Mental Health Topics

Are you used to picking up a large, steaming cup of coffee every morning prior to getting to the office? Do you continue to drink coffee as you pore over paperwork and attend meetings throughout the day? You may have joined the many Americans who consume so much caffeine every…

The word “narcissism” comes from a Greek myth where an attractive man named Narcissus looked at his reflection in a pool of water—and fell in love with it. You may know somebody like Narcissus. They might think about the world of themself and all of the great things they accomplish…

Fear is built into our biology. In fact, it keeps us safe — alerting us to danger and saying, “Hey, you need to be careful.” A phobia, on the other hand, is an excessive or irrational fear.  If you experience intense fear and anxiety in public, open, or enclosed spaces—such…

Stress can do many different things to a person, from causing their mind to become forgetful and unfocused to nausea and stomach pain. But did you know it can also, in rarer cases, cause vertigo? Stress has strong effects on our minds and bodies, and without proper stress management, it…

Whether it’s because of work, school, big changes, or other life issues, stress can be hard to shake—especially if you don’t really know it’s there. Stress is pervasive, and can build slowly from a small kernel to a huge weight on your shoulders. If you don’t regularly employ stress management…

As toddlers and young children, we quickly and naturally form strong emotional bonds with our parents or caretakers. As a result, being apart from them at an early age is often accompanied by a level of anxiety. These feelings of distress are a normal stage of childhood development—but sometimes, our…

“Monkey branching” describes a dating behavior where someone continues to pursue other potential partners while already in a relationship, often without the knowledge or consent of their current partner.  The term comes from the image of a monkey swinging from one branch to another, never fully letting go of the…

Cymbalta is a well-known and popularly prescribed medication used to treat depression, anxiety, and chronic fatigue, among other conditions. For some people, Cymbalta may disturb their normal sleep routine, making it difficult to fall asleep at the right time or relax before bed.  Though there are several reasons for Cymbalta’s…

Cyclothymic disorder is a mild form of bipolar disorder II, characterized by emotional ups and downs. With cyclothymic disorder, an individual might feel great one week, and then low or down the next.  Without treatment, the time in between these mood swings might feel fine—but when their symptoms flare, they…

Most of us aren’t exactly thrilled about having to give a presentation to our entire company. We might feel slightly awkward having to make small talk with a stranger. Perhaps we get the jitters before a blind date. But we’ll still complete that presentation, engage in chit-chat, and go out…

Psychiatric medications come in all different forms. One specific type of psychiatric medication is the NDRI—or norepinephrine dopamine reuptake inhibitor.   NDRI medications are highly effective for many people when prescribed for specific conditions. Keep reading to learn about NDRIs, how they compare to SSRIs, and whether the two medications can…

Imagine that you’re going about your morning as usual – making coffee, feeding the cat, tidying the bedroom – when your chest starts to hurt. The pain quickly mounts. Within minutes you’re drenched in sweat and you feel as if you’re suffocating. You close your eyes and try to take…