We almost made it. In a few weeks, another year will have ended. And a new one full of opportunity takes its place. With the new year approaching, it’s a good time to reflect on the past 365 days. And it’s an even better time to let go of any baggage holding you down. And [...]
Social Anxiety: Building Your Coping Toolbox Last week, we began discussing social anxiety, an increasingly common mental condition. Social anxiety is an intense and persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. And can lead to feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, self-consciousness, and depression. This fear can affect a number of aspects of your [...]
Before we even begin, let’s reflect for a moment, shall we? Are you extremely afraid of being judged by others? Do you often stress out before leaving your home – especially when you have to go to really crowded places? Do you turn into a tornado of fabric trying on every article of clothing you [...]
Coping with a Move Relocating to a new city or town is stressful. Even if the move means you’re doing well in life. Change is scary. Uprooting yourself from the familiar is never comfortable. And there can be a number of challenges when trying to adjust to this new chapter. You may ask yourself [...]
Today’s blog is a collaboration piece written by Bethany Hatton. Bethany, a retired librarian with 32 years of experience, created PreventAddiction.info after her oldest grandson became addicted to opioids. Though she discovered there is no guaranteed way to prevent addiction; she was able to find many helpful resources that can keep the public up to date on the [...]
It seems as though more and more people are getting involved in gratitude practices. But what is gratitude exactly? The dictionary definition is “the quality of being thankful”. And “readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Yet how many of us practice gratitude on a daily basis? Expressing gratitude is more than courtesy, [...]
How to find hope. I’m not sure about you, but my hope levels have been a little low lately. I’m catching glimpses of it every so often. But I can never keep my grip on it for very long. Proverbs says, “He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything”. When [...]
It’s been dreary in Pittsburgh lately. With this last snow blast, it seems as though the seasons are changing. The days are still shorter. And with the lack of sun, many of us are going to feel this shift. Especially for those that suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type [...]
It’s normal to feel down once in a while. But if you’re sad most of the time and it affects your daily life, you may have clinical depression. Depression causes many, sometimes intense, symptoms. These symptoms affect how you feel, think, and manage your daily life. Depression also causes persistent feelings of sadness and loss [...]
Coping with generalized anxiety disorder. Anxiety. That word is everywhere today. Coworkers talk about it. So do your friends. Even your mom does! Anxiety involves feelings of worry, fear, and apprehension. And it’s typically experienced on cognitive, emotional, and physical levels. Maybe you have negative thoughts. Or you might feel scared and out-of-control. You might [...]
