One of us is a national behavioral health advocate whose peer support work ignited a decade-long journey to reform the system. As a peer supporter, I have worked with several youths and young adults who became entangled in insurance nightmares. One person’s therapist stopped taking insurance after two years because she was not getting [...]
Our daily routines shape the people we become. After all, you and I are simply the product of our habits. For example, if you have a habit of overeating, you might gain more weight than your body needs. If you do 100 push-ups daily, you’ll likely develop your chest and [...]
While many people work to maintain their health and improve their fitness, others do it for their mental health. The link between physical activity and mental health is in the chemicals your brain releases to make you feel good, including endorphins. This boosts your self-esteem, improves your concentration, and helps you feel better overall. Click here to [...]
Clinicians and patients alike will be familiar with the long waitlists that often accompany access to mental health support. While this is primarily an issue of capacity and under-funding, leading to feelings of frustration and hopelessness, you may be surprised to find that there is some evidence that these waitlists have their uses. Click here [...]
As Americans, we tend to focus on getting the most done in the quickest amount of time. The stress of living in a high-paced world can be incredibly overwhelming and impact nearly every aspect of your mental health and also your physical and emotional health and well-being. Click here to continue reading.
Learning to set boundaries is a key part of protecting your emotional and mental well-being. To do so, you might usually consider what you need from a similarly mental or cognitive perspective—for instance, "I will not reply to emails after 6 p.m. to preserve my time with family," or "That topic makes me uncomfortable to discuss, [...]
"Have you tried to fix someone's mental illness? When we see others struggling with mental illness, we often get the urge to help. But for most of us, we aren’t equipped to treat their disease—and trying to can negatively impact our mental health. Sometimes we have to let go and accept that we can’t [...]
Mental health clinicians have long been asked to measure the change in their patients to demonstrate treatment progress. This is typically accomplished through standardized testing, such as the Mental Status Exam (MSE). The MSE is a structured assessment conducted by healthcare professionals to evaluate an individual's cognitive and emotional functioning. It aims to gather information [...]
"Anxiety and exhaustion frequently go hand in hand. Feeling anxious day after day is exhausting, and when we’re so worn out, anxiety worsens because managing it becomes more difficult. The fatigue of anxiety often feels different than the exhaustion of depression. Whereas depression can zap people of energy and motivation and make it difficult to be up [...]
With our increasingly sedentary lifestyles and long hours spent sitting, our bodies often suffer from back pain, joint pain, and sore muscles. Not only does this impact our physical wellbeing, but it can also have a detrimental effect on mental wellbeing. Click here to continue reading.
