May has been recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States since 1949. This effort’s main goals are to educate the public about the wide-reaching impacts of mental illness and reduce the stigma associated with it. Organizations work together to advocate for policies that support those who have mental illness and highlight the…
Studies show that millions of American adults will experience an anxiety disorder at some point, making them the most pervasive of all mental health disorders. We all experience feelings of anxiety, fear, and worry from time to time. For example, you might have anxiety over a medical appointment or worry about paying a bill on…
Depression is a mental health disorder that impacts the lives of millions of people throughout the world. It is also one of the most commonly misunderstood. The term “depressed” has become a blanket word used to describe any general feelings of sadness or disappointment. Because of this, the seriousness of true depression is often overlooked.…
Mental illness is more common than you might think, affecting one in five Americans in a given year. Major mental illnesses rarely develop out of the blue. Usually, friends and family or the individuals themselves begin to notice changes or sense that something is not quite right. Still, signs of declining mental health can be…
Millions of people will experience a mental health crisis at some point in their lives. Many will be able to tend to their mental health needs with the support of friends and family, with outpatient treatment, or both. Still, others with more serious treatment needs will turn to residential mental health treatment. After taking the…
Mental health disorders affect a person’s moods, thoughts, and behaviors. Being diagnosed with a mental health disorder can be upsetting for the individual and their friends and family. However, with a diagnosis comes answers and a path to recovery. It is scarier to watch a loved one deteriorate and not understand why or how to…
Music is all around us in its many forms and is an integral part of most people’s day. While we are unsure why most people report that music impacts their mood, the effects are evident. A particular song can make you feel happy, energetic, sad, nostalgic, relaxed, or angry. Thus, it should come as little…
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, EMDR, is a therapeutic process that helps people free themselves from the harmful memories, negative thoughts, and upsetting emotions connected to past trauma that hinder their ability to lead healthy, productive lives. EMDR is non-invasive, evidence-based psychotherapy that has been clinically proven to be effective for treating trauma, PTSD,…
The 12-step recovery model was initially developed and implemented by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as a fellowship whose goal was to help one another overcome addiction to alcohol. Since its inception, the 12-step model has become universally known and is the most commonly recommended and used treatment modality for a wide array of addictions and compulsions.…
Learning that a friend or family member is engaging in self-harm can be deeply upsetting. You may feel frightened for their safety and confused or angry about why they are doing this to themselves. For a long time, self-injurious behavior was wrongly categorized as “attention-seeking” behavior. On the contrary, most self-harm individuals go to great…