The expression “you can’t see the forest for the trees” is all wrong when it comes to individuals with depression. They can’t see the trees. All they can see is a big, overwhelming forest.
Recently I was speaking with a client who was frightened of her ability to shift into a mood of despair that was so dark she disdained any possibility of the idea that she has control over this. She pursued research into depression (on the Internet) and drew even more attention to her low mood.
Don’t you hate it when someone tells you to “Just relax!”? For me it is the same fleeting annoyance as when someone orders me to smile.
When you first get married, the transition can sometimes be a little rough, but you can begin to smooth it out by creating your own style of marriage, one that has its own identity and meaning.
Did you know that half of all divorces occur in the first 7 years of marriage? So what might a couple do to stave off this statistic? How about taking the public health approach and vaccinating your relationship with premarital counseling?
When I encourage plagiarism, what I mean is that it is perfectly acceptable to take ideas from what others share about their mental health and safely try them out if you feel they will help you. Otherwise, why blog?
If you are asking this question, you must have some belief that negative self talk, self flagellation or just simply beating yourself up is a helpful device to get or keep yourself motivated. Let’s look at that more closely since most people do engage in this behavior quite frequently.
First off, stopping the panic and anxiety that results from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is no easy task, and all of the self-help books, gurus, and mental health experts out there worth a darn will acknowledge this fact. And there is no one right way to accomplish this, but there are some generally tried and true methods to self-calm in the moment.
First I would ask “Which other people?” Are they strangers, acquaintances, work colleagues, friends, close friends, or family?
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is being hypersensitive to either real or imagined criticism. What underlies this feeling is an exquisite sensitivity to the feeling of embarrassment.
PAGE RUTLEDGE, LCSW, CHt | Couples Counseling
Tel: 910-777-7243
Offices at:
5006 Randall Parkway (close to UNCW)
Wilmington, NC 28403
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