Bipolar Disorder and the Challenges of Widely Fluctuating Moods

Viewing anxious behaviors through a trauma-informed lens teaches us that there is usually a reason for them. Developing an understanding of our anxious behaviors can show us that there is nothing "wrong" with us. Learning not to take things personally can help us understand loved ones with the same traits.

Narcissistic parents may appear to be loving and charming. Grandiose narcissistic parents use their children as a source of narcissistic supply. Vulnerable narcissists are deeply insecure and use their children as their confidant and therapist. Narcissistic parental abuse involves parents who need excessive admiration or attention at the expense of...

POST-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can seriously impact someone's life. Those suffering from the condition have nightmares and flashbacks, and struggle to move forward. PTSD is an anxiety disorder caused by intensely stressful, frightening or distressing events. People affected by the condition are often forced to relive a traumatic event from...

Social estrangements, or the loss of a friendly relationship with someone, can cause psychological harm to all involved parties, even if severing the relationship was in their best interests. New research published in EvoS Journal found that some traits associated with borderline personality disorder are related to an increased number of estranged relationships.

People with dissociative identity disorders may feel distant from their emotions and reality, or they may not remember blocks of time due to trauma.

Our editors have independently chosen the products listed on this page. If you purchase something mentioned in this article, we may earn a small commission. There are so many personality tests out there, some more complex and some more straightforward. From the Myers-Briggs test (which can shed light on how one perceives the world and makes decisions) to the Erotic Blueprints (an arousal map that reveals one's primary erotic language) to even broader frameworks like astrology, it can be fun to dabble in these and see if they match up with who you consider yourself to be in the world—or even use them as friendly guides that point to places that could use some work or development. The so-called Difficult Person Test is another personality assessment that might help you do just that.

The demographics of my clients who are in any kind of toxic relationship are 60 percent women and 40 percent men.

Learn more about defensive behavior, and get advice on how to approach and resolve conflict with a defensive person. Conflict happens frequently in personal relationships, at work, and even in public. Friction can be necessary, and even healthy at times. However, when you experience a conflict with someone who’s defensive,...

Anxiety shivers are a common symptom of anxiety. Although not a formal clinical term, anxiety shivers refers to the experience of anxiety that might cause someone to shiver, shake, tremble, feel like they have the chills, or feel it is hard to regulate their body temperature. Anxiety shivers can be alarming, but are not dangerous, and go away on their own as your anxiety dissipates.

Research on delay discounting shows that the inability to put off a long-term reward is related to key aspects of narcissism. By engaging in the preventive behavior of episodic future thinking, it's possible to counter the effects of poor delay discounting. The need to have their desires met instantly may...

A narcissistic injury may occur when individuals with narcissistic traits encounter criticism, loss, or perceived abandonment from others. Narcissism largely stems from a poor sense of self and feelings of low self-worth. It is important to know yourself and your values and not to compromise for the person with narcissistic...

When we optimize our efforts to develop ourselves personally and in our relationships with others, we can feel a sense of being whole. When we are let down by people we trust, we may consider our feelings of anxiety, disappointment, and sadness as signs that we are broken. The artist...

It takes time before any antidepressant kicks in. But some medications relieve your symptoms faster than others. Waiting for medication to work can be challenging. And if you’re having to try various options that don’t provide relief, finding a drug that does improve your symptoms can take a lot of time and effort.

MRIs and CT scans can provide detailed images of the brain and its structures. But currently, doctors don’t use them to diagnose bipolar disorder. Detecting bipolar disorder is typically done through a diagnostic interview with a mental health professional. While imaging tests aren’t used as a diagnostic tool for...

Symptoms of depression can overlap with other conditions, so you might consider a second opinion on your depression diagnosis. Even though depression is a common mental health condition, it can be difficult to diagnose because everyone experiences the symptoms differently. Depression can mimic other health conditions. Depression affects nearly. globally,...

Many relationships encounter problems, and you may break up in some cases. When this happens to you, it may be beneficial for you to ignore your ex after you end a relationship. Keep reading this article for more information on why ignoring your ex is powerful and it may surprise...

Narcissists are incapable of truly loving you for who you really are. When narcissists say "I love you," what they mean is, "I love my fantasies about you." Once the thrill of the courtship is over, a narcissist will find fault and want you to change. If you stay in...

Contrary to popular opinion, OCD is not a “behavioral quirk,” and is indeed a recognized disorder by the DSM-5. Though I am a former mental health professional with training in Psychology, I am not a doctor and I offer no medical advice or diagnosis herein. Please contact a currently practicing medical or mental health professional foranypotential issue related to this article that requires attention. Sources for this article include Wikipedia.org, TheGuardian.com, and The University of North Carolina’s Health Science Library.

Our most developmentally important relationships begin in our formative years and come from our teachers, mentors, friends, and our parents or parental figures. How we connect with others is, in some ways, tied to what we are taught in these early years. Caregivers who themselves have a secure attachment will...

**This blog post is based on my thinking and my opinion. Every day, it seems, we encounter another story of the latest couple in a long-term relationship that's coming to an end. While these breakups might be sudden and unexpected, they usually follow a specific pattern. These are six things that kill a relationship every time.