Are you your own worst critic? It’s good to hold yourself accountable, but self-compassion is a requirement for good mental health. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) offers various ways to practice being gentle with yourself….
What Is the “Mental Filter?” Depression occurs for many reasons. A common one is unhelpful thinking patterns — traps that our thoughts can fall into and get stuck in. These are also called cognitive distortions, and the “mental filter” is a common example. The mental filter is like having a screen over your mind that……
Stress and anxiety are closely related, but they are not the same thing. Stress is usually a response to external pressure or demands, while anxiety involves fear, worry, or apprehension that may persist even when no clear threat is present. Both can affect your mind and body, causing symptoms like muscle tension, irritability, trouble sleeping,……
Originally published: October 4, 2021 Updated: May 7, 2026 Crying is hard but understandable — most of the time. What about when it feels like you’re crying for no reason? And what can you do if it keeps happening? We cry when we feel a burst of emotion, or when we’re in physical pain. Crying……
Updated June 2nd, 2026 What Is Trichotillomania? Trichotillomania is the recurrent and hard-to-control pulling out of one’s hair. The pulling occurs most commonly from the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelids, but it may occur from other regions of the body. People with trichotillomania often describe experiencing an overwhelming urge to pull their hair. This makes the……
Anxiety can lead people to avoid all kinds of things — even sex. Understanding the role anxiety plays is a critical part to addressing sex avoidance. Updated August 19, 2023 One of the reasons you don’t read a lot about sex avoidance is that it’s more likely a symptom than a problem. But what is……
If you get panicky in enclosed spaces or situations when you feel trapped, you’re not alone. Cleithrophobia is a well-understood and treatable problem. Learn more. Updated: March 2nd, 2025 Cleithrophobia: Definition Cleithrophobia is a fear of being trapped. It is a “specific phobia” (as opposed to a social phobia). Cleithrophobia can affect adults or children.……
Blushing is a normal reaction in certain circumstances. So why might you have a fear of blushing? And what can you do about it? Karla blushed during a date after she spilled water all over herself and the table. She felt embarrassed and that her date thought she was awkward. From then on, she started……
Updated and reviewed: June 4th, 2026 What Causes Depression? There is not one simple cause for depression. Many medical conditions have a more straightforward cause. For example, viruses cause colds. Depression is more complex. Depression usually develops through a combination of genetic, social, environmental and psychological factors. Research shows that several factors make some people……
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD), sometimes referred to as complex trauma or complex PTSD, is somewhat different from PTSD. Here’s what you need to know about distinguishing cPTSD from PTSD and the treatment for each of these conditions. What Is PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a syndrome that affects some people who have……
Hand washing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce the spread of illness. However, many people wonder if they wash their hands too much. Although there’s no single number that defines “too much,” excessive hand washing can sometimes be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), particularly when it is driven by……
Intrusive thoughts about violence, one’s sexual orientation, gender, and other topics can lead to severe anxiety. Learn about common myths that can actually make intrusive thoughts worse. “Intrusive thoughts” are thoughts or images that a person experiences as unwanted. Intrusive thoughts are normal and unproblematic for most people. However, when experienced frequently, these thoughts can……