Mental Health Topics

When we think of grief, often the first thoughts that come to mind are of the emotional waves that come crashing down. Feelings of powerlessness, disbelief—and even shock. These powerful and dysphoric emotions are not just limited to their impact on the mind. In fact, researchers have long known that…

Personality disorders are a group of mental illnesses characterized by unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, which can seriously hinder someone’s everyday functioning. Some of these disorders have familiar names, like borderline personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or schizoid personality disorder. However, you might not be familiar with their distinguishing clusters. Each personality…

Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) is a psychological condition that can develop in those who have experienced prolonged and/or repetitive traumatic events in their lives. In a CPTSD vs. PTSD matchup, these conditions may seem similar, but in reality, they are different in many ways. Take a closer look with…

Do you feel like you’re falling behind everyone else? Are you disappointed with your life today? If you’re in your mid-twenties or early thirties and you feel disappointed with your life—seeing where your friends or family are or were at this point in their lives and starting to despair about…

Self-sabotage in relationships involves engaging in self-destructive patterns of behavior—whether unconsciously or consciously—which threaten to end a romantic relationship. This may involve distancing yourself, ignoring your partner, or putting emotional walls up. Often, self-sabotaging is related to past experiences or trauma.  Self-sabotage can harm or even end relationships that would…

Right now, millions of people are suffering from depression—and some might not even know it. Despite being one of the more well-known mental health conditions, not everyone understands the signs.  You may ask yourself: “Am I depressed? How can I be depressed and not know it?” That question has many…

“Only child syndrome” is a popular but controversial term used to describe a set of perceived negative traits or characteristics that are thought to be common among children who grow up without siblings. These traits may include selfishness, loneliness, introversion, difficulty sharing, and an overdeveloped sense of independence.  However, it’s…

When we feel disconnected and isolated from others, loneliness can start to take hold. Loneliness is a natural but emotionally and physically intense response to feeling disconnected from other people. That said, even when we’re surrounded by others, it’s still possible to wrestle with loneliness.  Loneliness has an intrinsic connection…

When it comes to our cell phones, nothing else in our life gets as much attention. If we lose it, let it die, or can’t answer it, the stress starts to build up rapidly. Getting by without a cell phone really isn’t possible anymore—which means other areas of your life…

Mental health professionals are always looking to use the most successful techniques—and deciding which method or approach to use is highly dependent on the individual’s needs and wants.  One of the most successful and broadly-used methods in contemporary practice is known as solution-focused brief therapy. Solution-focused brief therapy offers a…

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a common mental health disorder that occurs when obsessive thoughts reoccur in an unwanted or intrusive way, and is followed by a compulsive behavior to relieve the unwanted thoughts. While many people with OCD are able to manage their symptoms and live normal lives, OCD…

In western culture, men are expected to be stoic providers—individuals who are valued for what they offer society, first and foremost. They have also been traditionally valued based on their physical strength and mental toughness, without a tendency to show softer emotions.  Although recent years have seen this outdated perspective…