Category Archives: Disorders

Humans are social creatures; we automatically mirror each other’s mannerisms and emotions and even brain activity during interactions, and numerous studies show correlations between happiness and social connectedness. While not everyone needs or desires the same level of socialization, it remains a key component for life satisfaction. It’s not unusual to feel uneasy about new […]

Trigger Warning: The topic of this article may be triggering for some readers. Caution is advised. Stories about individuals inflicting harm on themselves may be difficult to hear. But these occurrences are both a cry for help and a reminder that much more must be done to increase self-harm awareness and how people can help […]

Fear plays a critical role when it comes to our survival, motivating us to maintain a safe environment and minimize exposure to threats. While a certain dose of fear is healthy and beneficial, occasionally, this emotional response kicks into overdrive and becomes disruptive. In general, the more control over our environment we have, the safer […]

Anxiety and panic disorders are common in this country. The following insights into panic disorders are for informational purposes only. If severe anxiety and panic is negatively impacting your quality of life and you suspect you may have a panic disorder, consult a licensed mental health professional. Understanding Panic Disorder: Signs and Symptoms When a […]

Have you ever thought about taking a social anxiety test? Social anxiety can’t be that big of a thing, can it? If you believe depictions of personal interaction portrayed in the media, you’d be convinced that everyone easily meets new people and has a good time. That’s not reality, however. It’s acting. While not as […]

Hypercritical personality types may not receive as much attention as they should. Yet, hypercritical personality disorders are very evident in today’s society and appear to be on the rise. Hypercritical Personality Disorder: Unpacking the Term An analysis of the word “hypercritical” shows how the two words, “hyper” and “critical,” are essential elements of the definition […]

Long COVID (post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), refers to a variety of often debilitating symptoms that persist for weeks or months after a person recovers from a COVID infection. Long COVID involves both physical and psychological symptoms that affect people differently. For some, symptoms are mild and manageable. For others, symptoms are so severe […]

Stress is a part of everyday life in modern society. From long checkout lines to bumper-to-bumper traffic to the boss handing you an urgent assignment at the end of the day, to unruly children, bills that are piling up, worries about medical tests, failing grades, and countless other things, stress is unavoidable. Chronic stress, on […]

Like anything deeply personal, relationships are difficult to navigate and can be complex. Everyone needs healthy boundaries to feel safe and thrive in their own environments. What those boundaries look like will be different for every relationship. Some people will also attempt to push those boundaries, using their actions and behavior to control and influence […]

Signs of bipolar disorder (BPD) may be difficult to recognize at their onset because symptoms often emerge during adolescence or early adulthood. Parents of teens know that moodiness, impulsive decision-making, and sleeping too little or too much are characteristics of teenage behavior. These “teen growing pains” could also be initial symptoms of bipolar disorder. It […]