LiveWellTalk - Overcoming Mental Health Challenges

An intrusive thought is an unwelcome, involuntary thought, image, or unpleasant idea that may become an obsession, is upsetting or distressing, and can feel difficult to manage or eliminate. (source: Wikipedia ) Common examples of intrusive thoughts include unwanted, intrusive thoughts about the safety of oneself or others, causing distress, and thoughts of performing dangerous actions. These thoughts may lead to negative behaviors, which may increase vulnerability to future experiences of trauma. Intrusive thoughts have been linked to recent life stress, sleep deprivation, prior anxiety, and childhood abuse. The state of depression , suicidal ideation, or anxiety may also be caused by the release of stress hormones. Analysis of studies in subjects who had experienced prolonged periods of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) found that intrusive thoughts and flashbacks are associated with greater than 50% of symptoms, especially memory fragmentation. Intrusive thoughts often occur ...

Empty Nest Syndrome What Is Empty Nest Syndrome Empty nest syndrome is a condition of grief and sadness that affects many parents when their child or children leave home or move out to stay separately for some reason. This condition has been observed to be more common in females or mothers than in fathers because mothers have a major role to play in the growth and development of their children. The feelings of empty nest syndrome is usually that of strong sense of loss, grief, overpowering sadness and loneliness. When it is coupled with retirement or menopause, the condition can be worst. Psychologists believe that it can take 8 months to 2 years for a person to get back to normal state of mind and recover from empty nest syndrome. What Causes Empty Nest Syndrome Empty nest syndrome is one of the most frequently afflicting conditions that parents are trying to cope up with. There could be various reasons that cause empty nest syndrome, such as children leaving the parental home because...

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques CBT techniques (or cognitive behavioral therapy techniques ) refer to the various methods used to redirect or change human behavior. Two of the conditions cognitive therapists often treat are anxiety and depression. The ultimate goal of the cognitive therapist is to destroy bad (negative) thought patterns and replace them with good (positive) thought patterns – because what a person thinks is believed to determine how a person acts. Cognitive behavioral therapy  ( CBT ) entered medical history because of  Dr. Aaron Beck  at the University of Pennsylvania, who discovered it in depression treatments. CBT treatment has since extended to anxiety. In addition to  depression  or  anxiety , the following issues are treated by cognitive behavioral therapy: bipolar disorder borderline personality disorder eating disorders obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) panic disorder phobias post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychosis...