Introversion Versus Social Anxiety: What’s the Difference?
Many people self-identify as introverts. While the exact definition of what introversion is can vary on a case-by-case basis, it is always a reflection of personal preference. By contrast, social anxiety is a mental health disorder that causes you to actually fear social situations. For someone with social anxiety, the symptoms they experience during social […] Read More >>
Benefits and Risks of Coming Out
Choosing to come out to family and friends can be a difficult decision at any age. You may find yourself wondering what you have to gain from telling those closest to you that you don’t identify as cis or heterosexual. Let’s look at the benefits and risks of coming out and how to adapt with […] Read More >>
Explaining CBT to Your Child
The use of pediatric cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is increasingly common as peer-reviewed research continues to demonstrate the efficacy of CBT for children. Therefore, if your therapist or pediatrician suggests trying cognitive behavioral therapy with your child, it isn’t out of the ordinary. Let’s look at explaining CBT to your child. Explaining CBT to Your […] Read More >>
What Contributes to Negative Body Image?
Your body image has nothing to do with your physical form. It is entirely dependent on your own perception. Essentially, body image is defined by the ways you think and feel about your physical form. Let’s look at what contributes to negative body image. What Contributes to Negative Body Image? In some cases, a negative […] Read More >>
Helping a Partner with ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a mental health condition that affects 2.5-4% of the adult population. Attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity was only added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980. That means there is a strong possibility that an even larger percentage of the adult population has undiagnosed […] Read More >>
What Kind of Therapy Is Right for Me?
Therapy is a personal experience. You may associate therapy with the treatment of mental illness or addiction, but therapy is actually useful for most people. The obstacles and challenges we face every day can be difficult to tackle alone, and therapy can help to reduce that burden. Unfortunately, therapy is still something that our society […] Read More >>
Understanding Shame When Recovering from Substance Use Disorders
Shame and Substance Use Disorders often go hand in hand. For many addicts, substance use disorders begin as a form of self-medication in response to trauma or mental illness. Drugs and alcohol are used as a hiatus from reality, a temporary release from the pain they suffer. Unfortunately, substance use disorders have a way of […] Read More >>
Dealing with Social Anxiety After Quarantine
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic continues to disrupt our lives. We continue to struggle to keep case numbers and the mortality rate under control. Fortunately, we have seen some progress thanks to vaccination efforts and improvements in treatment. Both are allowing people to return to something resembling normalcy within small friend groups and family units, but […] Read More >>
Importance of Sleep for Mental Health
It is an established fact that poor sleep patterns can and do contribute to worsening mental health conditions. Although we still don’t fully understand the role that sleep plays in our lives, all of the evidence suggests that our biological systems require regular, restful sleep to continue functioning properly. Let’s look at the importance of […] Read More >>
Why Do I Pull Out My Hair?
Everyone deals with stress in their own way. Some coping mechanisms are considered healthy and can be helpful for lowering daily stress levels. However, other coping mechanisms are capable of causing more harm than the initial stress. Pulling out your own hair is one example of a harmful coping mechanism in response to stress. So […] Read More >>