CBT was designed around the theory that our behavior is influenced by our feelings, and our feelings are influenced by our thoughts. By challenging negative thoughts and becoming more aware of our thought patterns, we can improve our feelings, and behave more effectively.
Category Archives: encouragement
Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation: My Experience
I have two goals through this platform. First, to raise awareness for mental health and be a positive influence for those that struggle with maintaining it. Second, continuing to improve my own mental health through self-reflection. I could provide you with textbook examples, symptoms, and psychological reasons, but I feel that personal testimonies make the greatest impact.
Women’s History with Mental Health
It’s International Women’s Day! Too often, women’s contributions have been overlooked or attributed primarily to a male colleague. I’d like to take today to highlight some of the most influential women and their contributions to the mental health field. Women have not always been treated well in terms of mental health. Throughout history, a large number of women’s mental health issues were attributed to their uterus, menstrual cycle, and their ‘naturally emotional state.’
Disparities in Mental Health and Mental Healthcare Among BIPOC
Since the early 2000s, countless researchers have studied the differences in the prevalence of mental illness and the quality of the American healthcare system concerning race and ethnic groups. These researchers have showcased the existence of significant disparities in mental health and mental healthcare within the United States. However, these disparities exist regarding physical healthContinue reading “Disparities in Mental Health and Mental Healthcare Among BIPOC”
Complex PTSD: The Long Term Effects of Trauma
C-PTSD, or complex post-traumatic stress disorder, is a mental health condition that causes trauma symptoms alongside difficulty managing emotions and maintaining relationships. Fear, isolation, depression, and anxiety shape the life of an individual living with complex PTSD. Those of us living with CPTSD would often use the words; broken, different, and distrustful to describe ourselves. Examining the symptoms and behaviors associated with CPTSD below will help you understand why.
Anger Management: A Guide to Handling Strong Emotions
Get angry. It is normal and entirely unavoidable. We all express anger differently. Some of us throw objects, hit walls, or scream at those that irritate us. Others shut down and turn the anger inwards. Both reactions are unhealthy ways to express and deal with anger that harms us or those around us.
Mental Health Care in America: A Broken System
America’s mental healthcare system is in desperate need of repair. Over 60 million individuals in the United States struggle with mental health conditions. Of these 60 million children and adults, almost 50% of them live with an untreated mental illness. American’s living with untreated mental illness face disability, unemployment, incarceration, substance abuse and addiction, homelessness, and suicide.
Attachment Theory, Attachment Styles, and Adult Mental Health
Do you often wonder why specific thoughts and behaviors reoccur in every relationship? Are you mistrusting, clingy, abrasive, or afraid in close relationships? Do intrusive thoughts, impulsive actions, and confusion hinder your ability to strengthen and develop relationships with others? Understanding relations, beliefs, and behaviors towards others is possible when you examine attachment theory and the roots of attachment issues.
Telehealth: The Present and Future of Mental Health Care
Health care systems could utilize telemedicine to correct America’s mental health crisis. Too many Americans lack the support and accessibility to mental health care services. Telemedicine can expand the availability of mental health care and help ensure that those who need help receive it.
Mental Wellness through Tracking and Self-Analyses
Take control of your mental health through tracking and self-analyses. Understand that fluctuations in mood, outlook and behavior are often associated with specific triggers. Determining triggers and eliminating them from your daily life will allow you to exercise more control over your mental health. In addition to identifying triggers, self-analysis can assist you in determining what activities or patterns are beneficial to your mental health.
The Written Works of A.L. Swartz 