However, it wasn’t always this way. In the United States, there’s a long history of vilifying not only drugs and alcohol, but also the people who use them. Less than a century ago, addiction wasn’t seen as an illness outside of one’s control, but rather as a moral failing rooted in one’s personality. In the 1930s, when scientists first began to study addiction, the prevailing view was that addicts were simply thosetoo weak in willpower to say no....

TIME’s article celebrated Hadden’s ability to help men work through their “symptoms” of “illness”—whether that was wearing inappropriately feminine clothing or being sexually interested in men instead of women. Hadden was only one of many esteemed psychiatrists and psychologists to consider — and treat — homosexuality as a sickness during the 1960s. In fact, homosexuality was not removed from the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” [DSM] until 1973....

Approximatelyone in fivechildren experience a diagnosable mental health condition in their lives. Throughout our time together in therapy James came to recognize he had been living with untreated ADHD. He spent years internalizing negative messages from his teachers and family members about his behavior and difficulty concentrating. They labeled him as “bad,” and he believed it. Online therapy for parentsBeing a parent is hard. Talk to an experienced, licensed Talkspace therapist today....

Hi Anna, When I first started dating my boyfriend, he was really ambitious, was a leader at his work, and was really excited about what he was doing. I feel like the combination of success and stress has made him flatline a bit. I’ve found that he’s gotten increasingly more agitated, less motivated, has lost his sense of ambition and is starting down a self-destructive path. On the weekends he is binge drinking and taking partying to a new level––the night always end in a fight or worse....

About20 peopleare victims of domestic violence every minute in the United States. Domestic violence is an enormous issue, and we need powerful voices to address it. We wanted to salute those in the spotlight who have spoken about their personal experiences with domestic and intimate partner violence. Because survivors often suffer in silence, we hope these public voices offer inspiration and courage to those who might need support. Tamron Hall Tamron Hall, a host for NBC’s “Today” show, has been an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse for many years....

In an ideal world, taking a mental health day would be simple. Imagine this: You could have 10 per year and use them at your discretion. Or maybe you work at a small company that doesn’t have a formal system for taking time off. In that case it should be as straightforward as talking to your supervisor about why you need one. You tell your supervisor your depression is acting up....

Updated 1/18/2023Caregivers offer those they care for physical, emotional, and sometimes even financial support, often asking for little to nothing in return. There’s a risk that comes with this dedication, though. Burnout.Burnout wasoriginally coinedin the 1970s, describing what healthcare workers and others in “helping” professions experience as a result of long hours, lack of sleep, and intense emotional and physical demands. Now, however, it’s a common term used to describe a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion for anyone....

I am not sure what it is about dogs, but they seem to possess a sixth sense when it comes to knowing when owners are going through an emotionally difficult time.I once owned a dog called Molly. She was a mix between a Labrador Retriever and an Afghan Hound. Molly was an enthusiastic dog who loved nothing more than to play and was a deeply affectionate animal. She lived for 17 wonderful years....

Often times people come intoonline therapyhoping to finally tackle issues likeanxietyordepression. Clients have come into my office wishing for me to share my keys to “happiness.” Sometimes they are disappointed to find I actually don’t think happiness is a reasonable goal. There is a lot of information, particularly in thepositive psychology movement, about finding the keys to happiness. You can use affirmations and daily validations to help lift your mood. You can organize your life and change your behavior, all in an effort to secure this feeling of happiness....

Mindfulness is the power of living in the moment, embracing your current circumstances without judgement or pretense. To be mindful is to be a conscious observer. Mindfulness is a big trend, not only in popular culture, but in contemporary therapy. Many counselors tout this westernized version of traditional Eastern practices as a way to promote relaxation and reduce stress in clients. It’s become a popular training topic for clinicians because there isevidencethat it helps reduceanxietyanddepression....

As a counselor, I am usually the one who asks the questions. I often joke that I get paid for each question I ask. That’s why I ask so many good questions. Recently a client asked me a perplexingly simple question I didn’t have an answer for. My client previously discussed how she believes her family is “dysfunctional.” We then talked about the word, it felt like a psycho babble cuss-word....

Roughly15 millionAmerican adults live with social anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Social anxietyhas grown in mainstream conversations about mental health over the years, but what does it look like to actually live with the disorder? There’s a great example viewable in one of television’s biggest sitcoms, “The Big Bang Theory.” Many viewers, including myself, find this character trait charming in those earlier seasons. As atherapistI understand this kind of representation can minimize the lives of those who deal with social anxiety in real life....

Many clients are surprised to learn they have a diagnosis of social anxiety. In fact,according to the NIMH, an incredible 18% of the population suffers from anxiety. Of those, 63% aren’t receiving treatment, and 34% of those aren’t receiving adequate treatment. Some sufferers assume they might only be shy, introverted or quiet; others think they are awkward or lacking in social skills. Interestingly, women are 60% more likely to suffer fromanxietythan men....

After many months of hard work from our design, development and marketing teams, we are finally launching our rebranded user interfaces and homepage. It’s more than a new coat of paint. Using Talkspace is going to be a better, smoother experience. We’re still touching up parts of it here and there, but there is already plenty to explore. Let’s start with the homepage. Our New Homepage The first part of the homepage shows Talkspace clients making use of the most valuable part of our app: therapy anytime, anywhere....

Updated on 3/19/21 We’ve all had nights where we toss and turn in bed, eyes open, mind spinning as we wait for sleep to take over. The minutes turn into hours as the numbers on the clock tick past. As those potential hours ofsleepdiminish, we know the morning will come with a fog of fatigue. Yet, we just can’t seem to fall asleep. This situation is common for adults, and might lead to constantexhaustionin daily life for many people....