Anxiety is very common—in fact, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA), anxiety disorders affect 40 million U.S. adults every year. Yet many people don’t have a strong understanding of anxiety and may not realize that it can take many forms. Here are some of the most common types of anxiety: Generalized anxiety disorder – Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder worry excessively about everyday issues (for example, health, family, work, and m

If you’ve ever worked in a toxic environment, you know how taxing it can be. Conversely, when colleagues have positive working relationships, it can: Increase productivity and efficiency Allow you to trust one another Make you feel more empowered to suggest ideas Reduce stress levels Make your work experience much more enjoyable Whether you’ve just started at a new job or you’ve been employed for a while but are still finding your footing at the company, here are some steps y

Do you have trouble balancing work and your personal life? If so, you’re not alone. According to Mental Health America (MHA), almost 40% of U.S. adults who are employed full time reported working 50+ hours a week, and 18% work 60+ hours. Despite how common it is for people to work long hours, having a healthy work-life balance is critical. Working too many hours—especially if it bleeds into your evenings, weekends, and holidays—can cause you to: Feel stressed and burnt out St

At some point in our lives, most of us will experience anxiety. It’s actually a natural reaction to many stressors such as starting a new job, taking final exams, and becoming a new parent. Now for many people, the anxiety will subside once the stressor goes away. But for others, anxiety becomes persistent and even excessive, even without obvious stressors, interfering with daily life. In these cases, the person is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Types of Anxiety Disorder

At some point in their life, many people will face a mental health crisis. Perhaps it is the stress from a divorce, anxiety from a move, or grieving the loss of a loved one. There are numerous ways we can tackle mental health to make our entire well-being a priority. But one method that not nearly enough people speak about is gratitude. Gratitude, or a feeling of thankfulness, is a powerful alchemist. It can instantly and dramatically change your mood. When one is feeling gra

If we’re honest, most of us would admit we look at some form of digital screen more than we do the face of our friends and loved ones. From our phones to iPad, laptops and flatscreen TVs the size of an entire wall, screen time for most people is definitely on the rise. But what exactly are the mental health effects of all of this screen time? Sleep Deprivation Without realizing it, many of us are hampering our natural sleep cycle with so much screen time. Our electronic devic

Immigrating to another country in search of a better life is incredibly stressful. While you may, in fact, have more access to education, healthcare and jobs, becoming part of a new culture and making a home is overwhelming to say the very least. Therapy is a wonderful way to seek some guidance and resources to help you through this transition. Sadly, many immigrants come from cultures that look unfavorably upon therapy and mental health in general. Therapy is seen as somethi

Stress is a normal part of life. And a little bit of stress can actually be a good thing. For instance, when we lift weights, we are stressing our muscles, helping them to become bigger and stronger. Similarly, little bits of mental stress can help us become more skilled and resilient. But too much of any type of stress can wreak havoc on our bodies and overall health. Three Main Types of Stress Acute Stress Acute stress occurs suddenly and out of the blue, sometimes experie

Your nervous system runs and powers every organ and every other system, from your brain to your digestion, breathing and beyond. But what many people don’t consider is that the natural aging process, toxins and diseases can damage your nervous system, and therefor your overall health and well-being. What does the nervous system do? Your nervous system is a bit like the Internet. But instead of nodes, your nervous system is a large network of specialized cells called neuron

Having a low self-esteem is something many people of all ages deal with. While a low self-esteem is not considered a mental health condition itself, the way we think about ourselves directly impacts our mental health and overall well-being. What is Self-Esteem? Self-esteem refers to the way people feel about themselves. Someone with a healthy or high self-esteem thinks positively about themselves and their abilities. They believe they are deserving of respect and have no

Gender-affirming care focuses on an individual’s physical, mental and social health needs. This care is absolutely lifesaving for transgender, gender diverse, and nonbinary people. In order to fully understand what gender-affirming care is, we must first understand what it means to have a “gender identity crisis.” Gender crises happen when someone’s internal sense of gender is different from their sex or when they do not fit into the traditional expectations of gender ident

Gender dysphoria, formerly known as gender identity disorder, describes intense and persistent feelings of identifying with another gender. Individuals with gender dysphoria often take measures to live in harmony with their internal gender identity. This may include dressing and using mannerisms associated with the gender they identify with. In order to be officially diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a person must experience significant distress. Gender VS Sex The terms gender

For many children, childhood is a time of wonder, play, and discovery. These children have parents who give them the safety and security to explore the world around them and grow to reach their full potential. But some children have one or more parents who lack the right skills or behavior to allow their children to feel safe, secure, and unconditionally loved. Those children who are raised by someone with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) often experience prolonged tra

At no other time in history have schools had to face so many challenges. The COVID-9 pandemic required teachers, students, and faculty to quickly pivot and move classes to an online environment during times of great uncertainty. Despite the work involved to keep education going, students of all ages have still been significantly impacted by the stress of lockdowns. Many students are dealing with mental health challenges as a result. A recent study looked at 195 students at a

You know you got your hairline from your Dad’s side of the family and your eye color from your mom. You know diabetes runs in your family, as does heart disease and Parkinson’s. But do you know that many families also pass down trauma to their loved ones? It’s not just our physical makeup and risk of disease that we inherit from our family, it is also the emotional wounds as well. What is Transgenerational Trauma? Before you were born you were in your mother’s womb and ver

According to CDC data, 1 in 4 children experiences some form of trauma or abuse in their childhood. More sobering statistics indicate that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have experienced rape at some point in their lives. These numbers suggest that many people, male and female, young and old, have and will experience trauma in their lifetime. Treating Health in People with Trauma If you’ve ever gone to the doctor or been treated at an emergency room, you know that the entire sc

Did you ever play the game called “telephone” growing up? One kid whispered a secret message into the ear of the kid next to him. That kid then whispered the “same” message into the ear of the kid next to her. On and on each kid would whisper the message around the circle until you came to the last kid, who would then announce the secret message aloud. Often the final message sounded nothing like the original message. That’s because every person has their own way of hearing a

If you’re like most people, you are doing your best to stay calm during COVID-19 pandemic. But that can feel incredibly difficult at times. When not worrying about friends and loved one’s health, there’s also the conflicting information provided by the media and the economic ramifications of the virus that have people on edge. Signs of Emotional Distress and 6 Ways to Cope Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations, but most will exhibit some of the following signs:

When you think about it, modern women are really like superheroes. Not only are they obtaining college degrees and climbing corporate ladders, they’re doing so while also raising families. They may also find themselves taking care of aging parents at the same time. While some women are able to manage juggling all of these big responsibilities, many women, over time, will experience burnout and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. A Gold Medal for Prioritizin

Body positivity is a movement started by the idea that all human beings, regardless of their size, should feel good about themselves. Body positive advocates encourage others to celebrate their bodies and accept themselves the way they are, instead of trying to squeeze themselves into a physical mold that society has deemed “attractive.” But is it possible to be body positive and still manage your weight? The two concepts appear, at first glance, to be contradictory. I am of