Mental Health Topics

On paper, everything’s fine: steady job, decent house, friends you see regularly. Nothing’s obviously broken. So why does the question “why am I not happy?” keep showing up in your head? This question can make you feel alone, but therapists hear it often. “I’d say it’s probably one of the…

If you’re in your forties and suddenly notice that your mood, sleep, and focus are all out of whack, someone has probably told you that your hormones are to blame. And if your periods are also becoming suspiciously infrequent, you might be wondering if menopause hormone therapy (MHT), formerly known…

Most people know of Adderall as a popular medication for ADHD, but Wellbutrin is another lesser-known, off-label option. If you’re curious about this nonstimulant option, or if your provider suggested it, you probably have questions about how it stacks up against the first-line treatment. Here, we’ll look at how they…

ADHD can shape how you think, feel, behave, and move through the world, touching on everything from work and relationships to everyday routines. Your finances are no exception: Once you start noticing all the ways the condition can cost you money, it’s easy to see why people coined the term…

Prozac is best known as an antidepressant, so you may be surprised if you’ve been prescribed Prozac for anxiety. But depression and anxiety share some of the same brain pathways, including those involving serotonin, the chemical messenger targeted by the medication. In fact, Prozac is FDA approved to treat panic…

I am a Black, queer, psychiatrist, and I live with a history of suicidal ideation and two suicide attempts. When I first experienced suicidality at age 13, I was sure I was going to die. At the time, the discrimination I was facing felt like a reality I would never…

The hard truth: simply showing up for your weekly therapy sessions isn’t enough to make meaningful progress and see real change. Doing the work requires you to sit with difficult feelings, get curious about longstanding patterns, and practice the skills and techniques that you learn in sessions. Whether you’ve been…

Not sure if you’re on the right SSRI dose? Maybe you recently started an antidepressant and still aren’t feeling like yourself, or the medication you’ve been taking for years doesn’t seem to be working like it used to. However you ended up here, it’s a question that many people taking…

“Protect your peace.” “Guard your energy.” “If it costs you your peace, it’s too expensive.” Sound familiar? Depending on your algorithm, you might be bombarded by the message that good mental health means feeling calm, regulated, and comfortable as much as possible. On the surface, that sounds reasonable. Most of…

Wondering if therapy is working? It’s not always easy to tell, especially since healing is often more gradual than dramatic. Plus, it depends on what you’re hoping to address in therapy, since learning to manage a chronic mental health condition will likely take more time than helping you navigate a…

Every kid wakes up grumpy on the occasional school day or throws an epic tantrum when they’re denied screen time. A small portion of kids, however, constantly struggle with severe irritability and explosive outbursts, a condition known as disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD). “If you imagine a remote control, that…

If you’ve been prescribed Wellbutrin, or you’re considering asking your prescriber about it, one question on your mind might be about your weight. Maybe you gained weight on an SSRI in the past, or you’ve heard that antidepressants and weight gain often go hand in hand. Of the commonly prescribed…