Category: Mental Health

We all recognize the symptoms: restless sleep, a racing pulse, and sweaty palms. Perhaps we also have headaches, gastrointestinal upset, or racing thoughts that can seem to paralyze. Anxiety finds a way to creep into the lives of many adults, adolescents, and even children, but not all cases of chronic anxiety are strictly mental. Chronic…

In her best-selling memoir, Eat, Pray, Love, author Elizabeth Gilbert wrote, “Look for God, suggests my Guru. Look for God like a man with his head on fire looks for water.” While Gilbert had the opportunity to travel and learn about meditation and her spirituality from a Guru, meditation is not something that requires globetrotting…

Stress is as much a part of everyday life as the sun rising and setting. It’s a natural response to the experiences we encounter in our lives, triggering a range of physical and mental reactions that help our bodies initiate what’s known as a “fight-or-flight” response to potentially dangerous situations. When encountering a difficult situation,…

“She’s just moody.” “She’s mentally ill.” “She’s crazy.” There are many labels and descriptors used to depict people with bipolar disorder. Some attempt to downplay or camouflage the seriousness of a serious medical condition while others are simply based on ignorance or inconsideration. The stigma of mental illness can cause some people to resist a…

Alcohol — the widely accepted, often misused and frequently abused social drug — can become anything from a harmless dinner beverage to a full-blown addiction for those who use it. Because of its socially acceptable existence, it is often abused covertly, and the abuser has many opportunities and avenues to conceal the abuse, downplay its…

A death in the family A lost career opportunity A failing relationship Any one of these things is enough to bring on the blues. Face it, life is a roller coaster of emotions. Unfortunately, we all encounter sad emotions at times. It’s perfectly normal to feel down in the dumps during the tough times. However,…

You have to understand. The last time I saw my dad, he was a vibrant and engaging man who loved to “talk story” with his retired friends as they hung out at the local mall. A few years later, I flew home after my dad had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), an umbrella term…

Susan Boyle Daryl Hannah Dan Aykroyd They are three celebrities who have thrived in the limelight despite a diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome. While there is much discussion about the autism spectrum as a whole, an Asperger’s syndrome diagnosis can sometimes slip through the cracks. Asperger’s syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a pervasive…

The middle-aged teacher resting between classes thought she was going to die when she experienced her first panic attack. Her heart started beating faster. She was sweating and overcome with the feeling that she was going to die. A colleague recognized the symptoms and sat with her before calling the on-staff nurse. Together, they determined…

There are only two certainties in life – death and taxes. And planning for either is no fun. Although most of us don’t want to face our own mortality, it’s a fact of life. The reality is that your affairs need to be handled sooner rather than later. Regardless of whether you have 10 months…