What Is Agitated Depression?
Depression is a condition impacting nearly one-fifth of the population and presenting with a range of different symptoms across a variety of subtypes. Agitated Depression is a term used to describe a subtype of depression characterized by agitation and exhibiting symptoms such as irritability, restlessness, and anxiety during a depressive episode.[1][2] In a clinical setting,…
What Are Gestalt Therapy Techniques?
When providing therapy, there are various theories a professional can utilize to inform treatment. The theory of choice is dependent on the educational background of the therapist. It is similar to how certain cultures greet one another. In some cultures, it is a handshake whereas in other cultures, it is a kiss on the cheek….
6 Tips to Stop Overthinking
Do you tend to overthink or overanalyze things? Think back to a time you gave an important presentation, had a conversation with someone you wanted to impress, or went to a party and talked to people you had never met before. When it was over, did you find yourself mulling over the events and conversations…
What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?
If you’re thinking of working with a therapist to address a serious mental health condition, it’s important to understand the differences between the various forms of therapy. In this article, I’ll be shedding the light on one particular type of therapy that has tons of scientific research to back its effectiveness; dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT).[1]…
Anger Management: How to Regain Control
Anger is a natural emotion. Everyone gets angry at some point in their lives. When you hear the word anger, you most likely picture someone hitting something or screaming at another person. What is important to remember, though, is that anger is a feeling; not a behavior. We control our behavior, so ultimately, it is…
What Is Grief Counseling?
Grief is a natural response to losing someone or something that was important to you. Although grief is an inevitable part of life, there is no real way to prepare for its impact on your life. Grief is often associated with an array of emotions and physical symptoms that can sometimes feel unbearable. Understanding Grief…
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a rapidly growing form of psychotherapy. Created in the 1980s by Stephen Hayes, it is considered one of the “third wave” psychotherapies, which include dalectical behavior therapy (DBT) and schema therapy. It is an offshoot of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and relational frame theory (RFT). In ACT, you want to get…
CBT vs. DBT: Understanding the Difference
CBT and DBT are two of the most popular therapeutic approaches among mental health professionals worldwide. Both therapy modalities utilize a modern, solution-centered, and evidence-based approach to mental health and well-being; helping clients manage a wide range of problems such as depression, anxiety, stress, addictions, and even personality disorders. Given that they rely on the…
Is DBT Effective in Treating Eating Disorders?
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is utilized to help individuals identify, understand, and manage difficult emotions. The major areas of focus in DBT include mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. The purpose of DBT is to help people become more mindful and present with their emotions, manage difficult or even painful emotions, regulate how…
What is Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)?
Do you have a strong-willed child who struggles to listen and follow directions? Do you feel like you have to repeat yourself over and over until you yell to get your child to do what you’ve asked? Does your child often exhibit tantrum behavior, including yelling and screaming? If so, you may be interested in…
Birthday Depression: How to Cope With the Birthday Blues
Birthdays are usually associated with feelings of joy, excitement, and happiness. But for some people, it’s quite the opposite. Birthday depression, or birthday blues, refers to feeling sad, distressed, or disinterested in celebrating or even thinking about your birthday. Individuals with birthday depression may feel low energy, focus on the past, and get caught up…
BetterHelp Versus Talkspace: Which is Best?
We set out to conduct a thorough comparison of BetterHelp vs. Talkspace to determine how these two leading online therapy providers differ in features, pricing and more.
21 Tips From a Therapist for Dating Someone With Depression
Depression is one of the most common forms of mental illness. According to a Columbia University study, over 20% of people in the United States have experienced at least one episode of major depressive disorder in their lifetime.[1] With symptoms including sadness, apathy, low energy, and reduced libido, it’s no wonder that depression can take a…
Is Alcohol a Stimulant or a Depressant?
Society generally categorizes alcohol in a separate class from drugs. This is largely due to its place as a social staple across many cultures, as well as its status as a legal substance. The fact that it makes its way into nearly all adult celebrations, including birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and religious ceremonies in so many…
How to Stop Worrying About Things You Cannot Control
All too often, we worry about things we cannot control. We worry about it raining on our wedding day, how our boss will react when we ask for a few days off, about the way our brother-in-law will behave at Thanksgiving, and a slew of other matters that we simply can’t influence. We go through life…
How to Foster Better Self-Awareness
Self-awareness entails seeing yourself honestly and becoming aware of your behaviors, traits and feelings, including both your strengths and flaws. Developing self-awareness has been found to improve self-control, creative abilities, self-esteem, and an understanding of other people’s perspectives.[1] I’ve found three core strategies to be effective in nurturing the capacity for self-awareness and improving overall…
What is Agoraphobia?
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder marked by the avoidance of locations or circumstances that can potentially bring about panic. Individuals experience intense fear about being confined, powerless, or uncomfortable in actual or projected situations. Agoraphobics fear that they will be unable to escape, which causes anxiety to intensify. Most people with agoraphobia develop the condition after experiencing…
Is Success Anxiety Real?
The word “success” is most commonly linked to positive feelings resulting from some level of accomplishment. Most people strive for success in various aspects of their lives, including academics, work, relationships, health, or any other area they care about in which progress and achievement are visible. The list of potential areas for success can go…
How Is Anxiety Linked to Appetite Loss?
Fight-or-flight mode is our body’s natural response when we’re in jeopardy. It helps people cope in dire situations and causes various changes in the body including reduced appetite. Sometimes anxiety can cause you to enter fight-or-flight mode, leading your body to respond as it does to danger.[1] Prolonged anxiety often causes changes in appetite and…
Exposure Therapy: What Is It? How Does It Work?
When dealing with anxiety and trauma, people tend to avoid whatever it is that is causing them to feel pain or worry. For example, a soldier might avoid anything that reminds him of war. Someone with arachnophobia will avoid spiders. Although it is a natural response, it is that avoidance that causes symptoms to continue, and…
Grounding Techniques for Coping With Anxiety
If you are having a difficult time managing the symptoms of your anxiety, you are not alone. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems today. People experience various types of anxiety ranging from mild to severely debilitating. Anxiety is associated with many different intense emotional states. It can be difficult to focus…
Overcoming the Monday Blues
The sad or anxious feelings many people experience as the weekend comes to a close are related to the dread they feel on Monday morning when you wake up for another work week. Everyone has likely experienced that emotion at some point. Even those that enjoy their jobs sometimes find themselves dragging their feet into…
Coping With Stay-At-Home Mom Depression
For many moms, staying at home with their children is ideal. Witnessing milestones firsthand, enjoying quality time and saving on childcare costs are just a few of the benefits. However, stay-at-home parenting isn’t always all that it’s cracked up to be. In fact, research indicates that stay-at-home moms are more likely to experience depressive symptoms,…
What Does Depression Feel Like?
Depression is a serious condition that may impact nearly every aspect of the day-to-day life of a sufferer. It can cause the individual to experience severe hopelessness and sadness for months at a time. Contrary to popular belief, depression is about more than just feeling unhappy, it can be a devastating condition that must be…
What is Aphantasia?
Aphantasia describes a condition in which a person is unable to recall images in their mind. When asked to think of a red apple sitting on a windowsill, most people can mentally picture what that looks like. Even when prompted, someone with aphantasia is not able to visualize the image in their mind.[1] They know…
44 Positive Affirmations for Depression to Inspire Change
Have you ever given yourself a pep talk? You may not have realized it, but you were practicing a form of positive affirmation. Coping with depression can be discouraging and debilitating. By vocalizing positive messages of encouragement to yourself, you can improve your mood and inspire motivation internally, leading toward positive change. Affirmations are a…
What Is Atypical Depression?
The manner in which people experience depression can vary drastically between different individuals. There are several different types of depression, one of the most common forms being atypical depression, known clinically as major depressive disorder (MDD) with atypical features. Those with atypical depression are able to experience a reprieve from depressive symptoms when encountering a…
What is Emotional Blackmail?
Emotional blackmail is a relationship dynamic that involves a person instilling fear, obligation, and guilt into a relationship with another person.[1] As author and psychotherapist Susan Forward explains, people in intimate relationships will use such manipulation tactics as a form of punishment for their partners not doing what they want them to do.[2] While those in…
Tokophobia: Understanding the Fear of Pregnancy
Most women experience anxiety and fear about pregnancy and childbirth. It’s obviously understandable considering that the process is accompanied by significant pain and discomfort. However, when the fear becomes so severe that it becomes an obsessive dread that interferes with one’s daily functioning, it can be classified as a mental health condition.[1] This condition is…
Online Anger Management: Your Options Explained
Everyone gets angry. It’s a natural emotion. But it’s what you do with that anger that matters. Managing your anger can sometimes feel like an insurmountable challenge. Luckily, if you have difficulty managing your anger, there are numerous resources, both free and paid, that are available to help you, many of them being just a…
Stress vs. Frustration: What’s the Difference?
It can be easy to confuse the concepts of stress and frustration. After all, at first glance, these words appear to refer similar emotions. People utter phrases all of the time, “I’m so stressed” or “I’m so frustrated,” but what exactly do they mean? Although somewhat alike, stress and frustration are terms that actually refer to two completely…
The Truth About Functional Fixedness
Functional fixedness refers to a type of cognitive bias that limits a person’s ability to see more than one use for an object. It’s a systematic error that can affect a person’s judgment or their ability to make a decision. When you notice that someone is unable to see any other use for a specific…
How to Stay Optimistic When You Feel Like a Failure
Have you tried incredibly hard at something, yet nothing seems to come of it? It’s a terrible feeling. That’s because trying your hardest means you care, and when you care about a goal or endeavor and don’t succeed, you end up feeling hurt and defeated. So when you commit all our energies to something that…
What Is Milieu Therapy and How Does It Work?
Today, the term milieu therapy refers to a protected treatment program environment, often in a short or long-term residential setting. Essentially, it’s a form of psychotherapy with a focus on using the setting and staff as part of the healing process. This therapy may be used as either one specific approach or as part of…
Is Online Therapy Covered by Insurance?
The world is becoming increasingly reliant on digital solutions to replace traditional, “real world” alternatives, and mental health services are no different. As more clients turn to teletherapy solutions in place of in-person counseling, insurance companies are left with no alternative other adjusting to this trend. Some platforms are already accepting insurance, while others are…