Why is there a bipolar 2 and a bipolar 1? There’s no depression 2 or depression 1. There’s no anxiety 3.0. What makes bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) different? The quick answer is that people with bipolar 2 have enough variation in their symptoms from type 1 bipolar…
Known more commonly and collectively as depression, depressive disorders are a set of closely related mental health conditions that affect a person’s mood, energy, nervous system, sleep cycles, biochemistry, and even brain waves. There’s little in an individual’s daily life that depressive disorders won’t affect—but other than a shared capacity…
Experts estimate that less than 2% of the general U.S. population has borderline personality disorder (BPD), but roughly 25% of people claim to have experienced a symptom or two of the condition. For example, most of us have felt emotionally volatile at one point or another. We may have become…
Have you ever walked into a crowded room and sensed negative energy? Do you feel uncomfortable being around someone in a bad mood? Do you avoid certain people because they emit weird vibes? Do you ever cancel plans with friends because “the vibes are off”? What exactly are you picking…
Journaling is a powerful tool. It serves as an outlet, allowing us to express our emotions and process our thoughts without fear of judgment — there is no need or temptation to censor ourselves when we’re writing to and for nobody but ourselves. What a gift. And yet, for some,…
Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder characterized by extreme fluctuations in mood. These emotional shifts may take place over the course of hours, weeks, or months, and are often accompanied by drastic changes in behavior and functioning. There are three main types of bipolar disorder. People with bipolar I (type…
For every Taylor Swift flourishing artistically during the pandemic, there are millions of suffering and burnt-out people who aren’t composing songs or painting portraits or writing novels. What have they been doing instead? Well, if they’re anything like me, they’ve been drowning in domestic labor, work, anxiety, childcare, and other…
Exercise improves self-esteem and mood of patients in psychiatric care facilities. This, according to researchers at the University of Vermont. Researchers built a gym in the university medical center’s inpatient psychiatry unit and introduced 60-minute exercise regimens into each patient’s treatment plan. The team surveyed patients on their mood, self-esteem,…
Every single year, millions of Americans suffer with a mental illness. By definition, a mental illness is a disorder that negatively affects a person’s thoughts, feelings, mood, and/or behavior. Examples include depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Each individual has a unique experience, as far as which symptoms they…
During the holiday season, there’s a distinct emphasis on giving thanks for all that we’re fortunate enough to have. But in trying to make the season festive, we often put unnecessary stress on ourselves and each other. As a result, we might not feel as merry as we could. That’s…
Depression is characterized by, well, a depressed state. Those who develop the condition present this state of despair as well as a loss of interest or pleasure in day to day life. The remaining characteristics can vary… and be mistaken for another illness entirely—the flu. This makes distinguishing the difference…
I am kind. I am smart. I am important. It might sound like I’m bragging, but I assure you I’m not—I’m just practicing some positive affirmations! Have you ever heard of these? They’re basically positive statements or phrases that you say to give yourself a boost of confidence. And once…