A recent article in the New York Times argued that by talking too much about mental illness we are pathologizing normal emotional responses. But is that true? Normal is a relative term….
Category: Depression
Movement Is Medicine: Exercise for Well-Being
Source: Ray_Shrewsberry/1978 Images/Pixabay I’m giving a talk next week on men and mental health for International Men’s Health Week (10-16 June) and I have been told, in no uncertain terms, to devote…
How Exercise Helps Us Fight Depression and Addiction
Exorcise addictive and depressive demons the way celebrities do — with exercise. You’ve probably heard how many famous people have chosen exercise to effectively prevent and even treat mental health problems like…
Is My Child With Depression Ready to Go to College?
Sam was diagnosed with depression and anxiety during his sophomore year of high school. After some difficult times, he was admitted to a psychiatric inpatient service, then discharged to an intensive after-school…
Find the Hidden Anxiety in Your Depression
Source: Pathdoc/Shutterstock If identifying anxiety and depression were easy, simply asking people if they were anxious or depressed would lead to straightforward answers. Unfortunately, recognizing your own mood disorder is not that…
Getting Help From Psychiatric Meds: Then, Now, Maybe Forever
Source: Mitch/Unsplash Long ago and far away, I was married to a family physician. I had two sparkly-eyed, adorable daughters, aged almost 2 and 5. I still breastfed the younger and was…
Ask This Question to Reduce Your Anxiety and Depression
Source: Jon Tyson/Unsplash I have feelings about my feelings. When I get anxious, I start to feel anxious about my anxiety; when I start to feel depressed, I get more depressed about…
Why You Might Be Getting the Winter Blues
Many people notice a shift in their mental health in the winter. Source: Ian Schneider/Unsplash Does your mental health take a negative turn during the winter months? Perhaps you notice yourself feeling…
The Relationship Between Depression and Stress
Hippocrates wrote that we are all beset by disturbing forces that upset our balance (1). Fortunately, there are restorative forces that can re-establish balance. Galen called these Vis Medicatrix Naturae, the healing…
How to Cultivate Purpose in Mental Health Recovery
By Kimberly Nelson & Emma Lovejoy, with Becky Shipkosky What does purpose mean to you? If we’re honest, many of us don’t spend much time considering it, but it is kind of…