The hedonic treadmill is the theory that we all return to our baseline level of happiness, both after wonderful experiences and also after devastating ones. The global pandemic of COVID-19 is a devastating experience. For many of us, it has been accompanied by additional stressors as well as unimaginable losses. Each person experiences it in their own […]
The coronavirus pandemic, no doubt, has triggered all sorts of emotions over the last two months. Even those who aren’t prone to crying may feel the tears trickle down their cheeks, a result of the sadness that comes with constant news of death and hospitalization rates. Or, maybe it’s the viral videos of balcony singalongs […]
In the throes of COVID-19, the simple question, “How are you?” has more weight, meaning and consequence than it did just a few months ago. Social media feeds are filled with questions like, “How’s everybody doing?” And the answers are rarely upbeat. At least 316 million Americans are staying home, many are working remotely. Millions are missing […]
My daughter’s life looks practically perfect. No one would ever guess that Emma’s brain tortures her continuously with a looped cacophony of critical, negative, self-loathing thoughts. But, that’s exactly what she has wrestled with since she was 12 and suffered the onset of clinical general anxiety disorder (GAD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Sadly, I didn’t […]
New Year’s Eve seems like a lifetime ago, when we toasted to a new year. I was particularly excited for a fresh start and new goals for 2020: I was going to run a half marathon in April at Walt Disney World, spend more time on hobbies that brought me joy and my family was […]
I’m an ambitious, Type A, alpha Virgo. But what many of my colleagues don’t know is that I have clinical depression and an anxiety disorder. It’s easier to hide in an office setting. You’re busy. You share a workspace with others. You’re face-to-face in meetings. But at home, you can’t hide it. At home, it’s […]
Could a poem a day keep the doctor away? Psychology Today asked the question back in 2011, exploring poetry as an age-old remedy for mental illness. The author cited a study from the National Association for Poetry Therapy, a group that spotlights a second-century Greek physician who promoted personal growth in his clients through the written […]
Are you feeling anxious or stressed right now? You aren’t alone. COVID-19 and the uncertainty it brings is affecting everyone. But there are ways to ease your worry, even from home. Take advantage of the many ways you can connect with a therapist, meditate through a challenging time, monitor your sleep, and more with these […]
Life can be tough, and for teenagers, it can be even tougher. Teens already deal with a lot of challenges: peer pressure, hormonal changes and even cyber bullying, so if something more serious creeps in, such as depression or substance abuse, things can quickly become overwhelming. Because teenagers are still developing, it can be easy […]
Your morning commute was atrocious. You got into an argument with your spouse. Your kid threw a temper tantrum of epic proportions. You’re stressed over a project at work. Whatever the reason — or combination of reasons — you’re in a bad mood. Don’t you wish there was a quick way to just snap out […]
