Category Archives: Articles

A Year-End Reflection on Your Mental Health Journey

A Year-End Reflection on Your Mental Health Journey

Over the past year, you’ve made strides in your mental health journey—sometimes in big leaps, and at other times, slow, painstaking steps. For most people, progress doesn’t come in life-changing epiphanies but in slowly adopting day-to-day habits that move you toward your goals. For that reason, it can be difficult to recognize the difference between […]

Growing Up with a Hoarder Parent

Growing Up with a Hoarder Parent

“I was so embarrassed and ashamed of how we lived that a knock on the door terrified me.” “We regularly had to eat meals standing up, because the kitchen table was inundated with piles and piles of stuff.” The effects of a hoarding problem can extend to one’s children, creating mental health challenges for the […]

Mental Health Responses to Mass Shootings

Mass Shooting Mental Health impact

Stories of mass shootings are tragically commonplace in the United States. There isn’t a week that goes by without a gut-wrenching story in the news about another senseless act of violence. In 2022 alone, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 647 mass shootings in the United States. As of mid-November of 2023, the nation has seen […]

Songs You May Not Have Known Are about Depression

Songs about mental health depression

Depression has a grip on millions of people. Far more than feeling sad, depression can leave you feeling hopeless, apathetic, and worthless. And despite the condition being so widespread, it often feels like other people just don’t understand what it’s like. For listeners and creators alike, music offers a way to manage feelings we otherwise […]

Serotonin Shortage Link to COVID

Serotonin LShortage - is it linked to COVID?

Few things in recent history have had such a significant impact on so many people worldwide as COVID-19. In the United States alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports over 1.1 million deaths and over 100 million confirmed cases, highlighting the virus’s devastating impact on families nationwide. Along with the virus itself, the […]

When Is Medication Needed for Mental Health?

When medication is needed for mental health

Every person’s mental health journey is unique, and especially at the beginning of treatment, it can be challenging to navigate treatment options. Many individuals ask questions such as, “Do I need psychiatric help?” and “Do I need medication to manage my mental illness?” While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to treating a mental illness, many […]

Mental Health Gadgets—Do They Actually Work?

Gadgets for Mental Health - Do They Work?

Stress is one of the most difficult-to-manage parts of our daily lives. If you’re unable to limit your stress levels, it can affect your mood, sleep, appetite, and so many other aspects of your mental and physical health. Long-term stress has links to serious conditions like obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, and cardiovascular disease, among others. Because […]

Mental Health Tips for When a Loved One is Hospitalized

When a loved one is hospitalized - Mental Health

Handling a loved one’s illness is never easy, whether they’re living with a chronic condition or an acute illness that’s become unexpectedly serious. Many people associate hospitals with life-altering diagnoses and situations, and seeing a loved one in that setting can create a lot of fear, stress and anxiety. Coping with a sick loved one […]

A Killer’s Mind: Jared Lee Loughner

A Killer's Mind: Jared Lee Loughner

On January 8, 2011, a shooting occurred outside of a supermarket, resulting in the deaths of six people and wounding 13 others. The target of this shooting was Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was holding a “Congress on Your Corner” event at the store. The man suspected of committing the crime, Jared Lee Loughner, was arrested […]

It’s Complicated: OCD and Relationships

It's Complicated: OCD and Relationships

How do OCD and relationships mix? Whether you’ve just met someone or been partnered for a while, mental health disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can cause disruption and confusion and interfere with your bond. What should you do? Where can you go for help? Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) show that about 2.3 […]