Get Self Empowered on All Levels
As people often say, “seize the day.”Although, this is much easier said than done. Often, we feel as though we do not have complete control over our lives; that our actions and decisions are being made for us by others. So how exactly do we take back command over ourselves?
Continue reading “Building Up Self-Empowerment Through Counseling”
There are numerous articles and therapists everywhere who talk about how being organized can help improve one’s physical and mental health. They said that being organized can reduce depression and anxiety. However, there comes a challenge on how to be more organized.
Continue reading “Lists You Should Keep As Recommended By Couples Counseling Experts”
Single parenthood has its challenges, but this task can be made more accessible by getting the right support and assistance. Support can come in three main ways: practical help (concerning finances and other resources), emotional support (to help deal with grief, loss, and the challenges of raising a child alone), and social assistance (to be able to find time for yourself). All parents could use these kinds of help, but for single parents, it is especially important.
Part of the parental commitment to their children and adolescents is to be a source of support to depend upon, at least until young people have the age and experience and determination to fully depend upon them selves. — Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D.
People Who Can Help Single Parents
Looking for help can make one feel embarrassed, but the truth is, there is no shame in looking for assistance. Single parenting can be quite overwhelming, so accepting an extra hand is normal. Likewise, you can pay it forward to other single parents in need.
That being said, help can be found everywhere and in different forms:
Friends: If you have a handful of friends that you can trust, then seek for their counsel. They can also offer you sound advice and can be parental figures for your child.
Local community: Having a local child care center and a support group can give you time to go to work without worrying about your child. You can also check with your child’s school for any programs they have to offer.
Colleagues: It is essential for everyone, including single parents, to find space to be themselves and pursue their passions. Having supportive colleagues can make multitasking a little bit easier.
Good support is less about saying the exact right thing and more about putting in the effort to try to understand what another person is going through, and then helping, when appropriate, in ways that don’t minimize or magnify a difficult situation. — Juliana Breines Ph.D.
Counselors: They can help you and the children deal with the challenges of daily life and can make your emotional issues more manageable to handle. (You can attend parent counseling sessions. This article has more information on this type of program.)
Telephone hotlines: For busy parents, sometimes all they need is someone to talk to for a few minutes. Online counseling is on the rise and is also a great option.
Ideas For Finding Support As A Single Parent
To find support and resources, you can look in the local papers or your community center for information on playgroups, child day care, or counseling. If you know other single parents, you can also ask them if they can refer any helpful contacts or support groups.
You can also look for a book club or similar organizations which can help you pursue your hobbies while expanding your social circle. Similarly, social media can help you connect with people from all over the world to share parenting strategies and other tips.
Attending support groups for parents of children who are experiencing the same or similar problems can be very helpful. — Eric R. Maisel Ph.D.
Make A Plan
When deciding where to get the right support, you have to make a plan for yourself. It requires a lot of self-awareness and knowing what areas you will need the most assistance. If you need extra hands, call a family member or a friend you can entrust with your child.
Should you need a break from the stress, find an enjoyable hobby or club. Another important thing to remember is to surround yourself with positive, goal-oriented people to inspire you. It really doesn’t matter where and how you get the support you need, as long as it works for you and your situation.
Self-empowerment is all about taking charge and making decisions based on what you want in your life. It involves recognizing your overall capability, including mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. The concept of self-empowerment lies in your ability to understand the things around you before you make certain actions. To explore this concept further, you need to know what you must do to transform your stressful life into a happy and stress-free one.
Source: pixabay.com
Let Go Of The Past
It is significantly important to learn from your mistakes. However, you must note that constantly looking back to the past can hinder you from achieving inner peace. When you trap yourself on things you should and shouldn’t have done, you will become guilty of every decision you make. To avoid that, you need to let go of whatever it is that is holding you back. You need to stop judging and criticizing yourself over nothing. Never allow guilt to take a toll on you, and experience depression and anxiety related to the past. Understand that things are over and the only thing you can do is move forward.
Don’t Worry About The Future
Another self-empowerment tip that you need to practice is calmness and patience. Do not worry about the future and accept the truth of what it holds for you. Yes, there are uncertainties, failures, and stress that might block the way. But you need to understand that there is a fine line between self-empowerment and letting things flow in front of you. You need to surrender to your strength and abilities, so you can constructively utilize them in achieving your goal toward success and inner peace.
Be Aware Of Your Surroundings
One of the basic rules of self-empowerment is awareness. It involves recognizing yourself and your environment. But to fully commit to that, you will need to learn to disengage yourself from stressful things. It might not be easy at first. But once you get a grip of it, you will see the difference in how you treat and respond to things around you. You’ll learn to distinguish severe problems from mild life challenges. Self-empowerment can help you become focused on taking back your life as your own.
Source: pixabay.com
Relax The Mind And Body
Self-empowerment is entirely an exhausting process, so you have to take time out and relax even for a little bit. Fortunately, meditation can be an excellent way to free your body and mind from stress. You can work on it by taking a few minutes each day to practice deep breathing and focus on seeking out inner silence. Furthermore, meditation helps clear out unwanted thoughts and feelings, making it more convenient for overall relaxation.
Develop A Healthy Mindset
Your mindset is what gives you an edge in dealing with life struggles. But before you can take advantage of it, you need to have that willingness to expand and grow as an individual. You can start by realizing your true self from the current dominant thoughts, habits, and beliefs you often have. If these things serve you positively, you should cultivate them and use them according to their purpose. However, if these are contributing negatively, you need to acknowledge the course of control.
Trust In Yourself
Trusting yourself is the best self-empowerment quality that you should possess. That’s because it helps with better decision-making and analytical thinking. It can help you make choices and accept your own judgment. It can allow you to see the bigger picture from a different perspective. But of course, it is not perfect because sooner or later, you’ll still have to deal with guilt, fear, and self-doubt. But when trust involves having faith in the process, there is the guarantee of becoming the best version of yourself.
Source: pixabay.com
Recognize What You Got
Sometimes, it can be overwhelming to experience tons of struggles all at the same time. But it should not cause you a distraction. You need to look closer and see what you got. Recognize and know what, when, and where you should allow yourself to have power. Identify and embrace the abilities you possess and use them to your overall advantage. Be mindful of the things you can do with or without the help of others. Always remember not to treat yourself any differently.
Be Responsible
Empowerment has a lot to do with your ability to commit to your small or big responsibilities. You must know what you are accountable for in your life decisions to allow yourself to be guilt-free. Of course, not all the time will you be able to manage everything. But when you focus on dealing with things based on how you know you should, you’ll become more aware of your feelings, thoughts, and actions. You will then see how great you can become due to your recognized independence and self-confidence.
The scope of mental health is not perfect as there is much work to be done. Conditions can be complicated, and some require more than just a basic cure. Sometimes, mental conditions require professional medical treatment, while others can be managed by self-improvement and self-care. These mental health conditions that do not entirely require medical treatment may include mild stages of stress, anxiety, and mental and emotional exhaustion.
Source: pixabay.com
It is vital that before trying to find the best solution for mental health issues, one has to deal with self-empowerment. It can only be done when an individual acknowledges the negative mindset he has that might complicate overall healing. Typically, poor self-regard often manifests as self-criticism, and this includes:
With these self-criticisms, one must understand that immediate mental and emotional resolution can be difficult to obtain. Therefore, one must consider self-compassion to enable the transformation of the mindset a person has towards himself. The changes must include the following:
Self-Love – Self-love is always necessary as it promotes positive energy. It provides an individual the right amount of acceptance despite series of imperfections. Self-love helps see the good things in one’s darkest past, disreputable decisions, and negative behaviors. Self-love means showing kindness by forgiving one’s faults or mistakes, particularly in times of pain and failure.
Recognizing No Human Is Perfect – While self-criticism impacts one’s ability to judge himself, it can also be responsible for putting pressure on other people’s personalities. It builds up insecurities, and over time, it destroys one’s ability to appreciate the positive qualities one has. Self-compassion, on the other hand, aims to understand one’s and other people’s imperfections. It is the ability to know that all individuals are also fighting their own battles.
Building Awareness Of Emotions – Self-compassion has a lot to do with building awareness of emotions. It serves as a tool that allows a person to be mindful of painful thoughts and feelings without consuming them. Self-compassion affects emotions as it helps with better decision-making and analytical thinking.
Source: pixabay.com
How To Practice Self-Empowerment
Learn And Gather Information That Relates To One’s Experience – An individual may struggle with different challenges in life. Thus, he should know when and how to use self-empowerment based on his mental and emotional needs. An individual must realize that his will can only determine the positive result of his thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Thus, he needs to obtain the required skills and take action to achieve smaller and bigger goals.
Seek Support From A Professional Expert Or Therapist – Self-empowerment doesn’t always mean fighting a battle alone. It also means acknowledging one’s incapabilities of handling mental health issues. Thus, seeing professional support is still a better way to build self-awareness.
Align Behavior With Specific Goals And Values – The process of self-empowerment is not perfect. There are chances that it might push people outside of their comfort zones and make them break their boundaries. One must align their behaviors with their values to stick to the goal of developing oneself and not trying to build another persona. Instead, one should challenge himself and his beliefs.
Take Responsibility Of Life Choices – Self-empowerment will not be complete without making decisions. However, better options are not always available. Thus, one must take responsibility for his life choices to focus on working for the betterment and won’t get trapped with regret. One must have the ability to see that his actions can lead to a meaningful change. One should not blame others for his unhappiness and be open to adjustments. An individual must ensure that he’s meeting the needs that fulfill him.
Be Observant And Aware Of Thoughts, Feelings, And Behaviors – Self-empowerment can be a complicated process when an individual doesn’t spend time observing his thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It would be best to learn to distinguish his needs from his wants, approvals and disappointments, considerations and restrictions, and changes and acceptance. That is the only way to build that self-confidence that would help him with his mental and emotional instability.
Source: pixabay.com
Takeaway
Self-empowerment helps an individual understand their strengths and weaknesses and motivates him to learn and achieve specific goals. But self-empowerment is not something one can master immediately. It takes time before one can fully commit to its practice. It can only become beneficial when an individual is mindful enough to acknowledge the complication of his mental and emotional situation.
Everyone had always praised our family for being close-knitted and knowing about each other deeply in our community. Hence, you could imagine the hurt and disbelief that we experienced when we learned that my little sister had been hiding the fact that she had cohabitated with a married man.
How We Found Out
It was my sister’s birthday, and my parents wanted to surprise her. She lived in another city because of her job and could not come home to celebrate it with us, so mom and dad thought of bringing the party to her. We knew where she kept her spare key, so we felt that we could easily sneak in and jump out and sing her the happy birthday song as soon as she comes home.
When we reached my sister’s apartment, my father noticed that her door was unlocked. As he retired cop, he concluded that someone could be robbing my sister’s place at that moment. He made us go behind him as he opened the door, but we all got the surprise of our lives when we saw my sister cooking with a very naked man in her kitchen.
My sister saw us immediately, and the guy hurried to cover himself up with an apron. My mother was too shocked to talk, but my father wanted answers. He was more conservative than the mom, after all. He made my sister, and I promise to get married before shacking up with a guy. Thus, once the unknown guy came out dressed, my dad asked him when he planned on doing right by my sister.
The thing was, the man turned pale and could not open his mouth. I thought my father’s question surprised him, but my sister revealed that they could not get married because he was already married to someone else.
“So, are they separated?” I asked.
When my sister shook her head now, I felt the need to close my eyes and count to 10 to keep myself from cursing. This revelation meant two things: 1) these two were committing adultery, and 2) my sister fully consented to it.
My dad, furious, wanted the man to leave immediately and never come back. However, my sister stood her ground and told us to go because she was doing what she wanted. On our way out, I told her that I hoped karma would not bite her in the ass since she was committing a mortal sin.
When She Returned Home
I received a text from my sister six months later, asking if she could come home. She was afraid of going straight to my parents because they might still be mad at her.
In reality, I who is more furious at my sister than mom and dad. They disrespected my parents with their sinfulness and did not dare to apologize for it. Still, I knew that my parents would be happy if she would return home, so I said yes.
As soon as she stepped into the house, crying, we knew that something was wrong. Play sister told us that her boyfriend no longer wanted to do anything with her because his wife was already pregnant with their first child. I wanted to yell, “Don’t you hear how twisted that statement is?” But I stopped myself from doing so. As a counselor, I knew the importance of not being judgmental, especially when the person in distress was beginning to open up. But since I was also human and a frustrated sister, I could not help myself from thinking of that.
Counseling Someone Freshly Out Of A Messy Relationship
When it was only my sister and me in the living room, she asked if she could sign up for counseling. Although I was still upset with her awful decisions in life, I admired her willingness to move on from everything.
The next day, we talked some more, and my sister said that she knew her relationship with a married man would never end well. But she did not feel like she could find another guy who would like her for her, so she grew to love him despite his marital status.
As I was listening to my sister, I realized that she had some insecurities. It did not seem like she was aware of them, but it did not mean they were not there, affecting her judgments. I informed her of my analysis, and she said that it made total sense.
In the next few weeks, my sister and I worked hard to build her self-esteem. It was not a cakewalk, I should tell you. It turned out that my sister was also scared of being called a failure in anything, so we had to deal with that as well. Even my parents got involved in the process, and it somehow turned into a group counseling activity.
We decided to make a cake for every milestone during my sister’s healing journey for positive reinforcement. We did it when she deleted the guy’s number, blocked him on all social media platforms, threw away all the mementos from their time together, and could finally talk about her past relationship without choking up or longing to be with that guy.
It was a teachable experience – one that every woman should learn from. Being in a relationship with a married man is never good, ladies – please remember that.
When I was still in my first year in college, taking up psychology, I already prepared myself for years of dealing with people with various mental health disorders. It’s what I wanted to do ever since my father had depression when I was a child and saw how much he suffered because of it. His behavior and way of thinking only changed two years after he met the right psychologist.
During my on-the-job training, I immersed myself in a mental health facility where I experienced first-hand what it was like to help diagnose a new patient and find a way for them to get better. During that time, I decided to become a licensed counselor after getting my license to practice psychology. This meant practically a decade of studying and working my **** off to pay for my grad school and post-grad school.
Once I opened my own clinic downtown, I expected the routine to be the same. Meaning, I would get several clients a day who need help finding out if they have depression, anxiety, eating disorder, or another type of mental illness. They would challenge my intellect and push me to become a better psychologist and counselor. Since my opening, it happened a few times, but I noticed more people – women especially – who would come for mental help after breaking up with their boyfriends or spouses.
The problems I heard always had a similar plot. For instance, the guy who had the habit of cheating on his girlfriend or wife finally called it quits, and the abandoned girlfriend or wife would feel devastated or almost suicidal because they could not accept the breakup. In other cases, the woman lost her mind because the guy she broke up with threatened to post their intimate pictures and videos on the internet if she would not get back to him. The ages of the women who would come to me for help always varied, but their issues were practically the same.
My advice for the first case was always to see the break up in a positive way. Imagine if the guy who kept on giving you worries left voluntarily; it meant you are finally free from the relationship that bound you to him. They made the decision that you could not make, and you should be thankful for it. The loss of the connection may feel foreign to you, but singlehood may be a blessing in disguise, especially if you have been with a toxic person for a while.
As for those women who are scared out of their wits due to the possibility of their naked bodies or sexual acts going in public, the reality is that only law enforcement can help prevent that from happening at this point. You can call the police and inform them about your ex’s threats so that they can resolve the issue immediately. All I’ll be able to do is listen to your woes, help you overcome the possible trauma that the breakup may have caused you, and teach you how to avoid being in the same situation again.
Still, from one woman to another, here are some online safety tips that ladies in love tend to forget.
Avoid Sharing Passwords To Your Boyfriend
Password sharing is more reasonable to do between spouses. You have chosen to tie the knot and spend your life together, after all. It entails that you don’t need to hide stuff like that from each other.
However, if you are only in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, please try to avoid sharing your passwords. This advice is also applicable to men. Even if you do so to prove that you have nothing to hide, you are still not married – you technically do not know what your partner is capable of doing if you ever split with them.
Do Not Agree To Make Intimate Videos
As mentioned above, many of my clients worried about their sex tapes being seen by other people. That pushed some of them to reconcile with their exes – but only to be abused again emotionally or physically. Then, they would come to counselors or psychologists again for mental help when they could no longer handle the stress.
Well, you would have had a clean break if you did not agree to make intimate videos in the first place. It may have been fun and exciting while you are doing it, but you cannot gain fame or money because of it unless you are not Kim Kardashian.
Stay Away From Guys Who Force You To Do Either Or Both
It will also be ideal for running in the opposite direction once the man starts to pressure you to do either or both. It is okay to ask about passwords or sex tapes once – men are both curious and naughty – but it is never a positive sign if they cannot accept that no means no.
In such cases, please do yourself a favor and end the relationship before the man could blackmail you and make you do things you’d regret later.
Final Thoughts
Being in love with and being loved by someone can be the best feeling in the world. However, it is always ideal for assessing whether your relationship is still healthy. If the man cherishes you and does not use blackmail or self-pity to get their way, you are in luck – that man is a keeper. If they do the opposite, though, you better leave him before you get hurt.
It is normal for a person to experience downfall, mishaps, and shortcomings. Losses and defeats can happen to people regardless of age or social position, whether on a school test, work quota, or weight loss. But what sets most people apart when they experience these insurmountable failures is their capability to stand up, grow, and become stronger and better.
People who overcome challenges to become a better version of themselves owe it all to their resilience.
In psychology, resilience refers to the trait or quality that helps or motivates people to move forward and become better after facing a difficult situation, relationship problem, or some big and major shortcoming.
Resilient people capitalize on their strengths and capabilities in handling their present challenges and recovering from recent life failures. Rather than falling short, accepting inadequacy, and letting failures overcome their lives, people with high resiliency levels always have a plan to achieve their long-term or short-term goals despite these struggles.
Opposite to that, those with low resiliency levels can be very pessimistic, uninterested, or defeated when facing their failures. They might have more complicated ways to deal with their problems. They are unable to see road bumps as an opportunity to improve themselves.
Resilience is one of the most important concepts or themes in positive psychology. It motivates a person to bounce back and achieve greater success in their lives.
However, you should not confuse resilience with grit and mental toughness. Resilience is more narrowly defined as a construct, and it entails bouncing back from failures rather than steering away from the possibility of having one.
Psychologists believe that a lot of factors can contribute to resilience. But they mostly argue that resilience is a common human strategy that is innate and natural. Optimism, which is another innate characteristic, creates a more effective barrier that can block the negative impacts of stress from aggravating one’s memory in the long term. This sense of filtering can help a person get back on track faster, leading to a more cool-headed, regulated, and productive mindset.
Social factors and involvement with people can help figure out how to be resilient. Good mental well-being and being able to communicate with your peers can help improve resilience. Holding on to one’s capabilities in facing failures may be rooted in having a supportive and affectionate family and friends.
Uncontrollable factors such as genes or personal experiences also play a significant factor in building resilience.
If you want to know more about resilience, psychology, and how you can use it to your advantage, check out the handy FAQ written below.
What is resilience, According to Psychology?
According to psychology, resilience is the process of adjusting well in the face of challenges, tragedy, threat, trauma, or stress – such as relationship problems, family conflicts, critical health problems, or financial or workplace stressors.
What is resilience theory?
The resilience theory disputes that it is not inherent adversity that is most crucial, but how a person deals with it. When we go through adversity, frustration, or tragedy, reliance helps us in bouncing back. It helps us in our journey through recovery and survival, particularly in misfortune, although it is not all there is to it.
What are the five skills of resilience?
Below are the seven skills of resilience:
What is resilience, and why is it important?
Resilience is the capacity of a person to endure adversity and recover from stressful and devastating life events. Resilience is vital because it provides a person the strength required to go through and surpass hardship. People who lack resilience are easily overwhelmed and may respond with unhealthy coping strategies.
What are the five pillars of resilience?
The five pillars of resilience include mindfulness, purpose, self-awareness, positive relationships, and self-care.
What are the three categories of resilience?
The classifications of resilience include adaptive resilience, natural resilience, and restored resilience.
What are the 7 C’s of resilience?
The seven Cs of resilience are as follows:
What makes a person resilient?
A resilient person is aware of his circumstances, his emotional responses, and the nature of the people around him. Another attribute of resilience is the comprehension that life is filled with challenges. Resilient people know that while they cannot avoid most problems, they can remain flexible, open, and capable of adapting to change.
How do I know if I am resilient?
Indeed, resilience can make or break a person. Being resilient implies that you can recover from adversity or disappointment and be able to respond positively. Your positivity and a sense of self-efficacy will serve you well.
What are signs of resilience?
Here are some of the most common signs that you are a resilient person:
What are examples of resilience?
An instance that would signify resilience is many Americans’ reaction following the terrorist attack last September 11 and the people’s individual efforts to heal and bounce back. Exhibiting resiliency does not essentially mean that you have not gone through pain, difficulty, or devastation.
What are three ways to build resilience?
Below are some ways to cultivate resilience:
Is resilience a skill or quality?
Resilience is a distinct skill, as it is so described by response and attitude. It is an adaptive manner of thought that has to be established slowly and strategies for enhancing a person’s initial reaction to something unpleasant or unwanted.
Resilience immensely affects a person’s mindset and general disposition, making it a vital trait for us to have. Resilience is a skill that can be learned, taught, and developed. It is not an inborn or innate trait. Developing resilience early in life will help you overcome any setback that comes your way.
When beginning your journey towards resilience, you need to reassess your perspectives and use your mind’s flexibility to see problems differently and on a more positive note. Do not forget that it is okay to ask for help from peers or people you trust the most. Talk with them and be open with your struggles. Resilience develops when you acknowledge your difficulties and begin to see the possibilities of bouncing back from your problems.
Resilience also helps you have better perspectives in life. Remember the five pillars of resilience and how they provide you with a mentality that won’t easily give in to problems. Recall previous situations of adversity and evaluate whether you have exhibited resilience. If you did, keep this kind of response in mind for future reference; if you didn’t, think about how you can better respond to the situation and remember this. It is always good to have some form of reflection or reference when faced with adversity.
Building resilience from scratch is not an easy thing to do. It may take time before you see personal changes. But with the right mindset and support group, it is not impossible to achieve.
I knew it was my mental health that keeps me from living my life the way I wanted. I knew it all along. I was certain that things in my life, though my decisions’ results bound some, have a lot to do with my depression. Everything I do rely mostly on my symptoms, which makes me very devastated and unhappy.
But why am I depressed? Truthfully, that is also the question I wanted some answers to. It is not like my life is a total mess. Honestly, I have a loving family and friends that always keep me company. There is no such time that these lovable individuals made me feel alone. They kept on ensuring that I stay emotionally and mentally okay.
Source: pixabay.com
Aside from that, I am not prone to stress at all. When there are things I know I can’t handle, I let them go. I don’t stick or pay too much attention to things that do not matter to me because I believe that whatever happens, all I can rely upon are my own thoughts and feelings. And not to brag, I do not easily get distracted by negativity. I can say that I somehow mastered the art of not giving a damn about the things that can bring my overall wellness down.
But recently, things are a bit different. I felt so irritated that I don’t want to deal with other people’s bullshit. It is as if I got so fed up with all this positivity and rushed into the things I usually avoided. I became too drawn into isolation that I never genuinely understand why. All I can entirely think of is that I suddenly felt tired of being strong that I allowed myself to become vulnerable. I reached the point that I don’t feel like myself anymore. It is as if I was lonely and empty for a long time, and I didn’t know it.
I know a lot about depression. This particular thing that is happening to me is exactly why I always try my best to keep myself emotionally and mentally stable. Unfortunately, I missed out on some important details and went straight ahead of getting depressive symptoms. How did I figure it out? Well, these frequently asked questions might answer that for you.
What is the number 1 cause of depression?
The number one cause of depression is the changes in the brain. In fact, depression is an entirely complicated mental health problem due to its multiple causes. Usually, factors like genetic vulnerability, substance abuse, severe life stressors, some medications, and medical conditions can affect the way your brain. It is significantly important to note the signs and symptoms so you can seek professional help immediately.
Who is most likely to endure and suffer from depression?
The majority of people who usually suffer from depression are those ages are 45 to 65. However, studies show that those in the middle age, 24 to 30, are getting on top of the curve. But still, the results are not limited to these individuals as some research shows that teens are now reaching a high percentage of severe depressive cases.
What are the nine causes of depression?
The nine fundamental causes of depression are stressful major life events, sexual and emotional abuse, conflict and relationship issues, drugs and alcohol abuse, death or loss of a loved one, genetics, certain medications, serious health problems, and other lingering personal issues. Note that these factors affect people differently. Thus, the kind of coping strategies and treatments also vary.
Can you inherit depression?
One contributing factor to depression is genetics. Thus, it is known to run in families. The mental health condition is traceable because research has shown that an individual with siblings and parents who have depression is more likely to have the condition up to three times more. That is because the dysfunction associated with the mental health problem comes from the disruption of different genes.
Can depression change your personality?
A study once concluded that any self-reported personality traits changes often come from a typical episode of major depression. However, in some recent studies, experts determine that such personality change occurs following more chronic, severe, or recurrent episodes of depression. That is because mental illness targets negative and positive emotionality, as well as conscientiousness. Thus, when there is dysfunction, it makes people think, act, and behave differently.
What are the risks of depression?
The common risks of depression include genetics. A family history of depression can make it more likely to contribute to someone’s mental problem. Also, death or the loss of someone you love is a risk factor as it sometimes triggers emotional imbalance from extreme sadness and grief. Conflict also adds. It promotes misunderstanding, confusions, agitation, disappointments that often cause overthinking that damages the brain. Then there is abuse. Any past experiences with physical, sexual, verbal, and emotional abuse can trigger depressive symptoms.
Is depression more common in males or females?
Depression can occur at any age and gender. But unfortunately, women are nearly twice as much more likely to suffer from severe depression than men. That is due to the female hormones contributing a lot to a more longer-acting and easily activated depressive response.
Source: pixabay.com
What does a mental breakdown look like?
A breakdown is an extreme mental or emotional stress that is different from one person to another. People experience mental health issues differently. However, the general population shares the same experience most of the time. Thus, their mental breakdown often gives them extreme mood swings or unexplained outbursts, panic attacks, chest pain, shakiness, and difficulty breathing. It also gives some people hallucinations, extreme fear, and paranoia, which eventually detaches from reality and self.
What usually happens to your body when you are sad?
Like any other emotion, extreme sadness can alter levels of stress-related opioids in the brain. This particular change increases levels of inflammatory proteins in the blood that can potentially increase the risk of diseases such as stroke, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. In some instances, sadness, when it gets uncontrollable, often creates physical symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome, muscle pain, stomachaches, and headaches.
What age group has the highest incidence of depression?
The age group that has the highest rate of depression is usually young adults. These are the ones aged 18-25 years old. Unfortunately, there is no age group over 25 with a higher 10% depression rate than the younger groups. That is due to the increasing rates of affected college-age adults whose ages are 20 to 21 who suffer from multiple stress types during their college years.
What is the hardest mental illness to live with?
The hardest mental illness to live with is Borderline personality disorder. Aside from its hard-to-diagnose symptoms, the disorder usually overlaps with many other health conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and even eating disorders. Though one can recognize an ingrained pattern of varying behavior, distorted sense of self, long-term pattern of unstable relationships, and strong emotional reactions, a borderline personality disorder can still get misdiagnosed. Thus, it often gets untreated.
Which race considers the highest rate of depression?
Hispanics race has the highest rate of depression, with 10.8%. African Americans follow them with 8.9% and Whites at 7.8%.
What country is almost suicidal?
The countries with the most distinguished suicide death rate worldwide are Guyana, Russia, Lithuania, and South Korea. Suicide rates of men are much higher among women in these countries. That is surprising since women are more prone to emotional and mental turmoil.
Which country has the most suicidal deaths in 2019?
Countries with the highest rates of suicidal deaths in 2019 are Ukraine, South Korea, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, Guyana, Kazakhstan, and Suriname.
How does race affect depression?
Depression is associated with different factors, and race has nothing to do with it. However, depression was more common among people of minority groups. There is an elevated rate of mental health problems among minority individuals due to greater health burdens, poor economic status, and lack of health insurance.
Source: pixabay.com
Final Thought
I realized about this situation right now that no matter how much positivity you have in your mind and body, you will eventually fall back or break down. It is a fact. That despite trying so hard to keep everything in place, you will still somehow end up losing control over your emotional and mental health. Depression can crawl up any time, even if you think you are on your best self.
Above all else, our relationship with ourselves holds the most importance on how we progress through life. However, with the advent of media and technology, we became more exposed to things we can compare ourselves to. As a result, it impacts our confidence and self-esteem, thinking that we fall behind others.
Self-esteem draws on the outlook we have with ourselves. It’s how we see ourselves as someone valuable and worthy of respect. While it is a natural human attribute, it exists on a spectrum that can either be high or low.
People with high self-esteem have confidence in themselves. Meanwhile, people with low self-esteem often doubt and criticize themselves; they see themselves as inferior compared to others.
Having low self-esteem can impact your overall well-being. It can even extend to your life and relationships. It can also intervene with your daily activities and destroy your focus out of fear of judgment.
Because you don’t trust yourself, you avoid making goals and trying something new. In the worst-case scenario, this low self-regard can translate to destructive behaviors.
Over time, the self-criticization can become ingrained in your mind that you start seeing them as fact. And when this continues, it can be damaging to your mental and emotional health. As such, low self-esteem can also be a sign of various mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, etc.
However, there are effective ways to reconnect to our own being and worthiness deeply. One of the best methods to do this is to create connections that will help you heal. This is where group therapy comes in.
Group therapy offers a safe environment for low self-esteem people to learn more about themselves and learn from others. As you share your struggles with people dealing with the same situation, it helps you develop healthy coping tools—all these without the fear of judgment and criticism that you’re saying or doing something wrong.
Moreover, you get to build your self-awareness, which is the most crucial key to developing your self-esteem. It will help you find your voice while creating healthy relationships in the process. Group therapy will also introduce you to various strategies and practices to transition to a growth mindset.
What are the different types of group counseling?
The six different group counseling types include psychotherapy groups, cognitive therapy groups, dynamic group therapy, psychoeducational group therapy, self-help groups, and network therapy.
What are the 4 types of talk therapy?
There are several types of talk therapy. Among them, the four most common ones include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), counseling, interpersonal therapy (IPT), and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT).
What are the 3 types of therapy?
Therapy is narrowed down into three broad categories: clinically speaking, supportive, directive, and relational. Psychotherapy or talk therapy falls under the first type. From the name itself, it is meant to be supportive of your battle against mental disorders. A directive type of therapy includes cognitive-behavioral therapy or any therapy based on a patient’s behavioral patterns. Lastly, relational therapy is often interventional, like in family or group therapies.
How many types of therapists are there?
There are three therapist types. First is the psychiatrist, who is more focused on applying medication management through therapies. Second is the psychologist, who is more inclined to do clinical research about mental disorders. Lastly is the psychotherapist, referring to any psychologist or psychiatrist with a specialization in psychotherapy.
Other specialties have appeared depending on the area of expertise of a licensed medical professional. For example, there is an addiction therapist, child therapist, nutritional therapist, or trauma therapist. Clinical social workers and mental health counselors are also considered therapists.
What is the ideal size for a therapy group?
Research indicates that the smaller the group, the better and more effective therapy will be. It is recommended that one or two certified mental health professionals oversee a group therapy of no more than 15 individuals.
How do I start a therapy group?
Starting a therapy group may initially be challenging. Since it is essential to meet the clients’ requirements, it is vital to group them based on their shared values and other similarities, making sure they are a good fit.
It is also critical to have uninterrupted space for the sessions. Limiting the distractions helps in improving the effectiveness of the therapy. Above all, it is necessary to set clear and concise objectives and goals for the group at the beginning of the treatment.
Which type of therapy makes the most money?
Based on recent statistics, a sports psychologist whose primary focus is a particular type of psychotherapy involving sports makes the most money.
Most athletes are not only vulnerable to physical health issues but as well as mental instability and problems. Athletes are well compensated in their fields, and the same way goes for their doctors and health professionals.
What type of therapy is used for depression?
Depression treatment heavily relies on psychotherapy or talk therapy. This type of therapy resolves a patient’s issues by discussing them out loud, helping the therapist find the right techniques or modalities to use.
What is the most common type of therapy?
Psychotherapy or talk therapy is the most common type of therapy. It allows patients to freely talk out their minds, emotions, and issues without having to worry about judgment or being labeled as crazy. Although it is also often used as a blended approach with other types such as cognitive behavioral therapy.
How long should a group therapy session last?
Usually, a patient should complete a group session in no more than 20 weeks of meeting, an hour or two per week. However, it is not also highly unusual for people to stay in group therapies even after their sessions have ended.
What are process groups in therapy?
Process groups in therapy are, in simpler words, support groups. They are specifically designed to help individuals connect with other people who bear the same problems as they are. The process group’s primary focus is to give the patients a safe space to create meaningful relationships and encourage them.
What is the goal of group therapy?
The goal of group therapy is to unite the members to know that they are not alone in their battles. It gives a sense of belongingness, feelings of comfort and creates hope in each individual.
Conclusion
Low self-esteem may develop in different ways. It can root from adverse childhood experiences or a particular situation that left a mark on the child. The manner of upbringing is a huge factor in determining their self-esteem growing up. They may internalize these negative messages that later on will become instilled in their minds.
It can also develop in adulthood from demoralizing circumstances such as job loss and breakup, among others. Once these things happen, it affects how an individual sees their worth. As a result, they develop negative self-talk patterns and destructive coping tools to find an escape.
The first step towards healing is to recognize and acknowledge your situation. It may not be easy to start dipping your toes in the water, especially without a support system. Thus, connecting with a group of people in the same situation as yours can give you the push you need.
With time and effort, the stories and skills you will learn in group therapy will help you develop a healthy self-relationship.
Always remember: you are not alone in your struggle. There is support available out there that is waiting for you. Moreover, having a professional to guide you can help you address what lies behind your low self-esteem. In this process, you will learn more about your voice and how you can empower it.
By developing a resilient mindset, you can start living a more fulfilling life without hiding from the world.