Adult Mental Health

As life resumes its previous shape, it’s no surprise that our re-entry is getting a lot of attention. Many of us got emotionally beat up as we were suddenly catapulted into our pandemic lives. I am getting a lot of messages to just exhale, yet I find I’m resisting them. Partially, I think it’s nervousness about what might be on the other side of letting go. When life has been so unpredictable, can we actually exhale, let go, and show our underbellies?

Power struggles are not enjoyable – when two people or parties are competing for control or influence, it makes for a very uncomfortable and frustrating experience. The more we can self-regulate the better we will be at dealing with difficult situations. Check out four strategies that will help guide you to avoid power struggles.

There are many advantages to holding zoom meetings-no travel time needed, no reason to compete for available conference room space, and the meeting can be easily recorded and archived. With so many efficiencies using technology, why are so many of us feeling exhausted and fatigued? Here are three factors that may be contributing to our feelings of Zoom fatigue and how we might mitigate them.

Marjorie D. Grevious guides us through a  a mindful breathing.

I'm the oldest of three adult siblings. My youngest sister, “Sue” was diagnosed with chronic depression, bipolar disorder, and within the past year, narcissistic personality disorder. Since the narcissistic diagnosis, she's stopped seeing her psychiatrist and stopped taking her medication. She's always had issues with pathological lying but I recently found out she has been lying to my other sister and parents about me for years - hurtful, relationship-damaging lies my family believed and she continues to tell to this day. My heart is extremely heavy because I'm contemplating severing ties with her. I know her behavior is largely because of her mental illness but I feel I need to emotionally protect myself from her. I'm at a loss for what to do.

This past year has been many things – it has been challenging, emotional, overwhelming, stressful, and yet it has also been inspiring and rewarding. There is no doubt about it, we have all had to change not only how we do our work but adjust our personal lives due to new stress and worry that we’ve never navigated before. How do we manage all of this and still be the very best possible version of ourselves?

My significant other doesn't believe me when I tell her I have a mental illness. It is really affecting our relationship as she doesn't respect me when I tell her I need extra time or space. How else can I show her what I am going through? 

Many of us are familiar with the concept of gratitude and thankfulness. Science says that feelings of gratefulness have many positive effects – from physical to psychological – making it the most popular topic for daily journals. At Nexus Family Healing, we see many youth and families who are going through difficult times and struggle to see the good in every day. That’s why we champion the practice of keeping a “joy journal.”

A four-week journal to share positive notes with your family each day.

We all have good and bad mental health days. When our mental health suffers, it affects our ability to think, feel, and act. Any one of us can experience a mental health crisis and crises can be triggered by certain events such as job loss, school pressures, or a break-up; death of a loved one; financial insecurity; medication changes; physical, sexual, or verbal abuse; or trauma.