Do I need a diagnosis? By Robin (PSY) The question of whether or not an official diagnosis of a mental illness is necessary can be complex and difficult to answer. First, let’s be clear about what we mean by “diagnosis.” Typically, when someone suspects something is wrong mentally or emotionally, they will seek help, either by discussing their concerns with peers (ex. members of TeenHelp) or by meeting with a medical or psychological professional. Generally, the only person who can offer an...

Who suffers from mental illness? By Robin (PSY) Many of you may be familiar with the nature vs. nurture debate in regards to mental illness. To briefly summarize, some people believe that genetics determine whether or not individuals will suffer from mental illness, while other people believe that the environment and life events are more responsible for this. In reality, nature AND nurture interact with each other. So what does this mean for those who worry that they or their loved ones may...

The Dangers of Self-Diagnosis By Robin (PSY) “I'm depressed.” This statement may seem straightforward at first, but think about it for a moment. If someone you knew said, “I'm depressed,” what would you conclude? Would you assume that they were merely feeling sad, and that their feelings would go away after a few days? Or would you assume that they were suffering from a chronic mental illness, where their mood was affected by a number of biological and environmental factors? Your conclusion...

Conquering your anger By Manasvi (Artistic Soul) Anger: What is it? Anger - a strong and potentially destructive emotion in the human mind. Everyone is aware of this emotion. Anger is a corrosive feeling that can ruin our mental and physical health. It can cause high blood-pressure, violent urges, stress, and lack of peace of mind. People, especially teenagers, can easily become angry. At times, anything and everything can infuriate us. So what do you do during these times? Do you...

Countering your anxiety By Robin (PSY) When faced with an anxiety-provoking situation, two things happen: our body expresses the anxiety, and our mind becomes consumed by anxiety-related thoughts. Most of us have had to speak in public at least once in our lives. This situation can be frightening for most people – in fact, studies have shown that some people are more afraid of public speaking than they are of dying! So what happens when someone is about to speak in public? Their...

Kicking comparison to the curb By Maggie (Missmaggie55) The grass is always greener on the other side and unfortunately, many people go through life without ever acknowledging that the very grass on which they stand is the very grass someone else is so deeply infatuated by. It is disturbing to think that more and more children are becoming adults with negative body images. These children were never able to see their true reflection and instead turned to dangerous diet pills, plastic...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 2 (August 2010). Finding Psychiatric Services By Robin (PSY) Have you ever wanted to get help for your mental disorder or substance abuse, but have been discouraged by the incredibly high prices of medications and rehabilitation programs? How about wanting to talk to someone regarding your depression or self-harm, when you’ve been told that private sessions with a psychologist are out of your price range? This issue is not...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 11 (May 2010). LGBT Mental Health By Maria (Gidig) Mental health is brought up in many topics we talk about in this era. A huge part of living in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community is hearing about our own mental health. There is unfortunately a large difference between the mental health of LGBT people and that of ‘straight’ (heterosexual) people. We have finally reached a point in our culture that identifying as...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 11 (May 2010). The Truth about Eating Disorders By Jessie (Asylum) Eating disorders are characterized by abnormal eating habits resulting in insufficient or excessive food intake. There are many types of eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and eating disorder not otherwise specified. Like many other psychiatric disorders, there are misconceptions surrounding eating disorders and those living...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 10 (April 2010). Self Care By Maria (Gidig) Many of us have heard something about “self care” at least once. While it may seem like we already do a significant amount of self care by sleeping, eating, and even breathing, many people do not take enough time for themselves. Without self care, stress levels are much higher, relationships can be compromised, and depression creeps up. You can even physically feel better when you practice better...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 7 (January 2010). Art and Play Therapy By Maria (Gidig) Expressive therapy. Doesn’t that sound odd? But expressive therapies such as art and play therapy can be extremely helpful to anyone involved. We’ve heard of art and play therapy, but truly, what are they? Is it something that could benefit you? So many questions revolving around these! What is art therapy? Art therapy is a form of psychological help involving craft tools like chalk,...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 3 (September 2009). The Grey Bipolar Area By Gidig Depression and Bipolar Disorder are both mood disorders that can greatly affect your life. Though many see bipolar disorder as movies and television make it seem, minute by minute mood swings, this is not truly the case. Depression is a constant low mood, lasting weeks, months, and sometimes even years at a time. While bipolar disorder includes depression, you also go into stages called...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 12 (June 2009). Thyroid and Mood Disorders By Gidig (Maria) You go and talk to your doctor about depression, and they do a blood test to check your thyroid function. This may sound off the wall, but evidence and research is beginning to show that your thyroid and mood may be linked. Many people who have a mood disorder, such as manic depression especially, seem to have thyroid dysfunction. Thyroid dysfunction could be caused by your...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 11 (May 2009). Friends and Family of Those Suffering From a Mental Illness by LaFin Having a family member or friend living with mental illness can be hard at times, but there are some ways to make things easier and improve communication. It’s hard to know what someone else is going through, especially in respect to mental illness, but you can try to educate yourself on the subject, be caring and understanding and at the same time help them...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 11 (May 2009). The Pros and Cons of Understanding your Mental Disorder By Gidig About 9.5% of all adults in the United States have a diagnosable mood disorder. Mental disorders include major depressive disorder, bipolar depressive disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, ADHD, and others. Psychiatrists, doctors, and other health professionals can give you information on these disorders but thanks to the Internet we are now...