Magic is an integral part of every child’s life; whether it is Tinkerbell’s pixie dust or the manifold of colors in a sunset, magic can be found anywhere. For me, the most magical place in the world was the world of wizard’s- the world of Harry Potter. Harry and his friends always supported one another and continued on their journey in the midst of fear; these characters … [Read more...]
Why You Should Talk to a Therapist
A lot of people are hesitant to talk to a therapist about their struggle with anxiety, depression, OCD, etc. because there's a stigma surrounding seeing a therapist, they are afraid that it won't help or they don't feel comfortable talking to a stranger. These people, however, may not recognize the tremendous benefits that seeking professional help can have. Before I get … [Read more...]
Self-Care: What I Learned About My Closest Friend’s Routine
Self-care. What is it? Why is it needed? How do I show myself self-care? Merriam-webster.com defines self-care as “love as self.” To get a relatable answer to these questions, I decided to interview my close friend Michelle. Before beginning the interview, I was not sure if she knew what self-care entailed and was intrigued to discover her responses! How would you describe … [Read more...]
Helping Out Your Stressed-Out Friends
College is a crazy, fun, stressful, exciting experience. Classes can be especially stressful and time-consuming, and sometimes difficult to balance. For me personally, classes were hard but they rarely stressed be out to a point where I couldn’t handle them. Yes, there were times during college where I was quite stressed, and at times anxious, but time management came easy to … [Read more...]
Four Ways to Effectively Help a Child Struggling with Mental Health Issues
If you're a parent with a teen with anxiety, depression, or any other mental health issue, you're probably overwhelmed. You might be frustrated, sad and helpless. These are all completely normal and reasonable feelings as you try your best to help your child manage their mental health. But... I have a good news: these conditions are treatable and you can play a role in making a … [Read more...]
Lost My Mittens and Myself: Growing Apart from Toxic People and Developing My Real Self
When I was younger, one of my best friends buried my favorite pair of mittens deep in the snow on the hill behind my house. She pretended that it was just a joke, but at the end of the day she never told me where she hid them, and despite my begging and frantic digging, I couldn't find them. I suppose now, that the secrecy she held even in that moment, was a fantastic … [Read more...]
Do You Ever Feel Like Running?
There are levels to emotions as we grow up. And as we enter adulthood, the Boulder on our Shoulders just gets larger. As a teenager, I myself, suffered a great deal with social and personal interactions. The majority of the time I was surrounded by people that cared and loved me – yet I always still felt alone. As I got older, now in my 20’s, I look back at these times … [Read more...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
How I Started Living My Life For Myself and Not My Disease
It was about 6 years ago when I first began to notice what I was feeling was not like everyone else. I had always been the type of person to worry too much about everything. My family had always teased me about my inability to just "go with the flow" or "live on the edge." I have always been the type of person to live religiously by my planner, scheduling in lunches with … [Read more...]
Struggle with Trichotillomania or Dermatillomania? Exclusive AIT Interview with HabitAware Co-Founder Aneela Kumar!
If you deal with challenging body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) or disorders like Trichotillomania or Dermatillomania, there is an innovative new tool to help you! We’re pleased to share the story of HabitAware by inviting its Co-Founder Aneela Kumar. Join us to hear her story, learn more about Trichotillomania or Dermatillomania and ways to manage it with their new … [Read more...]
How the Arts Can Help You Ease Anxiety and Depression
I always had a thing for the arts growing up. I would pretend I was Shirley Temple and memorize every song, tap dance, and line in each of her movies. I would “mock” her characters, but put my own flare to it. My parents caught me doing this and wanted to put me in theater. I did theater in Elementary School and it felt so free to be on that stage and doing whatever was needed … [Read more...]
Exclusive AiT Interview: Anxiety In Teens Partners with The Outpatient Project to Share Mental Health Stories
As part of the #OutRunAnxiety - Tucson event, we are pleased to partner with The Outpatient project, a student-founded organization sharing women's physical and mental healthcare testimonies. Stay tuned as they roll-out out photos and videos from the event and join us for this exclusive AIT interview with The Outpatient founder, Sruti Bandlamuri. AiT: What is The Outpatient … [Read more...]