Living Life to the Fullest, Regardless of Depression
A depression diagnosis is a difficult reality, but not a hopeless one. Thousands of Americans have learned how to handle depression and continue to not only live, but flourish regardless of their diagnosis. With motivation, healthy habits and the guidance of a mental health professional, you can learn how to not only live with depression, but thrive in everything you do. 1. Be open about living with depression It is not uncommon for depression to keep you in a state of feeling fatigued, unmotivated and unfocused. Unfortunately, this can constantly get in the way of daily things you need to [...]
Anxious Behaviors You Might Mistake for Normal
Anxiety isn’t a bad thing; it’s the body’s natural response to stress and danger. However, anxiety can turn into a chronic mental health condition, when the body is constantly stuck in a place of feeling the need to fight or run. Subtle signs of anxiety Anxiety is not having constant anxiety attacks, or being perpetually stressed and nervous. Anxiety isn’t always a screaming internal voice with very obvious outward signs. Sometimes, anxiety is a quiet sense in the back of your mind, questioning everything, being on edge and keeping you on your toes. It’s this more subtle side of anxiety [...]
6 Tips to Regulate and Improve Mental & Emotional Health
Seeking to improve mental and emotional health can radically change your quality of life. Experience higher satisfaction in personal relationships, professional connections and family life, as well as improved physical wellbeing and decreased rates of disease. Please note that these mental health tips are no substitute for professional treatment, but rather should serve as a compliment to existing treatment plans. Tips for an integrated and balanced life Consult the following strategies to inspire healthy lifestyle choices and embrace mental health challenges as they arise. 1. Spend time outside. In the words of Helen Keller, “Keep your face to the sunshine [...]
How Can Anxiety Affect Women?
Anxiety refers to both anxiety disorders, like generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder, and occasional feelings of anxiety, which many people experience throughout their lives. While men and women both experience symptoms of anxiety, the nuanced differences between those two experiences must be appreciated. Why do women experience anxiety? Significant differences have been observed in rates of anxiety between men and women, in that anxiety has been consistently found in higher prevalence among women. Anxiety in women can potentially be linked to unique societal experiences, including: Pressure to keep up physical appearances For many women, they become keenly aware [...]
Anxiety is More Than Just Stress
Long-term or repeated periods of stress can cause a variety of health problems in an individual. Since anxiety is a chronic form of stress, it's no wonder the effects of anxiety on the body can be so damaging. The side effects of clinical anxiety are explored in this article, and if you're experiencing these or other complications from stress or worry, it's time to consult a professional. Here are the long and short-term effects of anxiety. 1. Constant release of stress hormones It's natural to feel some anxiety, and at some point, every person will experience some worry or stress. [...]
8 Signs of Positive Mental Health Change
Mental health is a complex ecosystem that requires attention and care. If you have experienced mental health challenges, you are well familiar with the ebbs and flows, the good days and the bad days. Learning how to cultivate positive changes with your mental health is important in seeing improvements to your overall wellbeing. Look out for these positive signs that you have made progress with your mental health: Before: You experienced low self-esteem Now: You feel more confident When you’re already feeling down, the last thing you need is to feel insecure about your appearance or your capabilities. After working [...]
Combat Anxiety and Boost Your Mood with These Four Quick Mental Health Exercises
Stress can come to anyone at any time, and the feeling can be crippling. Professional treatment is the first line of defense for anxiety or overwhelming stress, and while treatment should always be the starting point for coping with anxiety, there are tools you can learn to use outside of therapy to manage your emotions and find a sense of peace in a chaotic world. When you develop skills to help you deal with everyday anxiety, you’ll have greater control over your life, feel better and be able to accomplish more. Here are four quick mental health exercises to [...]
How You Can Open the Conversation around Mental Wellness at Work
Supporting mental wellness is now more important than ever. A 2020 report by the American Psychological Association found that stress levels are at an all-time high, significant enough to be considered a national mental health crisis. Those companies that aren’t working to solve the problem are likely contributing to it. When it comes to advocating for mental health at work, there are practical and easy steps every business can do to support their workforce. Read on for a brief guide to support mental health for employees. Start with a conversation Companies that want to support mental health at work don’t [...]
How to Identify and Overcome Addiction Stressors
Like all things in life, there is no quick-fix, no miracle cure - recovery takes time and effort. Thankfully though, there are tools and strategies you can use to make the path easier. When you’re working towards sobriety and longing for the freedom recovery brings, knowing your triggers can be the key to overcoming addiction. In this article, we’ll look at the most common addiction causes, how to identify your own and how to conquer them on your journey to substance-free living. How addiction develops The development of addiction is a complex process and there is no single cause. There [...]
Panic Attack vs Anxiety Attack: What’s the Difference?
Panic attacks vs anxiety attacks Although panic attacks and anxiety attacks are often conflated, they are two distinct conditions with distinct symptoms. In general, panic attacks are abrupt, intense and unexpected, while anxiety attacks are prolonged periods of anxiety. The two experiences share some physical symptoms, including increased heart rate and hyperventilation. It is important to note the clinical distinctions between the two conditions using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM-5) as a basis. The DSM-5 is the psychiatric field’s authority on psychiatric diagnosis criteria, treatment recommendations, contemporary terminology and updated scientific findings and research. [...]
How to Embrace Challenges to Mental Health, and Live to Thrive
2020 was a tough year for everyone. There’s no hiding the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic increased stressors that were already present, and brought up new ones. Whether the challenges were social, political or financial, everyone’s mental wellness suffered in some way. In this article, we’ll explore some common obstacles that people have encountered over the past year as well as ways to embrace those obstacles and improve our mental wellbeing. Health struggles In the wake of the pandemic, we’ve all had to assess and come to terms with our physical health. Especially vulnerable individual have needed to take extreme [...]
Mental Health Goals & Objectives for the New Year You Haven’t Tried Yet
2020 was a chaotic year. A worldwide pandemic, social unrest, economic hardship, natural disasters and everything in between seemed to pack a mere 12 months. The idea of a new year, a clean slate, is a welcome chance to restart for many of us. With the new year, you may be creating new year’s resolutions. Maybe you’ve already made a plan and stuck with it. Ultimately, the ability to self-regulate, cope with the stress of life and make meaningful achievement were surely brought to the forefront of your mind in the mayhem of the past 365 days. As you enter [...]
