Category: Self Therapy

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Animal Instinct- How Female Biology and Socialization Inform Responses to Sexual Assault

Women and men's mental health

Introduction

In my junior year of high school, I was drugged and sexually assaulted. In the moments before I lost control to the substance, I felt the intense urge to punch my assailant in the eye. I lifted my fist, wrapped my knuckles tight in my palm, then realized I was not moving at all. I thought I might scream. The sound felt like it was moving through molasses, which filled my whole body. I remember having the thought in the moment that there was no reaction now that could save me. My body must have had that thought before I did, as it shut down entirely. I experienced complete physical and vocal immobility. This response, commonly referred to as the “freeze” response, is a psychological reaction called tonic immobility. Paralysis is frequently reported in the immediate aftermath of sexual assault, yet our socialization delineates the “ideal victim” as the woman who fights her attacker tooth and nail. What happens when our brain, our body, and our socialization send conflicting signals?

When studying physiological responses to a threat, we most commonly examine the sympathetic responses associated with the fight-or-flight response. Sympathetic responses raise heart rate and trigger bursts of energy, enabling the body to either attack or flee with an adrenaline boost that increases the chances of survival. Freezing, on the other hand, is a parasympathetic response that slows the heart rate and promotes energy restoration. Sympathetic responses happen in an instant, while parasympathetic responses tend to take longer to kick in. Why, then, do those who freeze report a sudden loss of mobility? Why, in this specific instance, is a parasympathetic response behaving like a sympathetic one? And what does our society assume about women who “play possum”?

The freeze response differs from the fawn response, which is characterized by appeasement behaviors aimed at calming the aggressor and may involve flattery and compliance. This response often occurs when individuals perceive that resisting could escalate the threat, leading them to attempt to bond with or please the aggressor as a survival strategy. Both responses illustrate how biological and social conditioning influence human behavior in the face of danger, highlighting the complexities of trauma reactions and societal perceptions of survivors. Like the freeze response, fawning is also parasympathetic and involves behaviors aimed at de-escalating a threatening situation.

Why Women Freeze and Fawn

While both men and women are prone to stress responses, women are much more likely to freeze, while men are more likely to fight. There are a plethora of hypotheses as to why, but 2 major factors seem to play the largest part, i.e., biological gender roles and social conditioning towards violence. Biologically and historically, women are primed to respond to threats with a caretaking mindset, which over time became a rigid stereotype, urging women to take up a “break the glass ceiling” mindset.

As the predominant nurturers in their communities, women’s responses are not “escape at all costs,” but “escape with as little harm to my offspring.” We are biologically trained to de-escalate, whether that’s by making yourself immobile or befriending the threat, an explanation for the prevalent “fawn” response, when a victim appeases their assailant at all costs. Women with children cannot fight. You cannot throw a hook with a baby in either arm. Biologically speaking, the average woman will be physically overpowered by the average man. The fact that we are indulging in this thought is in itself problematic, as men and women must be at complementary ends, not comparative ones.

On paper, there is no point in fighting. Men, on the other hand, are not hardwired towards damage control. They are biologically hunters and soldiers. Their survival affects only themselves. Their only goal when responding to a threat is to destroy it, while women must destroy it with as little impact on their environment and family unit as possible. Social conditioning is also a major player to consider. We raise our boys to be strong, brave, and aggressive. We promote playground roughhousing and arm wrestling, crowning the strongest boy the best. Girls, opposingly, are raised towards fulfilling service and caretaking roles. We teach our girls to fit in a box, to make themselves small, to not disrupt. Men are taught to shout, to kick, to deceive, to push for what they want at all costs. Why would women, when faced with a threat, fight? We are raised to be as small as possible. Flailing and screaming and hitting are not dainty. Not in the slightest. Thus, the society indirectly demands raising children who blend gender roles, or the system collapses when more and more people choose not to bear children.

The Model Victim Survivor

A 1990 study by the U.S General Accounting Office states that the perpetrators of serious sexual assault against a White victim were much more likely to receive a harsh sentence than a perpetrator of a serious sexual assault against a Black victim. Racial bias is inextricably linked with our understanding of victimhood. Common rape myths also impact our view of sexual assault as a whole. Victims who did not verifiably fight back against their assailant are less likely to be viewed as credible in the eyes of a jury. Cases in which the victim is perceived as having partaken in activities that raise their blameworthiness (e.g., dressing in revealing clothing, consumption of drugs and/or alcohol, traveling alone/at night, working in “unsavory” fields such as sex work) have also been frequently dismissed by jurors and judges alike.

Keeping this in mind, we start to pick apart why the female victim’s nervous system chooses simply (or not so simply) to freeze. Our biological condition says placate, our social condition says be polite, our body tells us to flee, and our experience with the justice system says we must fight to be believed. Thus, we freeze. Freezing is a highly successful de-escalation tactic for female victims. It is a reaction honed by years of evolution, yet it is the response most frequently scrutinized by jurors. Our contradicting societal conceptualizations of sexual assault make the “model victim” a logical impossibility. Rape myths are so deeply ingrained, not only in our culture but in the institutions of racism, misogyny, and classism. It takes active deconstruction on the part of legal agencies to ensure an unbiased trial for a woman, especially one who’s “high risk” for being labeled promiscuous, stupid, or glib. 

Physiological Overload

With all these facts in mind, we can begin to understand what happens in the mind and body that causes women to freeze. Tonic immobility is, in fact, not solely rooted in the parasympathetic or sympathetic responses. It is caused by a strong sympathetic response that triggers extreme muscle tension, which occurs simultaneously with a parasympathetic response that slows the heart rate. The body is quite literally trapped in limbo between two responses, and essentially experiences an overload and ceases normal function. This cessation of function can also help begin to explain the large gaps in memory experienced by trauma survivors. The body is firing on all cylinders to survive, and the brain takes this as a cue that this experience may be more harmful to remember than to forget. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is a highly effective survival tactic for female assault victims to enter a state of tonic immobility, despite the numerous societal factors stigmatizing the response. The brain, the body, and the culture all work in tandem to inform our response to a threat, and it is important to note that in no instance is a survivor consciously “choosing“ a response. Their body takes over and scans past experiences responsible for conditioning to decide the best route to survival in a matter of seconds. Freezing is not a source of shame; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. A freeze response means your body truly used every single tool at its disposal to keep you alive. Tonic immobility is not a failure to act. It is the most complicated and sophisticated action of them all.

As noted in the introductory paragraph, I experienced a sexual assault during my junior year of high school. I also experienced serious assaults in my childhood and first year of college, and in every instance except the last, my response was to freeze. I have spent a lot of time researching and understanding why my body chose this response, and I believe other survivors would find it comforting to know that the freeze response is not your body’s betrayal, but its gift; a gift of time to choose the next effective move. 

References

Ahrens C. E. (2006). Being silenced: The impact of negative social reactions on the disclosure of rape. American Journal of Community Psychology, 38(3-4), 263–274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-006-9069-9

Avcı, M., & Arı, E. (2023). Examining the effect of awareness-raising efforts and rape myths on attitudes toward survivors of sexual assault. Sexual Offending, 18. e9965. https://doi.org/10.5964/sotrap.9965

Campbell, R., Dworkin, E., & Cabral, G. (2009). An ecological model of the impact of sexual assault on women’s mental health. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 10(3), 225–246. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838009334456

O’Doherty, L., Whelan, M., Carter, G. J., Brown, K., Tarzia, L., Hegarty, K., Feder, G., & Brown, S. J. (2023). Psychosocial interventions for survivors of rape and sexual assault experienced during adulthood. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 10(10), CD013456. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013456.pub2

Roelofs K. (2017). Freeze for action: Neurobiological mechanisms in animal and human freezing. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B, Biological Sciences, 372(1718). 20160206. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0206

Schmidt, N. B., Richey, J. A., Zvolensky, M. J., & Maner, J. K. (2008). Exploring human freeze responses to a threat stressor. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 39(3), 292–304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2007.08.002

Author Bio

Izzy Marie is currently a B. A. student at Marymount Manhattan College and a lifelong lover of writing and journalism. Izzy is also a prominent mental health and sexual violence prevention activist and a political playwright. 

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Men’s Mental Health: The Silence We Grow Up With

Men and Women's Mental Health

Introduction

Men are taught very early in life to “be strong.” Not strong in the sense of being emotionally aware, but strong in the sense of staying silent. In India, we grow up hearing things like “लड़के रोते नहीं हैं (boys don’t cry),” “be a man,“ or “handle it yourself.“ Over time, this doesn’t just become advice; it becomes conditioning. We stop expressing, stop sharing, and slowly stop understanding our own emotions. Men’s mental health in India is not ignored because it doesn’t exist. It’s ignored because it is never spoken about, not at home, not in schools, not even among close friends. That silence comes at a cost.

The problem is not that men don’t feel. The problem is that men are not allowed to feel openly. From a young age, vulnerability is often seen as weakness. A boy who cries is told to toughen up. A man who opens up is often dismissed or joked about. Over time, men learn to suppress instead of express. This suppression shows up in different ways — anger, frustration, withdrawal, or complete emotional numbness. Many men don’t even realize they are struggling because they have never been taught how to identify what they feel.

In a country where responsibilities often come early, to earn, to provide, to “be the man of the house“, the emotional burden increases, but the support system does not. Since conversations around mental health are still limited, especially for men, most choose silence over vulnerability.

Why Men Struggle to Open Up

One of the biggest reasons is conditioning. From childhood, boys are taught to solve problems, not to talk about them. Emotional expression is rarely encouraged. Over time, this builds a habit of internalizing everything. Another factor is fear of judgment. Many men feel that opening up might make them look weak, incapable, or less respected, especially in front of family or peers. Even in friendships, conversations often stay on the surface. There is bonding, but not always emotional depth. So when things get heavy, many men simply don’t know where to go.

How This Silence Affects Men

When emotions are constantly suppressed, they don’t disappear. Instead, they accumulate. This often leads to stress, anxiety, anger issues, or burnout. In some cases, it affects relationships, work performance, and overall well-being. Many men end up dealing with everything alone, which can make problems feel much heavier than they actually are. The lack of safe spaces to talk also leads to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as avoiding conversations, isolating oneself, or distracting with work or habits instead of addressing the root issue.

Changing the Narrative: Small but Important Steps

Change doesn’t need to start at a large scale. It can start with small, honest conversations. It starts with normalizing the idea that men can talk about their feelings without being judged. That checking in on a friend is not “extra“, it’s necessary. Families can play a big role by allowing boys and men to express themselves without immediately correcting or dismissing them. Even among friends, creating a space where it’s okay to say “I’m not okay“ can make a huge difference. Most importantly, understanding that asking for help is not a weakness; it’s awareness.

Conclusion

Men’s mental health in India is not a new issue. However, it’s an unspoken one. For years, silence has been passed down as strength. But real strength lies in expression, in understanding, and in being honest about what we feel. If we want things to change, the conversation needs to start in our homes, in our friendships, and within ourselves, because staying silent might feel easier, but it is never healthier.

I chose to write about this topic because I have personally seen how men around me, i.e., friends, family, even myself at times, hesitate to talk about what we feel. It’s not that the emotions are not there, it’s just that we don’t grow up learning how to express them. Most of us deal with things silently, thinking that’s what strength looks like. I believe this needs to change, and even starting a small conversation around it can make a difference.

References

Camacho-Ruiz, J. A., Galvez-Sánchez, C. M., & Limiñana-Gras, R. M. (2026). A narrative review of men’s mental health: The role of stigma and Ggender-differentiated socialization. Behavioral Sciences, 16(2), 262. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16020262

Meghrajani, V. R., Marathe, M., Sharma, R., Potdukhe, A., Wanjari, M. B., & Taksande, A. B. (2023). A comprehensive analysis of mental health problems in India and the role of mental asylums. Cureus, 15(7), e42559. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.42559

Murthy R. S. (2017). National mental health survey of India 2015-2016. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 59(1), 21–26. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_102_17

India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative Mental Disorders Collaborators (2020). The burden of mental disorders across the states of India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2017. The Lancet, Psychiatry, 7(2), 148–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30475-4

World Health Organization. (2017). Depression and other common mental disorders: Global health estimates. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/6bab42bc-df0f-4f68-a86d-28ebedb85e42/content

Author Bio

Vansh Raj is an operations and customer experience professional currently working with Zostel, India’s largest chain of backpacker hostels. With hands-on experience across 100+ properties, he specializes in solving real-world operational challenges and improving customer journeys. Alongside his professional work, he is deeply interested in human behavior, experiences, and conversations that often go unheard.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Mental Health and Positivity for Cancer Survivors

Mediastinal Cancer that Originated in the Thymus

Introduction

I was diagnosed with advanced cancer after giving birth to my third child one month early. I was 32 years old and would never have imagined that the symptoms I was having meant that I had an 8 cm diameter growth of cancer in the centre of my chest. The doctors gave me a maximum of eight weeks to live, and it would not be a great quality of life. I want to discuss and explain how I rationalised and had the mental strength to survive beyond the eight weeks I was given.

Mediastinal Cancer that Originated in the Thymus

I believe that a positive mindset and refusal to feel sorry, sad, or pity for oneself is key to a successful recovery. I also believe that cancer treatment and all the chemicals and the side effects are part and parcel of the process of getting better.

I genuinely believe that recovery from serious illness, such as cancer, is clearly fundamentally to do with the doctors and the treatment and the people around you; however, if you don’t believe that you can fight and survive a potentially tragic and life-ending diagnosis, then you might as well give up! I was in the hospital with a 19-year-old who had the same cancer that I did, straight after giving birth to my third child. Not only was I weak from the traumatic pregnancy, but I was also older than most of those who are unfortunate to be diagnosed with such an aggressive cancer. I was also petrified at the thought of not being able to see my children grow up.

There is no one way to rationalise or mentally deal with your potential mortality.

However, I do believe that your outlook and gratitude, not only for the lengths to which the doctors go, but also for the care provided by your friends and family, are invaluable.

Beacon of Hope

I spent a lot of time lying in a hospital bed attached to poison or poisons, which you are told will apparently help your body to fight and kill the cancer, and hopefully survive. That said, nobody tells you that the toxicity of the cancer treatment chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy all cause permanent damage and profoundly harmful side effects. I had pneumonia 5 times in the space of six months. And nobody prepared me for the fact that I would feel so weak and exhausted, permanently nauseous, and so fragile. On top of that, I felt like a burden to my entire family. Plus, my children, especially my eldest daughter, were horrified by my baldness and my rapid weight loss.

We all know what cancer is, and most people know at least one person or more who has died because of cancer. Why does no one explain what cancer is and how it kills you?

I think the children should be taught what cancer is, how it grows, and how it kills you. Also, how the medication used to treat cancer is toxic and damaging, and it’s basically a race between the cancer and the chemotherapy and radiotherapy as to which doesn’t kill you first. I also think that people need to know that a positive outlook and refusal to give up are so important and a significant part of the survival rate.

I find it sad when I hear people discussing friends, relatives, children, and anyone they know who has just been diagnosed with cancer, and how people refer to it as the big’C’!

One third of the people on earth will at some point be diagnosed with some form of cancer. I don’t want to normalise it, but I also don’t want to demonise it. It’s just part of living or potentially surviving, and people need to understand how it occurs, how they fight it, and how you can help fight it with positivity and a desire to live, and not just give up. Strangely enough, women give birth every day. When I had my first child, I had no idea of any of the details, not even my mother told me. It is overwhelming that there are many embarrassing moments, more pain than I think any man could survive, yet they still smile when the baby is placed on their chest. My point being, we are happy to discuss so many things, such as bullying, manners, studying, and the importance of doing well. However, nobody explains some of the most devastating, confusing, and profoundly mentally and physically challenging experiences that people will ever confront.

I chose to write about this topic because I almost lost my life, and it was very mentally and physically draining. Unfortunately, most people do not know how to deal with illness and what to say because they don’t understand what is involved in trying to survive a serious illness. The amount of platitudes people say or tell you is one of the most irritating aspects of being severely sick or potentially mortally ill. As an example, I regularly received cards from friends wishing me to get well soon. Which, frankly, is not only insane but insulting. I didn’t catch a cold. I was diagnosed with an 8-week death sentence!

Conclusion

I think it’s probably slightly unusual for a patient to be so inquisitive about the treatments and the potential negative side effects. Sadly for my oncologist, I was one of those annoying patients. I wanted to understand everything: why they were taking blood and what they were testing it for, why they had to take my bone marrow, the name of my (or acronym!) chemotherapy, and why all the chemotherapy drugs were different colors? Why was I so exhausted after every radiotherapy session, and why did the immunotherapy make me feel violently sick? What survival odds did they give me, percentage-wise? (I think in retrospect that was one question I probably did not need or want to know the answer to, it was shockingly low!😳). Of course, I’m aware and understand that a lot of patients would prefer to live in blissful ignorance, which obviously should be respected. However, if a patient wants to know their prognosis and understand their treatments, I think that doctors should be able and willing to explain in simplistic and understandable terms what the patient can expect to endure and experience throughout the treatment.

In school, children are taught many things, some practical, some not so practical. It will come as no surprise that I was a student hungry for knowledge. I genuinely enjoy learning and understanding how things work and why things are the way they are. However, I feel we need to adjust how children are educated! We haven’t adjusted our education system at the same rate as the world is changing. Children these days face so many distractions and so much competition, yet we still educate them the same way we did decades ago.   Children need more practical life/survival skills and interpersonal skills.   

I am genuinely fearful as to how AI is going to change the world, and not in a positive way. As useful as it is, it is making people more lazy and less inclined to be inquisitive and ask questions, read books, and try to understand subjects and do research, because it’s too easy to ask AI to do the work for you.

References

Fayette, D., Juríčková, V., Kozák, T., Mociková, H., Gaherová, L., Fajnerová, I., & Horáček, J. (2023). Cognitive impairment associated with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and chemotherapy. Neuroscience Letters, 797, 137082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137082

Morante-Sainz, I., Ruiz-Pérez, I., & Maldonado-Martin, S. (2026). Effects of physical activity and exercise interventions in health-related variables in Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients during clinical treatment: a systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 66(3), 453–463. https://doi.org/10.23736/S0022-4707.25.17121-1

Øvlisen, A. K., Jakobsen, L. H., Kragholm, K. H., Nielsen, R. E., de Nully Brown, P., Dahl-Sørensen, R. B., Frederiksen, H., Mannering, N., Josefsson, P. L., Ludvigsen Al-Mashhadi, A., Jørgensen, J. M., Dessau-Arp, A., Clausen, M. R., Pedersen, R. S., Torp-Pedersen, C., Severinsen, M. T., & El-Galaly, T. C. (2022). Mental health among patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A Danish nationwide study of psychotropic drug use in 8750 patients and 43 750 matched comparators. American Journal of Hematology, 97(6), 749–761. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajh.26538

Smith, S. K., Zimmerman, S., Williams, C. S., & Zebrack, B. J. (2009). Health status and quality of life among non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivors. Cancer, 115(14), 3312–3323. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.24391

Tao, R., Chen, Y., Kim, S., Ocier, K., Lloyd, S., Poppe, M. M., Lee, C. J., Glenn, M. J., Smith, K. R., Fraser, A., Deshmukh, V., Newman, M. G., Snyder, J., Rowe, K. G., Gaffney, D. K., Haaland, B., & Hashibe, M. (2022). Mental health disorders are more common in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma and may negatively impact overall survival. Cancer, 128(19), 3564–3572. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.34359

Author Bio

Sarah Nicola was born in Oxford, England, on the 7th of November 1971. She moved to Zambia with her parents and sister in 1974 and attended primary school until the age of 11. She was then sent to an all-girls boarding school in England. The school was highly academic and extremely competitive. After completing her A-levels, she took a year off before attending university to work with the British embassy in Cyprus. She then started university at Oxford Brookes University, studying art history; however, because the fees were expensive and her parents were not able to contribute, she ended up accepting a modeling contract, which was extremely lucrative. However, her family was not happy, so she started working in the car parts industry and attending night school. After seven years, she met her future husband in the south of France, and they married and had three children.

Sadly, the marriage did not survive, partly due to her husband’s inability to cope with Sarah’s illness, including the fact that Sarah reassessed what she wanted out of life and realised when she was three years into remission that she couldn’t rely on her husband’s emotional support. Sarah felt that if her life partner fell apart when she needed him most, she couldn’t rely on him to be supportive as they grew older. Sarah and her husband separated in 2007 and finally divorced in 2009 after an extremely acrimonious and painful divorce process. This included not only her husband but also his whole family, who were trying to gain custody of the three children. Sarah won full custody against all odds. The children are now 26, 24, and almost 22. All three went to university, and two achieved their master’s. The third child is currently doing her master’s. It has not been easy because my ex-husband refused, and the court upheld that request to pay me any maintenance. He did pay the minimal amount for each child, however, our son, who stayed back a year, was still living at home until he was 19, and his father stopped the maintenance to support his son living with me.

Due to all the treatments Sarah received to cure the non-Hodgkin lymphoma, she now has lung fibrosis, myocardiopathy, ulcerative colitis, and diverticulitis, just a few of the side effects of the severe treatments. Sarah knows that the alternative would have been death almost 22 years ago.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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From Struggle to Strength: A Journey Through Eating Disorder Recovery

An eating disorder doesn’t always look the way people expect. It can hide behind routines, smiles, and everyday life.

Introduction

Eating disorder recovery is not something that happens overnight. It’s messy, painful, and often begins long before anyone else notices. For many, it’s a quiet struggle that slowly takes up more and more space until one day, it becomes impossible to ignore.

An eating disorder doesn’t always look the way people expect. It can hide behind routines, smiles, and everyday life. It can exist for years without being fully acknowledged, even by the person experiencing it. And when it finally comes to light, it often brings with it a harsh realization of just how far things have gone.

Recovery begins in that moment of clarity, the moment where something shifts, and the desire to live becomes stronger than the urge to disappear. It’s the decision to fight, even when everything inside feels exhausted. It’s also the realization that you are more than your disorder, even if you’ve forgotten who you were without it.

No one recovers alone. Behind every step forward, there are often people, friends, family, or even small moments of connection, reminding you of who you are and what you’re worth. Sometimes, recovery starts because someone else reached out when you couldn’t.

This is why awareness matters. Eating disorders don’t always look obvious, and the people struggling are not always able to ask for help. Reaching out, checking in, and speaking up when something feels off can make a difference, sometimes more than you realize.

Recovery is not a straight line. It’s a long road back to yourself. But it is possible. It starts with choosing to stay.

Recovering dynamics are not just about food, weight, or numbers. It’s about unlearning patterns that once felt like control, but were slowly taking everything instead. It’s about sitting with discomfort instead of escaping it, and allowing yourself to feel things you may have spent years avoiding.

There are days when recovery feels empowering, where choosing nourishment, rest, and presence feels like reclaiming pieces of yourself. Then there are days when it feels heavy, when the thoughts are loud, and when old habits seem easier, safer, and more familiar. Both are part of the process.

One of the hardest parts is facing the question: Who am I without this? When something has been part of your life for so long, even if it’s destructive, it can feel like losing a part of your identity. Recovery then becomes not only about healing, but about rediscovering yourself, your values, your joy, your relationships, and the life you want to live.

It also means learning to accept support and letting people in, even when it feels uncomfortable. Trusting that you don’t have to carry everything alone because recovery is not meant to be a solo journey is something that grows stronger when shared with others who care.

There is no perfect way to recover. No linear timeline. No moment where everything suddenly feels easy. However, with time, patience, and support, the things that once felt impossible slowly become manageable. And the life that once felt distant starts to come back into reach.

Recovery is choosing, again and again, to move toward life, even on the days when it feels hardest.

The Moment Everything Became Real

For a long time, it didn’t feel like a crisis. It felt manageable, like something I could control, something that didn’t really define me. From the outside, life went on as usual. But internally, things were slowly getting louder, heavier, and harder to ignore.

The shift didn’t happen all at once. It crept in gradually, until one day it was undeniable. The thoughts were no longer just background noise—they were constant. The habits were no longer small—they were consuming. And the line between “being in control” and losing myself completely had quietly disappeared.

That Was the Moment Everything Became Real

It wasn’t just about recognizing the problem, but understanding the seriousness of it. Realizing how much it had taken, how far it had pushed me, and how close it had come to costing me everything. It’s a confronting place to be because once you see it clearly, you can’t unsee it.

But that moment, as terrifying as it is, also holds something important. It’s the beginning of awareness. Without that awareness, recovery can’t begin.

Choosing to Fight for Life

After everything became real, there comes a choice. Not a one-time decision, but a choice that has to be made over and over again. Choosing recovery isn’t loud or dramatic. It’s often quiet, uncomfortable, and filled with doubt. Nonetheless, it’s there, in the small moments, where you decide to keep going.

Choosing to fight for life means going against thoughts that have felt like truth for a long time. It means doing the opposite of what feels safe. Eating when your mind tells you not to. Resting when you feel like you haven’t “earned” it. Speaking up when everything in you wants to stay silent.

It’s exhausting. And at times, it can feel like you’re losing more than you’re gaining. Because the disorder once served a purpose—it gave a sense of control, structure, maybe even comfort. Letting go of that can feel like stepping into the unknown without anything to hold on to.

But slowly, something begins to shift. The space that was once filled with rules and restrictions starts to open up. There’s room for other things: connection, laughter, and presence. Small glimpses of life that remind you why the fight is worth it.

Choosing recovery is, at its core, choosing yourself. Even when it’s hard. Even when it doesn’t feel natural yet. Even when you’re not fully convinced it will work.

Because somewhere along the way, the desire to live becomes stronger than the need to disappear.

Learning to Accept Help

One of the most difficult parts of recovery is not the food, the routines, or even the thoughts. It’s letting other people in. After spending so long dealing with everything internally, it can feel unnatural, even uncomfortable, to suddenly share what’s been hidden for so long.

There’s a kind of vulnerability in being seen like that. In admitting that you’re struggling. In saying out loud that you can’t do this alone. For many, that’s one of the hardest steps to take.

But recovery was never meant to be a solo journey.

Letting people in doesn’t mean losing control—it means creating support. It means allowing others to stand beside you when things feel overwhelming. Whether it’s friends, family, or professionals, these connections become an anchor in moments where everything else feels uncertain.

Sometimes, it’s the people around you who remind you of who you are when you’ve forgotten. Care for a think, who sees the parts of you that still exist beyond the disorder? Who stays, even on the days when you feel hardest to reach?

Accepting help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a step toward healing. Even if it feels unfamiliar at first, it can become one of the strongest foundations in recovery.

Conclusion

Recovery is not about becoming a perfect version of yourself. It’s not about never struggling again or having everything figured out. It’s about finding your way back to yourself, to your life, and to the things that make it worth living.

There will be setbacks. Moments where it feels like you’re back at the beginning. However, that doesn’t erase the progress you’ve made. Healing is not linear, and every step forward—no matter how small—still counts. What matters is continuing to choose life. To keep showing up, even on the hard days. To hold on to the parts of you that still want more, even when the voice of the disorder gets loud. Over time, those parts will grow stronger.

Recovery is possible. Not easy, not quick but real. Even if you’ve lost yourself along the way, you are still there. You always have been.

I didn’t choose to write about this because it’s easy. I chose it because it’s real, because it’s something that has lived quietly inside me for a long time, shaping my thoughts, my habits, and the way I see myself.

For years, it felt like something I had to carry alone. Something I couldn’t fully explain, and maybe didn’t even fully understand myself. And in many ways, it became normal. That’s the scary part, how something so destructive can start to feel familiar, even safe. At some point, staying silent started to feel heavier than speaking up. I chose to write about this because I know what it feels like to struggle in a way that isn’t always visible. To smile, to show up, and still feel like something is slowly falling apart underneath the surface. I know I’m not the only one who has felt that way.

I also chose to write this because of the people around me, because of the ones who saw me, who reached out, who reminded me that I’m more than this. Writing this is, in some way, my way of holding on to that, of reminding myself, on the hard days, why I’m choosing to fight. If someone else reads this and recognizes a part of themselves in it, they won’t feel quite as alone. Maybe it will make it just a little bit easier to speak up, to reach out, or to believe that things can change. That’s why this matters to me.

References

Giel, K. E., Behrens, S. C., Schag, K., Martus, P., Herpertz, S., Hofmann, T., Skoda, E. M., Voderholzer, U., von Wietersheim, J., Wild, B., Zeeck, A., Schmidt, U., Zipfel, S., & Junne, F. (2021). Efficacy of post-inpatient aftercare treatments for anorexia nervosa: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Eating Disorders, 9(1), 129. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-021-00487-5

Zipfel, S., Giel, K. E., Bulik, C. M., Hay, P., & Schmidt, U. (2015). Anorexia nervosa: Aetiology, assessment, and treatment. The Lancet, Psychiatry, 2(12), 1099–1111. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00356-9

Chiu, H. P., Huang, M. W., Tsai, S. Y., & Hsu, C. Y. (2023). A retrospective study of pharmacological treatment in anorexia nervosa: 6-month and 12-month follow-up. BMC psychiatry, 23(1), 126. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04604-3

Mairhofer, D., Zeiler, M., Philipp, J., Truttmann, S., Wittek, T., Skala, K., Mitterer, M., Schöfbeck, G., Laczkovics, C., Schwarzenberg, J., Wagner, G., & Karwautz, A. (2021). Short-term outcome of inpatient treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa using DSM-5 remission criteria. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(14), 3190. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10143190

Monteleone, A. M., Pellegrino, F., Croatto, G., Carfagno, M., Hilbert, A., Treasure, J., Wade, T., Bulik, C. M., Zipfel, S., Hay, P., Schmidt, U., Castellini, G., Favaro, A., Fernandez-Aranda, F., Il Shin, J., Voderholzer, U., Ricca, V., Moretti, D., Busatta, D., Abbate-Daga, G., … & Solmi, M. (2022). Treatment of eating disorders: A systematic meta-review of meta-analyses and network meta-analyses. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 142, 104857. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104857

Author Bio

Lea Storm is a nursing professional with a strong interest in mental health, particularly within the field of eating disorders and recovery. Through both personal insight and professional experience in healthcare settings, the author brings a compassionate and reflective perspective to complex and often stigmatized topics. With a background in patient care across multiple specialties, the author is dedicated to raising awareness, promoting understanding, and contributing to a more open conversation around mental health. This piece is written as part of an ongoing journey toward recovery, with the intention of creating connection, reducing stigma, and reminding others that they are not alone.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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The Three-Year Window: What Parents of 9-Year-Old Girls Need to Know Right Now

Introduction

If your daughter is nine years old, you have approximately three years before one of the most critical developmental windows in her life starts to converge. I know that sounds dramatic. I want it to. Especially since the research on this is detailed, and most parents have no idea it’s happening.

Between the ages of nine and thirteen, girls are building their self-esteem, confidence, and friendship patterns that they will carry into adulthood. This isn’t a warm fuzzy claim. It is backed by decades of developmental research showing that this window is a non-negotiable period for psychological scaffolding. What gets built here holds. What gets missed here is very hard to recover.

The single biggest factor in whether your daughter flies or tanks during this window is not her friend group, her grades, or how many activities she’s enrolled in. It’s you. Around approximately age thirteen, children are still primarily co-regulating with their parents. They look to you to figure out how safe the world is, how capable they are, and whether their feelings make sense. After thirteen, the primary regulator shifts to their peer group. Which means right now, in this moment, you have access and influence that you may not have in three years. Many parents spend that window managing behavior rather than building confidence. How do we then bridge that gap in the parent-child relationship?

Spend 15 High-Quality Minutes With Your Tween Every Day

I know what you’re thinking. You are already with your daughter. You drive her everywhere. You make her lunches. You sit at the same dinner table. That is not what I’m talking about.

High-quality time with a tween looks different than what most parents default to. It is not time spent asking about homework. It is not side-by-side screen time. It is not the car ride where you’re on your phone at red lights. It’s fifteen minutes of fully present, agenda-free connection where you follow her lead completely. You play what she wants to play. You watch the YouTube video she’s been trying to show you for three weeks. You ask her opinion and then actually listen to the whole answer without solving anything.

This matters neurologically. The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, emotional regulation, and self-concept, is still very much under construction in nine-to-twelve-year-olds. The development of the prefrontal cortex continues into middle age. It relies on co-regulation from a calm, attuned adult to function well. When your daughter gets consistent, predictable, unconditional time with you, her nervous system learns that she is safe. And from that felt sense of safety, confidence grows. Not from trophies. Not from praise. From fifteen minutes a day of you actually being there. Start tomorrow. Put your phone in another room. Sit on the floor if she’s on the floor. Let her run it entirely. You will be shocked at what comes out of her when the agenda disappears. Please note that these fifteen minutes are important in addition to quality parent-child play dates, which usually go on for longer.

Talk About Girl Culture Directly

This is the part most parents skip because it feels uncomfortable. We want to protect our daughters from the hard stuff. The research and my years of working directly with families of tween girls tell a different story. Girls whose parents actively discuss what is happening in girl culture are significantly better equipped to navigate it.

Your nine-year-old is already navigating relational aggression. The friend who won’t share her markers but takes your child’s stationery. The girl who was nice last week and cold this week. The group chat that shifts without warning. Girls at this age are managing levels of social complexity that would genuinely overwhelm most adults, and they do so without fully developed systems that hold space for their developing brains.

What your daughter needs is for you to make difficult discussions speakable without the listener, i.e., you or another guardian, blocking up or solving it immediately. You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to create space for her to talk without jumping straight to advice or problem-solving. When she tells you someone was mean, your first job is to stay curious. What did that feel like? What did you do? What do you wish you’d done? You are not there to fix her social life. You are there to be a thinking partner while her brain is still learning how to think through hard things. However, bullying is another issue that is not discussed in this article. In that scenario, please equip your daughter with information about bullying psychology and contact a professional or an authority figure.

The families I work with who do this consistently, who make girl culture, friendship dynamics, boundaries, and relational aggression regular dinner table topics, raise daughters who come to them with the hard stuff in middle school. The families who don’t open dialogues in a safe space often find out what happened years later when their daughter is in crisis. The window to build that trust is now, while she still wants to tell you things.

Monitor Her Relationship With Achievement

This one is subtle and it is everywhere. Parents of nine-year-old girls are often very focused on capability. How is she doing in school, in sports, in her friendships. And I get it. We want our kids to thrive. But research on girls in this age window consistently shows that achievement pressure is one of the key drivers of the confidence collapse that happens in late tweenhood.

Here is what the data shows. Girls begin to pull back from visible risk-taking around age eight. They stop raising their hands in class. They begin to define their value by whether they are good at something rather than whether they enjoy it. The girl who was enthusiastically wrong all the time at seven becomes the girl who will not answer unless she is certain at ten. That shift is not just academic. It is the beginning of a pattern in which looking capable matters more than actually trying, and in which a girl’s sense of self becomes dangerously tied to external performance markers.

What this means practically is that what you praise matters. If the majority of your praise is tied to outcomes, grades, scores, or placements, you are inadvertently reinforcing the belief that her value is conditional. Research on praise consistently shows that specific, process-focused praise builds resilience in ways that outcome praise simply does not. “I watched you keep trying even when that problem was frustrating” will do more for your daughter’s confidence than “you got an A.” And over three years, that difference compounds in ways that are measurable.

Watch what you celebrate in your home. Watch what you ask about first when she walks in the door from school. You are shaping what she learns to value about herself.

Conclusion

I want to be direct with you. The confidence window is not a metaphor. It is a biological and developmental reality, and it is happening right now in your home, on ordinary weekdays, in fifteen-minute pockets of time you are either using or missing. Your daughter does not need a perfect parent. She needs a present one. One who sits on the floor sometimes. One who discusses the hard stuff in girl culture instead of hoping she figures it out. One who praises the trying rather than only the landing. You have three years of maximum influence. That is both the urgency and the opportunity.

I work with parents of children between the ages of eight and twelve, and the research on the tween developmental window is one of the most important and most under-communicated findings in developmental psychology. Parents consistently underestimate their own impact during these years and overestimate their children’s independence. My work is grounded in helping parents understand that they are the most powerful co-regulating force in their child’s life during this window, and I write about this because I believe every parent of a nine-year-old girl deserves to know what is at stake and what is actually in their hands.

References

Blakemore, S. J., & Mills, K. L. (2014). Is adolescence a sensitive period for sociocultural processing? Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 187–207. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115202  

Crick, N. R., & Grotpeter, J. K. (1995). Relational aggression, gender, and social-psychological adjustment. Child Development, 66(3), 710–722. https://doi.org/10.2307/1131945  

Crick, N. R., & Nelson, D. A. (2002). Relational and physical victimization within friendships: Nobody told me there’d be friends like these. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 30(6), 599–607. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020811714064  

Ettekal, I., & Ladd, G. W. (2015). Costs and benefits of children’s physical and relational aggression trajectories on peer rejection, acceptance, and friendships: Variations by aggression subtypes, gender, and age. Developmental Psychology, 51(12), 1756–1770. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000057  

Robins, R. W., & Trzesniewski, K. H. (2005). Self-esteem development across the lifespan. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(3), 158–162. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0963-7214.2005.00353.x  

Twenge, J. M., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2002). Age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and birth cohort differences on the Children’s Depression Inventory: A meta-analysis. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 111(4), 578–588. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.111.4.578  

Additional Resources  

Hurley, K. (2018). No more mean girls: The secret to raising strong, confident, and compassionate girls. TarcherPerigee.  

Jackson Nakazawa, D. (2022). Girls on the brink: Helping our daughters thrive in an era of increased anxiety, depression, and social media. Harmony Books.  

Wiseman, R. (2002). Queen bees and wannabes: Helping your daughter survive cliques, gossip, boyfriends, and other realities of adolescence. Crown Publishers.

Author Bio

Dr. Chelsey Hauge-Zavaleta holds a PhD in Education with a certificate in Educational Neuroscience. She is the founder of Positive Parenthood, a research-based parent education company she runs alongside her mother. Dr. Chelsey specializes in supporting parents of children aged eight through twelve, with a particular focus on nervous system co-regulation, cooperation, and tween development. Her work has been featured in USA Today, NBC, Motherly, and PopSugar. She lives in California and works with families across the United States and internationally. Find her at www.positiveparenthood.org and on Instagram at @drchelsey_parenting.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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The Power of Discipline vs. Burnout: The Importance of Balance

you are on the path to healing yourself

Introduction

Discipline is often celebrated as the cornerstone of success, whether in fitness, work, or personal growth. We are taught to push harder, stay consistent, and never settle. However, behind the drive for constant self-improvement lies a hidden challenge, i.e., burnout. Even when we love what we do, the pressure to perform every day can weigh heavily on our mental health. In my own journey of building strength, creating content, and growing an online presence, I’ve felt the tension between striving for progress and needing rest. Understanding how to balance discipline with self-care is essential, not just for long-term results, but for maintaining mental well-being along the way.

1. The Fine Line Between Discipline and Overworking

Discipline is about consistency, focus, and pushing yourself to grow. Nonetheless, over time, it can become a burden if it turns into relentless pressure. For me, some days I wake up thinking, “I have to train harder, create more content, and optimize every detail.” That mindset, while productive in the short term, can make even small setbacks feel like failures. The key is understanding that discipline should serve you, not control you.

2. How Constant Pressure Affects Mental Health

When you’re always striving to improve, it’s easy to ignore mental fatigue. The brain needs rest just like muscles do. Personally, I’ve noticed that periods of overwork bring frustration, irritability, and sometimes a loss of motivation. Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It creeps in, often disguised as normal “hard work.” Recognizing the signs early is crucial. These may appear as difficulty concentrating, feeling emotionally drained, or losing enjoyment in activities you normally love.

3. Signs You Might Be Heading Toward Burnout

Burnout often manifests subtly at first. You may notice a loss of motivation for tasks that once energized you, along with feelings of physical fatigue despite getting enough rest. Constant stress and overthinking about your progress can become prevalent, and you might even experience a sense of guilt when taking time off. Personally, I realized I was burnt out when my workouts, which used to be enjoyable, turned into just another item on my checklist. That’s when I realized I needed a break.

4. The Importance of Mental and Physical Recovery

Recovery isn’t weakness, it’s strategy. Taking rest days, meditating, or even following a light workout routine helps recharge both the body and mind. Personally, I now intentionally schedule rest periods, knowing that stepping back allows me to perform better later. Recovery also creates space for creativity and reflection, which is essential when you’re building something meaningful like a fitness brand or an online presence.

5. Building Sustainable Habits Instead of Extreme Routines

Sustainable habits are small, consistent actions that support long-term growth without sacrificing mental health. For example, instead of forcing myself to train two extra hours every day, I focus on quality over quantity and maintain a consistent schedule. I also plan my content and workouts in ways that allow flexibility so I can take breaks without guilt. Discipline then becomes a tool, not a trap.

6. Balancing Drive and Self-Care

Ultimately, the goal is balance. Discipline gives us direction and progress, but self-care protects our mental and emotional health. In my own life, I’ve learned to respect my limits, celebrate small wins, and give myself permission to rest. This mindset shift has allowed me to grow consistently while avoiding burnout, a lesson that applies to fitness, business, and personal development alike.

For me, the moment I realized burnout was approaching was when training stopped feeling fun, and my mind was constantly racing with “what’s next?” That was the wake-up call to slow down, take rest seriously, and restructure my routine. Recognizing these signs early can prevent burnout from derailing your progress, both physically and mentally.

Discipline is the engine that drives progress. It’s what gets you to the gym when you don’t feel like it, what pushes you to create content consistently, and what keeps you focused on long-term goals. In my own journey, I’ve seen how discipline transforms results, both physically and professionally.

More importantly, there’s a tipping point. When discipline becomes relentless, it can start to feel like a burden rather than a tool. Some days, I catch myself thinking, “I have to train harder, post more content, and improve every detail,” and the pressure becomes overwhelming. Instead of feeling motivated, I feel trapped by expectations I set for myself.

The key difference between healthy discipline and overworking lies in awareness and boundaries. Discipline is sustainable. It drives progress without depleting your energy or mental health. Overworking, on the other hand, is unsustainable and often leads to frustration, fatigue, and even burnout. Recognizing the difference early is essential because the line between being productive and being overwhelmed is often thinner than we think.

Pushing yourself to improve constantly can feel productive, but it takes a hidden toll on your mental health. From my own experience, when I was focused on training harder, creating more content, and growing my brand all at once, I started noticing subtle changes in my mood and energy. Tasks that used to feel exciting began to feel like chores, and even small setbacks became frustrating.

Constant pressure can lead to stress, irritability, and mental fatigue. Your mind, like your body, has limits, and ignoring them can slowly drain your motivation. Burnout doesn’t announce itself. It creeps in quietly. You might find yourself overthinking every detail, losing focus during workouts, or feeling guilty for taking a short break.

The most important lesson I’ve learned is that progress and mental well-being don’t have to be at odds. Recognizing the signs of mental strain early, like fatigue, lack of motivation, or irritability, allows you to adjust your routine before burnout sets in. Discipline should fuel growth, not come at the expense of your mental health.

Burnout often sneaks up quietly, especially when you’re used to pushing yourself hard. From my own experience, the warning signs weren’t dramatic. They were subtle changes in how I felt mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Some common signs include:  

  • Loss of Motivation: Tasks that once energized you, like workouts or content creation, start feeling like chores. I noticed I was going through the motions without excitement.
  • Persistent Fatigue: Feeling drained even after rest or sleep, as if your energy reserves are constantly low.
  • Frustration or Irritability: Small obstacles feel overwhelming, and patience wears thin.
  • Overthinking or Guilt: Constantly feeling that you’re not doing enough, or stressing over minor setbacks.
  • Physical Symptoms: Tension, headaches, or disrupted sleep often accompany mental strain.

Conclusion

Discipline is a powerful tool. It drives growth, builds strength, and helps us achieve goals we never thought possible. However, without balance, it can quietly turn into burnout, affecting both mental health and long-term performance. From my own experience, the key is to recognize the signs early, respect inner limits, and prioritize recovery as much as effort.

Sustainable progress doesn’t come from pushing harder every day; it comes from consistent, focused action combined with rest and self-care. By balancing drive with mindfulness, you can continue to grow physically, mentally, and professionally, without sacrificing your well-being. Remember that discipline should serve you, not control you. When you honor both your goals and your mental health, success becomes not just achievable, but truly sustainable.

I chose to write about “Discipline vs. Burnout” because it’s something I’ve personally struggled with. In my journey of fitness, content creation, and building an online brand, I constantly push myself to improve and achieve more. Over time, I realized that the same drive that fuels progress can also create mental strain if not balanced properly. I wanted to share this topic because it’s relatable to anyone pursuing growth, whether in fitness, work, or personal development, and to highlight the importance of balancing discipline with mental well-being.

References

Camara, A. M., & Parker, G. (2025). A review of longitudinal studies assessing personality and burnout. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 189, 76–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.05.064

Ochentel, O., Humphrey, C., & Pfeifer, K. (2018). Efficacy of exercise therapy in persons with burnout: A systematic review and meta‑analysis. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 17(3), 475–484. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30116121/

Wilczyńska, D., Qi, W., Jaenes, J. C., Alarcón, D., Arenilla, M. J., & Lipowski, M. (2022). Burnout and mental interventions among youth athletes: A systematic review and meta‑analysis of the studies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17), 10662. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710662

Parker, G., & Russo, N. (2025). Burnout: At times a physical state. Australasian Psychiatry 34(2), 194–197. https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562251395535

Snarr, R. L., & Beasley, V. L. (2022). Personal, work‑, and client‑related burnout within strength and conditioning coaches and personal trainers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36(2), e31–e40. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000003956

Author Bio

Niko Neparidze is a fitness content creator, armwrestler, and online entrepreneur passionate about health, nutrition, and personal development. He creates content and digital resources that inspire people to improve their physical performance while maintaining mental well-being. With experience in strength training, fitness coaching, and building online brands, Niko shares practical strategies to balance discipline, growth, and self-care in everyday life.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Art Therapy as an Intervention for Stress and Burnout in Young Adults

Introduction

Burnout has become one of the most talked-about mental health concerns among young adults, yet most of the conversation stays at the surface. People know they’re exhausted, emotionally drained, and losing motivation, but the solutions offered tend to be generic: “Take a break.” “Practice self-care.” “Set boundaries.” While those suggestions aren’t wrong, they often fail to address what’s happening beneath the surface. Young adults, especially those balancing academic demands, early career pressure, and financial uncertainty, need interventions that go beyond talk-based approaches. Art therapy offers something different. It creates a space for emotional processing through creative expression rather than verbal articulation alone, which can be particularly effective for people who struggle to name what they’re feeling or have normalized their own exhaustion to the point where they no longer recognize it as a problem.

The relationship between chronic stress and burnout is well-documented in the psychological literature. Still, less attention is paid to how burnout manifests in populations not yet in full-time employment. University students and early-career young adults often experience burnout symptoms that mirror those found in professional settings, i.e., emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. The difference is that these symptoms are frequently dismissed as “normal” parts of being young and busy. Art therapy, as a structured therapeutic intervention, uses creative processes like painting, drawing, collage, and other visual arts within a facilitated environment to help individuals externalize internal experiences. Unlike traditional talk therapy, it provides a tangible output that the person can see, reflect on, and discuss. This makes it especially useful for populations who may resist conventional therapy or who feel they don’t have the language to describe their emotional state.

Understanding Burnout Beyond the Workplace

Most burnout research originates from occupational psychology, particularly the work of Christina Maslach, whose Burnout Inventory has been the standard measurement tool for decades. However, burnout is not exclusive to the workplace. The Maslach Burnout Inventory has been adapted for student populations (MBI-SS), recognizing that academic environments produce similar patterns of exhaustion and disengagement. Young adults today navigate an intersection of academic pressure, social comparison amplified by digital platforms, financial stress, and, in many cases, caregiving or work responsibilities alongside their studies. When these stressors accumulate without adequate coping mechanisms, the result can look functionally identical to occupational burnout, including fatigue that rest doesn’t fix, cynicism toward activities that once felt meaningful, and a growing sense of inefficacy. Recognizing burnout in this population is the first step. The second is offering interventions that feel accessible and non-threatening, which is where creative approaches gain relevance.

How Art Therapy Works as an Intervention

Art therapy is not arts and crafts. It is a regulated therapeutic modality, facilitated by trained professionals who intentionally use creative processes to address psychological needs. In the context of burnout, art therapy works on several levels. First, it activates sensory and motor engagement, helping shift the person out of cognitive overload, one of the defining features of burnout. When someone is painting or working with clay, their nervous system responds differently than when they are sitting in a chair describing their problems.

Second, the creative process allows for symbolic expression. A person might not say “I feel trapped,” but they might paint a figure surrounded by walls without consciously planning to. That image then becomes a starting point for reflection and therapeutic dialogue. Third, art therapy groups create a sense of shared experience. Participants realize they are not the only ones struggling, which directly counteracts the isolation that burnout tends to produce. Research has shown that even brief, structured art therapy workshops can produce measurable reductions in perceived stress and emotional exhaustion when administered with validated pre- and post-assessments.

Making Art Therapy Accessible to Young Adults

One of the biggest barriers to mental health support among young adults is the perception that therapy is not for them, that it requires a diagnosis, a referral, or a level of distress they haven’t “earned.” Art therapy, particularly in workshop or group formats embedded within educational or community settings, significantly lowers that barrier. It doesn’t require participants to identify as someone who needs help. It frames the experience as a creative workshop with a wellness component, thereby reducing stigma and increasing the willingness to participate. Universities, community organizations, and even workplaces can integrate short-format art therapy programs as preventive interventions rather than reactive ones. The key is working with trained facilitators who understand both the therapeutic framework and the specific pressures facing young adults today. When done well, these programs give participants tools they can continue using on their own, such as journaling through drawing, using color as an emotional check-in, or simply recognizing that making something with their hands changes how they feel in their body.

Conclusion

Burnout in young adults is not a trend or a generational complaint. It is a measurable psychological phenomenon with real consequences for academic performance, relationships, and long-term mental health. Art therapy offers a pathway into emotional processing that doesn’t depend on verbal fluency or prior therapy experience. It meets people where they are, gives them something concrete to work with, and creates space for reflection that feels less clinical and more human. As mental health systems continue to evolve, integrating creative interventions into prevention strategies for young adults is not just a nice idea. It is a practical response to a growing need.

This topic is deeply personal to me. I am currently completing my Licenciatura in Psychology at Universidad de Iberoamérica in Costa Rica, and my thesis research focuses specifically on art therapy as an intervention for stress and burnout in young adults. I also hold a diplomado in art therapy and recently facilitated a workshop titled “Refugio Creativo” as part of my data collection, using validated instruments such as the PSS-14 and MBI-SS. Beyond the academic side, I have experienced burnout firsthand while managing multiple professional roles and completing my degree simultaneously. Writing about this topic comes from both research and lived experience, and I believe that perspective matters when we talk about mental health.

References

Engel, T., Gowda, D., Sandhu, J. S., & Banerjee, S. (2023). Art interventions to mitigate burnout in health care professionals: A systematic review. The Permanente Journal, 27(2), 184–194. https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/23.018

Ho, A. H. Y., Tan-Ho, G., Ngo, T. A., Ong, G., Chong, P. H., Dignadice, D., & Potash, J. (2021). A novel mindful-compassion art-based therapy for reducing burnout and promoting resilience among healthcare workers: Findings from a waitlist randomized control trial. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 744443. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.744443

Jue, J., & Kim, S. (2023). Exploring the relationships among art therapy students’ burnout, practicum stress, and teacher support. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1230136. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1230136

Liu, C., Xie, Y., Xu, Y., Song, Z., Tang, J., Shen, J., Jiang, Z., Shen, C., Zhan, X., & Zheng, C. (2024). Assessing the stress-relief impact of an art-based intervention inspired by the broaden-and-build theory in college students. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1324415. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1324415

Tjasink, M., Keiller, E., Stephens, M., Carr, C. E., & Priebe, S. (2023). Art therapy-based interventions to address burnout and psychosocial distress in healthcare workers: A systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 1059. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09958-8

Author Bio

Fernanda Arias Solís is a psychology student completing her Licenciatura at Universidad de Iberoamérica (UNIBE) in Costa Rica, with a diplomado in art therapy from Instituto Nacional de Neuroeducación A.C. in Mexico. Her thesis research focuses on art therapy as an intervention for stress and burnout in young adults. She is also the COO and Co-founder of Blockchain Jungle, LATAM’s largest Web3 conference, and Head of Operations at a developer ecosystem based in Austin, Texas. She holds a technical degree in graphic design and published her first book at 18. She is bilingual in Spanish and English.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Combating Depression after Life Falls Apart

Introduction

I was 23 years old when I was told to choose between giving up on my sport or having a dangerous heart surgery. I decided to go through with the operation and immediately got worse. I thought my life was more or less over, but I managed to turn things around and do something good with it.

I had a rare heart disease that is more than 10 times the risk of me having a heart attack or a stroke. As an athlete, that is far from ideal, so I had to undergo surgery to fix whatever it was that was wrong with me. After not getting better for a long time, I had to change my outlook on life. I started looking for blessings rather than focusing on what had been taken from me in life, and all of a sudden, my life turned around. Today, I am advocating a positive mindset and seeking the good things in life rather than what weighs you down.

Fighting Depression with a Change of Perspective

I know how hard it can be to see things from a positive perspective when life weighs heavily on your shoulders. My father always told me that something good always comes out of the bad. However, years ago, I saw this video that completely changed the way I look at life. If you walk into a room only focusing on the furniture, you are going to miss all the beautiful art hanging on the walls. What I mean by that is, if you only focus on everything that is going wrong in your life, all the positives are going to slip right under your nose without ever getting noticed.

Working through the Tough Times

Nothing feels harder than trying to fight through life when everything seems to be against you. You want to curl up into a ball and do nothing, hoping that whatever problem you have will just disappear if you wait long enough. Unfortunately, life has a funny way of not letting you forget about the things you need to take care of. Never blame yourself for needing to take a break, but once you feel less overwhelmed, get back in the fight and do something about what is bothering you.

Grabbing the Problems by the Horns

Did you know that in the savannah, when the big scary buffaloes are sensing a massive storm ahead, their first instinct is not to run away from it? No, the buffaloes take action and run straight towards the thunder, the rain, and the wind. Through years of experience, they have learned that running away from the problem only hurts more because eventually the storm catches up with them and they have to endure it longer. Running face forward into the storm might hurt more in the moment, but once you are through the hustle, you do not have to worry about it again.

Conclusion

What I want you to take away from all of this, if I had to choose something specific, is that it is okay not to be okay. We all face problems, but you are never alone in this fight. We all go through life in one way or another. My advice to you is to try and look for the positives, even when life seems dark. Take a step back when things get overwhelming, but once you have your energy back, fight the problem head-on, and do not rest until you are through on the other side.

I have gone through a lot of hardship in life, and I have the competency to help others who are struggling as I have. If I can help save or improve someone’s life, I want to do so every day of my life until I am no longer able.

References

Chien, C. H., Huang, X. Y., Hsu, S. P., Yen, Y. H., Pan, H. S., & Yen, F. C. (2022). Self-efficacy and positive thinking as predictors of health-related quality of life in women with stress urinary incontinence. BMC women’s health, 22(1), 444. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-02025-0

DuBois, C. M., Lopez, O. V., Beale, E. E., Healy, B. C., Boehm, J. K., & Huffman, J. C. (2015). Relationships between positive psychological constructs and health outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease: A systematic review. International journal of cardiology, 195, 265-280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.05.121

Kubzansky, L. D., Huffman, J. C., Boehm, J. K., Hernandez, R., Kim, E. S., Koga, H. K., … & Labarthe, D. R. (2018). Positive psychological well-being and cardiovascular disease: JACC health promotion series. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 72(12), 1382-1396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2018.07.042

Taherkhani, Z., Kaveh, M. H., Mani, A., Ghahremani, L., & Khademi, K. (2023). The effect of positive thinking on resilience and life satisfaction of older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Scientific reports, 13(1), 3478. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30684-y

Tamminen, N., Kettunen, T., Martelin, T., Reinikainen, J., & Solin, P. (2019). Living alone and positive mental health: A systematic review. Systematic reviews, 8(1), 134. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-019-1057-x

Author Bio

Linus Kahl is a 25-year-old Swedish male who has been an athlete his entire life. He grew up early after the loss of his older sister, and he has gone through hardships in life after being declared medically dead for over 15 minutes when his heart stopped during a dangerous surgery. Kahl is now dedicating his life to try and make a positive change in people’s lives by sharing his experiences as well as methods on how to fight the negative thoughts we all have.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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From Waves to Darkness: The Tragic Journey of a Talented Surfer Battling Drug Addiction

Introduction

I lost a friend to suicide after several of us tried to save him for years. After two overdoses, we relocated him first to Bali to pursue his surfing passion, and then to an ashram in India, but we lost him off the roof of a hotel in Thailand. He had read the books, listened to the motivational speeches, transformed his life, and changed his name, but the darkness still took him.

Zeek was a talented surfer who had a ranked number in the junior category in his native, South Africa. Once he started travelling with the competitions, nightclubs, alcohol, and drugs took over his life. Dealing drugs to support his own habit, he associated with gangsters even though his stepfather was a police officer, married to his reformed prostitute mother. After two overdoses and near-death experiences, he cleaned up, changed his name, and was my surfing instructor. His focused, knowledgeable, and psychologically advanced methods gained him many fans, including a group of us who engineered his move to Bali to surf the waves he had always dreamed of and to coach surfers from all over the world. Unfortunately, financial pressures drove him back to dealing drugs in a country with the death penalty for such transgressions, to an intervention and attendance at an ashram in India, a rebirth through music at which he was beginning to excel, and then an unexpected suicide from a roof in Thailand after an argument with his girlfriend. What else could we have done? How did this happen to him?

“A tribute to our friend Zeek who passed away this week, and to whom I owe the gift of learning to surf (properly!) – https://youtu.be/W6_xDGP_1D8“

The Early Life of an Addict

Family shame, school, success at the sport of surfing, talent, progress, acceptance, persistence, success, and recognition. 

Family shame surrounded him like a shadow, constantly reminding him of the expectations he felt he needed to overcome. His school life was a mix of challenges, but it was also where his passion for surfing carved out his path amidst the chaos. With every wave he caught, he must have felt a surge of freedom that fueled his determination to improve his skills further. His surfing talent began to flourish, attracting the attention of both peers and coaches who recognized his potential. Progress didn’t come easily. Countless hours spent practicing, falling, and getting back up were crucial in honing his craft. Acceptance from his friends and mentors served as a guiding light, showing him that he was valued for who he was, not just his achievements. However, whether he believed it enough to ride the wave of darkness is another question. He must have known that persistence was key in facing both the tides of the ocean and the tides of life, teaching him to embrace every setback as a stepping stone. How much can a person embrace when depression and suicidal ideations start taking shape? Eventually, his hard work paid off, as he achieved both personal success and recognition in the surfing community, transforming his narrative of shame into one of triumph.

Exposure to Drugs

Travelling, inadequate supervision, peer pressure, social status, money, image, loss of control, loss of direction, addiction, overdose, police stepfather, and a loving but rejecting mother.

He wanted to fit in, but as much as he tried to play the part, the chatter of superficiality drowned out any sense of belonging. It was during one of those nights, swirling in a haze of smoke and laughter, that he started losing control. a little distraction, the promise of euphoria. It pulled him down a path he never intended to tread. The thrill morphed into addiction, and suddenly, he found himself caught in a cycle he couldn’t break. Each high was a fleeting moment of clarity followed by a deeper plunge into darkness, leading to an episode of overdose.

His mother had always been loving, though she carried her own burdens, which led to her rejecting him and suppressing his needs for a caregiver. Every episode of abandonment ignited a deeper sense of disappointment simmering beneath the surface. That rejection stung more than anything. His stepfather, being a police officer, did not help either. That must have come with its own can of worms.

A New Life in Bali

Zeek stood at the edge of the beach, the waves lapping at his feet, feeling the tug of the tide echo the turmoil inside him. He had always loved traveling, but later it seemed more like an escape than an adventure. The thrill that once ignited his spirit had dimmed, replaced by a sense of aimlessness that haunted him more and more each day, driven by fear of losing love. A sense of love and belonging that all the new possibilities in Bali, people who believed in him, consolidation of support, excitement, a new level of excellence in his sport, attention, rewards, friends, or risk-taking could not bring him.

Conclusion

Maybe some people can’t be saved. Even with all the right help and well-meaning friends and family, they will inevitably seek out the conditions for their own destruction, despite so many people wanting them to stay. 

I chose to write about Zeek because it still bothers me that this happens to people, and I question myself if I could have done more to prevent what happened to him. I feel guilty because I have, at times, become angry over these failures, particularly because he was not appreciated or loved enough. 

If a loved one or someone you know is struggling with suicidal ideations, kindly reach out for help.

References

Doering, S., Probert-Lindström, S., Ehnvall, A., Wiktorsson, S., Öberg, N. P., Bergqvist, E., … & Waern, M. (2024). Anxiety symptoms preceding suicide: A Swedish nationwide record review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 355, 317-324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.03.118

Hajirnis, A., & Hunt, J. (2025). A review of suicide in boys. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, 34(4), 693-706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2025.05.012

Lak, M., Shakiba, S., Dolatshahi, B., Saatchi, M., Shahrbaf, M., & Jafarpour, A. (2025). The prevalence of suicide ideation, suicide attempt and suicide in borderline personality disorder patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. General Hospital Psychiatry, 95, 52-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2025.04.005

Large, M., Corderoy, A., & McHugh, C. Is suicidal behaviour a stronger predictor of later suicide than suicidal ideation? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2021;55(3):254-267. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867420931161

Riera-Serra, P., Navarra-Ventura, G., Castro, A. et al. Clinical predictors of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and suicide death in depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 274, 1543–1563 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-023-01716-5

Author Bio

A commercial helicopter pilot and creative writer with one produced movie, The Legend of Room 327, available on Amazon Prime, Mike McDougall is fascinated by the stories that inspire us to greater things, more open minds, shared experiences, and a better understanding of each other.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Resilience and the Illusion of Escape: Why You Can’t Outrun Yourself

Introduction

Many people believe that a change in circumstances will improve how they feel. A new place, a new routine, a different lifestyle. This can take many forms. Changing jobs, entering a new relationship, or traveling somewhere far from home. For a while, this often creates relief. Things feel lighter, more manageable, as if something has shifted. However, over time, something familiar tends to return. Not in an obvious or dramatic way, but as a quiet, persistent feeling that was never fully addressed.

In many cases, people are not moving towards something, but away from something. A change in environment or lifestyle can provide temporary relief. It creates distance and reduces immediate pressure. However, relief is not the same as resolution. What remains unprocessed does not disappear. It resurfaces, often in subtle ways. The same patterns, thoughts, and emotional responses reappear, even in a different context. This is where it becomes clear that external change alone is not sufficient.

At the same time, not every internal experience requires complex analysis. In many situations, the first meaningful step is simpler. Instead of trying to fix or avoid discomfort immediately, it is more effective to develop the ability to stay with it. I mean, observing internal experiences without reacting to them or judging them prematurely. Creating distance between oneself and the emotion allows for clarity. Resilience develops here. Not in eliminating discomfort, but in being able to experience it without losing stability. The mind tends to follow established patterns.

Over time, repeated thoughts and reactions create familiar pathways. These pathways become automatic. Even when someone temporarily changes direction, the underlying patterns remain. If new patterns are not reinforced through repetition, the mind returns to what it already knows. Hence, new environments or experiences, on their own, rarely lead to lasting change. Without consistent internal work, old patterns re-emerge, even in entirely new surroundings. Real change requires the deliberate development of new patterns over time. At the same time, how people approach this process varies depending on what they are facing.

Some benefit from reflection or meditation. Others focus on structure, physical health, or nutrition. Some work with psychologists, while others explore complementary approaches. There is no single correct method. In most cases, meaningful progress comes from a combination of factors that reinforce one another. Compare this to cooking. A single ingredient may sustain you, but it rarely creates a satisfying result. It is the combination that makes the difference. The same applies to mental health. Different inputs, perspectives, and forms of support work together over time.

It is also important to assess one’s environment. Living conditions, work structures, and relationships directly influence mental well-being. They are part of the equation, even if they are not the sole cause. In some cases, emotional distress is not only internal, but also a response to external conditions that are not supportive. Recognizing this is not about avoiding responsibility. It is about making informed and appropriate adjustments. At the same time, the topic of resilience itself requires responsibility. If symptoms are persistent, unclear, or significantly affect daily functioning, they should be professionally assessed. Consulting a qualified psychologist or medical professional ensures that underlying conditions are properly evaluated. Self-reflection is valuable, but it does not replace professional care when it is needed.

The Illusion of Escape

Changing external circumstances can create a sense of relief, but this relief is often temporary. It reduces immediate pressure but does not address the underlying patterns that shape how a person thinks and feels. As a result, familiar emotional responses tend to return, even in completely new environments. What appears to be progress can, in many cases, be a delay when the progress does not improve the quality of life simultaneously.

Learning to Stay Instead of Avoid

A key shift occurs when a person stops trying to avoid discomfort, begins to observe it, and stays with the feeling using mindfulness. This does not mean suppressing or overanalyzing emotions, but developing the ability to experience them without immediate reaction or judgment. Over time, this creates distance between the individual and the emotional state, allowing for greater clarity and stability. This capacity is a central component of resilience, in which one responds to distressing stimuli rather than reacting to them.

Healing as an Integrated Process

There is no single method that works for everyone. Sustainable change usually emerges from a combination of approaches, including reflection, physical care, structured routines, and professional support when needed. These elements reinforce each other over time. Similar to a balanced composition, it is the interaction among different rhythms that creates a more complete and lasting tune.

Conclusion

A single factor rarely determines mental health. It emerges from the interaction between internal processes and external conditions. Understanding one’s inner experience is essential, but so is recognizing the influence of environment, lifestyle, and relationships. Sustainable change begins when both dimensions are addressed together, not by escaping discomfort, but by developing the capacity to engage with it in a stable and constructive way.

I chose to write about this topic because this pattern is consistently observable across different contexts. There is a common assumption that changing external circumstances will lead to lasting internal change. While this can create temporary relief, it often does not address underlying patterns. At the same time, it is important not to reduce mental health to internal factors alone. External conditions, daily structure, and social environments all play significant roles. The interaction between these elements is often overlooked, yet it is central to understanding how sustainable change occurs.

References

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1994). Ecological models of human development. In T. Husén & T. N. Postlethwaite (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education (2nd ed., pp. 1643–1647). Elsevier. https://www.ncj.nl/wp-content/uploads/media-import/docs/6a45c1a4-82ad-4f69-957e-1c76966678e2.pdf

Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2011). Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change (2nd ed.). Guilford Press. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-00755-000

Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1

Kashdan, T. B., Barrios, V., Forsyth, J. P., & Steger, M. F. (2006). Experiential avoidance as a generalized psychological vulnerability: Comparisons with coping and emotion regulation strategies. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(9), 1301–1320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2005.10.003

Southwick, S. M., & Charney, D. S. (2012). The science of resilience: Implications for the prevention and treatment of depression. Science, 338(6103), 79–82. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1222942

Author Bio

Niklas Sous is a general manager with a track record of building and scaling B2C and B2B retail operations across Southeast Asia. He has a leading portfolio of 15+ surf and lifestyle brands with deep expertise in team management, account management, marketing, branding, art direction, retail management, product design, clothing production, import/export, and sponsorship strategy.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Breaking the Root Causes of Cognitive Distortions in Anxiety

Introduction

When life hits us in a way we didn’t expect, we experience a shocking feeling of not belonging to, or also the opposite, of belonging to many interests. Sooner or later, you feel trapped in a repetitive cycle that you can’t escape easily. It is here that you need therapy to give you a ladder to come up from this feeling, in any situation where anxiety arises.

We need to understand the conditions that favour anxiety to appear, and once this is clear, we will need to equip ourselves with an “anxiety toolbox” composed of different tools to aid our healthy habits, auto-knowledge, and also emotional intelligence to change irrational thoughts. Through a step-by-step guide, we break the vicious cycle of overthinking, and at the same time, we go through a process from being to doing in real time. This may change how we think and feel about happiness in our lives.

Physical and Psychological Symptoms of Anxiety

Physical symptoms of anxiety can affect the body in a variety of distressing ways. Individuals may experience breathing difficulties, along with tension or pain in the neck and chest. Persistent fatigue and burnout are also common, leaving a person feeling tired most of the time. Muscle discomfort, such as cramps or spasms, can occur as the body remains in a heightened state of stress. Eating patterns may become irregular, with some people overeating while others lose their appetite entirely or eat at inconsistent times. Anxiety can also trigger excessive sweating and sudden sensations of heat in the body. In some cases, individuals may notice ringing in the ears (tinnitus), adding to the overall sense of discomfort and unease.

Psychological symptoms of anxiety can show up in many interconnected ways. People often experience constant worry, overthinking, and even catastrophic thoughts about everyday situations. This mental strain can make it difficult to focus or remember things clearly. There may also be feelings of shame or self-doubt, along with a tendency to overshare or struggle with setting personal boundaries. Perfectionism is common, as well as a habit of overestimating danger while undervaluing one’s own abilities. Many individuals feel a constant need to stay productive without allowing themselves to pause or rest, which can lead to difficulty relaxing or sleeping. Being assertive may feel challenging, and negative thoughts can overshadow any sense of joy. Additionally, there is often a low tolerance for mistakes and a heightened sense of frustration when things don’t go as expected.

Cognitive Distortion

Cognitive distortions refer to the mind’s learned tendency to interpret situations in biased or inaccurate ways, often shaped by schemas developed in early life. These mental patterns influence how both the mind and body respond to everyday experiences, especially in situations that trigger anxiety. As a result, individuals may form incorrect assumptions, such as misjudging others’ intentions or misinterpreting neutral events as threatening. These distortions can intensify anxious feelings and reinforce negative thought cycles. To manage this, it is helpful to pause and question one’s thoughts by asking, “Is this thought based on reality, or is it being distorted by my perception?”

One of the key treatments for anxiety is called cognitive restructuring. It involves identifying and challenging cognitive distortions, the inaccurate or biased thoughts that arise automatically, and replacing them with more balanced, realistic interpretations. By examining the evidence for and against a thought, individuals learn to question assumptions (such as misjudging others’ intentions or expecting the worst outcome) and reduce the intensity of their anxious responses. Over time, cognitive restructuring helps reshape habitual thinking patterns, leading to healthier emotional and behavioral reactions.

Family Roles and Characters about Anxiety

Anxiety often develops and is reinforced over time, and for some individuals, family dynamics can play an important role in this process. Environments marked by patterns such as disrespect, limited emotional expression, lack of support, or emotional neglect may contribute to feelings of insecurity and heightened anxiety. These experiences can shape how a person perceives relationships and responds to stress.

For this reason, it can be important for individuals experiencing anxiety to learn how to communicate with their family in a clear, direct, and honest way. Expressing thoughts and emotions coherently can help reduce misunderstandings and create opportunities for healthier interactions. At the same time, this process can be challenging, as it often involves recognizing and gradually breaking long-standing dysfunctional patterns that have existed within the family for years.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when a person experiences anxiety, it becomes more difficult to think clearly and find effective solutions to problems and challenges in work, personal life, and relationships. Anxiety can lead to avoidance and indecision, making everyday responsibilities feel overwhelming. To support better mental health and stability, it is important to strive for balance across different areas of life, including personal well-being, relationships, family, and work.

Achieving this balance often requires a structured approach. Creating a realistic plan or schedule can help individuals gradually face and overcome the difficulties that anxiety may cause them to avoid. By taking small, consistent steps and building healthier routines, it becomes easier to regain a sense of control and improve overall well-being.

I chose to write about anxiety because of a personal experience that occurred several years ago. An unexpected realization, something that had been hidden for years, suddenly came into our lives, creating a deeply distressing situation. This led to a cycle of negative, depressive, and even paranoid thoughts, which became difficult to manage. Ultimately, the intensity of these experiences made it necessary to seek support from a mental health professional.

References

Emslie, C., & Hunt, K. (2009). ‘Live to work’ or ‘work to live’? A qualitative study of gender and work–life balance among men and women in mid‐life. Gender, Work & Organization, 16(1), 151-172. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0432.2008.00434.x

Ferrell, B. (2018). Curiosity and compassion. Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 20(5), 427-428. https://doi.org/10.1097/NJH.0000000000000509

Hickey, T., Nelson, B., & Meadows, G. (2017). Application of a mindfulness and compassion‐based approach to the at‐risk mental state. Clinical Psychologist, 21(2), 104-115. https://doi.org/10.1111/cp.12132

LeDoux, J. E., & Pine, D. S. (2016). Using neuroscience to help understand fear and anxiety: a two-system framework. American Journal of Psychiatry, 173(11), 1083-1093. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16030353

Lefevre, S. (2012). Compassion, curiosity, mindfulness and flow: The conditions of psychotherapists’ positive experience of the therapeutic process. The Wright Institute. https://www.proquest.com/openview/260a7857401663aea534502fb2ebed21/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750

Shaw, S. M., Andrey, J., & Johnson, L. C. (2003). The struggle for life balance: Work, family, and leisure in the lives of women teleworkers. World Leisure Journal, 45(4), 15-29. https://doi.org/10.1080/04419057.2003.9674333

Author Bio

Juan Paul is a creator who sells tutorials on using tech equipment and preparing for industry exams.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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A Personal Journey Through Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Healing, and Resilience through Meaningful Conversations

Introduction

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a mental health condition that can develop after a person goes through extremely difficult or traumatic experiences. This topic is personal to me. PTSD is not just something I understand in theory, but something that has affected the way I experience daily life, emotions, and relationships. Many people imagine trauma as something that stays in the past, but PTSD shows that sometimes the body and mind continue carrying it forward. That is one of the reasons this topic matters so much to me. I believe that speaking honestly about PTSD can help others better understand what people go through and create more compassion around mental health.

PTSD affects much more than memory. For me, it can show up in the way I react to stress, the way I carry tension in my body, and the way I sometimes feel emotionally distant even when I want to be present. It is not always visible from the outside, which is one of the reasons it can be so difficult. People may see someone functioning normally without realizing how much inner effort it takes to feel calm and safe.

What makes PTSD challenging is that it can stay active even after the traumatic event is over. The mind and body can continue responding as if danger is still near. This can affect sleep, focus, relationships, and everyday peace of mind. In my experience, PTSD is not just about painful memories, but also about learning how to live with the effects they leave behind.

At the same time, PTSD has taught me about resilience. It has forced me to become more aware of myself, my emotions, and the importance of healing. Recovery is not simple, and it does not happen all at once, but support, self-awareness, and honest conversations can help. For me, speaking about PTSD is important because it helps turn pain into understanding and reminds others that they are not alone.

How PTSD Affects Daily Life

One of the hardest parts of PTSD is that it can affect ordinary life in ways that other people do not always notice. Simple things such as resting, concentrating, trusting others, or feeling fully relaxed can become difficult. A person may seem fine on the outside while fighting an internal battle, which can create loneliness and frustration, especially when others do not understand what PTSD really feels like.

For me, this topic is personal because PTSD is not only something I talk about, but something I have had to understand from within. That is why I believe it is important to speak openly about it. The more people understand how PTSD affects daily life, the more compassion and support they can offer to those who live with it.

The Hidden Emotional Impact of PTSD

One of the most difficult parts of PTSD is that much of it happens internally. A person may appear calm, strong, or even successful on the outside while struggling with fear, tension, or emotional exhaustion on the inside. This hidden side of PTSD can make it hard for others to understand the full weight of it. In my experience, that can create a feeling of isolation, because people may only see what is visible and not the effort it takes to keep moving forward.

PTSD can also affect the way a person connects with emotions. At times, it may lead to numbness, distance, or difficulty expressing what is really happening inside. This does not mean the person does not care. It often means they are carrying more than others realize. That is why compassion matters so much. The emotional impact of PTSD is not always obvious, but it is real, and it deserves understanding rather than judgment.

Healing, Strength, and Moving Forward

Although PTSD can be painful and exhausting, it does not mean a person is broken. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that healing is possible, even if it takes time. Recovery is not about forgetting the past. It is about learning how to live with greater awareness, support, and self-compassion. For me, that means recognizing that healing is a process and that strength can exist alongside pain.

Talking openly about PTSD is part of that healing. It helps remove shame and creates space for honesty and connection. I believe that sharing personal experiences can help others feel less alone and more understood. PTSD has affected me personally, but it has also taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of speaking truthfully about mental health. In that sense, healing is not only about surviving trauma, but also about finding meaning and strength beyond it.

Conclusion

PTSD is a deeply personal topic for me because it is connected not only to pain, but also to strength, healing, and self-awareness. It has taught me that trauma does not always disappear when an event is over, and that mental health struggles can remain hidden behind a strong outward appearance. At the same time, I have learned that healing is possible. With support, honest conversations, and patience, a person can slowly rebuild a sense of safety and balance. Writing about PTSD matters to me because it helps give a voice to something many people carry silently. I believe that the more openly we talk about PTSD, the more understanding, compassion, and hope we can create for others.

I chose to write about PTSD because it is personal to me. It is not just a topic I know about academically, but something I connect to on a human and emotional level. I wanted to write about it because many people do not fully understand how deeply PTSD can affect daily life, emotions, and relationships. By writing about this topic, I hope to bring more awareness, honesty, and empathy to the conversation around mental health.

References

Bryngeirsdottir, H. S., & Halldorsdottir, S. (2022). The challenging journey from trauma to post‐traumatic growth: Lived experiences of facilitating and hindering factors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 36(3), 752-768. https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.13037

Davis, L. L., Urganus, A., Gagnon-Sanschagrin, P., Maitland, J., Bedard, J., Bellefleur, R., … & Aggarwal, J. (2024). Patient journey of civilian adults diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder—a chart review study. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 40(3), 505-516. https://doi.org/10.1080/03007995.2024.2308016

Powling, R., Brown, D., Tekin, S., & Billings, J. (2024). Partners’ experiences of their loved ones’ trauma and PTSD: An ongoing journey of loss and gain. PLOS One, 19(2), e0292315. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292315

Smith, J. R., Drouillard, K. J., Foster, A. M., & Smith, J. (2024). Exploring care and recovery for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder: a scoping review. Cureus, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.53741

Yehuda, R., Hoge, C. W., McFarlane, A. C., Vermetten, E., Lanius, R. A., Nievergelt, C. M., Hobfoll, S. E., Koenen, K. C., Neylan, T. C., & Hyman, S. E. (2015). Post-traumatic stress disorder. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 1, 15057. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrdp.2015.57

Author Bio

Matias Nayblat is an actor, filmmaker, and creator with a strong interest in mental health, personal growth, and storytelling. Through his work and life experience, he explores human resilience, trauma, and healing with honesty and compassion. His perspective is shaped by both artistic expression and personal insight, which inspire him to write about topics that can create awareness, empathy, and meaningful conversation.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Navigating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder through Self-Trust

Introduction

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often framed as a failure of attention. The issue isn’t a lack of ability. It’s variability. An ADHD brain is not broken. It’s sometimes inconsistent. Brilliant one moment, unavailable the next. Like a high-performance engine that occasionally refuses to start unless conditions are exactly right.

That unpredictability doesn’t just affect output. Over time, it affects something more subtle and more important: Trust in your own system. If productivity were purely about intelligence or effort, ADHD wouldn’t be an issue. Most people with ADHD know exactly what needs to be done. The problem is that knowing and doing are not reliably connected.

It’s less like having no fuel, and more like having a fuel line that occasionally disconnects. Sometimes everything flows. Sometimes nothing does. And frustratingly, willpower alone doesn’t fix the circuit.

Motivation doesn’t follow importance. However, it doesn’t reliably follow interest either. It’s inconsistent and often depends on a mix of urgency, pressure, timing, and mental state.

Which is why both extremes transpire. Trivial tasks can suddenly get done with surprising energy, while important ones remain untouched. However, just as often, even small, simple tasks can feel strangely inaccessible, as if the brain refuses to engage.

Over time, this creates a quiet but persistent friction. Not a dramatic failure. Just a series of small inconsistencies that slowly erode confidence.

When Inconsistency Starts to Affect Self-Trust

One of the consequences of ADHD is the gradual loss of self-trust. If outcomes are inconsistent, it becomes harder to rely on them. Plans feel tentative. Commitments feel less solid, even when intentions are genuine. This isn’t a failure of character. It’s a predictable response to unpredictable output.

Research shows that adults with ADHD are more likely to experience depression. Not simply because of brain chemistry, but because repeated inconsistency reshapes how someone sees themselves. If effort doesn’t consistently lead to results, it becomes tempting to assume the issue is personal.

Rejection Sensitivity Makes It Heavier Than It Needs to Be

On top of that, there is rejection sensitivity. It’s not that feedback is misunderstood. It’s because it lands harder. A short reply, a change in tone, or a neutral comment can feel more significant than it objectively is. Not because the situation is extreme, but because the internal response is amplified.

So the brain tries to make sense of it by:  

  • Replaying conversations.
  • Reading between the lines.
  • Adjusting behavior to avoid it next time.

Individually, these moments seem small. Together, they add weight. When that combines with the already shaky self-trust, things can start to feel heavier than they actually are.

Working with the System Instead of Against It

The instinct is often to try harder. Be more disciplined. Be more consistent. Nonetheless, ADHD doesn’t respond well to force. It’s tempting to see that as a disadvantage. However, that view is incomplete.

The same brain that struggles with routine often excels at pattern recognition, creative thinking, and deep focus when something is engaging. It’s not a slow brain. It’s a selective one. Give it the right conditions, and it performs exceptionally. Give it the wrong ones, and it resists. That’s not failure. That’s specificity.

So the solution is not to push harder, but to reduce friction. That can look like:  

  • Breaking tasks down until they feel almost too small.
  • Externalizing structure instead of relying on memory.
  • Accepting that energy fluctuates and working around it.
  • Designing environments that make starting easier.

It’s less about fixing the person and more about understanding the conditions under which they function best. A system that appears unreliable in one environment can be highly effective in another.

Conclusion

ADHD is not a lack of attention. It’s the difference in how attention, motivation, and emotion are regulated. It doesn’t mean things can’t be done. It means they don’t happen consistently or predictably. That inconsistency is often mistaken for a lack of discipline. In reality, it’s a mismatch between how the brain works and what is expected from it. Once that becomes clear, the focus shifts.

Instead of trying to force consistency, it becomes more useful to build systems that work with fluctuations. Instead of blaming effort, it becomes about reducing friction. Instead of questioning ability, it becomes about understanding conditions. That shift is practical. The shift replaces self-doubt with something more useful, such as a clearer sense of what works, what doesn’t, and why. That’s where things start to become more manageable.

I chose to write about this topic because ADHD is often explained in overly simple terms, while its real impact lies in nuance. The variability, the emotional intensity, and the effect on self-trust are less visible but more defining. By reframing ADHD as a difference in regulation rather than a deficit, it becomes easier to understand and work with, instead of constantly working against it.

References

Barkley, R. A. (2015). Emotional dysregulation is a core component of ADHD. In R. A. Barkley (Ed.), Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (4th ed., pp. 81–115). The Guilford Press. ​https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-57877-003

Faraone, S. V., Biederman, J., & Mick, E. (2006). The age-dependent decline of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analysis of follow-up studies. Psychological Medicine, 36(2), 159–165. https://doi.org/10.1017/S003329170500471X

Girard-Joyal, O., & Gauthier, B. (2022). Creativity in the predominantly inattentive and combined presentations of ADHD in adults. Journal of Attention Disorders, 26(9), 1187–1198. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547211060547

Martel M. M. (2009). Research review: A new perspective on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Emotion dysregulation and trait models. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 50(9), 1042–1051. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2009.02105.x

Moukhtarian, T. R., Mintah, R. S., Moran, P., & Asherson, P. (2018). Emotion dysregulation in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and borderline personality disorder. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 5, 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-018-0086-8

Riglin, L., Leppert, B., Dardani, C., Thapar, A. K., Rice, F., O’Donovan, M. C., Davey Smith, G., Stergiakouli, E., Tilling, K., & Thapar, A. (2021). ADHD and depression: Investigating a causal explanation. Psychological Medicine, 51(11), 1890–1897. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720000665

Shaw, P., Stringaris, A., Nigg, J., & Leibenluft, E. (2014). Emotion dysregulation in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(3), 276–293. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.13070966

Author Bio

Marie Duthoo is a marketing and communications professional. She is particularly interested in how ADHD influences productivity, emotional regulation, and decision-making. Her work focuses on making complex topics clearer, more practical, and more human.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Passionate about Mental Health

Introduction

Over the years, I’ve come to understand that mental wellbeing isn’t just an individual concern, it’s a collective responsibility. Through both personal experience and professional practice, I’ve seen how conversations about mental health can empower people to take charge of their lives and build stronger, more compassionate communities.

As a Pilates teacher and a former professional ballet dancer, movement has always been central to my life. I’ve learned that the body and mind are deeply connected; when we move with intention, we calm the nervous system, release tension, and create space for emotional healing. Many of my clients come to Pilates seeking physical strength but often leave feeling mentally lighter and more grounded. That transformation is what inspires me every day.

Before teaching Pilates, I spent years thriving in a fast-paced corporate environment. The demands of that world required clarity, focus, and strong mental health hygiene, skills I only fully appreciated after transitioning into wellness. That experience helped me recognize how vital it is for professionals to prioritize mental health, even in environments that don’t always encourage it.

I believe that advocacy and accessibility are two of the most important aspects of improving mental health care. Stigma continues to prevent many people from seeking help, but the conversation is changing. More individuals and organizations are beginning to recognize that mental health is just as important as physical health. As an advocate, I feel driven to continue that momentum, whether by writing, teaching, or simply encouraging open dialogue among peers and clients.

Ultimately, mental wellness is about connection, between mind and body, between people, and between our inner strengths and outer worlds. By continuing to educate, share, and advocate for awareness, I hope to be part of the ongoing effort to create a culture where caring for mental health is seen not as optional, but essential.

Prioritizing Mental Health: Why Advocacy and Awareness Matter

As a single mother of two young children and a former professional ballet dancer in New York City. Mental health is something I value deeply; both personally and through her work as a Pilates teacher. I have seen how movement can be a powerful tool for managing stress, building confidence, and finding balance in everyday life. Before teaching Pilates, I spent years in a demanding corporate environment that required focus, resilience, and mental clarity. Those experiences, combined with my background in dance and motherhood, gives me a unique perspective on what it means to nurture both body and mind.

Corporate Worker Turned Pilates and Mental Health Advocate

Mental health care is evolving. While traditional approaches such as psychotherapy and medication remain essential, more people are discovering the value of alternative therapies, holistic practices that nurture both mental and physical wellbeing. From movement-based disciplines like yoga and Pilates to emerging forms of mindfulness and creative expression, these treatments offer complementary ways to manage stress, anxiety, and depression.

Recent studies emphasize that combating mental illness requires reducing stigma and expanding treatment options across social and cultural contexts. Holistic interventions, especially those rooted in community and self-agency, can play a major role in this shift. Rajabi (2024) found that multi-stakeholder strategies, including family and workplace-based mental health initiatives, produce measurable improvement in attitudes and access to care.

Similarly, building awareness among clinicians about implicit biases and stigma enhances treatment engagement and patient outcomes, especially for those in vulnerable populations such as individuals with eating disorders.

This growing body of evidence underscores how integrating alternative therapies within mainstream care can personalize and strengthen the healing process.

As someone who has spent years teaching Pilates and working with clients managing stress, trauma, and burnout, I’ve witnessed how mindful movement restores balance not just to the body but to the nervous system. The rhythmic, intentional focus on breath and motion cultivates self-awareness which is a foundational skill for emotional regulation. It’s a prime example of how physical practice can be used as psychological support.

The future of mental health care lies in choice, recognizing that healing is not one-size-fits-all. Alternative therapies complement conventional treatments by empowering individuals to engage their bodies, creativity, and environment in the process of recovery. As global awareness grows and stigma continues to decline, these integrative approaches will likely become a core part of how we define mental wellness.

Alternative Mental Health Therapies

Besides traditional talk therapies, I’m also interested in the emergence of alternative plant based therapies and even psychedelic tools to facilitate breakthroughs. I find it so interesting that the stigma of mental health has changed within the past few years and interested in how legislation is lagging with keeping up with the continuous breakthroughs. 

Alternative mental health therapies emphasize whole-person wellness, addressing not just emotional symptoms but the connections between body, mind, and environment. This shift reflects a cultural transformation where people are increasingly willing to experiment with integrative methods, especially as stigma continues to fade and conversations about mental health become more open and inclusive.

Evidence-backed methods such as mindfulness, movement therapy, and creative expression are helping people find balance in everyday life. Yoga and Pilates build emotional resilience through physical awareness, while music and art therapies create safe outlets for self-expression. Nature-based practices like ecotherapy encourage reconnection to the environment, which has been shown to reduce stress and depression.

Besides traditional talk therapies, there’s growing interest in alternative, plant-based therapies, including approaches involving psilocybin (mushrooms), MDMA-assisted therapy, and ayahuasca. Early clinical trials suggest these substances, when administered in controlled therapeutic settings, can help individuals process trauma, anxiety, and treatment-resistant depression. This growing body of research is fascinating not only for its potential to transform mental health care but also for how it challenges long-standing stigmas around both mental illness and “drug” culture.

What’s especially interesting is how the stigma around mental health has changed in recent years, while legislation and regulation still struggle to keep pace with new discoveries. States across the U.S. and countries around the world are exploring frameworks for decriminalization and therapeutic use, but progress remains uneven. This creates an exciting tension between innovation and policy, between what is scientifically promising and what is socially accepted.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the stigma surrounding mental health is evolving as society becomes more open to discussing psychological wellbeing and recognizing its importance. However, progress must continue, everyone deserves equal access to a wide range of effective treatments, resources, and support systems. By promoting understanding, increasing accessibility, and breaking down outdated stereotypes, we can create a culture where seeking help for mental health is viewed as a sign of strength rather than shame.

I chose to write about the stigma surrounding mental health because it’s an issue that affects so many people, yet it’s often misunderstood or ignored. Mental health challenges are a normal part of life, but the fear of judgment prevents many individuals from seeking help or talking openly about what they’re going through. By exploring this topic, I want to encourage more empathy, awareness, and honest conversations about mental health so that people feel supported rather than ashamed.

References

Habeb, M., Ciobanu, A. M., Al-Ani, M., & Mottershead, R. (2025). Stigma in mental health: The status and future direction. Cureus, 17(6), e85398. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.85398

Kågström, A., Guerrero, Z., Aliev, A. A., Tomášková, H., Rüsch, N., Ouali, U., Thornicroft, G., Sartorius, N., & Winkler, P. (2025). Mental health stigma and its consequences: A systematic scoping review of pathways to discrimination and adverse outcomes. EClinicalMedicine, 89, 103588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103588

DeAngelis, T. (2025, September 1). Beliefs about mental health have evolved, but stigma remains. Monitor on Psychology, 56(6), 11. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2025/09/mental-health-stigma

Patel, V., Saxena, S., Lund, C., Thornicroft, G., Baingana, F., Bolton, P., & UnÜtzer, J. (2018). The Lancet Commission on global mental health and sustainable development. The Lancet, 392(10157), 1553–1598. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(18)31612-x

Corrigan, P. W., & Watson, A. C. (2002). Understanding the impact of stigma on people with mental illness. World Psychiatry, 1(1), 16–20. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1489832/

Author Bio

Jessica Bacon is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and education. With a deep interest in the social factors that shape well-being, she writes to challenge the stigma surrounding mental illness and promote greater understanding of mental health care. Through research and storytelling, Jessica aims to encourage open conversations about emotional wellness and inspire others to seek support without fear of judgment.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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An Introvert’s Guide to Emotional Intelligence

Introduction

When I was a teenager, I really found it difficult to control my feelings, especially because I was highly introverted, but also an older sibling, and my parents weren’t exactly easy on me about my school grades and the way I led my life in general: When I got up, when I went to bed, how I ate.

It was difficult for me to handle frustration when I wasn’t perfect, and I didn’t feel appreciated enough by my family. All of these usually ended in me crying for hours, yelling at my family, and isolating myself.

You Can’t Avoid Emotions

My mom was wise enough to send me to therapy when I was 15 years old, and I’ll always be grateful for that. But the first thing I learned was that emotions are normal reactions to the environment, and that they weren’t wrong in themselves.

You Can Control Your Emotions

I remember there was one thing that always triggered my anxiety, and it was getting lost looking for a place in my city. The therapist gently guided me to rationalize those episodes. Instead of getting desperate, I asked myself, “What could I practically do to get out of that situation?” If I took the situations objectively, they were way smaller than I thought.

I Can Be Emotionally Intelligent

In therapy, I understood that my emotions don’t necessarily control me, but also that they can move me towards improvement, such as generating new skills, like understanding directions in the city, but I also discovered my positive emotions and how to use them to make my life easier. I acknowledged the joy I got from learning new things at school, and school became enjoyable.

Conclusion

I still remember my school years and my therapy fondly because I chose it to be that way. The discovery of emotional intelligence has enlightened my relationships to the point where I feel I have a good marriage because I’m very aware of not following my impulses and bringing the situations down to Earth, and my spouse shares these practices with me.

I chose to write about this topic because it’s dear to my heart, but also because it’s relevant in this day and age when people prefer to follow their emotions to the extreme, and that’s one of the reasons I think mental health is going down among young people.

References

Glassie, S. L., & Schutte, N. S. (2024). The relationship between emotional intelligence and optimism: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Psychology, 59(3), 353–367. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.13108

Rehman, R., Tariq, S., & Tariq, S. (2021). Emotional intelligence and academic performance of students. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 71(12), 2777–2781. https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.1779

White, B. A. A., & Quinn, J. F. (2023). Personal growth and emotional intelligence: Foundational skills for the leader. Clinics in Sports Medicine, 42(2), 261–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csm.2022.11.008

Zhang, Y., & Chen, J. K. (2023). Emotional intelligence and school bullying victimization in children and youth students: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6), 4746. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064746  

Zhou, Z., Tavan, H., Kavarizadeh, F., Sarokhani, M., & Sayehmiri, K. (2024). The relationship between emotional intelligence, spiritual intelligence, and student achievement: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Medical Education, 24(1), 217. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05208-5

Author Bio

Laura Ceballos Flórez is a Colombian musician with experience as an ESL instructor to college students and professionals. In her classes, she includes topics such as leadership and soft skills in the business space, with her unique approach as an artist. She also performs Early Music here and there and has a YouTube channel.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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The Quiet Collapse: Living with High-Functioning Anxiety While the World Sees You Smiling

Introduction

On paper, I was thriving. I had a steady job, a small but loyal circle of friends, and a habit of showing up early to everything. I answered emails within minutes, remembered birthdays, and never canceled plans. People called me “reliable,” “calm,” and “together.” What they didn’t see was the two hours of spiraling the night before a casual coffee meetup. They didn’t hear the silent loop playing in my head: You’re not enough. They’ll find out. Say the right thing. Smile. High-functioning anxiety is not a diagnosis in the DSM-5, but it is a lived reality for millions: A quiet collapse happening inside a fully operational exterior. This article is my attempt to name that experience, not to pathologize it, but to let others who feel it know they are not broken. They are not alone. And smiling is not the same as being okay.

High-functioning anxiety exists in the gap between appearance and reality. Outwardly, it fuels achievement: The over-prepared presentation, the meticulously clean apartment, the early arrival. Inwardly, it runs on a fuel of fear: Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of being seen as lazy or incompetent. For years, I thought my anxiety was my ambition. I didn’t realize that ambition driven by terror is not sustainable. The body keeps score. Migraines, insomnia, a low-grade dread every Sunday afternoon, these were not quirks. They were messages. Writing this piece required me to stop interpreting anxiety as a useful engine and start seeing it as a signal that something beneath the surface needed care.

The Performance of “Fine”

I learned to perform “fine” before I learned to identify a panic attack. In high school, I would rewrite a single paragraph five times, not because it was wrong, but because my chest felt tight until I made it perfect. In college, I never missed a deadline, but I also never slept through the night without waking at 3 AM, heart racing over an imaginary email I might have forgotten to send. The performance is exhausting because it is constant. There is no off stage. When a colleague says, “You’re so on top of things,” they mean it as a compliment. But to someone with high-functioning anxiety, that praise feels like a trap: Now I have to keep being this person forever. The most isolating part is that no one believes you when you say you’re struggling. “But you’re so successful,” they say. “You handle everything so well.” And so you learn to stop asking for help, because asking feels like admitting you are a fraud.

When Your Body Forces You to Stop

The collapse did not come as a breakdown. It came as a shingles outbreak at age 28. Then came the digestive issues, the tension headaches that lasted three days, and the moment I stared at a grocery store shelf for twenty minutes because I could not decide which brand of rice to buy. My doctor ran tests. Everything came back normal. “Have you been under a lot of stress?” she asked. I almost laughed. Stress was my baseline. That was the wake-up call: high-functioning anxiety is still anxiety. It still activates the sympathetic nervous system. It still raises cortisol. The only difference is that you keep moving while your body quietly wears down. Learning to listen to physical symptoms, i.e., fatigue, muscle tension, and changes in appetite, became my first real step toward recovery. The body does not lie, even when the smile does.

Unlearning the Addiction to Overfunctioning

Recovery, for me, has not meant removing anxiety completely. It has meant changing my relationship to it. I started small: leaving one email unanswered until morning. Saying “I need to think about that” instead of “Yes, I’ll do it.” Sitting in silence for two minutes without a screen or a task. At first, the stillness felt like danger. My mind screamed, You’re being lazy. You’re falling behind. But over weeks and months, the screaming softened. I learned that my worth is not a productivity report. I learned that rest is not a reward, it is a requirement. I also started therapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), to untangle the belief that anxiety equals caring. Caring does not require suffering. You can be a good friend, a good employee, a good human without running on empty. Letting go of overfunctioning felt like failure at first. Now I see it as the bravest thing I have ever done.

Conclusion

High-functioning anxiety is deceptive because it wears a mask of competence, but competence without peace is not health. It is endurance. If you read this and recognize yourself, please know that you do not need to hit rock bottom to ask for help. You do not need to stop functioning to deserve care. Start with one small truth: tell one person, “I’m actually not okay today.” Write down what your body feels instead of what you think you should feel. And if you can, find a therapist who understands anxiety. You are not your productivity. You are not your performance. You are a person, and you are allowed to be tired. The quiet collapse does not have to be permanent. Recovery is possible. It starts when you stop performing “fine” and start being honest — with yourself first.

I chose to write about high-functioning anxiety because it is the most misunderstood form of mental distress I have personally experienced. For years, I dismissed my own suffering because I was still “successful.” I thought anxiety was only valid if it disabled me. That belief kept me silent and untreated for over a decade. I also see this pattern constantly in high-achieving environments such as academia, tech, healthcare, and creative industries, where burnout is normalized, and vulnerability is mistaken for weakness. Writing this piece is my way of giving language to an invisible experience. If even one person reads this and says, “That’s me,” and then reaches out for help, the vulnerability of sharing this story will have been worth it.

References

Cuijpers, P., Cristea, I. A., Karyotaki, E., Reijnders, M., & Huibers, M. J. H. (2019). How effective are cognitive behavior therapies for major depression and anxiety disorders? A meta-analytic update. World Psychiatry, 15, 245–258. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20346

Hofmann, S. G., & Gómez, A. F. (2017). Mindfulness-based interventions for anxiety and depression. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 40(4), 739–749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2017.08.008

Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R.L., Williams, J.B., Monahan, P.O., & Lwe, B. (2007). Anxiety disorders in primary care: Prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and detection. Annals of Internal Medicine, 146, 317-325. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-146-5-200703060-00004

McEwen, B. S. (2017). Neurobiological and systemic effects of chronic stress. Chronic Stress, 1, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2470547017692328

Otten, D., Tibubos, A. N., Schomerus, G., Brähler, E., Binder, H., Kruse, J., Ladwig, K. H., Wild, P. S., Grabe, H. J., & Beutel, M. E. (2021). Similarities and differences of mental health in women and men: A systematic review of findings in three large German cohorts. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 553071. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.553071

Author Bio

Daniel Friedman is a mental health advocate and freelance writer focused on the intersection of emotional well-being and everyday resilience. His work draws from lived experience with high-functioning anxiety and a commitment to reducing stigma around invisible mental health conditions. He believes that honest storytelling is a form of care. Daniel lives and writes remotely, always learning how to rest without guilt.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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The Emotional Exhaustion of Always Being Strong

Introduction

I think about health a lot, and one thing that really affects me is feeling completely drained from always trying to be strong. A lot of people seem responsible and capable, so others think they are doing fine, but after a while, it starts to feel like a weight is on them. They get used to keeping everything going, fixing problems, and helping others, even when they feel like they are falling apart inside. The hard part is that people often say things about being strong, but they do not understand what it means to be vulnerable. So a lot of people suffer in silence, not because they do not have feelings, but because they think they have no room to talk about them. Mental health is important, and emotional exhaustion is a part of it. I think people need to know that it is okay to not be strong all the time and that mental health topics, like emotional exhaustion, need to be discussed more.

Being the one can get really tiring. At first, it looks like you’re really mature, disciplined, and strong. You show up, handle stuff, and keep going. Over time, always being that person can make you feel alone. People come to you for help. They rarely ask how you’re really doing.

This can make you hide your feelings. You stop sharing your struggles because you don’t want to worry others or seem weak.

The thing is, hiding your pain doesn’t make it go away. It can turn into anxiety, make you short-tempered, exhaust you, or make you feel disconnected. Sometimes the strongest people feel the loneliest. They’ve learned to survive, not to show themselves.

I think mental health means being okay with being human. Being strong doesn’t mean being silent. Real strength is knowing when to take a break, ask for help, and say something hurts. Being honest, resting, and expressing your feelings is not weak. It’s healing. When people feel safe to drop the “act they start to reconnect with themselves in a healthier way.

The Loneliness behind Being “The Strong One”

Being the one can be really tough on you after a while. At first, it seems like a thing. You are handling things and getting stuff done. You show up. Keep going no matter what. After some time, it can start to feel very lonely.

People look up to you. They want you to help them or give them advice. They do not usually ask how you are doing. You are the one they depend on. You have to deal with your own problems by yourself. This means you have to hide how you feel so you can still seem strong.

This can go on for a time, and it can make you feel like you are not connected to other people or even to yourself. You might feel like nobody really sees you or understands you. You could feel very tired and sad, even if everything looks okay on the outside. Being the one is not always easy, and it can be very hard on you.

When Strength Becomes Emotional Silence

Over time, being strong all the time can become a habit where you stop talking about your feelings. You do this because you think there is no room for your emotions, not because you do not feel anything anymore. You want to be someone people can count on, so you stay calm and in charge even when you are really struggling inside.

This can create a difference between how you act and what you are really going through. The more you ignore what you need, the harder it gets to know what that is. You might start to feel empty, like you are not really connected to anything, like you are just going through the motions on the outside but feeling nothing on the inside.

It is really important to see that this is happening. When you realize that it is okay to feel things, to talk about them, and to ask for help, that does not mean you are not strong anymore. It means that you are more aware of yourself and better at taking care of your needs. Your emotional needs are important. You should pay attention to them. Recognizing your needs and emotional silence is a big step towards being more balanced and self-aware, and that is what emotional resilience and your emotional needs are all about.

Redefining Strength through Vulnerability

True strength is not about carrying everything by yourself. It’s about knowing when to be open and honest with yourself and others. Being vulnerable helps you connect with others on a deeper level and feel better emotionally. It makes room for people to understand you, support you, and help you heal.

You can start being more vulnerable with certain key steps. For example, you can share your thoughts with someone you trust. You can also set boundaries to protect your feelings. You can just allow yourself to take a break and rest. These honest moments help you get back in touch with your emotions. They also help you stop feeling like you always need to be strong.

Redefining what it means to be strong involves understanding that being means being soft, kind to yourself, and brave enough to be yourself. It means having the courage to let people see the real you.

Conclusion

Being strong doesn’t mean you have to suffer. Resilience is good. Not if it hurts your feelings. It’s okay to feel and say how you feel and ask for help. That’s what humans do.

When we mix being strong with being open, we get along better with ourselves and others. Then we’re not just getting by. We’re living with honest talk, real friends, and peace inside.

I picked this topic to write about because I have been through it myself. There have been times in my life when I had to be the one. I was always trying to take care of everything and everyone. I did not want to show that I was struggling.

I learned that being the one all the time is really tough on my emotions. It is easy to forget about my feelings when I am trying to be strong for everyone else. Over time, I started to understand how bad it is for my mental health to suppress my emotions.

This experience taught me a lot about how important it is to be vulnerable and to understand my own emotions. I think it is crucial to express my feelings in a way. I wanted to write about this topic also because I think many people are going through the same thing as I am. Emotional suppression and mental wellbeing are topics that I care deeply about. I believe that talking about these topics, in a kind and honest way, can really help people.

References

Aldao, A., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Schweizer, S. (2010). Emotion-regulation strategies across psychopathology: A meta-analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(2), 217–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2009.11.004

Gross, J. J., & John, O. P. (2003). Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: Implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(2), 348–362. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.85.2.348

Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20311

Neff, K. D. (2003). Self-compassion: An alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2(2), 85–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309032

Sharma, M., & Rush, S. E. (2014). Mindfulness-based stress reduction as a stress management intervention: A systematic review. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 19(4), 271–286. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587214543143

Author Bio

María José is a multilingual professional with a background in business administration, operations, and content creation. She has a strong interest in psychology and mental wellbeing, supported by her studies in psychology and psychological emergency response. Her work combines organizational skills, communication, and a passion for understanding human behavior. María José is particularly interested in topics related to emotional resilience, personal development, and mental health awareness. Through her writing, she aims to create meaningful, relatable content that encourages reflection, emotional understanding, and personal growth.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Mitochondria: How Your Psychology Influences Your Cellular Language

Introduction

Mitochondria, the organelle that many of us were taught as the “energy machine” or “powerhouse” of the cell back in school days, are now known to also influence signaling and stress responses. Newly emerging evidence shows that cellular processes involving mitochondria are sensitive to psychosocial factors that shape our external world and, as we now understand, affect our internal environment as well. The same mechanisms that protect us from danger can become harmful over time when consistently active. Just as we get feedback from our boss at work, mitochondria also give feedback based on our environment.

The biological pathways in our bodies translate psychosocial experiences (such as chronic stress, trauma, depression, anxiety, or social connections) into observable cellular and molecular changes. In simpler terms, this means that our bodies convert these experiences into physiological changes. Cells making up our bodies are adaptive and can display emotion-like responses and decision-oriented behavioral patterns when exposed to a stressor. This is sometimes referred to as “cell psychology.”

Researchers are now discovering that mitochondria, beyond being the “powerhouse” of our cells, are also responsible for cellular signaling and stress adaptation (Fagundes, Wu-Chung, & Heijnen, 2025), with these processes directly affecting mitochondrial function. Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA) is a critical marker used to evaluate mitochondrial health. In response to external stimuli (such as physical endurance training or stress), mitochondrial biogenesis is activated when needed. This number can be measured through saliva or blood, making it a practical biomarker for behavioral analysis.

A recent study done in 2023 demonstrated that mitochondrial function directly impacts cognitive performance (memory formation, pattern recognition, etc.) as well as physical function (San-Millán, 2023). Since mitochondria are responsible for energy production within cells in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), measuring ATP output allows us to directly quantify cellular energy availability.

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are byproducts of mitochondrial metabolism, with excess amounts indicating oxidative stress. This is what we take antioxidants for! Elevated ROS levels are directly associated with aging processes and neurodegenerative diseases, serving as strong indicators of cellular damage. Understanding these mechanisms opens new avenues for research in cellular aging and regenerative therapies (ScienceDirect, 2026).

Mitochondria as “Sensors”

Mitochondria do more than generate energy. They act as environmental sensors of the body, based on the internal and external stimuli. Chronic psychological stress can influence mitochondrial function, including ATP production efficiency and mtDNA copy number. These changes reflect adaptive responses to environmental demands.

For example, when faced with persistent stress, mitochondria may initially increase energy output to meet physiological demands. Over time, however, chronic activation can lead to dysfunction, contributing to fatigue, cognitive challenges, or altered mood. This illustrates how mitochondria translate psychological experiences into measurable biological responses. 

Implications of Mitochondrial Health

Mitochondrial function plays a central role in both cognition and physical performance. ATP generated by mitochondria fuels neural signaling, memory formation, pattern recognition, and overall physical endurance.

When mitochondrial function is optimal, it supports brain processes and bodily functions. Conversely, impaired mitochondrial activity contributes to fatigue, brain fog, and diminished cognitive and/or physical capacity. This demonstrates a direct link between mental states, mitochondrial efficiency, and overall health (San-Millán, 2023).

Oxidative Stress and Cellular Aging

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are byproducts of mitochondrial metabolism. Under normal conditions, they serve important signaling roles. However, excess ROS leads to oxidative stress, which damages DNA, proteins, and lipids. Elevated ROS levels are directly associated with aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and chronic stress. This is what we take antioxidants for! Antioxidants help neutralize these species while maintaining mitochondrial balance. Chronic psychological stress can increase ROS production, linking mental health directly to cellular damage and accelerated aging processes. Understanding this opens new avenues for regenerative medicine and interventions to support both cellular and psychological wellbeing.

Conclusion

Mitochondria are more than just energy producers. They are also dynamic regulators of cellular communication, stress adaptation, and overall physiological balance. Psychological experiences, from stress and trauma to social experiences, can influence mitochondrial function significantly. Eventually, this translates into measurable changes at the cellular level. Understanding this connection encourages a perspective in which mental health and cellular biology are deeply intertwined. Healing and wellbeing can be supported not only through psychological interventions but also by considering their impact on cellular and mitochondrial health.

I am a cellular and molecular biologist, and this topic is directly an area of my interest based on my studies. My background allows me to interpret mental health through a biological lens. Instead of viewing psychological states as abstract experiences, I see them as patterns of cellular signaling and adaptation. 

References

Dantzer, R., O’Connor, J. C., Freund, G. G., Johnson, R. W., & Kelley, K. W. (2008). From inflammation to sickness and depression: When the immune system subjugates the brain. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(1), 46–56. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2297

Fagundes, C. P., Wu-Chung, E. L., & Heijnen, C. J. (2025). Psychological science at the cellular level: Mitochondria’s role in health and behavior. Current Directions in Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214251380214

Picard, M., & McEwen, B. S. (2018). Psychological stress and mitochondria: A conceptual framework. Psychosomatic Medicine, 80(2), 126–140. https://doi.org/10.1097/psy.0000000000000544

San-Millán, I. (2023). The key role of mitochondrial function in health and disease. Antioxidants, 12(4), 782. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12040782

Wu-Chung, E. L., Medina, L. D., Paoletti-Hatcher, J., Lai, V. B., Stinson, J. M., Mahant, I., Schulz, P. E., Heijnen, C. J., & Fagundes, C. P. (2024). Mitochondrial health, physical functioning, and daily affect: Bioenergetic mechanisms of dementia caregiver wellbeing. Psychosomatic Medicine, 86(6), 512–522. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000001312

Author Bio

Pelin Ceyrekbasioglu is a molecular biology scientist with a strong focus on cellular signaling and the intersection between physiology and mental health. Her work centers on translating complex biological processes into a bridge between scientific understanding and real-life human experiences. Her areas of expertise are particularly in mitochondrial biology, stress adaptation, and systems-level regulation. Through her writing, she aims to make science relatable, easy to understand, and meaningful for everyday life.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Why So Many People Feel Guilty When They Rest?

Introduction

Rest should feel natural, yet for many people it feels uncomfortable. Even after a long day, a full week, or an emotionally draining period, stopping can bring guilt instead of relief. People sit down to rest and almost immediately feel the urge to justify it. They check their phone, think about unfinished tasks, or tell themselves they should be doing something more useful.

This feeling is more common than we admit. In many cultures, productivity is treated as proof of worth. Being busy looks responsible. Slowing down can look lazy, weak, or unmotivated, even when rest is exactly what the mind and body need. Over time, this pressure shapes not only our schedules but also our inner voice.

Learning to rest without guilt is not about avoiding responsibility. It is about understanding that recovery is part of a healthy life. Mental wellbeing is shaped not only by how much we can do, but also by how well we allow ourselves to pause.

One reason rest feels difficult is that many people have learned to connect self-worth with output. From school to work, praise often goes to those who do more, respond faster, and keep going under pressure. This can create the belief that being valuable means always being available. In that mindset, rest begins to feel like a delay in achievement rather than a necessary part of balance.

Another reason is that modern life rarely offers true mental space. Even when work ends, attention remains active. Messages continue, notifications appear, and unfinished thoughts follow people into the evening. The body may stop moving, but the mind remains alert. This can create a strange experience in which a person is technically resting but never fully recovering.

There is also an emotional side to guilt around rest. When people finally slow down, they often come into contact with feelings that busyness helped them avoid. Fatigue, sadness, disappointment, and anxiety can become more noticeable in silence. Constant activity can sometimes function as a shield. Rest removes that shield and asks a person to be present with themselves. That is not always easy.

Healthy rest is not laziness. It is maintenance. Just as muscles need recovery after strain, the mind also needs periods of lower demand. Without rest, concentration weakens, patience shortens, and emotional resilience decreases. People may continue functioning outwardly, yet feel inwardly flat, reactive, or detached. In that sense, rest is not the opposite of productivity. It supports sustainable productivity.

Changing the relationship with rest often begins with language. Instead of asking, “Have I earned a break?”, it can help to ask, “What do I need in order to function well tomorrow?” This shift moves rest away from reward and toward responsibility. A rested person is more present, more thoughtful, and more capable of responding well to life.

Small changes also matter. Rest does not always need to be dramatic or perfectly planned. It can begin with ten quiet minutes, a walk without a phone, an evening without pressure to optimize every hour, or permission to stop when the day has already been heavy enough. These moments teach the nervous system that safety is not found only in action, but also in pause.

In the long term, learning to rest without guilt is part of learning to live with greater self-respect. It means recognizing that being human includes limits. A person does not become healthier by ignoring exhaustion. They become healthier by responding to it with honesty and care. Rest is not a sign that someone has failed to keep up. Often, it is the sign that they are finally listening.

Why Rest Often Feels Undeserved

For many people, rest does not feel natural. It feels like something that must be earned. Even after a demanding day, there is often a quiet sense of guilt that appears the moment activity stops. Instead of feeling relief, people begin thinking about what they still have not done, what others might expect from them, or whether they are being lazy. This reaction is not always about the present moment. It is often shaped by years of messages that connect worth with productivity.

From an early age, many people learn to value themselves through output. Praise is often linked to achievement, discipline, and constant effort. Over time, rest can begin to feel like the opposite of value. It is no longer seen as part of health, but as a pause in usefulness. When this belief becomes internal, even necessary recovery can feel uncomfortable. This is one reason so many people remain mentally active while trying to rest. The body may stop, but the mind continues measuring, comparing, and evaluating. Instead of recovery, there is tension. Instead of calm, there is self-monitoring. Understanding this pattern is important because guilt around rest is not a small emotional detail. It can shape long-term wellbeing, resilience, and the ability to recover from everyday stress.

How Constant Productivity Affects Mental Wellbeing

When people feel pressure to remain productive at all times, mental wellbeing often begins to suffer in quiet ways. The problem is not only physical tiredness. It is the gradual loss of emotional space. A person may continue completing tasks, meeting expectations, and appearing functional, while internally feeling drained, detached, or constantly tense. This kind of strain is easy to overlook because it often develops slowly.

Constant productivity can also reduce a person’s ability to notice their own needs. When attention is always directed toward what must be done next, there is less room to ask important questions: Am I overwhelmed? Am I emotionally exhausted? Do I need support, rest, or a change in pace? Without this kind of self-awareness, people may remain in stressful patterns long after their energy has been depleted. Over time, this can affect concentration, patience, sleep, and mood. Small difficulties begin to feel heavier. Minor setbacks feel more personal. Emotional resilience becomes weaker, not because the person lacks strength, but because recovery has been missing for too long. In this way, constant productivity does not always create a stronger person. Often, it creates a more depleted one.

Learning to Rest Without Feeling Guilty

Changing the relationship with rest often begins with a simple shift in perspective. Rest does not need to be treated as a reward for finishing everything. In many cases, everything will never feel fully finished. There will always be another message to answer, another task to complete, or another reason to keep going. If rest depends on perfect completion, it will always feel postponed. A healthier view is to see rest as part of responsible self-care rather than an escape from responsibility.

This shift also requires people to notice how they speak to themselves. Many individuals would never tell a tired friend to ignore their exhaustion, yet they speak harshly to themselves when they need a pause. Replacing self-criticism with honesty can make a meaningful difference. Rest is not a personal weakness. It is a response to being human. Bodies tire, minds become overstimulated, and emotional energy has limits. Learning to rest without guilt can start with small, realistic changes. A quiet break, an evening without unnecessary pressure, a short walk, or a few moments without digital stimulation can help rebuild a sense of inner balance. These moments may seem small, but they teach the mind and body that pause is not failure. Over time, this can strengthen emotional resilience and create a more sustainable relationship with work, expectations, and wellbeing.

Conclusion

Guilt around rest is a deeply human experience, especially in environments where constant activity is treated as a sign of value. Yet rest is not something that weakens mental wellbeing. In many cases, it protects it. When people begin to see rest as part of health rather than a break from responsibility, they create more space for balance, recovery, and emotional resilience. Learning to pause without shame is not about doing less with life. It is about caring for the mind in a way that makes life more sustainable.

I chose this topic to write about because it feels close to everyday life, and also because of a conversation with my teenage son that stayed with me. Before exams, especially, he tends to study for hours, keep working on projects without much pause, and push himself even when he is clearly tired. Like a lot of young people, he sometimes slips into the idea that stopping means wasting time, even when his body and mind are already asking for rest.

When we talked about it, I tried to show him that rest is not the opposite of effort. It actually supports it. When we are exhausted or mentally overloaded, we do not work at our best. It becomes harder to focus, harder to remember things, and even small tasks can start to feel much more difficult than they are. Working nonstop may look productive, but often it just means continuing in a drained state.

We also talked about rest in a more practical way. Instead of seeing it as something that interrupts work, I suggested treating it as part of the plan from the beginning. I think that small changes matter. When rest is included intentionally, it stops feeling like lost time and starts to feel like one of the things that helps us work well. That idea stayed with me, and it is one of the main reasons I chose this topic. I think many people, not just students, need to hear this reminder: Rest is not separate from productivity or wellbeing. It is part of both.

References

Caldwell, J. A. (2019). Fatigue and its management in the workplace. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 96, 272–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.10.024

Härmä, M. (2006). Workhours in relation to work stress, recovery and health. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 32(6), 502–514. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.1055

Karabinski, T., Haun, V. C., Nübold, A., Wendsche, J., & Wegge, J. (2021). Interventions for improving psychological detachment from work: A meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational Health, 63(1), e12228. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000280

Lovato, N., & Lack, L. (2010). The effects of napping on cognitive functioning. Progress in Brain Research, 185, 155–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-444-53702-7.00009-9

Verbeek, J. H., van der Weiden, A., & Hendriksen, I. J. M. (2019). Interventions to enhance recovery in healthy workers: A scoping review. Occupational Medicine, 69(1), 54–63. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqy141

Author Bio

Andrzej Wierzbicki is a non-fiction writer focused on clarity, structure, and thoughtful communication. He writes articles, essays, and long-form content that make complex ideas more accessible to a wider audience. His work often explores wellbeing, responsibility, and the human side of modern life. He is particularly interested in writing that combines reflection, readability, and practical insight.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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How Childhood Experiences and Dynamics Shape Adults

Introduction

The human brain starts developing as early as when the child is a foetus. The feelings a child experiences and the experiences they have in the early years shape them and their personality. It just gets reinforced by the family they are around. It continues to get reinforced so hard that, sometimes, when the family dynamics are not ideal or, more so, traumatic, the child goes on to become an individual they didn’t plan to become. When life or reality hits them, that’s when they realise how far they’ve come and how they didn’t plan all of this, which gives them regret, which gives them hopelessness.

That’s why childhood experiences, as early as the child being a foetus, are super important.

Childhood is where we first learn what love, safety, and acceptance feel like. A child does not question their environment; they absorb it. If they grow up feeling heard and supported, they often carry a sense of confidence into adulthood. But if they grow up around fear, neglect, or constant pressure, those feelings don’t just disappear. They stay, often quietly shaping how the person thinks and reacts later in life. For example, someone who was often criticised as a child may grow up doubting themselves, even when they are doing well. Similarly, a child who had to take on responsibilities too early may struggle to relax or trust others. These patterns become so normal that people don’t always realise where they come from. It is only later, when they face challenges in relationships or work, that they begin to connect their present behaviour with their past experiences.

Emotional Patterns Carry Forward

The way a child learns to deal with emotions often stays with them as they grow up. If a child’s feelings were ignored or brushed aside, they may not really know how to express themselves later in life. They might go quiet during arguments or avoid tough conversations completely. On the other hand, if they were shouted at or punished for showing emotions, they might grow up feeling anxious or overly sensitive. These reactions don’t come out of nowhere; they are things we learn over time. As adults, many people don’t understand why they react the way they do in certain situations. It can feel confusing. But often, these patterns started in childhood. Once people start noticing this, it becomes a little easier to work on it and slowly change.

Relationships Are Deeply Affected

Childhood experiences strongly influence how people form and maintain relationships. A person who grew up feeling secure is more likely to trust others and communicate openly. But someone who experienced inconsistency or hurt may struggle with trust. They might fear abandonment or push people away before getting hurt. Sometimes, people even find themselves repeating similar unhealthy relationship patterns without understanding why. These behaviours are often rooted in early experiences with caregivers. Understanding this connection can help individuals build healthier and more stable relationships over time.

Healing Is Possible with Awareness

Even though childhood has a strong impact, it does not define a person completely. People can grow, unlearn, and change. The first step is becoming aware of how past experiences are affecting present behaviour. This can happen through self-reflection, conversations, or even therapy. Once a person understands their patterns, they can slowly start making different choices. Healing is not quick or easy, but it is possible. Over time, people can learn to respond differently, build healthier habits, and create a life that feels more in control and aligned with who they truly are.

Conclusion

Childhood experiences have a deep and lasting impact on who we become as adults. The way we think, feel, and respond to situations is often shaped by things we went through early in life. While these patterns can sometimes hold us back, understanding them gives us the power to change. It helps us make sense of our reactions and take small steps towards becoming better versions of ourselves. Childhood may shape us, but it does not have to define us forever. With awareness and effort, people can grow, heal, and create a life that feels more stable and fulfilling.

I chose this topic to write about because it is very personal to me. Growing up, I was raised by a single parent who was emotionally unavailable. As the older sibling, I had to take on responsibilities early and grow up faster than I should have. At that time, it felt normal, but as I’ve grown older, I’ve started to realise how much of my childhood I missed out on.

Only recently, I began to understand how these early experiences have shaped the way I think, feel, and handle situations in my adult life. This made me reflect on how deeply childhood can influence a person, often in ways we don’t notice until much later.

References

De Venter, M., et al. (2020). The associations between childhood trauma and work functioning in adulthood. Journal of Affective Disorders, 276, 378–386. https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.70

Fares-Otero, N. E., et al. (2025). Child maltreatment and resilience in adulthood: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291725001205

Hughes, K., et al. (2017). The effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences on health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Public Health, 2(8), e356–e366. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2468-2667(17)30118-4

Umar, M. (2025). The impact of adverse childhood experiences on post-traumatic stress disorder in adulthood: A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07090-x

Xiao, Z., Baldwin, M. M., Wong, S. C., Obsuth, I., Meinck, F., & Murray, A. L. (2023). The impact of childhood psychological maltreatment on mental health outcomes in adulthood: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(5), 3049–3064. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380221122816

Author Bio

Aparna Abhishek Iyer is a content marketer and has created and worked with different brands for five years. She loves storytelling. She loves to explore how content brings growth to a business, and she has worked with different formats of content, whether it’s written, long-form, short-form, or videos.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Coping with Anxiety in a Fast-Paced Digital World

Introduction

In today’s fast-paced digital world, staying constantly connected can take a toll on our mental wellbeing. Notifications, emails, and social media updates create a continuous stream of information that can feel overwhelming, leaving many of us anxious and mentally drained. Understanding how these digital pressures affect our minds is the first step toward finding balance and managing anxiety effectively.

For me, anxiety often arises when I feel pressured to keep up with constant online demands. Long hours scrolling through social media or responding to messages can create a sense of mental clutter and tension. I’ve discovered that managing these feelings requires intentional actions. Practicing mindfulness, such as deep breathing or short meditation breaks, helps me stay present and reduces racing thoughts. Journaling my worries allows me to process emotions instead of letting them build up. I also set clear boundaries with my digital devices, designating tech-free periods during the day. Physical activity, like walking or stretching, further relieves tension and restores focus. These strategies combined have made it easier to navigate the demands of a connected world while maintaining emotional balance.

Understanding Digital Anxiety: How Constant Connectivity Impacts Mental Health

In our modern digital environment, being constantly connected can significantly affect mental health. Notifications, emails, and social media updates create a never-ending stream of information that keeps the mind alert and on edge. This constant stimulation can lead to feelings of restlessness, overwhelm, and anxiety. Personally, I’ve noticed that even brief moments of screen exposure can trigger tension, making it hard to focus or relax. Recognizing these triggers is essential, as it allows us to identify when digital engagement is contributing to stress and take steps to create healthier boundaries for our mental wellbeing.

Practical Strategies for Managing Anxiety in a Digital World

Managing anxiety in a digital world requires intentional and consistent strategies. For me, mindfulness practices such as deep breathing or brief meditation sessions help calm racing thoughts and bring focus to the present moment. Journaling also provides a space to process worries and reflect on emotions, preventing them from building up internally. Setting clear boundaries with devices, like scheduling tech-free periods or limiting social media use, reduces mental clutter and promotes balance. Additionally, regular physical activity, whether walking, stretching, or exercising, helps release tension and improve overall mood. By combining these approaches, it becomes possible to navigate a connected world while maintaining emotional stability and mental clarity.

Building Long-Term Habits for Digital Wellbeing

Creating lasting habits is key to maintaining mental wellbeing in a digital world. I’ve learned that consistency matters more than perfection. Setting daily routines that include mindfulness, journaling, and designated screen-free times helps make these practices automatic rather than occasional. Tracking progress and reflecting on how these habits impact mood and focus reinforces their value. Over time, these small, intentional actions build resilience against digital stress, allowing me to engage online without feeling overwhelmed. Prioritizing long-term strategies ensures that managing anxiety becomes a sustainable part of life rather than a temporary fix.

Conclusion

Living in a constantly connected digital world can easily contribute to anxiety, but it is possible to manage and reduce its impact through intentional practices. By recognizing triggers, setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, journaling, and incorporating physical activity, we can regain control over our mental space. Building these habits consistently allows for long-term resilience, helping us engage with technology in a balanced and healthy way. Ultimately, acknowledging anxiety and taking proactive steps empowers us to maintain emotional wellbeing while navigating the demands of modern life.

I chose this topic to write about because anxiety from constant digital connectivity is a personal and relatable experience. Living in a world where work, social media, and online communication never stop, I’ve noticed how easily stress and mental fatigue can build up. Writing about it allows me to reflect on strategies that genuinely help, while sharing insights that others facing similar challenges can apply to improve their mental wellbeing.

References

Aldbyani, A., Chuanxia, Z., Alhimaidi, A., & Li, Y. (2025). Mindfulness and problematic smartphone use: Indirect and conditional associations via self‑regulated learning and digital detox. BMC Psychology, 13, 1131. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359‑025‑03485‑3

Ranabhat, C. L., Marion, J. W., & Jakovljevic, M. (2025). Association between social media use and self‑reported anxiety and/or depression: Results from 113 countries. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640251393415

Sun, L. (2023). Social media usage and students’ social anxiety, loneliness and well‑being: Does digital mindfulness‑based intervention effectively work? BMC Psychology, 11, 362. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359‑023‑01398‑7    

Vagka, E., Gnardellis, C., Lagiou, A., & Notara, V. (2024). Smartphone use and social media involvement in young adults: Association with nomophobia, depression anxiety stress scales (DASS) and self‑esteem. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(7), 920. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070920

Vahedi, Z., & Saiphoo, A. (2018). The association between smartphone use, stress, and anxiety: A meta‑analytic review. Stress and Health, 34(3), 347–358. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2805

Author Bio

Christopher Edeh is a passionate mental health advocate and emerging psychologist with a keen interest in understanding how modern digital lifestyles affect emotional wellbeing. With experience in research and practical strategies for managing anxiety, Christopher is committed to promoting mental health awareness and empowering individuals to build resilience in today’s fast-paced, connected world.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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GG’s 12 Wellness and Health Journey Pointers

GG’s 12 Wellness and Health Journey Pointers

Hey there! You can call me GG. 🙂

The idea of mental health found a place for itself in my mind only when I was in my college. Until then, health entirely meant the physical aspect. Long story short, I was in a chaotic state while pursuing my engineering degree at NIT Trichy. My first and second years were gruelling, harsh and had a devastating impact on my mental state. I had a multitude problems from every front I could imagine – academics, career, relationships, and the protagonist of the story was existential crisis.

If what I am talking about here seems obscure, let me give you some background. I was an extremely studious person throughout school. Thanks to a sudden bombardment of existential questions and figuring out the meaning of it all, I lost my interest towards scoring high right at the perfect moment. Fortunately, my previous work paid off and helped me get a place in a good college. However, this state of mind followed me till college, and it was just the beginning.

Fear dawned within me. Actually, that’s an underplay. Fear and confusion “reigned” over me. My confusion: “What am I going to do with my life? What do I really like? What is the purpose?”, and all that sort of stuff. I just couldn’t bring myself to stability at that time. Days, months, in fact, years passed by as I was stuck in this state.

The Turning Phase

On one hand, I did enjoy my days there – Outings, late night talks and mini-adventures. The carefree nature I once imagined I could never have, also thrilled me. However, it were those same factors (people) that put me into depression for the first two years. Depression. Yes. Not sadness, depression. It wasn’t particularly people, but my thoughts which led to that state. I realize this as I reflect back now.

The turning phase came when I realized that this problem was not going to solve by itself. At the same time, this was something that I can tackle. My first break came as I began ranting about this to a close friend of mine. That lifted down a humungous weight off my chest. Next, I started listening to motivational stories – note, not motivational videos of people screaming, “Do this, do that!”, but inspirational stories of real-life people. I changed my eating habits, started pursuing new hobbies, went out, talked with more people. I was trying to figure out my passion, whilst reassuring that it’s going to be okay even if you’re late in discovering it. As time flew, I started noticing changes. A lot of them. I started becoming more stable, had lesser fear than before and felt a lot more at ease.

12 Wellness and Health Journey Pointers That I Follow Till Day

What I mentioned here was merely the nutshell of the things that I did and the time and patience it took for the internal transformation. If I were to list down the few key things of my journey so far, they would be:
1. Remember that it’s going to be okay.
2. You’re not alone in this battle.
3. Try sharing it with someone, if you’re comfortable with it.
4. Eat well. Eat healthy. ENJOY eating.
5. Do all the good physical stuff – yoga, breathing, exercises (it was dancing in my case).
6. Read, watch or listen to a lot of good stuff (remember, what type of content you consume is extremely important).
7. Consume relaxed content (the previous point was to focus more on inspirational or educational stuff). Stuff like music, anime and gaming always cheered me up.
8. Have a person you can look up to either in your personal life or some famous personality.
9. If you have ANY addictions in any form, try to get rid of them as early as possible (at the very least, reduce them).
10. Go out. Travel. Near or far, if you have the chance to go out, just go to that mountain or beach or forest, and enjoy the beauty of nature.
11. Start a new hobby. Few which I enjoy – writing, photography, cooking and dancing.
12. Interact more with people.

Also, get yourself around good people. I don’t mean to say some people are bad, but some relationships can be really toxic. For example, someone might applaud hustle culture, but that might not be suitable to you. Another example, you might be in a circle where everyone has a partner, but you personally feel that it isn’t the best time for you to get into one. Basically, end or loosen ends with toxic relationships that pressure you to do something you don’t like and surround yourself with people who can energize you, motivate you and keep you smiling.

These are some of the things that I did which eventually helped me to have a more healthy and stress-free state of mind. I really do hope and pray that this article is in some way helpful to you, the reader.

P. S. Hearty kudos to the team for the idea, vision and the work behind the Wellness and Health Journey.

Best wishes & peace :D!

Author Bio

GG holds an MBA degree and works for a top-tier IT company.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Thoughts on Social Media Posts about Mental Health

To make sense of your sadness and then heal from depression, negative memories, anxiety, health issues

It wasn’t too long ago that I saw something on Instagram that caught my attention. It was a post by an old college classmate of mine which said something along the lines of, “If you are ever feeling low, if you have something on your mind, please reach out to me and we can talk about it.” Now that post irritated me and I guess it’s just my anger issues cropping up but nonetheless, that post was thought provoking and I am here to tell you why.

I have had my fair share of mental health issues and I continue to work on them. I seek therapy often and I find that it helps me recognize and resolve the many issues that I face. And I want to stress on the important role therapy plays in deciphering, recognizing and resolving many mental health concerns and I want to make this clear, if you have issues that you find overwhelming, please visit a registered therapist and seek professional help. Do not fall prey to social media posts where untrained, attention seeking netizens claim to be there to help you. They have no idea what they are doing and more importantly you are confiding your deepest fears with them and this kind of granular personal information needs to be handled securely by a professional and not someone who puts up a post (unless they are from the professional background).

Therapy involves a lot of confidentiality and a lot of work. People who are not trained will not be able to handle such sensitive information nor have the right tools to efficiently protect your data. Many times speaking to untrained people can seem like a futile exercise and may add to the stress that you are facing. Those who think they can resolve people’s issues by declaring via social media that they are available to lend an ear – until and unless you are a trained health professional, don’t try to “resolve” someone’s mental health issues without proper training and experience. This could also be stressful personally. I would compare such a situation to giving a monkey the responsibility of maintaining a nuclear reactor, it is bound to cause a meltdown and if Chernobyl is anything to go by then there is no coming back from it.

I understand that mental health comes at a very steep price and these prices render it unaffordable for the majority of people and with stigma surrounding therapy you might feel like you do not want to seek help and put tags on your issues such as depression or anxiety but trust me a therapist is better suited to understand and resolve the issues that you face at the earliest and there are many pocket friendly ways in which you can seek professional help in your country.

I understand that it is a tough time and you don’t have to look too far for help.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

 

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Grief in Progress

Grief in Progress

My mind has never been a particularly “kind” place. Mistakes accumulate and failures persist. The sense of never-being-quite-good-enough lingers, and makes sure any new venture I start is heavy with the need to be perfect from the very beginning. To deal with this, I had a lot of mechanisms. I socialised, and drowned out the voice in my head with the quiet support of friends. I kept myself busy by picking up projects and setting deadlines for myself. I have 2 different To-Do List Apps, and at least 3 different notebooks tracking my tasks. At school, I tracked self-worth in grades received, events conducted, and teacher’s praise. When I started working as a teacher, my self-worth was contingent on how my students did, and I often thought of myself as the only factor contributing to their indifference/success in learning, completely sidestepping the multiplicity of factors that affected those students investments.

When the pandemic came around, I lost one of my coping mechanisms and I had a lot of time to myself. A lot of time to think about my mental space, and a lot of time to realise that the way I preferred to deal with my emotions was to not deal with them at all. Instead I rationalised and compartmentalised so that I never actually had to “feel” at all. I just needed to come up with explanations, I just needed to remain in control. When things happen, as they do, instead of allowing myself to feel guilt, sorrow, rage, frustration, I came up with excuses for why my emotions weren’t valid, or I would think of ways to suppress it all. I wanted to be different from my parents, so emotionally volatile, that I would rather feel nothing at all than drown in the depths. But the thing is, it’s also hard to feel joy and compassion and love if you have trained yourself to not let your emotions overwhelm you.

My therapist says that emotions remain in your body, that you can feel stress somewhere, anxiety somewhere else. If that’s true, my self-hatred rests between my ribs, always ready to knock me breathless when I am already down. My anxiety rests between tense shoulders, always ready to come to the forefront of any situation, and in a stomach that I hadn’t even realised I keep clenched, and in teeth that find themselves grinding, and in feet and hands that will not stop fidgeting and in my thoughts, “What if?”. I pushed my emotions down for years, but they stayed, making homes for themselves in my body, stubborn in their relentless need to be felt.

This year, grief has been so very loud. There have been so many endings. The suffering I have witnessed among communities, the struggle to stay ‘productive’, moving back to a broken home, and the constant fear of impending sickness– this is a year in which grief cannot be ignored.

So if you are grieving, for whatever reason or cause, know you aren’t alone. I grieve with you, and for you. Take your time, and let it overwhelm you. Your sorrow has a place in the world.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

 

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Nikita’s Journey into Therapy

Nikita’s Journey into Therapy

For Anney

Needless to say, last year has been an absolute shit show. It was quite literally the most stressful I’ve ever been in my life and getting out of it has taken a lot of conscious effort. 

In March of 2020, right before the lockdown in India, I had a pretty sorted life. I had a job I loved, a wonderful apartment, a great set of friends and a loving partner. But in a matter of months literally everything unravelled. 

It began with my parents getting no income because of the lockdown. I was stuck in my hometown away from where I’ve been living for the last 6 years. I used to work for a travel company, so while I was lucky to still have a job (especially since about 40% of my company was furloughed), I hated the role I was given due to the reorganization that consequently happened. I was suddenly in a long distance relationship with no prep and things were just hard. No one really saw it coming and no one knew how long it was going to last for. 

3 months later, there was still not much change in the situation. But I went back to Bangalore where I was living and met my boyfriend and started looking for another job. I luckily got a much better offer and things were beginning to look better for me. However things at home were getting worse and there was a lot of guilt associated with staying alone and spending so much money when I could be back home and support my family that has 4 adults. So after much protest from my boyfriend, I packed all my things and moved back home. 

That put a real strain on my relationship. Things at home was very stressful and I became the mediator between all the adults fighting at home. Literally everything made me cry and I felt helpless and my boyfriend started shutting me out at this very point which ultimately pushed me over my limit. I knew I needed help and my friends were wonderful. They were always there for me if I wanted to talk. But if you are anything like me, even that started making me feel guilty because I didn’t want to depend on them too much, because I’m sure they had things happening in their life too and I was in no situation to support them. 

I finally turned to therapy. I just needed someone to talk to. To help me sort out all the stress, anxiety and fear I was feeling. When I started therapy I knew a break up with my boyfriend was inevitable and it did happen. I was depressed for the next couple of months and I was constantly crying and lost a lot of weight. And this was not something I could talk about with my family. I had completely lost sight of who I was as a person which was a huge shock in itself, because I have always had a very strong sense of self. 

I had very flexible working hours and I was anyway working from home, so it was becoming hard to differentiate day and night, weekdays and weekends. Therapy was something that I started looking forward to. It was a much needed pause to an otherwise endless blob. Recollecting the past week helped when there is an active listener making note of everything that I say and guiding me through it, one step at a time. Therapy really helped me go back to who I was. It helped me figure out what I can compromise on and what I cannot. It helped me set boundaries and not feel guilty about things that were not my fault. It helped me accept the fact that I cannot control everything happening around me and it really just helped me during a very hard time in my life. 

This was 7 months ago and a lot has happened since then. My parents are still financially strained, but things are better after making some hard decisions. I took a solo trip for a month, just to get a change in environment that really really helped me. By A LOT. I applied for my masters and am all set to begin in the next few months. After struggling with my new job in the beginning with everything else that was happening in my life, it’s currently going really well. My ex boyfriend also reached out to me wanting to fix things and while that is gonna take more time, we are working on figuring things out. 

The past year was difficult but I have learnt a lot about myself as a person. It came with a lot of hard lessons and through it all, I have continued therapy. 

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Tjard’s Apprenticeship as an Electrician

Tjard’s Apprenticeship as an Electrician

Hello! I am Tjard and I have lived on the island of Sylt in Germany all 20 years of my life. If I would not live here I would probably be way happier. I am fine with any pronouns used on me but feel uncomfortable at the idea of expressing myself about it here. I have some reasons for this like my uncle(that lives on the “property”) who just before my apprenticeship started, “warned” me about a “man” who outside of work hours wears dresses. Also, the co-worker I am on tour with most of the time, once told me he would be very disappointed in seeing me date a man. He is my direct neighbour. He is hard to deal with most days and drains me. I theoretically like what I work as and it can be really rewarding and get me really really happy. I am an electrician’s apprentice. I like the diagnosis and repair of home appliances and love to see “historic” home appliances on which this is the easiest.

I understand the need for more efficient appliances, maybe just more sustainable but what I see in modern devices does not seem in any way more sustainable to me. They use more electronic components which are prone to failure and are “repaired” by replacement. This is expensive and resource intensive. Our global recycling does not recover all resources and is energy intensive. I am pretty certain that the longevity of the historic devices outweigh the environmental harm done by their “excessive” use of water and electricity. The need of our capitalist system to grow has incentivised companies to lower the lifetime of devices and make it harder to repair them. It is really depressing to see/hear how people’s right to repair their own property has limited everyone. They should have easy access to repair tutorials and resources to do so.

I decided to learn about electronics around the age of 13 and started working at the age of 19. There are a couple of reasons for this. My family had financial hardships in the past and this job pays decently and feels really secure to me understandably. The interest in physical labour here has dropped so far that there is serious lack of personnel everywhere so it will be easy to find employment anywhere and will get me to a point where I can go to uni without needing to go into debt. I always had some interest in this and it just gives me even further independence by being able to fix any electrical problems I personally encounter with ease.

One recommendation I have for anyone that has come this far is to go to their distribution box and look if there is any device that says “test it regularly”, and well, just test it. They might also be built into sockets primarily in bathrooms. This would probably be a residual circuit breaker (RCD) and it is one of the few ways to protect people from death by electrocution and I find them really important.

This post has been written over around 2 hours. I like writing about myself and will continue with introducing myself further and going over to the previous chapters of my life at high school, which I could probably write many thousands of words over and still continue with this topic but I think 500 words of my incoherent rambling is more than enough.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.