The Process of Loss
Loss is a part of life and we all will experience many losses as we navigate our journeys. Loss comes in many guises; it is not only the death of a loved one. Loss can be the dissolution of an important relationship, having to move from a beloved family home, losing a part of… Read more »
A Psychiatrist Against Psychiatry?
Thomas Szaz’s book The Myth Of Mental Illness, published in 1961, was a spearhead for the “Antipsychiatry” movement and created a coalition whose voice is still loud today. Essentially the antipsychiatry movement believed that psychiatry was being used to control, label and stigmatize people who exhibited what society might call “deviant” behavior, but were… Read more »
The Ego: Can We Really Take It or Leave It?
Dictionary.com defines “ego” as “the ‘I’ or self of any person; a person as thinking, feeling, and willing, and distinguishing itself from the selves of others and from objects of its thought.” It goes on to say that the definition in psychoanalysis is “the part of the psychic apparatus that experiences and reacts to the… Read more »
Mental Illness and Creativity: Is There a Connection?
A great many creative people – artists, poets, musicians, even philosophers – have been thought to be mad since ancient times. Some cultures honored their eccentrics, the “different” ones, but others often had them put in asylums or even executed as witches. Obviously times have changed since then and society has become much more open… Read more »
Rethinking Mental Illness
All throughout history, individuals with mental illnesses have been marginalized, if not brutalized and shunned. In ancient times, the mentally ill were often seen as possessed by demons, or in league with the devil, and as a result, were put to death. It is a sad commentary on world perception, that the mentally ill… Read more »
Scared to see a counselor?
Being scared to seek counseling is really common. After all, we’ve been taught that we should solve our own problems! Sometimes overcoming the realization that we need help isn’t an easy thing to do. Even if whatever your challenge is isn’t serious, admitting that we can’t fix the situation ourselves is difficult. Maybe you know… Read more »
How to Cope with Being Alone
Humans are inherently social creatures. We thrive from connections that we create with loved ones. And although there is a large spectrum of comfort with social contact, it is true that we all need to feel connected. When we are forced to be alone by whichever life matters have brought us there, coping with solo… Read more »
3 Major Breakdowns on Grey’s Anatomy
Television can teach us a lot about what happens to people in certain situations, particularly the traumatic and difficult ones. While Grey’s Anatomy might not always be medically accurate, it does get one thing right: the psychological breakdowns. We have seen this in 3 major events in the past decade of Grey’s Anatomy. Meredith’s “Shoot… Read more »
Extreme Coupon Shopping Causes Extreme Stress
A Few Thoughts on on “Extreme” Coupon Shopping You have seen the shows and heard all the stories, people spending mere pennies for items you pay full price for. So why not try it yourself? Well you can, but make sure you are cautious and always keep your emotional and mental state in check. Yes,… Read more »
The Truth about Teenagers and Depression
Teenagers often experience strong emotions for the first time, and for them, everything feels like the end of the world. It’s a time of life where, as humans, we tend to exaggerate every emotion we have; teenagers are emotional vampires. We’ve always been this way, it’s in our nature; except now, teenagers now have a… Read more »