Formerly known as manic depression, bipolar disorder is a mental health illness marked by severe mood swings. People with bipolar disorder may experience large emotional highs, known as mania or hypomania, and deep emotional lows, known as depression. The cycling of these episodes may cause a psychotic episode, or a break from reality. Bipolar I…
Perfectionism is a mental health problem that can cause you misery and stress. If you feel like everything has to be absolutely the way you desire it, and if you feel like you have to control many things in your life, then you may be a perfectionist. Here are a few signs that your drive…
While all of us worry sometimes, anxiety is prolonged and intense worry that interferes with your life and risks your wellbeing. Signs and symptoms of anxiety include: Worrying so much that you can’t focus on daily tasks Worrying that is so intense, you feel like you can’t live your life Feelings of agitation, including increased…
While all of us feel sad sometimes, depression is when these feelings get overwhelming and last a long time. Signs of depression include intense or long-lasting: Feelings of hopelessness about the future Lack of interest in your day-to-day activities or the people around you Difficulty convincing yourself to get out of bed in the morning…
The following are some signs that your relationship can benefit from couples counseling: You find yourself fantasizing about someone else who might be “the right one” for you You feel alone or lonely You feel disgust when you think of your partner You feel happier when your partner or loved one isn’t around or when…
Mental health therapy can be one part of a plan to help improve your mental health and your overall health care. Here are some other tips that will help improve your mental health and wellbeing: Get enough sleep, ideally seven to nine hours. Eat nutritious meals. Exercise regularly. Go outdoors. Find ways to deal with…
The signs and symptoms of mental illness vary in intensity and from person to person, so it’s important to know what to look for. Here’s a list of signs and symptoms that typically point to the presence of a mental illness: Sleep changes Appetite changes Energy level fluctuations Social withdrawal Extreme mood swings Intrusive thoughts…
New Year, New You? Are Intentions Better Than Resolutions? Written By: Jessica Eiseman, MS, LPC-S, NCC, CCTP Doesn’t that saying “New Year, New you” just bother you? Like I wasn’t good enough last year, so I need a different me this year? It just has a certain negative tone to it with a lot of…
You are probably experiencing it now: December feels different than any other month. Why does December feel so hard? December is full of end-of-year reflections. We face constant messages about new year’s resolutions that ask us to evaluate our lives, identify shortcomings and disappointments, and create promises of change. We also reflect on how our…
This will be the third Christmas Eve without my father. This will be the third Christmas Eve where the halls won’t echo with poorly-sung Christmas songs. This will be the third year that we won’t have goofy dancing as we countdown to Christmas day. This will be the third Christmas Eve my dad won’t parade…