It has always been a challenge to explain mental health diagnoses to people, as the diagnoses does not do a great job in summarizing the individual experiences of those who have the conditions. Terms like Major Depressive Disorder or Panic Disorder give some kind of a picture of what a person is dealing with, but […]

You have probably seen an infographic on Instagram with some positive self-affirmations. You may think they are cheesy or baseless or maybe they seem awkward or uncomfortable to do, maybe it’s hard to think about positive things for yourself, but there is power in self-affirmations. “Self-affirmation theory” states that people can cope with threats to […]

Political topics have always had some connection with mental health, whether regarding the general welfare of those in the country, the stress some political issues can cause, or simply in how we form relationships with others who may have different beliefs than we do. Unfortunately, the current political climate has enhanced how impactful these topics […]

I am a recovering pessimist. Sometime in middle school I realized I was a pessimist. I think it happened after hearing from more than a few friends and family members that I had a very negative outlook on life. But, to be fair, I had my reasons.

When is the last time you heard the word, “joy”? It is not a commonly used word. I hear people say, “Why am I not happy?” or, “I don’t know what to do to feel happy,” but rarely do I hear someone use the word “joy.”