Children with chronic illnesses don’t always get the opportunities to lead typical “normal” lives. They might have to undergo multiple surgeries or spend days or weeks at a time in the hospital. So, it should come as no surprise that it’s exceptionally important to help and support these children as much as possible.

If your teen has certain goals or aspirations, like getting into a specific college or making the honor roll, they could be dealing with a lot of extra pressure. Academic pressure can impact your teenager in many ways, directly affecting their physical and mental well-being.

Social anxiety is a diagnosis; fear of failure involves distorted thought patterns. Either of these issues can seriously hamper your daily life. You can get stuck in patterns of behavior that hold you back and negatively impact your physical health, too. Plus, these two conditions are often connected. 

If your child still struggles with shyness, that’s okay. It simply might take them a bit longer to develop self-confidence. But there are things you can do to help and encourage them along the way. The more confident they are, the more likely they will feel comfortable in front of others.

When you’re dealing with anxious thoughts, it can be extremely difficult to escape them. It’s important to understand some of the common traps that keep your thoughts anxious. When you’re able to recognize those traps, you can take more active steps to free yourself from them. So, let’s take a closer look.

As a parent, you are your child’s first role model, and they look to you for everything. Even when it seems like they aren’t paying attention, they can pick up on even the smallest nuances of your well-being. That includes your mental health. 

It’s easy to assume that teens are just going through phases with their eating habits. But how do you know when their picky eating could be something more serious, like an eating disorder?

Psychological tests can be objective or projective, and there are more benefits than you might realize. Let’s take a look at some of those benefits, so you can decide if it’s the right step for you — and to ease any concerns you might have about undergoing an evaluation. 

You’ve undoubtedly experienced guilt at some point in your life. We’re flawed people, and we all make mistakes. Healthy guilt is often the appropriate response when you do something that negatively impacts another person. However, not all guilt is healthy. 

The holidays are right around the corner, and while for many people they are a time of joy, fun, and celebration, there’s no question that they can also be a little overwhelming. In some cases, they can even cause a lot of anxiety. 

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) impacts millions of people across the globe. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 6% of all U.S. adults will experience it at some point in their lives.  It can be crippling, controlling, and leave you with a variety of symptoms that will negatively affect your quality of life. 

Rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD) and ADHD are often linked, and most experts contribute it to the differences in brain structure of those who deal with ADHD. While not everyone with ADHD will end up having RSD, it’s a common problem and RSD can actually make the symptoms of ADHD worse. 

ADHD impacts both men and women. It’s not a disorder that discriminates. However, it can manifest itself differently between the two sexes. For example, women tend to experience ADHD a bit differently than men. That includes showing different symptoms, or even trying to explain away their symptoms due to a misdiagnosis. 

Many people assume they have a basic understanding of what ADHD is, what it looks like, and how it can impact a person’s life. But, we often look at ADHD as a children’s disorder. While it’s often diagnosed in childhood, that doesn’t mean it goes away as a person grows. 

Teenagers have a lot to deal with. They’re thinking about their future, trying to maintain social relationships, keeping up with schoolwork, and coping with significant hormonal shifts all at once. On top of all of that, there are societal pressures that can creep in and wreak havoc on your teen’s mental well-being. That includes body image issues. 

Anxiety can largely affect your physical health, too — including your heart. While it is, indeed, a mental health condition, the lasting impact of anxiety on your heart can be a serious risk to your health and pose lasting negative consequences. 

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopment disorder that affects millions of individuals. ADHD is often diagnosed in children; however, it does transform into adulthood and can have drastic effects in everyday life.

It’s hard to think about children dealing with anxiety for any reason. Unfortunately, many things can trigger it. Your child might not typically be anxious, but when they have to take a test, they become overwhelmed.

Even if you don’t completely fail at something, underachieving or just missing the mark can feel just as damaging. Unfortunately, when you carry those feelings with you more often than not, it can start to take a toll on your mental health.

Each of us can change our mindset. Yes, of course, there can be factors for which we need help. However, in a day-to-day sense, we can rewrite the negative beliefs that are holding us back. A giant first step in this direction involves a closer examination of the role self-talk plays.