Adult Mental Health

I recently had a miscarriage and I am having a really hard time getting over it. People act like it’s not a big deal and don’t understand why I would be grieving. They ask me how many months I was pregnant and when they find out it was 12-weeks, they make it seem like I wasn’t that far along, and I should be fine. I’m starting to pull away from people because nobody understands. My husband is trying to be comforting, which is nice, but his family thinks I am just trying to seek attention. How do I help people understand the effect this is having on me?

Distance learning has evoked anxiety not only in students, but in their parents and caregivers. Many parents are expressing feelings of failing their student when seeing grades drop, as well as feeling responsible for their child’s increased anxiety around school. Just know that you are not alone. Here are some quick tips to try the next time you are feeling overwhelmed, worried, or stressed.

We have a daughter that is 23 years old that has returned to live with us. We cared for her when she was a young teen as a foster child, but we have always considered her to be our own daughter. She had a long history of abuse and neglect as a child and as a result has had a difficult time. She has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression, but she seems to do better when she lives with us because we provide a consistent environment. We love and care about her very much and we will always be there for her. The concern we have is that she does not take very good care of her hygiene and does not keep herself clean. When she was younger, we were able to manage this, but now that she is an adult, we cannot parent her the same way. Even though we try to encourage her to keep herself clean, she does not seem to understand how bad it is and how it affects those around her. How should we handle this situation?

We can all practice being trauma-informed in our daily life by walking into any interaction with an open and curious mind. If we approach every human interaction with the understanding that we don't know what this person has been through or what they're currently dealing with, it opens the door for a better conversation and relationship.

Why is trauma-informed care important to you? Trauma has been shown to impact an individual’s brain development, subsequently altering emotional and cognitive development. In order to effectively engage with and treat clients who have experienced trauma of some kind, it’s important for us as providers to understand how trauma can change the way a person thinks, reacts, and operates.

My husband and I have been married for 30 years and have raised 3 children. In fact, our youngest son just moved out this past year. We have lived a wonderful life and feel blessed. Throughout the years, my husband would go through times where he seemed depressed and was down and out, but this would only last about week or so and then he would snap out of it. Now he just seems depressed all of the time. He has a hard time getting out of bed, he is not motivated, and it seems like nothing makes him happy. This has been going on now for more than 8 months. I don’t know what to do to help and I am a bit at my wits end. Help!!

2020 was a year like no other that challenged our mental health, our mindset, and overall well-being. As we move into the next year, it’s important to reset our minds and take the time to look back at 2020 and think about the happy times, joys, struggles, and challenges, and how we reacted and overcame them. Take a look at how the Four Steps to Letting Go can help you find a new mindset.

It's the new year, I'm trying to get excited about new goals, but 2020 has left me worn out. How do I get out of this slump and move on? 

When a loved one is dealing with depression, it's important to understand what they may be going through and what actions you can take to show your care and support. Understanding their feelings of depression may start with you asking a few questions and taking note of changes in their behavior.

I lost my brother to suicide in October 2019 and it’s been so hard. I feel like I caused his suicide and failed to save him. I’m not sleeping, I don’t have any energy and I’m starting to have thoughts of suicide myself. Where do I go from here?