Me and My Emotions

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.

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...

Death ends the boundary of a life, but it does not end a relationship. Along with loss, our identity no longer exists in relation to a familiar being, but our continued bonds may keep them with us. Keeping deceased loved ones with us, in whatever way, resolves the painful discrepancy...

We all hold three conscious and subconscious narratives, or stories, about ourselves that govern our interactions. Reflection on these stories gives you an opportunity for an honest assessment of your true self. Personal transformation requires introspection and the building of skills necessary to take action on the stories you uncover.

Antidepressants, supplements, and illicit drugs like cocaine can all cause serotonin syndrome alone — but the risk is higher when you combine them.

The Psychology Today article 8 Signs of Narcissistic Rage explores the impact of anger on an individual with Narcissistic personality disorder. "Narcissistic rage can be defined as intense anger, aggression, or passive-aggression when a narcissist experiences a setback or disappointment, which shatters his (or her) illusions of grandiosity, entitlement, and superiority, and triggers inner adequacy, shame, and vulnerability."

About 40% of your happiness is genetic, but the other 60% is determined by factors you can control like your hobbies, environment, and lifestyle.

Fellow parents and teachers were disturbed by the man's behavior and praised the mom for stepping in to protect her daughter.

Women who embraced their romantic partner subsequently had lower stress-induced cortisol response. But partner embrace did not buffer the response to stress for men. Women instructed to embrace their romantic partner prior to undergoing a stressful experience had a lower biological stress response—as indicated by levels of the stress hormone cortisol in saliva—compared to women who did not embrace their partner. This effect was not seen for men. Gesa Berretz of Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, and colleagues present these findings today (May 18, 2022) in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

Charita Cole Brown addresses the stigma of mental health in people of color communities. Cole Brown stated that African-Americans and people of color have to know that it’s okay to seek mental health help. Cole Brown advocates that we have to be in communities that allow people to see...

Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to a person’s ability to recognize and understand their own and others’ emotions and to manage their emotions to achieve specific goals. A person with low EI may have difficulty maintaining relationships due to a lack of social skills or difficulty empathizing with other people. They may also find it hard to regulate their emotions and use them to guide appropriate behaviors.

Middle-aged women (age 40-55) have been found to be at higher risk for depression. Part of it stems from the natural hormonal alterations of perimenopause and menopause. However, it tends to be about more than just hormone changes: Midlife can be a time marked with greater losses, like empty-nest syndrome, ailing and/or deceased parents, career changes, and a loss of former friendships, marital and love partnerships. Additionally, women in midlife have reported higher rates of pain and physical ailments.

Self-pity is a universal emotion, resulting from the fact that life is inevitably full of heartache and disappointment. "Feeling sorry for ourselves" is socially frowned upon and leads to feeling bad about ourselves, our lives, and the people around us. When self-pity strikes, the most common way we react is...

Insensitivity and disinterest are common traits of emotional unavailability. Here’s how to recognize it in a parent and how to cope. Being able to identify and respond to another person’s emotional needs can help you connect with them. Feeling connected can encourage relationship building. It can lay a...

When I have a thought, I may be unsure whether the thought is true or not, but there seems to be at least one thing I can be sure of: it is my thought, and not someone else's. Our ownership of our thoughts was taken to be indubitable by the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, who held that uncertainty about this was "nonsensical." What sense could there be, Wittgenstein wondered, in even asking whether a thought that I have is thought by me?

Self-soothing means knowing how to take extra-special care of yourself during particularly challenging times. Strategies to keep calm and self-soothe include maintaining perspective, reminding yourself of your strengths, and limiting obligations. When a storm dropped a 120-foot tree on my friend Hannah’s house—the dream home she had owned for just...

EDD (Empathy Deficit Disorder) can exist solely on its own because a person simply does not feel or possess empathy. However, it is very commonly associated with narcissists because they possess similar traits.

Complex relational trauma experiences closely resemble PTSD but are different in other ways, too. Complex relational trauma happens in the context of close attachment relationships, usually when there is an imbalance of power. Although the effects of these experiences can be significant, they can also be overcome. What is complex...

Start by creating space for the child to actively grieve. Create a present, continuous yet patient, and open connection with the child. Simplifying is good too, but be careful not to oversimplify. Regular social interaction with friends or family during child development helps broaden their understanding of their own social...