Although they may seem strikingly similar, there are subtle but real differences between such things as “burnout”, “compassion fatigue” and “vicarious trauma” Whatever label it has, burnout or compassion fatigue remains a serious threat to those working in any mental health capacity. A professional’s psycho-social factors (ie, their personal support system), caseload, experience and age […]
What do you think of when you hear the word “meditation”? Some might imagine a person sitting cross-legged—perhaps in a simple room, monastery, or in front of a majestic landscape—exploring a universe of possibilities within themselves. And although this cliché has a grain of truth in it, meditation can be much more. Author Christina Rodenbeck […]
Adults spend a majority of their waking lives at work, and if you find yourself in a negative work environment, you will more than likely have lower levels of positive mental health (PMH). This observation is not only anecdotal, but also scientific, as recent research has highlighted the effects of a negative work environment on […]
Me. Myself. I. Since its beginning, American culture has placed great emphasis on originality. In recent years, advertising and marketing campaigns have taken this concept even further: Be Yourself. Be Original. Be Different. But in a seemingly never-ending sea of individuals all trying to be different, how does one truly stand out? How do truly […]
Most people have heard of genetics and have a pretty good idea of what it is. One may remember hearing about Mendel’s peas, DNA, and genes back in school. And although this idea of “classical genetics” remains intact as a scientific idea today, in more recent years, scientists have been unlocking the secrets of inheritance […]
For years, pet lovers have been advocates for the positive mental and physical health benefits of owning a pet. And the scientific research into pet ownership appears to confirm what pet lovers have long known: Owning a pet can increase physical activity, provide companionship, and—in some cases—mitigate the symptoms of depression, especially in older adults. […]
Fear is a natural human feeling, and how we interpret—and use—it is somewhat dependent on one’s culture. In the west, for instance, fear is often seen as a negative emotion, something we must “overcome.” But there are other ways to look at fear, and in his book, “The Gift of Fear,” author Gavin De Becker […]
Depression is a mental disorder that costs the heath system, economy, but above all the person suffering with this medical condition. Prolonged feelings of sadness and hopelessness may seem—to the person suffering—to be limited to subjective experience, but as it turns out, this mental health disorder which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and […]
The opioid epidemic has been hitting Americans hard for the last few years. Past drug epidemics have included heroin of the 19070s and the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s. But the current epidemic, which has its roots in the 1990s, has taken on a different tone. In particular, areas throughout the “rust belt” region […]
Throughout popular culture, the idea of having an identity crisis has remained a prevalent idea. Throughout countless movie plots and television shows as well as in popular books and magazines, a person can have an “identity crisis”—a stage or moment in their lives where a person appears to lose a sense of who they are. […]