People often tend to place more significance on the loss of a romantic relationship than they do on the loss of a friendship. But in many cases, losing a friendship can be more difficult than losing a significant other, especially if the friendship had lasted for many years. With romantic relationships, we usually know that there’s always the possibility of a breakup, but we typically imagine friendships lasting forever. So when we have a falling-out with a friend, it can tak

We’ve all had those days when the alarm goes off and we lie in bed, feeling depleted of our energy, and maybe even our good mood. We think to ourselves, “I’m not really sick, but I just need a break from real life today.” While taking a sick day is common when you are feeling physically unwell, what’s not as common – but perhaps should be – is taking a mental health day when you are feeling mentally and emotionally unwell. Now many, if not most, companies do offer their emplo

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a major depressive disorder that occurs during the same season each year. Also known as the “winter blues,” SAD typically comes on in the fall and winter, when the light is diminished. SAD is believed to affect nearly 10 million Americans and is four times more common in women than men. Many people experience symptoms that are severe enough to affect their quality of life. Though not everyone will experience the same symptoms, here are

When you boil life down to its very essence, you’ll find what’s left is a series of human emotions. All of the experiences in our life come with emotion, whether it’s joy, sadness, anger, or anxiety. That’s why so many people choose to do everything they can to avoid situations that bring pain and only focus on those experiences that offer them pleasure. How different life would be if we weren’t able to feel the pleasure that human experiences offer us. Some people, however,

Do you struggle with self-esteem? Are you constantly comparing yourself to others? Do you have a belief that something is inherently wrong with you or that you are less than? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, then you have an inner critic that is out of control! How the Inner Critic Develops It’s hard to imagine that anything labeled as a “critic” could have our best intentions at heart. But the truth is, for most of us, the inner critic, also referred to

A great many alcoholics are also suffering from major depression. Because alcohol can feed our brain’s serotonin receptors, it can make someone feel good for a short amount of time. But eventually the person crashes and feels even worse than they did before. And this vicious cycle continues and is, unfortunately, very hard to break without asking for professional help. The Chicken or the Egg Theory Both alcoholism and depression are psychiatric illnesses that cause distress a

Dating is challenging for everyone. But when you suffer with depression, dating can feel scary and overwhelming. Not only do you feel particularly raw and vulnerable to possible rejection, but should a connection be made, you have the added burden of figuring out how and when to tell the person about your depression. Should people with depression date? If the person feels emotionally strong enough, then yes of course they should date. The real question is HOW should they date

With 322 million people suffering with depression worldwide, it's not surprising to learn that in America, depression is among the most common mental disorders. The cause of depression is often simplified as a chemical imbalance in the brain, but the reality is that the disease is far more complicated. Scientific research has yet to completely understand the biology of depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is caused by a combination of g