The holidays are a special—and unusual—time of year. For up to two weeks, we take time away from work and daily routines to visit friends, get together with family, observe religious holidays, celebrate the start of a new calendar year and relax (in our spare time). “According to a recent survey, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that …
Mental illness affects over 50 million adults in the US every year. That’s one in five people of all races, ethnicities and ages. Serious mental illness affects one in 25 adults. While it occurs in both women and men, fewer men are diagnosed with mental illness. But men are also less likely to seek or receive treatment, which means they …
Each year in the US, one in five adults experience mental illness. One in six children age 6–17 experience a mental health disorder. Fortunately, there are multiple treatment settings that offer choices appropriate for the circumstances, the disorder involved and each person’s needs. The most available, and most common, treatment setting is outpatient therapy. Of the 11.6+ million mental health …
When someone has a broken leg, the evidence is visible. They have a cast, possibly crutches; people can witness their struggle with opening doors or navigating furniture. But when someone has a mental illness or disorder, the evidence may not be obvious—if others can see it at all. And no can see “inside” the struggle of trying to navigate a …
Bullying has affected children and teens for generations. But we’ve only recently understood bullying’s mental health effects, which extend beyond the victim to bystanders who witness it and the bullies themselves. What is bullying? The Centers for Disease Control defines bullying as a form of “youth violence” toward a victim involving unwanted aggressive behavior from a bully (an individual or …
College should be a time of discovery, freedom and independence. But sometimes those perks of the college experience can become a source of mental distress. Students can also struggle with mental health issues they bring with them to college. College can still be a time of growth and independence if students attend to their mental health and get help when …
You can’t imagine your child would hurt herself. And yet you’re seeing disturbing signs. She’s become withdrawn, spending more time than usual in her room. She’s wearing long-sleeve shirts, even in summer. And you’re seeing bloody tissues in the wastebasket. If you suspect self-harm, there are things you can do—and things you shouldn’t do. Self-Harm and Children Self-harm is not …
Nightmares… avoiding certain streets… becoming easily startled or feeling on edge… Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can manifest in many ways. The National Center for PTSD defines PTSD as “a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.” Precipitating events can also include sudden …
It’s hard to remember that just a few years ago, social media didn’t exist. It’s become such a large part of our lives that we can’t imagine being without it. Social media lets us find community and entertainment. It lets us stay connected when we can’t meet physically. But it can also have negative effects on our mental health. We …
At any given moment, at least a third of us feel lonely. As we write this, the social distancing of the COVID-19 pandemic has probably pushed that figure higher. We can take comfort in knowing that loneliness is not a permanent state. There are many ways to address and alleviate / heal loneliness. But first, let’s explore loneliness itself. The …
