Blogs
Finding gifts for depressed people can be confusing, but with the holiday season in full swing, some of you may be looking for thoughtful ideas for presents to give to someone who has been diagnosed with depression. Perhaps you yourself have depression and are trying to figure out what types of gifts you'd like to receive this year. I decided it might be helpful for me to share some of my favorite present ideas with you so you can give gifts to depressed people that make a difference to them.
It took me a while to figure out that I’m a highly sensitive man, or more generally, a highly sensitive person (HSP). I realized that many of my personality traits and ways of thinking and behaving could not just be explained by the fact that I was introverted. I have always tended to be highly sensitive to my environment, others, and experiences. The problem, though, is that Western culture – with its emphasis on particular masculine norms – tends to look down on highly sensitive men. The sad truth is that I’ve always beaten myself up for the way I am. But I’ve found ways to embrace my high sensitivity, which I think are worth highlighting.
Perfectionism and being perfect often hold you back from living in bliss. You've heard the phrase "nobody's perfect," and you've probably said it yourself many times. It's a term people use without much thought. I've been thinking about perfectionism a lot recently, both because I've had substantial growth in this area, but also because I have more work to do. Perfectionism, trying to be perfect, can be a real happiness killer if it goes unchecked.
The holiday season is one of the most ubiquitous times for traveling, but if you deal with a history of disordered eating, it can be difficult to maintain eating disorder (ED) recovery during holiday travels. Whether you visit long-distance family members or vacation on a ski slope with friends, this departure from a typical structured routine will often cause anxiety-induced triggers to surface. If you plan to be away from the familiar comforts and securities of home this season, here are some coping mechanisms you can practice in order to maintain ED recovery during holiday travels.
Can we avoid holiday anxiety? After all, it’s ingrained in our culture that the holidays are a stressful time. It’s such a cliché that it seems as though every major holiday film and TV special, from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" to "Die Hard", is predicated on some kind of anxiety.
I've found my new attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) morning routine beneficial to me. Morning routines can be helpful for both children and adults with ADHD. Falling asleep and waking up again is notoriously difficult for many ADHDers. I have been experimenting with morning routines, and I have actually come to enjoy them.
A pros and cons list can be a wonderful tool to help with decision-making. However, many people struggle with identifying the advantages and disadvantages of a decision. Read this article to learn how to create an effective pros and cons list.
After nearly two years, I am officially closing the laptop on my blog at HealthyPlace. When I started, my son had just been diagnosed with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD). Two years later, I have filled these pages with information on how we've parented a child with this relatively new diagnosis. I've delved into his attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), too, and the ways we've tried to manage the ups and downs that come with it. I've learned a lot, and I hope others have, too.
Using ignorance as an excuse doesn't mean what someone said or did wasn't stigmatizing toward mental health or, more specifically, mental illness. Why? Because stigma isn't about intent. Stigma is the negative ideas and misconceptions of mental illness, whether intended or not. Ignorance only determines whether you're mistakenly stigmatizing mental health or doing it on purpose. But stigma is stigma, whether you know any better or not.
Generational silence surrounding complex posttraumatic stress disorder (complex PTSD, often shortened to C-PTSD) and the abuse that can cause it makes growing up in a physically, mentally or emotionally abusive family especially hard. When family members tell you that you need to just shut up and accept it's just how the family is, you can be left feeling hopeless and broken. This attitude is passed on from generation to generation with the expectation that the next generation will also keep quiet. It is the curse of generational silence and it can feed complex PTSD, but it's a curse that you can break.
Thanks as always for your kind and thoughtful comment! I hadn't considered that this may be particularly timely advice, but you make a great point that this is an excellent time to be thinking about how we can communicate effectively with family.
George
Thank you for adding that important question: What did I miss out on because of my safety behavior? That is an excellent way of gauging the help vs. harm a certain action is.
I love your drive to tackle stigma in the wake of what you and your parents faced. Keep at it and know you're not alone!