Have you ever felt hesitant about approaching someone you met eyes with? Or felt nervous talking to someone you’re interested in? Or felt a knot in your stomach while finding the courage to ask someone on a date? Most likely, you’ve experienced at least one—or maybe all...
While growing up, boys learn what it means to “be a man.” Unfortunately, some of these “manly” teachings can be downright harmful like “big boys don’t cry,” “suck it up,” “tough it out,” and more. Most boys are taught to ignore or dismiss their feelings—internalizing v...
Most people have experienced anxiety at some point. Running late for an important meeting, getting ready before a date, speaking publicly for the first time—anxiety is within the scope of the human experience. In fact, it’s a perfectly normal reaction to stressful situa...
Most likely by now you’ve heard about the controversial Netflix series “13 Reasons Why.” The show is about Hannah Baker, a high school student who takes her own life and then explains what she sees as the 13 “reasons” that led to her decision. Her reasons are described ...
Games are part of modern culture in the same way television, cinema and sports are. And just like any other modern culture medium, video gaming has a community that celebrates the art form. In order to represent that community, we host an event each year: RPG Limit Break. ...
One November day in Gaston County, NC, traffic was at a stand-still on I-85. It was unfortunately caused by a 16-year-old who took her life on the highway. As cars grinded to a halt, a pick-up truck was rear-ended by someone not paying attention. The driver of that truc...
When was the last time you considered how sound might impact your health? Most of us only think about sound pollution when there’s a jackhammer outside our bedroom window, but it turns out what you listen to all day can affect your wellness. And since music is the most co...
I was eight years old the first time my mother threatened to kill herself. Born to loving parents and growing up in an idyllic Maryland suburb outside Washington D.C., I had a solid start in life. But within a few years, my home life began to unravel. In addition to de...
“The things I struggle with the most are the feelings of abandonment, feeling like people are always mad at me, the self-hatred and self-harm.” says Katie, who lives with Borderline Personality Disorder ( BPD ). You might notice these symptoms are all related to relatio...
I have lived with chronic motor tic disorder and an anxiety disorder since I was eight years old. Growing up, I hid or denied having my disorders out of fear I would be seen as a freak. When friends asked what I was taking pills for, I simply responded with, “Oh, just al...
Growing up, I was convinced my father was the strongest man alive. Not only could he carry two full bags of laundry up our three-floor walkup in a single trip and open any stubborn jar with almost zero effort, nothing could make the man cry. As a child, I thought that was ...
When I was younger, I worried about everything. Worry was with me in high school: Would I get into college? If so, which one? Worry was with me when I was in college: Would I pass my finals? Would I get a job afterwards? I always assumed that I had to worry about st...
It seems like kids today are not as good at concentration as we might remember being at their age. If your child seems to be having trouble focusing or finishing simple tasks without getting distracted, you may be wondering if it’s because of a mental health condition, suc...
Alex Williams, Stephen Berkemeier, Dr. Terri Wright The following is an abridged and slightly edited transcript from a recent podcast by the Steve Fund , the nation’s only non-profit organization focused on the mental health and well-being of students of color. The...
Stress is a universal part of the human experience. More often than not, the stress we experience on a day-to-day basis is tolerable—meaning, we have the coping skills and support to endure it. There is, however, another kind of stress that is not so common has been ref...
You’ve done it! High school is over and it’s time for college. Everyone is just so proud… and you’re alternating between wildly optimistic and sure of certain failure. As a person with a diagnosed mood disorder, you just barely survived high school—and that’s no exagger...
Did you know that colleges and universities are more aware of college students’ mental health needs now than ever before? Thanks to current research findings , they are doing a much better job understanding the link between mental health and academic success. The Amer...
Note: This blog is presented as a cross-collaboration between NAMI and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention , whose mission is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. It originally appeared on the AFSP Lifesavers Blog . - When ...
Like many who have social media accounts, I regularly check my timelines and feeds for intriguing articles, updates and happenings. Two years ago, I was mindlessly scrolling through one of my accounts before going to bed and one post immediately stood out among the rest...
Since I was 13, I have struggled with eating. I once went years without ever eating a proper meal. By the time I was 17, I was admitted to an adolescent mental health hospital. My hair was thinning, my skin had a yellowish tint and my heart was barely beating. I stood in t...