Let’s face it: sometimes it’s difficult to clue your family or even some of your closest friends in during times of great stress or turmoil. Perhaps you may have reason to believe your loved ones will misunderstand you, or maybe you would feel more comfortable talking to someone who isn’t involved in your situation. Whatever your reason is, it’s perfectly okay to reach out for … [Read more...]
The Renovation of a Home
“Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays, 'cause no matter how far away you roam, if you want to be happy in a million ways, for the holidays - you can't beat home, sweet home.” - Carpenters If home doesn’t feel the way that it used to, does this classic line still hold some value and truth? Sometimes going home for the holidays is more stress-inducing than it is … [Read more...]
Being Vulnerable Is The Door To Confidence And Self-Acceptance
There’s that familiar feeling again. The sweaty palms. The butterflies in my stomach. The constant overthinking in my mind. I was always taught to be self-sufficient and have my own. As a result, I consider myself to be a strong and independent woman. So it came as a surprise when asked one day, “why are you troubled waters in the ocean of life?” In the back of my … [Read more...]
My Story: Writing About Mental Illness Heals Me
While there could be a whole tome the size of the DSM to chronicle all the mental illness-tinged happenings in the life of Mary L. Sukala, that, to me, speaks as much to who I am as the fact that I weighed less than three pounds when I was born (another story for another day--I’m a preemie and triplet). It’s my medical history, nothing more. So for this piece, I’m zeroing in on … [Read more...]
Love, Me & My Mental Health: 4 Steps to Dating with a Mental Health Disorder
As a teen or young adult, a romantic relationship can become one of the most sacred things to you. These partnerships can often be a clear representation of what one desires in another individual, expose them to the feeling of unconditional love, or quite honestly turn out to be their biggest mistake. Since most relationships are ever-changing it can be difficult … [Read more...]
I’m My Own Sunshine, and You Should Be Yours, Too
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away. - Jimmie Davis When we think of sunshine we typically tend to think of warmth, comfort, light, and joy; things that bring us happiness. In this classic song, Davis suggest that whoever this person is, is so full of … [Read more...]
Rejection From Every Direction: How to Manage College Application Anxiety
For any college-bound student the year leading up to the application deadlines is extremely stressful. On top of keeping up with classes, studying for entrance exams, and visiting colleges, students have the agonizing task of creating “the list” of schools to which they want to apply. For our anxious student, this time period caused her an enormous amount of fear, uncertainty, … [Read more...]
Step-By-Step: 10 Qualities to Have in a Relationship
Relationships. We all have them. We all want them. We all need them. Are your relationships, whether business, personal, social, etc. the best they can be? If not, check out these top ten qualities to have in a relationship: Communication In any relationship, communication is key. You have to talk to and get to know each other. That is the basis of any relationship, … [Read more...]
How To Reduce Your Teen’s Anxiety
High school can be a very stressful time for you and your teenager. During my teenage years, I was disrespectful to my parents, distant, and blamed them for things that were going on in my life that they had no control over. Teenage hormones, college applications, relationships and simply stress from high school seem to all make for a high level of stress. My parents always did … [Read more...]
The Secret to Confronting An Issue to Make Actual Change
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...]
Communication Is Key: 3 Important Points About Helping Someone With Anxiety
Sometimes anxiety can make you feel alone even in a crowded room. Even when you have friends and family to support you, you can feel they may not understand how to truly help you. Support can go a long way, but sometimes it can also come with frustration from those around you because they may not understand or know what to do to make things better. As someone with anxiety, … [Read more...]