Mental Health Topics

Many people have ideas about what the holidays spent with your family “should” be like. You’d expect your family members to love each other and be thankful for the time they get to spend together. Sadly, the reality for some families is much more complex. The truth is that many…

Traumatic stress leaves you feeling terrible. When you’re experiencing traumatic stress, your body tenses and gives in to physiological changes that can lead to digestive issues and headaches. When children experience this kind of overwhelming emotion, it limits their ability to engage positively in learning. Curiosity is a result of…

Traditionally speaking, the holidays are a time for celebration, for togetherness. But in the 21st century, the Christmas season has taken on a whole new meaning… stress. Today, celebrating the holidays with loved ones is overshadowed or even pushed aside completely by all of the stress that comes with it….

Intense feelings of despair. Anxiety. Hopelessness, Loss of interest. Mood swings. Irritability. Social isolation. What do all of these things have in common? They’re symptoms of depression—and well-known symptoms, at that. As we grow more comfortable talking about mental health and mental illness, depression is often a topic of interest…

Personally, I’ve contributed to a daily blog called “Ask the Therapist” for nearly 10 years.  Each month, around 2,500 questions are submitted by people all across the world. The problems submitted deal with a wide variety of issues, some extremely heartbreaking.  I’ve had questions from a young woman in the…

Positive psychology is centered around research on intentional activities. People are becoming more and more successful at transforming their lives for the better thanks to deliberate positive interventions. Focused, mindful acts—for example practicing acts of kindness, expressing gratitude, and reviewing the good things that happened in your life today—have an…

According to a new study “Distinct neural mechanisms for the prosocial and rewarding properties of MDMA,” published in Science Translational Medicine, MDMA (ecstasy) could improve trust between patient and therapist, thereby enhancing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine differentiated two molecular pathways, one responsible…

Zinc, exercise, Vitamin D and potential stress busters top the list of new possibilities to supplement the widespread use of antidepressant medications.  This new research is groundbreaking because antidepressants have been found to only work about half of the time, and they tend to bring upon unwanted side effects. The…

Many people keep a diary or journal as a way to store their thoughts. Actually, a recent study found that 83% of girls, ages 16-19 say they keep a diary—mostly as a means of personal reflection.  If you keep a diary or journal, you are in good company. Past United…

In 2008, as the crowd celebrated a successful campaign speech, Barack and Michelle Obama gave each other a fist bump. As many things surrounding the Obama family do, the fist bump went viral. Fist bumps quickly became the new handshake. And according to some, this type of handshake could function…

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 9 US adults 45 years and older report memory issues. And 40% of US adults 65 years and older have age-associated memory impairment.     As we age, certain cognitive functions naturally decline, like our memory. This means that we can’t always prevent…

Many of us scroll through social media on a daily basis—and our self-esteem takes a hit in the process. Why? Because social media is a highlight reel. In other words, people usually only share things like positive news and the most flattering of photos. As a result, we sometimes feel…