Articles
12 Helpful Coping Mechanisms for Stress
Have you been feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or stressed? Whether you are experiencing the stress of your busy day-to-day activities or significant life stressor, there are several basic steps you can take to improve your mental health and well-being. Coping mechanisms for stress are linked to your physical and mental health and the health of your relationships with those you care about. 12 Practical Ways to Manage Stress Integrating some of these basic ideas into your daily and weekly routine will help you manage your stress and feel more optimistic. Many people experiment with these concepts, often making each of them [...]
Setting Boundaries in Relationships: A Form of Love
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. – Mahatma Gandhi Are self-care and self-love selfish? There is a subtle difference between loving and caring for yourself and selfishness; it lies in motive, consideration, and consequences. Choosing to leave situations or relationships that no longer benefit you, are not sustainable, or are not reciprocal, is not necessarily selfish. Is it selfish for someone to expect you, or for you to expect someone else, to remain in a relationship in which one or both parties are apathetic or emotionally destructive to one another? That [...]
Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment Options
Drugs and alcohol permeate our culture, habitually featuring in the entertainment we consume in music, movies, plays, or television shows. In everyday life, alcohol often plays the role of social lubricant. Stoner movies are a whole genre that portray copious drug use in a typically comedic fashion. Some scenarios such as the club scene are synonymous with recreational and other drugs. Often the consumption of drugs and alcohol is portrayed as sophisticated or the hallmark of freedom from convention and boredom. While society sometimes makes light of alcohol and drugs, the consequences of drug and alcohol abuse are dire. It’s important [...]
Why is it So Difficult to Have a Positive Body Image?
Think back to when you were a child, possibly a young child, before you ever had a thought of self-consciousness about your body. Imagine the freedom and carefree sense of not feeling unworthy, anxious, or stressed about your appearance. God created us, yet sometimes we lose sight of the fact that he made us embodied souls. We are in our physical bodies, yet we are so much more than what we look like on the outside. We exist in both realities. And we fracture ourselves when we view our worth as solely existing in our bodies. We also fracture ourselves when [...]
Tips for Overcoming Anxiety and Procrastination
If you struggle with a combination of anxiety and procrastination, this article is for you. Reading through the Gospels presents like an adventure novel. We watch Jesus’ great exploits unfold on the canvas of a developing movement of miracles, signs, and wonders. As Messiah, He is our inspiration and perfect example. Yet, when we encounter the promise that Christ’s Church would do greater works, it seems overwhelming in life and for times we were chosen to occupy (John 14:12). We have the best intentions, desiring to do great with and for our Savior. Yet, we forget that God only expects us [...]
I’m a Christian and I’m Depressed
“I feel like I’m walking through mud.” Those are the words that came out of Kevin’s mouth every time he was honest about the way he was feeling. Kevin had been depressed for years, he had tried antidepressants, mindfulness training, prayer, talking with his pastor, and he’d even tried counseling. At the end of it all he still felt depressed. Kevin’s wife Katie was at her wit’s end. She hadn’t married a depressed man; she wasn’t even sure when the depression started. All she knew was that she felt alone. Katie often wondered if Keven was choosing his depression over her [...]
10 Signs of Depression in Teens
Teens can be moody due to hormones. It is not uncommon for teenagers to spend hours in their rooms or talking/texting their friends. But when should you become concerned about their moodiness? When should you intervene or consider professional help? Knowing the signs of depression in teens can help you pinpoint when their behavior is due to regular hormone changes and when it is possibly due to depression. Signs of depression in teens. It is critical to catch the early signs of depression in teens. Without treatment, clinical depression can lead to self-harm or suicide attempts. As parents, we worry about [...]
8 Benefits of Counseling for Teens
Depending on how you were raised, you may or may not be open to counseling. The idea of it can seem foreign, odd, or perhaps, only for those who are in dire straits. If counseling for yourself – an adult – seems unnecessary, how much more, then, would it be daunting to consider counseling for teens? Or perhaps you grew up in a home that championed counseling, yet you never went for one reason or another. Counseling for teens: 8 benefits. The thought of sending your teen to counseling might feel overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what to expect. Here [...]
Can A Person Have Both Anorexia and Bulimia?
Can a person have both anorexia and bulimia? That’s a complex question that we will seek to answer throughout this article. You may have a friend or family member who struggles with an unhealthy relationship with food. Maybe they nibble politely without taking in much food or they don’t often want to eat around others. These can be signs of an eating disorder. Sometimes people who struggle with control develop eating disorders and use food as a means to self-protect. What is the difference between anorexia and bulimia? Anorexia is a shortened form of the term anorexia nervosa. Typically, a person [...]