A major depressive episode is difficult to understand from the outside. Even for those of us who have gone through a major depressive episode, it can be tough to put it into words. A few years back, I was suffering from a mild but persistent depression. Although I had been taking medication for almost a …
Social anxiety has been a part of my life as long as I can remember. However, I didn’t always have the words for it. As a small child, I was called shy. I would find myself clinging to my mom’s leg in social situations. In school, I was quiet. I didn’t put my hand up …
A few years ago, I had an argument with a friend about “my” anxiety. We were on our way to his house, and I was driving. I mentioned that I was thinking about how I would navigate his difficult driveway and he remarked on the fact that I was already thinking about that. He said …
When my partner and I first went to couples counseling, we thought we were just going for a “checkup.” The therapist would give us a thumbs-up, tell us our relationship was in great shape, and we’d go out into the world as the perfect power couple. If that sounds like a lot of rationalization, that’s …
The other day, I was booking a trip for me and my partner, along with a friend of ours. After hours of fruitless searching for a good place to stay, I had somehow come across a gem we’d missed. I got out my partner’s credit card and paid, noting that only 40% of the value …
Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses in the world. In the US, more than 18% of the population suffers from some sort of anxiety disorder. Before delving into the different anxiety disorders, anxiety itself is not necessarily unhealthy. Anxiety is a feeling every human experiences sometimes. It ensures that we don’t forget …
When we speak of mindfulness for mental health and wellness, it is easy to get lost in the details. You may not know how to meditate or how long to do so. You may not know when to even try. But many mindfulness practices are actually very simple. One such practice is doing something “one-mindfully.” …
“Resentment is like swallowing poison and expecting the other person to die.” We all harbor resentment towards someone, and resentment often feels justified. We get caught up in obsessive thoughts about how the person has hurt us. We fantasize getting back at them. The possibility that their treatment of us will go unpunished seems unbearable. …
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex mental illness that affects about 3.5% of the US population. PTSD is spoken about often in mental health settings, and it has been portrayed on multiple TV series and movies. However, most people have only a vague awareness of what kind of events actually lead to the illness. …
Every person who has suffered from depression recognizes the difficulty in explaining it to friends and family. Many people simply seem to struggle to understand depression. They question why you are feeling depressed, as if there is a convenient trigger you can pinpoint. They don’t know why you can’t just “snap out of it.” These …
