Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) vs. autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? The question comes up when you notice your child struggling to pay attention to the teacher in school or your colleague at work fighting to stay focused on the project at hand. You know something’s not quite right, but what’s really wrong? The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that …
Tweens, social media, and mental health – the topic is getting a lot of attention in the news today. A quick online search brings up questions of impact, even going so far as to ask whether the combination of tweens and social media is a threat to mental health. Let’s take a closer look at how tweens are using social …
Definition of Insomnia The definition of Insomnia, for a particular person, has many facets and requires a close look at their sleep schedule over the short-term and long-term, as well as any stressful or traumatic events that may have triggered the disruption in their normal sleep patterns. Many of us have asked ourselves the question: “Do I Have Insomnia?”. Maybe …
A friend turns down invitations to gatherings that will include more than three or four people she knows. A family member accepts invitations but always backs out at the last minute. You accept whatever reason they offer but wonder if there’s something more going on. Could they be struggling with social anxiety disorder? Social anxiety disorder. Social phobia. Different names….the …
Gratitude… Thankfulness. Gratefulness. Appreciation. Many words express the sentiment of gratitude. One dictionary labels it a feeling. Some may prefer to think of it as a state of mind. However you think about gratitude, one thing is certain. More and more evidence is proving a connection exists between gratefulness and mental well-being. In this post, we’ll dive a little deeper …
Have you ever known a friend or family member to struggle with sadness they couldn’t seem to shake? Maybe you’ve struggled that way and wondered if what you were feeling was just sadness or if you were wrestling with depression symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, depression affected nearly 5% of the US adult population in …
Addiction to drugs or alcohol often starts with recreational use that becomes more and more frequent until users don’t want to be without their drug of choice. Watching a loved one sink into addiction is a painful process, and the emotions that accompany the journey can feel like a roller coaster ride. A loved one’s addiction is not something you …
Mental illness is getting a lot more media coverage as of late. A quick online search brings up stories about a Colorado representative fighting against the stigma of mental illness, a New Jersey school providing more mental health therapy resources for its students, and the latest Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report on the state of teenagers’ mental health in …
Jacob and Hannah’s first son looked as healthy as any baby boy, but when he started growing, the new parents noticed he didn’t respond every time they called him. And he played with the sit-to-stand walker for hours…ignoring them when it was time for dinner or bed. They decided to have him evaluated, and when the diagnosis came back, it …
Car accidents. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Things that are out of our control take us by surprise, leaving us shell-shocked for days, weeks, or longer. These traumatic events and others like them cause significant stress and stir up feelings of helplessness, fear, and prolonged anxiety. In the early 1990s, experts labeled those reactions “acute stress disorder” and put a time frame on …
