Existential Anxiety: What It Is and What to Do About It

The three types of ADHD are inattentive, hyperactive, and combined. Inattentive is most likely to be overlooked or misdiagnosed. Although ADHD medications are controversial, they can benefit some children, allowing them to focus and complete work. Kids with ADHD can hyperfocus when they're engaged in a topic or activity, giving...

As your child's supporter and protector, in their mind, this means that you can and should solve all their problems and prevent all pain. Getting defensive to prove you are not to blame is not helpful. Kids are not rational in these moments. Reasoning incites them further. Validating and helping...

Anger is a common automatic reaction to an unpleasant event or circumstance. Powerlessness might be hiding beneath a self-protective shield of anger. Anger can be resolved through a process of awareness, grounding, and compassion. When was the last time you were angry? Ten minutes ago, two days ago? As you...

A new study shows 31 percent of chronic pain sufferers have tried cannabis for pain relief, most within the past 30 days. Cannabis use for chronic pain substitutes for opioid doses in over half of cannabis users. Nonsteroidal analgesics reduce pain and inflammation by enhancing our natural cannabinoid chemistry. Fifty...

Wu Wei is the idea that by doing "nothing," we can accomplish more. Wu Wei is not about doing nothing and giving up, but observing where things are going and how we can best fit into existing momentum. Start practicing Wu Wei by accepting your current reality exactly as it...

Escapism, a way of avoiding an unpleasant or boring life, can be adaptive or maladaptive. Adaptive escapism is motivated by self-expansion; maladaptive escapism is driven by self-suppression. Runners motivated by a self-expansion mindset tend to have higher subjective well-being scores. Escapism is marked by "a habitual diversion of the mind."...

Tantruming children and screaming parents often trigger our rejection and disapproval. It's easy to turn away or give a dirty look. People may want to consider reaching out instead. What do you do when you're out somewhere and you see a child having a temper tantrum or behaving obnoxiously, or...

Many people have depression symptoms at some point in their life, but that does not mean they are experiencing a major depressive episode. Not all people who experience depression have major depressive disorder. Depression is often the tip of the iceberg; the specific contributing factors of illness can help to...

Some clinics emphasize ketamine as a purely chemical antidepressant. Other clinics specialize in combining talk therapy with ketamine. Still others emphasize working with the psychedelic properties of ketamine. Generic ketamine is not yet FDA approved to treat mental health conditions, and is used off label in treating resistant depression, bipolar...

Not taking oneself seriously is not the same as being playful or funny, aspects of personality that can easily coexist with deep seriousness. Taking ourselves and each other seriously is important for cultivating trust and emotional intimacy. Rather than focusing on not being serious, you can seek partners with a...

Mixing opioids with benzos ups the risk of an overdose. Many people take benzos while in treatment to handle withdrawal from opioids, which is also a dangerous combination. Doctors ideally work with patients to taper down the benzos. Benzos, anti-anxiety drugs including Klonopin and Xanax, are widely prescribed. But they...

Awe is typically associated with deep feelings of wonder and astonishment, but we can also find it in everyday experiences. Research demonstrates that awe-inducing experiences have important mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual benefits. A sense of awe can be intentionally cultivated and strengthened by paying attention to what is around...

The emergence of ChatGPT in education forces us to think more carefully about student motivation. AI in education will turn standard educational tasks into busywork. The purpose of education may come to be seen as furthering human meaning. The student experience has always involved a combination of work and play....

Hope gives us the power to endure the ills of the world, it is integral to resilience. People in a community can rely on one another with a sense of resilience. Feeding our negative emotions is not conducive to successfully processing trauma. Accurately quantifying the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic...

Many men are open to a reformation of masculinity and changes in male culture. Understanding the needs of men helps generate compassion and provides direction as to where masculinity needs to go. Men crave an honorable identity, a sense of belonging in a male community, and connection with others. Our...

Excessive screen and social media use are often implicated as a reason for declining mental health in youth. A recent study found an association between brain activation patterns over time and amount of social media use but firm conclusions were limited. We don't need to wait to design ways to...

Social media plays a major role in today’s cancel culture. We can think of a public cancellation as a large-scale form of estrangement. Research on the evolutionary psychology of estrangements shows that these experiences have many painful outcomes. The list of celebrities and other public figures who have fallen...

Moral distress is the feeling that one has compromised oneself or something held dear due to external forces beyond one's control. Powerlessness is at the heart of moral distress. Moral resilience shifts the narrative from powerlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness to one defined by possibility and principled choice. This is Part...

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based modality found effective in reducing anxiety and mild-to-moderate depression. CBT has its limitations, and it does not address the complex nature of trauma. If you have experienced trauma or adverse experiences, there are other types of therapy that may be more appropriate. Many...

As important as having a positive self-image is being realistic about how others perceive you or don’t perceive you at all. Having a warped sense of being "special" might couple itself with tendencies of narcissism or entitlement. Not being "special" should be considered liberating. In a recent post on...