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 …
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 …
To be human is to experience loss. At some point in your life, you will lose someone you love, or something that means a great deal to you. And you will experience grief. How long or how intensely you grieve depends on a number of factors. Everyone’s journey is unique. But when grief goes on too long, preventing you from …
The pandemic. Social unrest, natural disasters, war. You don’t have to look very far to see traumatic events that affect large numbers of people. More personal crises include divorce, death, abuse, violence, sexual assault and accidents. A traumatic event is any experience frightening, shocking or dangerous enough to affect someone physically and emotionally, whether they are part of the event …
Compassion (noun). “Sorrow for the sufferings or trouble of another or others, with the urge to help; deep sympathy.” While we’re familiar with compassion and directing it toward others, offering it to ourselves can be an unfamiliar or even challenging concept. We might be quick to comfort a friend with reassurance: “Yes, you made a mistake, but you did the …
Early mental health evaluation in children can be challenging for many reasons—primarily because children may not be able to express themselves clearly. Their vocabulary is somewhat limited. Also, their feelings, emotions and understanding of themselves is evolving. Their cognitive and social skills are not fully developed. Because of these limitations, it is vital that parents and primary caregivers understand the …
According to the American Psychiatric Association, anxiety is one of the most common forms of mental disorders diagnosed in the U.S. Almost one-third of all people will experience an anxiety disorder at some point during their lifetime. Because anxiety disorders are so prevalent, most people fail to understand them and how they are very different from simply experiencing temporary fear …
A person living with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has their own unique challenges that, with professional help, can eventually be overcome. However, living with someone who suffers PTSD is also challenging, especially when the symptoms of PTSD may last for months and even years… But again, obtaining proper professional help can help make life better. It’s important to first …
The numbers are alarming. 1 in 5 teens have abused prescription medications. 21% of high school seniors report using marijuana in the past month. And almost 1 in 3 parents wrongly believe they have no choices in preventing teen drug abuse. In fact, the data shows that parental involvement is the strongest factor in preventing drug abuse among young people. …
Understanding the difference between social anxiety disorder (SAD) and general anxiety is key in getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. Anxiety (defined as feelings of tension, fear and stress that can cause physical changes such as an increased heart rate) is a normal response to stress, perceived stress, or future stressful events. If you ever played sports, you probably felt …
