Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses today. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that in the year 2020, over 21 million American adults had at least one major depressive episode. Like other mental illnesses, depression can be isolating and debilitating, and extremely difficult to cope with, especially because the stigma around…
In the media, obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is most often portrayed in one very particular way. We’ve all seen it– that scrupulous character in a movie, TV show, or book that washes their hands constantly and keeps everything they own in perfect, even rows. While this is one possible way for OCD to present,…
When you’re struggling with your mental health, even simple tasks like showering or exercising can become overwhelming. Getting through the day turns into a regular struggle, and every decision starts to feel like it’s impossible to make. How are you supposed to live your life when you’re in a mental state like this? One…
Depression is a very debilitating mental health problem, and one that is more common that you might think. An estimated 21 million adults in the United States alone have experienced at least one depressive episode, so there’s a good chance that you know someone who has had depression, and you may have had it yourself…
The topic of mental health in general has a lot of misconceptions, stigmas, and myths surrounding it, but out of all the mental health issues out there, bipolar disorder is one of the most consistently misunderstood. Between the long decades where having bipolar was a shameful secret and the frequent misrepresentation of what it’s like…
Happy Women’s History Month! In the field of psychology, a lot of the milestones and contributions you’ll hear about are from men, because for a long time women’s contributions were underrecognized and they had to fight against many biases to get their work noticed. The emphasis on the work of male psychologists, however, doesn’t mean…
Girl, Interrupted is now over 20 years old and is still one of the most important films about mental health. Released in 1999, it won Angelina Jolie an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award, and the movie, the book it was based on, and the effects they’ve had on the public understanding…
These days, receiving treatment for mental health is a bit of a double-edged sword. Therapy and medication are more readily accessible than ever and many people have been able to be open and honest about their struggles, both in their personal lives and on social media, without dealing with too much negative backlash, but the…