The cost of having mental illness can be very high for people struggling with behavioral disorders. Mental illness can impact a person’s ability to work, go to school, and have healthy and satisfying relationships. But did you know that it can also shorten a person’s life? There is consistent evidence that people with mental illness do have more physical health problems and mortality, compared with people who do not live with these disorders
FB- Mental health issues affect more parts of our lives than just day to day living. Research shows that it can also shorten your life...read more and find out what you can do about it.
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Recent research suggests that those with PTSD, especially women, may turn to food to escape and soothe painful psychological symptoms. In fact, certain foods may hijack the brain in ways that are very similar to the effects of drugs or alcohol.
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Individuals can overcome their individual challenges and barriers and achieve recovery. They must be able to choose their own path, and decide how and when they will access resources, including treatment services. These personal stories about achieving and living in recovery are powerful reminders of what is possible for those living with mental illness and substance use disorders.
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The psychological dynamics of abusive relationships are complex, and sometimes difficult to understand. Theories like Battered Woman Syndrome help give us a framework to understand what victims feel and experience. It helps us understand why victims sometimes recant their stories, support men who abuse them, and stay in dangerous relationships. Understanding these dynamics and the reasons victims behave the way they do also enables counselors and advocates to more effectively help victims and their children stay safe, and hopefully escape abusive situations.
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There are many causes for mental illness, including biological, social, and emotional factors. Being a single mother can be incredibly stressful, and stress can contribute to the development of mental illness, or aggravate existing mental health problems. In one study, single mothers were found to have more incidences of moderate to severe mental disability than women who had partners to help with parenting. Financial hardship and lack of social support were two factors thought to contribute to the increased incidence of mental illness Crosier, Butterworth, & Rodgers, 2007).
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These disorders are very dangerous, and must be taken seriously and treated by a professional. As a parent, it can be difficult to know what to do. You want more than anything to help your child, even while you and your family struggle with conflicting emotions, including fear that your child will seriously harm herself, or even die.
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Many of us have heard someone say they “are OCD”. We may have also told someone, “You are so OCD!” Some people do, in fact, have minor characteristics of OCD. They like things tidy, or they like to do things in a certain order and in a particular way. But clinical Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can be a serious, even debilitating, mental illness for both adults and children. It can create significant distress, and interfere with daily functioning. People with severe symptoms of OCD may find it difficult to work, go to school, or carry out other daily activities.
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“I’m so confused”! Many of the clients I see come to me because they are confused about some aspect of their life. They ask things like: “What should I do?” “Should I stay or should I go?” “Is this person right for me?” These are some of the questions of confusion.
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The title of this article is actually a quote from Lama Surya Das in his book, Awakening the Buddha Within (1997). I was so stuck by the simple wisdom of this statement that I posted it on my computer at work, and my refrigerator at home, as a frequent reminder of the dangers of hanging on to things that are better let go. But letting go of feelings, people or situations that are destructive to us, or out of our control, is easier said than done. We hold on and attach for lots of different reasons, but learning to let go and detach in healthy ways can help restore our sense of peace and our relationships with others.
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You have probably heard people say things like “be real” and “just be yourself”, and ‘stay true to yourself”. This is common advice given to children and adults alike. It should be simple, right? Just be who you are. But, there is much more to it than that, and it takes real courage and strength to be your genuine self.
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