Have you ever felt like you were struggling to breathe? Is there a tightness in your chest, and it feels impossible to relax? You’re not alone. Anxiety is the number one mental health issue that affects many people today. Of course, we’re all human, and it’s okay to feel anxious about certain things. But, when it takes over your everyday routine, it’s time to ask yourself, ‘what can I do about this?’ If that sounds like you, then the lifestyle tips in this article are tailor-made for you. 5 Lifestyle Tips to Manage Anxiety Effectively There are a lot of lifestyle changes that people can make to give themselves a better chance of living a happy life, and people need to know what these are. Here are some great lifestyle tips for someone struggling with anxiety: 1. Exercise Daily Exercise reduces stress and releases endorphins—the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise, which can be just a walk in the park, and some stretching or other muscle-strengthening activities. You can also try practicing mindful meditation, as it has been proven to reduce stress, decrease blood pressure, and even improve sleep quality. 2. Eat Right A healthy diet…
With the fast-paced, cut-throat, disconnected lives that represent these modern times, depression has become a growing concern in society more than ever before. It affects a person’s day-to-day activities and pushes them into an abyss of despair and disinterest—threatening every aspect of their well-being. Since depression changes how people think, feel, and function, a life meant to be lived to the fullest quickly turns into a survival act. Therefore, it is crucial to spot the red flags from the beginning, handle the affected person with empathy and tact and get professional help if required. Let’s dive deep and understand how you can recognize the onset of depression amongst your peers. Suicide Watch If you notice an increased obsession in a close person with dying or death, it needs to be taken seriously. One of the significant symptoms of depression is usually an overt fixation on self-harm and suicide. You can notice these in the form of a sudden unusual calmness towards life and a habit of bidding farewell to close ones. Loss of Appetite or Weight Gain It has been observed that depression tends to mess around with one’s appetite. Depressed people can either end up eating a lot or…
The idea of “new year, new me” is not as easy to do as it is said. Nonetheless, these new ambitions or goals that we set mostly stem from the idea of building a better life physically, emotionally, mentally, financially, and socially. But while running through the maze of goal setting and achieving, it is not uncommon for almost all of us to sway past our capabilities and exhaust ourselves in the process. Over time, we tend to give up on these goals by labeling them ‘unrealistic.’ This leads to reduced self-esteem and increasingly depressing frustration and stress. According to the National Mental Health Institute, approximately one in five individuals have mental health issues indicating that it is high time that we realize the importance of mental health upkeep in 2022. Following are some mental health tips for self-improvement in 2022 to increase your work efficiency and success rate. 1. Prioritize basic needs As trivial as it may sound, mental health issues are exaggerated by not sleeping, eating, and exercising on time. Setting up proper sleeping schedules and achieving 6–8 hours of optimal sleep, eating well-balanced three meals a day, and engaging in some sort of physical activity daily are…
Amidst the re-emergence of the COVID-19 crisis, the most dreaded “work from home” lifestyle is returning once again to offices and universities. While working from home can dispel the stress of commuting and setting social boundaries in the office space, ironically, it can increase work stress by actualizing patterns of boredom and monotony in the home environment. A WFH lifestyle can become exigent due to many factors. The challenges differ for people who live with family and those who live only by themselves. Being alone at home can decrease work motivation by doling out little-to-no stimuli to get out of bed and begin work while the entire world is in a pandemic. Working from home around the family is demanding when setting boundaries and following routines. Setting aside time for house chores while also listening to sobbing kids and your difficult boss simply increases frustration. Worries about future job prospects and promotions can add to the anxiety and frustration. All things combined, this lifestyle can impose a huge toll on our mental health. Therefore, it becomes exceedingly important to check out these top mental health tips for remote workers to make WFH a little more fun and pleasurable. 1. Build…
Anger can have a negative impact on your life, your judgment, and your relationships. If you regularly struggle with anger issues and keeping yourself under control, you might be in need of anger management therapy. Keep reading to get more insight into anger management and how you can get your anger under control. Debunking Anger Myths Anger can be a volatile, uncontrollable, and all-consuming emotion, but that’s not all it is. Before you learn the steps you can take to manage your anger, it’s important to understand what it is, and what it isn’t. “Anger is a negative emotion.” Anger can be overwhelming, but it is a perfectly natural and healthy emotion. Anger is an adrenaline-fueled reaction to an unpleasant or threatening stimulus. Expressing your anger in a destructive way can be seen as negative, but the emotion itself isn’t. “Anger is violent.” Many people tend to associate anger with violence, and assume that non-violent anger isn’t an issue. Violence is simply one form of expressing anger, but there are many others—passive-aggressive behavior, being uncooperative and stubborn, and even isolation. “Controlling your anger means holding it in.” Bottling up your emotions is never healthy, and especially so in the case…
Nearly one in 5 adults in the United States lives with a mental health condition. Ranging from mild to severe, these mental illnesses can be debilitating for the people that suffer from them, especially for those who don’t receive help. Keep reading to learn more about psychotherapy and how it can help. What Is Psychotherapy? Also called talk therapy, psychotherapy is a way to help people with a wide variety of mental health conditions or emotional difficulties. Psychotherapy aims to treat the symptoms and resolve the challenges presented by mental illnesses and can be used alone or alongside medication. Psychotherapy is similar to counseling, but it tends to look deeper into the cause of the issue. This helps people learn more about their condition, themselves, their goals, and how to develop healthy coping mechanisms. Types of Psychotherapy We offer several types of psychotherapy at Lifeworks Counseling Center. This includes: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people identify their harmful thoughts and behaviors and works to replace them with healthier and more functional alternatives. CBT is commonly used to treat depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and trauma-related disorders. Rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) is very similar to CBT in that it works to help…
Stress is an inescapable part of the human experience. Though it might not feel that way at the moment, the occasional stress is completely normal and not a cause for concern. Moderate levels of stress can even motivate you to get things done faster. On the other hand, if you are constantly overwhelmed and stressed, it can reduce productivity and negatively affect your physical and mental health. According to the American Institute of Stress, 57% of people who experience stress feel paralyzed by it. If you believe elevated stress levels are stopping you from living your life to the fullest, an experienced therapist might be able to help you. Read on to learn more about the different types of therapy and how they can help you cope with chronic stress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) CBT is often considered to be the most effective form of therapy for stress and anxiety as it addresses thought and behavioral patterns that increase stress levels. Cognitive therapy works on the assumption that it is not particular events that cause stress but the way we think about them. Based on your life experiences, you will perceive and react to different situations in your own unique…
Anyone who has battled drug or alcohol addiction knows how debilitating it can be. Overcoming an addiction is an incredible feat that can sometimes only be managed with a little help, so you can stay clean, and get your life back. Counseling is a cornerstone of addiction treatment at any stage of recovery. Addiction is a serious disease that can impact every aspect of a person’s life, from work to relationships, and even changes a person’s brain chemistry. To find out how counseling and therapy can help you recover from addiction, keep reading. Benefits of Counseling for Addiction Recovery Healthy Coping Strategies Coping skills are a significant part of recovery since it helps you navigate through life events and stressors that can trigger a relapse. Stressful environments, trauma, external pressures, and high emotions are just some of the everyday situations that can lead someone to jump back into the cycle of addiction. Addiction counselors work with people to understand their triggers and help them practice healthy coping strategies and skills to resist those specific triggers. Prevent Relapse Addiction is a treatable disorder, but the chronic nature of this disease means that relapse is a common occurrence. Addiction is caused by…
Now that school is back in session, teenagers face new stress of balancing homework, extracurricular activities, family situations, and social events. It’s a lot for a developing brain to manage, and many teens need extra mental health support. The pressures of ongoing responsibilities and a jam-packed schedule can make it hard for people of all ages to cope with stress. Often, the most effective mental health solutions start with self-care and small, daily habits. In order to have the resilience and wellness needed to get through the day, teenagers must begin with a good night’s sleep. Teenagers and Sleeping Habits The problem is that many teens are developing poor sleep habits. They stay up too late, often spending hours on social media, playing video games, or texting with their friends. These activities stimulate the eyes and brain, making it hard to fall asleep at a reasonable hour. Exhaustion sets in the next day, making it hard to get through daily responsibilities due to lack of sleep. So, a teenager often feels the need to take a nap after school, which disrupts the sleep cycle even more. This vicious pattern takes an undeniable toll on mental health and overall wellness. Why…
Did you know that suicide is the second most common cause of death in teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19? September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and this topic is more important than ever. The mental health strain from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on people of all ages. The National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month started through The Jason Foundation. Clark Flatt wanted to honor memories of his son, so he founded the movement to bring awareness about the topic of suicide in our communities. This organization offers resources and training to help people of all ages learn the signs of suicide. A Silent Epidemic Suicide is a “silent epidemic” sweeping across the nation. As a result, mental health experts designated this month as a National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month as a way to share information with family, friends, advocates, teachers, and the community. The goal is to reduce the risk of suicide by identifying the early signs of mental health issues. Not only are teenagers at risk for suicide, but adults are also facing mental health challenges that lead to suicide attempts at times. By educating the public about the risks and signs, we…
