Category: Mental Wellness
Why Does Chocolate Seem To Lift Our Spirits?
How often do you find yourself reaching for a piece of chocolate when you are sad or feeling blue? You’ve seen the movie scenes where the girl breaks up with the guy and sits on her couch with a pint of chocolate ice cream. Is there any validity to the idea that chocolate can really…
Life Is Less Stressful At The Beach: Why People Choose Clearwater Florida
Many are flocking to Florida for a more carefree and less stressful life. The number one reason is the weather. Struggling to get your car started in freezing temperatures to get to work or do some shopping is not just unpleasant, it’s stressful. The winter blues are a real thing so many people choose to…
How To Reduce Stress And Anxiety As The Holidays Approach
It’s that time of the year again when suddenly everywhere you turn it seems the Holidays are being lauded. A time of joy! The season of giving. Time to celebrate with family and friends. Of course, this time of year can be joyous for many, but it is also a time of stress and anxiety…
Does Lack Of Sleep Affect Our Mental And Physical Health?
Americans tend to live life on a treadmill. We work long hours, eat badly, stress a lot, and lose sleep. We lay in bed at night worrying about our jobs, money, our kids, our elderly parents, and all the woes of the world. Many of us don’t get a sufficient number of hours of sleep…
How Does Music Affect Our Emotions, Anxiety and Depression?
You may have heard the old expression, “music soothes the savage beast.” What is the meaning of that? It could mean that music can greatly affect and regulate our behaviors, moods, and emotions. Have you ever felt anxious and found that turning on soft or pleasant music relaxes you? Upbeat music might make you suddenly…
Can Caring For A Dog Or Other Pet Help With Depression And Anxiety?
Pet owners will tell you that their furry friend brings a lot of joy to their life. But what even they might not know is that sharing your life with a beloved pet can have significant benefits to both your physical and mental health. The bond between man (or woman) and dog is noted in…
Can Our Connections To Social Media Become A Dangerous Addiction?
Many people, worldwide, have joined the ranks of social media followers. For some, it’s something they use to raise their business profile, but for many more it’s a way to connect to friends and family and the outside world. Social media offers groups of every kind and helps people connect with communities that they would…
Real Treatments For A Very Real Disorder
What is PTSD? Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was traditionally thought of as a mental condition only affecting those in the service or who had seen combat. As far back as the Civil War, we noted that men returning from war would have nightmares, difficulty sleeping, and other symptoms. In the aftermath of World Wars, I…
How Stress Affects Depression And Our Overall Mental Health
The entire world has experienced something that has never happened before – a pandemic and social media interaction. The global pandemic, while not the first such event, happened occurred with the added bonus of TV and social media to connect us daily to the stress and suffering on every part of the globe. Many of…
Dealing With OCD Symptoms
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involves being obsessed with something, acting compulsively, or oftentimes both. These obsessions typically occur in the form of recurrent, unwanted thoughts. However, just because you have intrusive thoughts doesn’t mean you have this disorder. The difference has to do with the degree to which a person’s life is affected by these thoughts.…
Tips For Surviving Bipolar Disorder
People with bipolar disorder experience mood swings that range from depressive lows to manic highs. Unfortunately, nobody knows the exact cause of this disorder. Treatment Modalities When it comes to treating bipolar disorder a combination of medication and psychotherapy should be used as patients learn self-management skills. These skills are important as they teach the…
Diagnostic Process For PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a complex mental health condition that affects thousands of Americans every year. In recent years, it has come into the public eye once again thanks in part to celebrities being more open about their mental health struggles, as well as decreasing stigma around mental health discussions and treatments in…