Mental health problems are infamously complicated. Although psychologists have a successful guidebook to identify and diagnose mental illness, those manuals are merely suggestions for treatment — and can’t predict exactly how you experience your psychological and emotional well-being. With that…
Posts published in September 2017
As a psychotherapist, I frequently observe how lonely and isolated people feel. Although they may be married or successful in their career, people often report a painful sense of disconnection or alienation. Although there are varied reasons for experiencing a sense of isolation,…
Ah, the leaves are changing and the air’s getting crisper…goodbye September! I can’t say I’ll miss you (you kind of whizzed right on by?!) and October is my favorite month anyway! This week’s Psychology Around the Net covers the real…
If you can recognize this pattern, you can handle your favorite narcissist more effectively. One trait of men and women with narcissistic habits makes them frustratingly difficult to deal with — either as a partner at work or someone to…
The usefulness of medical marijuana for the treatment of mental illness and disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia is an open question today. There have been only a few really good studies on this issue, and their…
Ketamine is a medication mainly used for starting and maintaining anesthesia although it has also been used to provide rapid relief of treatment resistant depression. The ability to rapidly stabilize severely depressed patients has been demonstrated in several studies and has led researchers…
There are devastating things happening in the world today. Can we find paths to peace when everything feels like it’s falling apart? When I was a kid, I thought money was evil. It did crazy things to people-made them jealous,…
Relationships and mental illness — can it work out? People who struggle with mental health issues might find themselves wondering if they can handle a relationship as well. I know I did. After all, it’s hard to think about being…
Who do you trust? Ideally, family, friends and co-workers in our inner circles would be first among those to whom we offer our vulnerability. As children, we are taught to trust police officers, clergy and doctors. Sadly, those in all…
In this episode of the Psych Central Show, hosts Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales welcome Andy Behrman, veteran mental health speaker, writer, and advocate who is the author of Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania. Andy shares his views on how mental health advocacy…
There are thousands of theories of happiness and how people feel such profound personal satisfaction that they are genuinely happy people. Some believe that happiness comes from achieving your goals. Others believe it comes when certain parts of their life…
It has been 3 years since my Mother died at 9:41pm on a hot August night. She was 62 and pancreatic cancer had ravaged her body in a short 7 weeks. I was there. I remember the room, the funeral…
A team of researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently discovered why the drug ketamine may act as a rapid antidepressant. Ketamine is best known as an illicit, psychedelic club drug. Often referred to as “Special K” or a “horse…
Even if we see ourselves as advocates for increasing acceptance and understanding for people dealing with mental health issues, most of us are probably unconsciously contributing to mental health stigma. We talk about being “depressed” on gloomy days, or “OCD”…
Take a moment to think about how you felt the last time you caught yourself ruminating and/or stuck in an anxious mode. Perhaps you were stressed about money or the health of a loved one. Maybe you simply felt overwhelmed.…
“When you’ve seen beyond yourself, then you may find, peace of mind is waiting there.” – George Harrison If you’re distracted by all that’s going on in your life and yearn for a little respite, some peace of mind that…
There are a few new things I’ve been doing that has had a tremendous impact on my emotional health. Gratitude. You’ve probably heard it a million times. I have to. But I’ve only recently got it. That’s because I tried…
We all have had moments when we felt “stuck” or like we’ve hit a wall. Being stuck is an inner feeling of stagnation and paralysis that feels beyond our control. And feeling stuck causes us to feel hopeless about our…
Your life is important. We all have moments of doubt and fear that can make us feel small, inferior and unworthy. These thoughts do not control us and they have no power over us. We can choose to live a…
Alice had experienced many successes in her youth. She was gifted with athletic skills, intelligence, and an outgoing personality. She qualified for a scholarship in college and graduated with honors from a prestigious program. Alice enjoyed the praise of others,…