Hurting yourself—or thinking about hurting yourself—is a sign of emotional distress. These uncomfortable emotions may grow more intense if a person continues to use self-harm as a coping mechanism. Learning other ways to tolerate the mental pain will make you stronger in the long term. Self-harm also causes feelings of shame. The scars caused by frequent cutting or burning can be permanent.

Having worked with adolescents for several years, this fall felt different.  Young people have always gone back to school with changes and new goals. Often, once school starts, they quickly get back into old friendships and familiar routines, and soon all of the resolves are forgotten.  Not in 2021!  In my work with adolescents, I have been amazed and impressed this fall by many young people.

Since we’ve been in the midst of a pandemic for a year and a half, it is difficult to remember how important feeling safe is to our mental health. But safety is vital, and if needs like safety aren’t met, a mental health condition may develop.

You wouldn't be ashamed to tell your friends you have the flu, so why do we often stay quiet about mental health?

In mental health, there are various different viewpoints about what principles cause human beings to function at their optimal.  While most of these different theories have some good to offer, one in particular encompasses the human experience at every level imaginable.  This is the scientifically proven fact that all human beings crave connection with others, and function poorly without it. 

As the novel coronavirus pandemic moves into the end of this year, it is more important than ever for people to examine their mental well-being and recognize when they may feel anxious, sad or depressed. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has warned that rates of anxiety and depression have increased between two- and fourfold compared to the same time last year.