Mental Health Topics

Autism, officially known autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a somewhat common neurodevelopmental disorder but isn’t well-understood by the general public. And despite increasing understanding and awareness in regards to autism, misconceptions still persist.  For example, it’s common for many people to confuse autism with learning disabilities but under closer scrutiny,…

Stress is a very prevalent part of life for many people, and can be a source of discomfort and strain, especially when you don’t know how to deal with it. Unless you have actively tried to establish routines and strategies for relieving stress, it’s likely that you have some lingering…

At some point in time, everyone feels stress. It is a universal part of life, and yet if it isn’t dealt with effectively, it can start to affect our physical and mental health over time.  The term “stress” doesn’t necessarily have a universally agreed upon definition, though a good working…

Celexa, the brand name for the drug citalopram, is a commonly-used antidepressant. Though it is mainly used to treat depression, it’s also frequently used to treat anxiety. Celexa is a specific type of antidepressant called a selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which works to restore the balance of serotonin in the…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences in the brain that affect behavior, communication, and other developmental skills. It can be treated to help lessen the effect of symptoms, but it will remain present throughout one’s lifetime. Though autism isn’t something that can be “cured,” with…

It’s important to spread awareness about the prevalence of mental health issues and the negative effects of stigma surrounding them. This is why events like PTSD Awareness Month exist—to promote learning, growth, acceptance, and change within our cultures and society. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition caused…

We often use “stress” and “anxiety” interchangeably, to describe intense worry or emotional distress. But in reality, there are distinct differences between the two—for example, one is considered a healthy emotion that can be beneficial, while the other is considered an unhealthy emotion that is all-around harmful. Let’s explore these…

When you seek out mental health services, inevitably the question of cost becomes a factor. How much will you end up paying? Will your insurance cover your visits? And if you don’t have insurance, you may wonder, “How much does a psychiatrist cost without insurance?”  While getting an exact cost…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s estimated that approximately 1 in 36 children will be born with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is one of the more common neurodevelopmental disorders—and you might be wondering, especially if you or another family member has ASD, if autism…

Everyone faces some amount of stress in their daily lives. Stress is an important part of functioning—it alerts our body to pressure, marking certain situations as important or even dangerous.  However, our bodies are not meant to feel constant, long-term stress, as it is still a state of physical, mental,…

Everyone can have intrusive thoughts from time to time, but when you have obsessive-compulsive disorder, intrusive thoughts can go from being a nuisance to something anxiety-ridden, single-minded, and uncontrollable.  OCD can be extremely difficult to control, affecting how one lives and has to move throughout the world. However, with proper…

“I hate my life” has become a popular sentiment over the years. People say it for all sorts of reasons: stressful work environment, turbulent love life, lack of friends, concern for the world at large.  The real problem occurs when people start to say it and mean it. As much…