ADAA Mental Health Blogs for the Public
What comes to your mind when you think of Valentine’s Day? If you suffer from anxiety and worry, then there is a good chance that you are concerned about being disappointed or about disappointing someone. If you do not have a romantic partner then your anxiety might be focusing your worry on never having a partner or never finding a great love. If you are depressed, then you might be experiencing more cynical thoughts about the commercialization of the holiday, the futility of romantic relationships or your own unworthiness for a fulfilling romance.
Family members often feel frustrated and helpless as they do not know what to say or how to behave with their loved one who they may view as not being proactive in trying to get better or being irritable and negative with them.
Congratulations! You’ve graduated from college, landed your first adult job, and have moved across the country away from family and friends to enter the work force. Now what?? While these are all amazing accomplishments that highlight your transition into independence and adulthood, they also are big life changes (especially all at once) that can be very stressful.
Modern life keeps us very busy.
We find ourselves ignoring the fundamentals like our health, family, friends, community etc.
All that neglect causes dysfunction in our lives.
We try desperately to fix the problem after it becomes a significant issue. In other words, we are attempting to reverse the damage once it has already become a disorder.
As a physician, this neglect is something I see among my patients every day.
Welcome to the big leagues, kid. You’re an adult now with a new job. You’ve been working for this all your life. Don’t screw it up!
Sound familiar?
Your brain may be using different words, but if you just started a new job, there’s likely some version of it playing in your head.
Six months ago Megan, age 32, ended her engagement. Her friends were relieved. Megan’s fiance, James, was controlling and critical. He told Megan she needed to make more money, exercise more, and come up with some interesting hobbies. Whatever Megan did wasn’t quite...enough. Megan realized that she didn’t want to marry a man like James. Megan realized how much James reminded her of her mother. Megan’s mother had always pushed her hard to excel; her disappointment left Megan devastated.
