Articles
Emotional Abuse: Signs and What To Do
As a counselor, the vast majority of clients I see have either endured or perpetrated some type of emotional abuse throughout their lifetime. Emotional abuse is quite pervasive, and it is a fairly new topic to be discussed as generations prior would not have even considered the effects of their words or actions qualifying as abusive. I do want to differentiate right away between someone being an emotional abuser, and someone saying or doing emotionally abusive things. An abuser will perpetually hurt, undermine, or seek to gain a manipulative upper hand over others – whereas the majority of people will have [...]
The Grief Process: Stages, Symptoms, and Treatment Options
In this article, I will discuss the grief process, including the definition of grief, symptoms of grief, and treatment for grief. First, let's consider a definition. What is Grief? In our society, grief, mourning, and bereavement are typically used to explain the experience of loss. Grief is defined as the emotional response someone has to the loss they have experienced. Mourning is the behavioral response to this loss, and bereavement is a term that explains the change of status, such as wife to widow. Bereavement is the period of time that one is going through grief and mourning. This article will focus on [...]
OCD Definition and What I Should Know About It
In this article, I'll be sharing an OCD definition as well as some information you should know about this condition. OCD Definition OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. In order to be diagnosed with this, a person needs to have obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are thoughts, urges or images that happen often and are hard to get out of your mind. They are unwanted and cause anxiety and distress. The person that has these thoughts, urges, or images tries to ignore, suppress, or neutralize them in some other thought or action. An example of this would be, a constant, worry that [...]
Treatment for Depression: How to Find a Solution that Lasts
First, let's look at what depression is and what the difference is between being sad, and depression. Being sad is a normal and healthy human emotion. It is a natural response to loss, rejection, and disappointment. Depression is a very common emotional issue and can be caused by an event or it can feel like it has come out of nowhere. Some people think that going to their doctor and getting medication will solve the problem and often times it helps, but it feels like you are still stuck. The line between sadness and depression is when the sadness effects your functioning. [...]
I Am a Woman with an Anxiety Disorder: What Should I Do?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), approximately 18.1% of adults in the United States are affected by an anxiety disorder of some kind – that’s about 40 million people. However, when allowing for errors in misdiagnosis or those who do not seek treatment for anxiety, this estimate rises quite a bit, to approximately 30% of Americans in the United States being affected by an anxiety disorder. These numbers are already quite astounding, but when we look at the research conducted by Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), we see that over the past decade, 54% of those with [...]
Effective Treatment for Anxiety: Methods that Last
We live in a society that has many overt and hidden stressors. When talking about treatment for anxiety, there is certainly no end of therapies and methods. Often, the method we use to deal with anxiety will depend upon its severity and root causes. Finding the Right Treatment for Anxiety Psychotropic and/or Naturopathic medication can be helpful when treating severe anxiety and panic attacks. Whether medication is used or not Christian Counseling should be an essential part of reducing anxiety. Medication Medication is an option for anxiety that primarily stems from a biochemical disturbance. Often, I find clients with anxiety stemming [...]
Understanding the Grief Stages
“You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly – that still hurts when the weather gets cold. But you learn to dance with the limp.” – Anne Lamott I am writing about one of life’s most uncomfortable and difficult topics to discuss – grief. This [...]
Common Signs of a Severe Anxiety Attack and What to Do When it Happens
A severe anxiety attack can take on many forms. Christian counselors tend to use the term panic attack to indicate that the momentary anxiety attack can last for a few minutes while the effects are felt for hours. Panic anxiety disorder indicates a longer-term condition where panic attacks happen on a consistent basis for an individual. Common Signs of a Severe Anxiety Attack According to the Mayo Clinic and my observations, the most common signs of a severe anxiety attacks include: Flushes or chills Chest pain A headache Dizziness, lightheadedness A sense of detachment and/or feelings of being outside of reality [...]
Sex Addiction Symptoms You Should Not Overlook
If you’re reading this, you are likely wondering if either you or someone you know is struggling with sex addiction symptoms. In fact, you may still be a skeptic concerning the idea that sexual addiction is even a real thing; if so, I understand that. After all, God created us to be sexual beings with the purpose of us procreating – so how can we possibly do too much of that? I’m glad you (hypothetically) asked. Perhaps if I phrase this question in a different way, it may illuminate the topic in a different light for you: If you or someone [...]