Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a high sensitivity to perceived judgment from others and extreme discomfort with social contact and relationships. This distress is so great that a person will likely avoid any situation that may require a lot of socializing or closeness to others…
Are you in a funk where you’re struggling to like yourself? Or, maybe you’re dealing with symptoms of depression or another mental health condition that’s tearing down your happiness and self-esteem. In any case, it’s important to address these feelings of not liking yourself – while keeping in mind that…
People have different sexual preferences and fetishes are common, which create sexual excitement. In fact, they might be more common than you think: A survey conducted by CalExotics at Harvard Sex Week saw that 43% of respondents have (or believe they have) a fetish, and more than half have shared…
Personality disorders are characterized by problematic thought and behavioral patterns. Sometimes, these thoughts and behaviors appear odd or eccentric – at others, they’re dramatic and unpredictable. But with dependent personality disorder, and other cluster C personality disorders, they’re rooted in anxiety and fear. Let’s learn more about what dependent personality…
Stress is unavoidable. It’s a universal response to challenges that threaten our health and well-being — some of the most common stressors being job loss, divorce, and the loss of a loved one. When confronted with a stressful event, we might feel frustrated, worried, nervous, or angry; we might lose sleep…
Q: How can I cope with my spouse who has an alcohol abuse problem? It is hard seeing it every day and not knowing if he will ever seek help. A: Hi there, We’re so sorry to hear that you’re struggling — we know it’s so difficult to cope with…
Maybe you’re going through a really rough breakup. Or you’ve just moved to a new city and you’re feeling extremely lonely. Or nothing out of the ordinary has happened, but you aren’t all that happy, and you want to do something about it. In all these circumstances, a viable solution…
Q: My ex girlfriend and I were kind of dating and then she met someone else that she started having feelings for. She told me this morning that she wants to pursue things with him. I am feeling very sad, desperate and don’t know what to do. I also just…
Q: I’m experiencing a lot of anxiety and I want to manage it effectively. It’s weighing very heavy on me. A: Hi there, Thank you for reaching out! We’re so sorry to hear that you’re struggling with anxiety. While experiencing anxiety is common, we know how hard it can be…
A Story About a Kid In 1989, I was 7 years old and just starting first grade. Early in the school year, my teacher arranged a meeting with my parents and stated that she thought that I might be “slow” because I wasn’t performing in class to the same level…
Major depression disorder (MDD) is a mental health condition that impacts emotional well-being and can cause severe functional consequences in daily life. MDD is also called clinical depression, major depression, and unipolar depression (to distinguish it from bipolar depression caused by bipolar disorder). In Ancient Greece, depression was called melancholia,…
Your abuser does not get to define the rest of your life. You can know this intellectually, but it’s a whole different beast to know it in your body. People who experience sexual assault might internalize their fear and trauma so they continue to feel unsafe in their skin. They…
