When You Feel Like Punching a Wall, Read This First
Remember when the San Francisco Giants were playing the Miami Marlins in the summer of 2018? Giants pitcher Hunter Strickland blew a save—essentially causing his team to lose the game. In frustration, he punched a wall. He fractured his right hand in the process and couldn’t play for weeks on end. Punching things, breaking things, […]
‘Why Do I hate My Life’: Actions & Tips to Overcome Unhappiness In Life
Do you ever want to scream ‘I hate my life?’’ Maybe you hate school, hate your parents, hate yourself, or all three. You wonder whether life will ever get any better, or if it will always be this terrible. By asking yourself ‘Why do I hate my life,’ you’re taking a very important first step […]
Medication Side Effects: I Don’t Like the Way My Medication Makes Me Feel
If you’ve been diagnosed with a mental health or behavioral issue, you might be on medication. Adhering to your medication regimen daily is an achievement. You know that medication will help you feel better, so you’re doing your job in the recovery process. However, many medications come with side effects. Whether you’re on antidepressants, anti-anxiety, […]
Am I Being Paranoid, or is it Real?
You persistently have the feeling that someone is following you. You’re often nervous that people are gossiping about you. You wonder whether people are reading your thoughts. There are dangerous people out there to get you. Your friends tell you you’re being paranoid. Meanwhile, you’re not so sure. So you ask yourself: “Am I actually […]
Research Report: Teens, Acne, and Quality of Life
Acne is the Most Common Skin Condition Among Adolescents “When I was 12, I got my first pimple. It was on the right side of my face, about an inch from my nose, right in the middle of my cheek. I noticed it first thing in the morning. It looked horrible. I was mortified. So […]
What is Radical Acceptance and How Can it Help Me?
Core DBT Skills: Radical Acceptance If you’ve heard of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), then you’ve probably heard of radical acceptance. Maybe your child mentioned it, or maybe their therapist told you about it. Maybe you’ve seen the phrase as you researched DBT online. This article will give you an expanded understanding of radical acceptance, and […]
Mental Health Awareness Month 2021: Tools 2 Thrive Phase Two
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. At the beginning of 2020, no one could have predicted where we are now, almost halfway through 2021. We faced the worst public health emergency in a hundred years: the coronavirus pandemic. Physical health and wellbeing were our first priority all year, which was critical for getting the pandemic […]
Why is Toxic Positivity Harmful to Teens?
When you’re upset, sometimes the last thing you want to hear is: Don’t worry, be happy! Just look at the bright side! Let’s stay positive! But whether you like those phrases or not, you hear them all the time, so you know how unhelpful – and annoying – they can be. When people smile and […]
Children of Alcoholics Awareness Week 2021
Each year during the week of Valentine’s Day, alcoholism awareness advocates around the U.S. and the world observe National Children of Alcoholics Week (COA Awareness Week) to draw attention to the challenges children of alcoholic parents face every day. In response to the growing epidemic of addiction in the U.S., COA Awareness week now includes […]
February is Boost Your Self-Esteem Month. What Exactly is Self-Esteem?
Self-esteem is a phrase most of us encounter early in life. Our first understanding of self-esteem is typically a simple one. If we like ourselves and think well of ourselves, then we learn we have what the adults in our lives call high self-esteem. But if we don’t particularly like ourselves, think negatively about ourselves, […]