You Don’t Have to Relive Your Past to Change Your Relationship With It One of the questions I sometimes ask someone sitting across from me sounds a little strange at first. “When did this response make sense?” Not: What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you over this? Why are you still letting this bother you? Why can’t you just move on? When did this response make sense? Because sometimes the thing causing problems in your life today started as a perfectly understandable response to something that happened yesterday. Maybe yesterday was last year. Maybe it was twenty years ago. Maybe…
Comments closedTag: stress management
Understanding Your Internal Alarm System A smoke detector has one job. Detect smoke. That’s it. It doesn’t know whether your house is on fire or you left the toast in the toaster thirty seconds too long. It detects something that might indicate danger and sounds the alarm. Loudly. Which is exactly what you want when there’s a fire. It’s considerably less helpful when you’re standing underneath it waving a dish towel because breakfast got a little crispy. But here’s the interesting part. The smoke detector isn’t necessarily broken. It’s trying to protect you. It’s just responding to something that isn’t…
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Understanding the Automatic Patterns That Keep Us Stuck “I know better.” I have heard some version of those three words more times than I could possibly count. I know I shouldn’t worry about this. I know I need to say no. I know I don’t need everybody’s approval. I know this person isn’t the person who hurt me. I know cigarettes are bad for me. I know I’m safe. Usually, the person saying those words isn’t confused about what they should do. That’s what makes the problem so frustrating. They already understand it. They’ve thought about it. They’ve probably talked…
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Skin picking disorder, also known as dermatillomania or excoriation disorder, is a mental health condition characterized by the repetitive picking of one’s own skin, leading to tissue damage and scarring. It is classified under the broader category of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This condition can have significant physical and emotional consequences, including infections, scarring, and considerable psychological distress. The Nature of Skin Picking Disorders Individuals with skin picking disorders often feel a strong urge to pick at perceived imperfections or irregularities on their skin. This behavior can become so ingrained…
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Do you ever catch yourself saying, “I’ll do it later” or “I have plenty of time”? It’s a common refrain in our busy lives, but what if I told you that this mindset could be sabotaging your mental wellness? The truth is, time is a finite resource, and none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Yet, many of us fall into the trap of procrastination, putting off important tasks or goals with the assumption that we’ll have time to address them later. But what if later never comes? Procrastination isn’t just a matter of poor time management; it’s often rooted in…
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Don’t speak negatively about yourself, even in a joking manner. Every cell in your body is listening and taking notes. This though highlights the importance of promoting positivity and avoiding negative self-talk or harmful thoughts, as they can have a significant impact on our overall well-being. The concept of “every cell in your body is listening and taking notes” metaphorically emphasizes the mind-body connection. Our thoughts and emotions can influence our physical and mental health in various ways. Negative self-talk, self-doubt, or a pessimistic mindset can generate stress, anxiety, and even affect our immune system, digestion, and sleep patterns. On…
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