
Blog
How to Restore Your Calm During High-Anxiety Situations
Let’s begin this discussion with a truism: It is tough to stay calm in high-anxiety situations. But what happens when life itself feels like a high-anxiety situation?
Cultivating Gratitude - How can gratitude change our lives?
Gratitude is the expression of appreciation for what one has, spontaneously generated from within; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Guidance from a Substance Abuse Counselor
It has been said before that addiction is a disorder of connection. The first disconnect occurs when the user disconnects from themselves. The negative mindset, the constant using, getting over using and planning the next time will over time, isolate the user from their genuine self as well as friends, family, spouses and co workers. Over time the chasm widens as the user slips further and further into the using lifestyle.
How Mental Illness affects Families
Looking after a family member with a mental illness can be extremely stressful. It may entail late night phone calls or conversations, continued concerns over their loved ones health and wellbeing, and overhanging fear of a potential suicide attempt.
What is a Mantra? How could it help with Anxiety and stress?
The word mantra can be broken down into two parts: “man,” which means mind, and “tra,” which means transport or vehicle. In other words, a mantra is an instrument of the mind—a powerful sound or vibration that you can use to enter a deep state of meditation
Herbal and Prescription Interaction Awareness
July is Herbal and Prescription Interaction Awareness Month. It's important to understand that just because it's labeled as natural or a supplement doesn't mean it is safe.
Recognizing Authentic Intuition
There are many definitions of intuition all of which are generally true such as a hunch, a gut feeling, or a quick and ready insight. One of the more concise definitions is “the immediate knowing of something without the conscious use of reasoning”
Living With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a mental health condition that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event. When events such as a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault occur, it is common to have upsetting memories, uneasy feelings, or trouble sleeping. If symptoms last more than a few months, it may be PTSD. It's important to remember that not everyone who experiences or witnesses trauma will develop PTSD.
Grasping Borderline Personality Disorder
What is Borderline Personality Disorder? Borderline Personality Disorder is a mental health disorder that can impact your life and take you on an emotional rollercoaster with unexpected twists and turns. Living with Borderline Personality Disorder can cause stress not only for the person suffering from symptoms but can also be stressful for family members, intimate relationships, and friends.
The Benefits of Not Drinking Alcohol
First let's talk about health benefits of giving up alcohol. People often forget that alcohol isn't a healthy substance. Alcohol has a long list of negative side effects as far as overall health is concerned. When consuming alcohol you are putting yourself at risk for obesity, diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, kidney failure, and heart disease.
Self-harm Awareness
March is a month to recognize that self-harm happens across all genders, race, beliefs and ages. While self-harm itself is not a mental illness, the behavior is often a symptom of a psychiatric disorder. Disorders such as: depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, personality disorder or an eating disorder.
How Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Health
We all want sleep but sometimes sleep is hard to find. Tossing and turning, lying awake for hours with so much on your mind or maybe your neighbor is playing loud music at all times of the night. Whatever the reason, not getting enough sleep causes great distress on our health.
‘Tis The Season To Be Aware of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs during a particular season. Some people experience seasonal depression in spring or summer, but the fall into the winter months are by far the most common times for symptoms to occur.Like major depression, the symptoms of SAD may include an overall depressed mood, lack of energy and feelings of hopelessness, as well as changes in appetite, sleep patterns and ability to concentrate.
Nutritional Psychiatry: Here, Eat This. It Will Make You Feel Better.
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. – HippocratesWhile Hippocrates, the Greek physician known as the “Father of Modern Medicine,” died in 360 B.C., his words are extremely relevant today. It is commonly accepted that a nutritious diet is vital for good physical health, and now there is increasing evidence that it plays a significant role in mental health, too
When A Fear Becomes A Phobia, Where Do You Run?
Often defined as an extreme or irrational fear of something, a phobia can take almost any shape or form. Common phobias include fear of flying, heights and snakes, but people can develop phobias about nearly anything and some of these can be life limiting or even debilitating.If you have a fear you would like to conquer, take heart.
Handling Back-To-School Emotions: Lessons for Parents and Kids
With the ring of the inaugural bell comes a flood of emotions related to a new school year. Excitement and anxiety may seem like polar opposites, but in reality they often occur simultaneously.
Learn To Speak Up For Yourself
If you have dealt with emotional or psychological symptoms—such as depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, an eating disorder, or an anxiety disorder—you may find that other people have stepped in and taken control over some or all of your life for a period of time.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder—Getting Your Worry Under Control
Worry is a part of life. When experienced in the right situations and in the right amounts, it might even be considered healthy. After all, being uneasy about anxious situations is entirely called for and can lead to positive, proactive solutions.
Healthy Self-Esteem: Appreciating Yourself Can Help You Reach Your Goals In Life
While nobody enjoys being around a narcissist, people with healthy levels of self-esteem are usually pleasurable company—for themselves as well as others. People who feel good about themselves often treat others better, which leads to being treated better in return.
On The Up and Up: Keeping A Positive Mental State
Some people are natural optimists. They seem to maintain a positive outlook on life, no matter what. For others of us, however, circumstances and experiences may have dimmed our sunny disposition and we may need to acquire some skills to help us gain—or regain—a healthy sense of wellness.At Wilmington Psychotherapy, we employ a variety of counseling techniques and coping strategies, and the simple three-ring binder is one of our favorite, and most accessible, tools.