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.
[Read more…]How Does the “Mental Filter” Make You Sad and Anxious?
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 obscures the positive aspects of a situation while letting the negative aspects through.
[Read more…]What You Should Know If You’re Crying for No Reason
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 an upswell or burst of emotion, or when we’re in physical pain. Crying is healthy. It can soothe us, reduce pain, and show others that we need help. It is not a sign of weakness, as some believe. Yet sometimes crying seems to happen randomly or out of the blue. If crying seems to happen for no reason on a regular basis, it could be a sign of emotional difficulties.
[Read more…]What Causes Depression? It May Not Be What You Think
If you or a loved one are struggling with depression, there can be several causes. The variety can be surprising.
There is not one simple cause for depression. Many other conditions have a clear cause. For example, genetic factors cause autism and viruses cause colds. The causes of depression are much more complex.
Research shows that several factors make some people more vulnerable to depression than others. Relevant factors include genetics, childhood experiences, as well as the meaning we ascribe to life events or circumstances. Many people assume the life circumstances or events themselves cause depression. However, it is far more likely that the way we think about those things causes us to cope well or to become depressed.
[Read more…]A Psychologist’s Advice on How to Deal with Disappointment
Disappointment is a part of life that comes up when hopes or expectations aren’t met. All of us feel disappointment at times in our relationships, in other people, and in ourselves. It’s not an easy feeling to sit with, but there are healthy (and unhealthy) ways to cope with this unavoidable emotion.
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