people look for similarities in terms of attraction. It found that people were more drawn to others whose emotions and motivations felt familiar.

Winning Someone Over

Finally, while everyone can agree that it’s nice to be liked, one study found that people also like the idea of winning someone over. The study asked co-ed students to eavesdrop on their partner and another group.

While they liked it when they found out that their partner had a positive impression of them, they actually liked it even more when they found out that the person’s impression of them had started negatively and turned positive. This way, the person felt like their partner’s feelings were more indicative of their true feelings about their personality.

Other Factors

While you can’t control biological and psychological factors, there are some things you have a bit more control over in terms of how attractive you find other people. Here are a few of those factors.

Location

Where you live can impact your level of attraction to others in terms of proximity to people and access to different types of people. This can be as simple as who is available at the moment (think of your neighbor from the college dorm).

One study showed that women from healthier countries preferred men with more feminine qualities, whereas women from developing nations preferred men with more traditionally masculine features. The study actually found that across 30 countries, as the country’s health decreased, the preferences for masculinity increased.

Scarcity

Lehmiller also references the idea of scarcity and uses the example of the “closing time effect,” which suggests that people at a bar will rate other patrons as more attractive the closer they get to closing time. Basically, the more limited the options become, the more likely people are to settle for whatever is available at the time.

Familial Relationships

Of course, physical preferences can be shaped by past experiences with similar-looking people, as well as a person’s relationship with their family. In other words, if you grew up in a home with a father who was more traditionally masculine, that may be what you consider attractive if you have a good relationship with your father. To you, masculinity may also denote kindness and acceptance.

Eclectic therapy is an approach that draws on multiple theoretical orientations and techniques. It is a flexible and multifaceted approach to therapy that allows the therapist to use the most effective methods available to address each individual client’s needs. It is also sometimes referred to as multi-modal or integrative therapy.

In the early part of the 20th century, many therapists rigidly adhered to a single style of treatment. Over the last decade, more therapists started to draw ideas from different therapeutic approaches.

Types of Eclectic Therapy

A number of specific types of eclectic therapy have also emerged. In each case, these approaches draw from a range of techniques in order to address the unique needs of the individual. Some of these types include:

• Brief eclectic therapy: As the name suggests, this is a short-term form of eclectic therapy that often incorporates aspects of psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral treatments that are applied over a limited number of sessions, often to address a specific problem. This approach has been used to treat PTSD by helping people make meaning out of their traumatic experience and develop new coping strategies.
• Cognitive-interpersonal therapy: This approach utilizes aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy to help people understand how their thoughts influence their relationships.
• Multi-modal therapy: This type draws on elements of social-cognitive learning theory and integrates a number of techniques from other therapies. An individual’s specific needs are assessed by looking at their behavior, affect, senses, visualizations, cognition, relationships, and physical health. 
• Transtheoretical therapy: This approach focuses on understanding the stages and process of making a change. Using this knowledge, people are then able to work on achieving their goals, improving their relationships, and creating positive changes in their lives.

Techniques

While eclectic therapy is flexible, therapists carefully create an intentional, individual plan for each client based on that person’s unique needs. Theoretical approaches that an eclectic therapist might draw on include:

A therapist will also choose specific techniques from within that theoretical approach. Some examples of such techniques include exposure therapy, sensory therapy, relaxation therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness.

What Eclectic Therapy Can Help With

Eclectic therapy can be utilized to help people with a wide range of needs. Some conditions and problems it can successfully treat include:

Benefits of Eclectic Therapy

Eclectic therapy can have a number of important benefits. These include:

• Individualized approach: Because this approach to therapy is so adaptable, your therapist can design a treatment plan that is suited to your specific, unique needs.
• Engagement: The use of multiple techniques may help people feel more interested and engaged in the therapy process. 
• Flexible: Because your therapist can assess your needs and select the approaches and techniques they think will help you the most, it is possible to switch between techniques to address one or more needs. For example, your treatment might involve treating a phobia but also address problems with chronic stress.

Effectiveness

Research suggests that eclectic therapy can be both a safe and effective treatment:

• Eclectic therapy has been described as an effective therapeutic approach to address selective mutism, an anxiety disorder in children in which there is a consistent failure to speak in specific social situations. This treatment involved drawing on psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, and family theories and interventions.
• In a study published in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology, researchers integrated elements from psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral approaches to create a successful eclectic treatment program for PTSD.
• A 2017 study found that an eclectic approach using art therapy and CBT was effective for improving mental health and reducing anxiety in children.

Things You Should Know About Eclectic Therapy

While eclectic therapy can be effective, there are some potential downsides to consider. Some issues you might encounter during eclectic therapy include:

• Lack of structure: If you tend to prefer a more structured, easy-to-follow approach, you might find eclectic therapy more difficult. In such cases, talk to your therapist about devising a more predictable structure.
• Trial-and-error: It may also seem at times that you are following a trial-and-error approach. While trying different tactics can help you find what works for you, it can also be frustrating and time-consuming.
• Not ideal for some conditions: For certain conditions that tend to respond best to a specific type of therapy (such as exposure therapy for phobias or dialectical behavioral therapy for borderline personality disorder), it is often a better idea to primarily stick to that specific treatment modality.
• Insurance coverage: The rise of HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) and managed care approaches to healthcare has furthered the eclectic therapy movement. In order to receive insurance reimbursement, therapists may have to document a variety of empirically supported techniques often drawn from different theoretical orientations. Insurance concerns may play a role in the type of treatments your therapist utilizes. Since eclectic therapists focus on using research-validated techniques, however, it is still likely that many treatments will be covered by your insurance.
• Therapist training: Some therapists adhere largely to a single orientation, such as ​psychodynamic or cognitive behavioral theory, but may actually use a variety of techniques rooted in other theories as needed. Others self-identify as eclectic in their treatment orientation. Either way, it is important that the therapist possesses a solid understanding of each theory for the techniques they use.

How to Get Started

If you are interested in trying eclectic therapy, consider asking your doctor for a referral or look at an online therapist directory. Eclectic therapists often refer to themselves as integrative therapists or multi-modal therapists, so you might consider searching for those or similar terms. You might also consider online therapy as an option.

During your first appointment, your therapist will ask you questions to help get to know you and understand your goals. This initial discussion might involve talking about your background, work, personal life, support system, and current life satisfaction. 

As you build a therapeutic relationship, you can then delve deeper toward making goals and deciding which techniques might be the most effective for what you want to accomplish. Because eclectic therapy is adaptable, these goals and strategies can change when needed.