Chances are, if you have anxiety or another mental health disorder, you’ll have some type of reassurance-seeking behavior. The intensity of the reassurance seeking will vary with each individual and situation. As with anything, it is on a spectrum. So, what is reassurance seeking?
Read MoreMany of us encounter panic attacks and anxiety attacks due to our particular brand of mental health disorder or issue. For me, anxiety masquerades as perfectionism. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, panic attacks and anxiety attacks are two different occurrences. What are the differences?
Read MoreYour mind races, but at the same time, you can’t capture any one specific thought. Thoughts blast past all logic at record speeds, and you’re caught up in moments of your own personalized “What If” game. We may not be able to get rid of them completely, but these thoughts and unrelenting high standards can be managed.
Read MoreWhat is perfectionism? I began to uncover the answer to that question with Australia’s Centre for Clinical Interventions’ “Perfectionism in Perspective” modules. This was one of the most helpful beginnings to my perfectionism journey. Not only did this resource fully define perfectionism in ways I could identify with, but these modules gave me more self-esteem and willpower to make the changes in my life.
Read MoreTurning the Big 3-0 can be one of the most daunting milestones to face, especially when you’ve spent the majority of your 20s trying to avoid aging like the plague. You buy Olay face cream, take multivitamins and spend time, money and energy doing other proactive, preventive measures to develop your own Fountain of Youth. But, guess what? 30 still hits you like a ton of bricks -- or my preference, glitter.
Read MoreThe Mental Health First Aid USA manual states approximately 18 percent of the U.S. adult population experiences an anxiety disorder every year. Like many mental health disorders, onset can occur in childhood, adolescence and/or early adulthood. The median age of onset for many anxiety disorders is age 11 and can be behavioral, psychological, and physical. Generalized Anxiety Disorder affects 3.1 percent of adults with an anxiety disorder.
Read MoreI’m of the opinion that you never fully get over the loss of someone you love. The grieving process takes different forms over time, and I have reached the final level of acceptance; however, that doesn’t mean I still don’t break down over a smell, a photograph, a piece of her kitchen wallpaper in the cabinet I know have that was once hers. I do know that I have to move on without her while also keeping her legacy alive for generations to come. I resolved to come up with ways to manage my grief, like writing stories about her, creating an heirloom cookbook and being comforted by using her dishes in my house.
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