ADHD can present differently in individuals, and symptoms may change with age. Many people with ADHD are creative, bright, caring and insightful. However, because of their intense and long-term symptoms, they can battle with their self-esteem and their ability to recognize their strengths...
What's important to remember is that the dark night is not meant to last forever – you can and will emerge from it. With self-awareness as well as professional support if needed, you can discover great learning, healing and joy during this time...
Once we identify and understand the inner critic, we can shift from relentless self-evaluation to greater self-compassion and a seeking curiosity...
In the age of social media, self-perception can become further challenged because of the even wider emphasis on and visibility of acceptance (e.g. pursuing "likes," looking strong or beautiful)...
When the freeze response initiates, our amygdala instantly grabs the reins of our brain's thinking component. In this way, the freeze response is an evolutionary survival device installed to camouflage us or help us play "dead" in the face of danger...
Healthy, meaningful trauma therapy might also include somatic therapy, which looks to join the mind, body and spirit through body-based psychotherapy. It blends talk therapy with activities such as dancing, breathing and meditating to train the body to release the stress and tension it stores...
We must be vulnerable to achieve comfort and trust in our relationship, but we may also be compelled to stand our ground regardless of the situation. A dilemma quickly arises: We cannot be defensive and vulnerable at the same time...
Being good to others also is deeply rooted in our human DNA and evolution. Early on, humans may have pleased others and avoided conflicts in order to remain safe within the social group. Not being accepted in the group might have led to expulsion and therefore less personal safety...
Safety in particular proves to be vital in an intimate relationship: Without it, love is restrained. Yet at the same time, we can prevent or discourage that safety even when we're not aware...
Winter is arguably our toughest season. For those of us going through a hard time such as divorce or domestic distress or managing a condition such as depression or anxiety, it can double down on the mental or emotional pain that we feel...
Kick-starting personal goals each January 1 is a time-honored practice. According to Merriam-Webster online, people have been making New Year's resolutions since the early 19th century and perhaps as far back as the late 17th century...
Whether a situation involves others or only ourselves, with a little awareness and planning we can enjoy what is wonderful about the holidays while giving our mental health some comfort as well...
Playing music or singing is great a way to draw your attention away from your problems and redirect your energy towards something fun and creative...
These pathways coordinate and connect these muscles in forming facial expressions and other bodily signals to other people (and mammals) based on how they're making us feel. What we signal tells others whether we're safe or unsafe to approach...
Stress creates a mental chain reaction that begins in the amygdala, where our brain regulates emotional processing by sending distress signals to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus then sends us commands through the nervous system to fight, flee or freeze in a stressful situation...
Intuition can be a useful tool to alleviate emotional turmoil through instinctive feeling rather than solely by conscious reasoning. Intuition does not need to work in isolation as knowledge is assimilated. In fact, it is advantageous to use intuition in conjunction with rational thought...
Kasey Huff