Ever have a situation where you've been wronged, hurt or irritated? Someone did something to you that bothered you so much. But, you felt powerless to confront them, because you "know how they always react" when you have some negative feedback for them. Or, perhaps you are so overcome with social anxiety, you feel sharing your feelings will lead to not only your relationship … [Read more...]
Archives for August 2017
Acceptance
Accepting that you may have or even do have a mental illness is, in my opinion, one of the hardest things about the illness itself. On the outside, I come across as this girl that has everything together. To my friends, I’m this goofy, funny (or at least I think I am), super outgoing, and happy girl. To my parents, I am involved in everything, smart, have a lot of friends, … [Read more...]
AiT Exclusive Interview: Separation Anxiety vs Generalized Anxiety vs Social Phobias, Oh My! With Anxiety Expert Dr. Anne Marie Albano
We are pleased to have author and Director of the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders, Dr. Anne Marie Albano, Ph.D., share some great insights with us on the differences between separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, and social phobia! Read on for great insights for how parents can help and what to expect in therapy. She is the author of “You and … [Read more...]
It All Changes When You Decide It To
Just when you feel like nothing is going right... ...is when you've voluntarily given up your power. Often, when we are in the midst of great anxiety or stress, we feel powerless and hopeless. Many other factors may be playing a role- like something or someone that makes us believe that we need to stay down. But, that's just not true. At any moment in time, you can … [Read more...]
The Man and the Butterfly: Letting Teens Make Mistakes
"A man found a cocoon of a butterfly, that he brought home. One day a small opening appeared in the cocoon. He sat and watched the cocoon for several hours as the butterfly struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making progress. It appeared as if the butterfly had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. The man decided to … [Read more...]
Olivia’s Story: My Struggle with A Specific Phobia
I can't remember a time when I didn't have a fear of sleepovers. I actually had never slept over at anyone's house without one of my parents until after high school. At that time, even thinking about going to a sleepover caused me anxiety. I was afraid that if I went to a sleepover, I would become sick and throw up, that my friends would make fun of me or not want to be my … [Read more...]
Is OCD Ruling Your Life? KEEP BUSY!
Do constant, bothersome obsessive thoughts overpower your mind? Do you have to follow these horrible thoughts with a particular behavior or compulsion, or else your world might fall apart? Join us as we ask our most common OCD questions to Dr. Laura Kauffman, licensed child psychologist & expert contributor to Education.com: AIT: Why is that when teens with OCD try to … [Read more...]
I Am A Strong Woman
I am a strong woman. I could argue that this is the hardest story I have ever written. It is a personal story involving self-discovery, confusion, anger, ignorance, laughter, and last but certainly not least authenticity. I say “authenticity” because I want to be real with you, my reader, and do what I can to paint my story in a way that is helpful. Anxiety took form in … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Help a Friend Struggling with a Mental Health Issue
Some of you may be struggling with having a family member or friend with anxiety, depression, or some other mental health issue. If you are someone who hasn’t had a mental health issue yourself, it can be hard sometimes to completely understand what he or she is going through. This is something I have struggled with myself, as my brother was diagnosed with anxiety and … [Read more...]
Addiction: My Story
Life is hard. Life kicks you when you’re down, shoves your head in the dirt. Life punches you in the face and leaves you for dead. Life is brutal but, somehow we survive and sometimes, even thrive. Coping with life is an everyday event and, to me, it seems like our survival is based on the quality of our coping mechanisms. However, coping mechanisms aren’t always positive; … [Read more...]