With all of the recent violence in the streets of America, people are talking about mental health more than ever. While I am extremely grateful that people are talking and that (hopefully) agencies will focus more funding toward mental health, I feel compelled to share that the vast majority of people with a diagnosable mental illness are NOT violent. “Most people with mental illness are…
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and yet yesterday in the news I read of another death by suicide. This grieves my heart. In Western culture, we have a low tolerance for pain. We live in a world of instant gratification. We have a headache, and we pop an ibuprofen. Sinus pressure — no worries, there’s a med for that too. Something happens to our psyche…
As I packed up my home of 17 to years to relocate, I realized just how much stuff I had accumulated over the years. I knew I had some clutter, but I wasn’t a pack rat — was I? In psychology, we talk about the Johari Window. The window allows us to recognize that we all have blindspots. Sometimes others see what we fail to…
While millions of people suffer with bipolar disorder, there are even more struggling because they want to help, but don’t know how. I wish had a simple formula, a list of do’s and don’t’s to give you, but sadly there is not an easy answer. Several years ago, I wrote When Someone You Love is Manic to offer some suggestions for people who want to help…
Yesterday I experienced anxiety like never before. I’ve been worried…I have had my share of fear…but as the eye of Hurricane Irma approached my dad and his home, my fears skyrocketed! My heart raced. The tears flowed. All I wanted to do was curl up in bed and pray the time would pass quickly. This morning my fears were relieved when my dad texted me…
People who have endured traumatic experiences often complain of recurrent nightmares. The good news is that this is normal and it is the brain’s way of trying to make sense of what happened. The bad news is it can invoke painful emotions such as fear, anger, and depression and can lead to insomnia. Nightmares often unmask subconscious thoughts surrounding the traumatic event. It can be…