People of all ages can have ADHD, but specific treatment options apply to each age group. For adults, the medications, therapies, and lifestyle adjustments will be different than for adolescents or children. Like other mental health conditions, treatment options will be adapted to fit the needs of the individual. Some…
Many children are shy by nature. They might hug their parents’ legs and bury their faces when introduced to someone new or run off at a record pace to avoid the interaction altogether. This is not uncommon — but some children fail to speak in select (or all) social situations. If…
Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) is a personality disorder signified by a persistent feeling of distress when the individual is in social gatherings that require them to interact with others. This distress is “so great that a person can and will steer clear of any situation that may require such socialization…
Do you freak out in tiny spaces? Are you deathly afraid of heights? Do you refuse to meet your friend’s pet snake? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you have something in common with much of the population. As it turns out, many of us share fears…
Think back to a time when you were “online shopping” for a new health care provider — be it a counselor, a primary care doctor, or a specialist. What did you look for? Who did you gravitate toward? Who did you trust? You likely perused their education, years of experience,…
In January of last year, my boyfriend and I jumped on the bandwagon and adopted a pandemic puppy. We named her Summer (thought it fitting for a golden retriever) and quickly fell in love. She’s like our child — we’ve watched her grow into the stick-loving, ball-chasing, somersaulting, silly, loving,…
If you’re an anxious person familiar with catastrophizing, you can sometimes calm your fears about the future by asking yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Your answer to this question may shine a light on the irrational nature of your worries. According to British philosopher Bertrand Russell, you may…
The field of psychiatry is more than 175 years old yet still faces challenges in serving society. That’s not surprising, since mental health issues can be difficult to discuss. It can be intimidating for someone to lay bare their fears and anxieties to someone else, even if it’s a professional…
For years, I experienced unwanted thoughts. I’ll spare you the gruesome details, but chances are, you or someone you love knows just how bad the mind can get. In fact, we know a lot more than ever before the kinds of pain people are going through. To take some examples: The online…
I’ve recently started counseling with Thriveworks, but I am at a complete loss on how to turn my life around. Every day, I feel like a zombie who is not actually living life but going through the barely functioning motions of life (I am currently diagnosed with chronic anxiety, depression,…
It’s in our nature to worry, to think about all that could go wrong. Sometimes, though, we obsess over these possibilities—especially during times of uncertainty like COVID-19. Many (if not most) of us feel like our jobs are at stake. We feel as if we could get fired or let go at…
Binge-watching Netflix; getting sucked into a YouTube channel about cats or cars; scrolling through Instagram and Facebook; shopping online; engaging in a heated discussion on Reddit; playing Minecraft, World of Warcraft, Fortnite; reading the news; taking personality quizzes; gambling; googling your symptoms; swiping left and right on dating apps. What…
