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Mental Health Center

Former username for Chris at Sachs Marketing

9 Mental Health Tips for a Brighter Summer

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9 mental health tips for a brighter summer

Summer is a season that reminds many people of fun outdoor activities like going to the beach, walking in the park, swimming, and picnics with family and friends. However, it reminds others of getting overheated, battling insects and bugs, and feeling overwhelmed with trying to accomplish everything on your to-do list. It also reminds them of vacation planning, traveling, finding childcare, more running around, and less time for themselves to care for their mental well-being, mental health conditions, or implementing mental health tips and strategies to alleviate some of the pressure. Pressure and Exhaustion Speaking of pressure… Pressure by peers to join activities, pressure by the boss to work later since the days are longer, and even pressure on yourself to get outdoors, even when you are exhausted, can bring on feelings of summertime dread. Before you know it, you are struggling with a anxiety and depression. This summer, make …

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Coping with Recent Tragedy

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Coping with Recent Tragedy

Recent Events. The tragic mass shooting that took place in Uvalde, Texas weighs heavy on our hearts and minds. It’s difficult to find the words to describe the pain we are feeling, though the event is surely marked with incomparable grief. Many people suggest we view gun violence as a health crisis seeing that in the United States, there are more than 100 gun deaths each day and about 38,000 each year with rates continuing to rise (Mastroianni, 2022). In turn, the consequent mental health ramifications must also be attended to with great care.  Mental health ramifications. After such horrible events, our minds can be riddled with worry and anxiety. Many of us may experience nightmares, increased hypervigilance in certain spaces, and may even struggle with falling and staying asleep. It is important to note that if readers are experiencing these symptoms in light of recent events, it is a …

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Intimate Partner Violence

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Intimate Partner Violence

What is intimate partner violence? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, intimate partner violence (IPV) is “abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship. ‘Intimate partner’ refers to both current and former spouses and dating partners. IPV can vary in how often it happens and how severe it is.” (2021). Intimate partner violence can include the following types of behavior: physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, and psychological aggression. We encourage discourse to shift from using the term “victims” to using the term “survivors” when referring to those who have endured intimate partner violence; “survivors” is a more empowering and accurate term that highlights the strength it takes in being subject to such harrowing experiences. While women are statistically more likely to be survivors of intimate partner violence than men, it is important to note that countless men are also survivors of intimate partner violence.  Statistics. About …

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Using Ketamine Infusion for Depression

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Using Ketamine infusion for depression

Depression affects everyone, whether you have been diagnosed with depression or know someone who struggles. In some cases, people might experience treatment-resistant depression–leading to alternative therapies to find relief, such as Ketamine infusion for depression. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders defines depression as experiencing a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, persistent low mood, appetite changes, sleep disturbances, fatigue, concentration and memory problems, and low self-esteem for at least two weeks. In America, more than 17 million people experience depression. It affects more women than men, but that may be because women seek help for their symptoms more than men do. Depression is more severe in adolescents and young adults, ages 12 to 24, increasing among college students. Older persons have fewer depression episodes. What Causes Depression? There is not a single factor that leads to depression. Instead, multiple risk factors lead to the manifestation of …

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Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month

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Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness month

What is Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness month? In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives declared May as Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness month. This is largely in part due to the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder’s efforts to educate others about the disorder and its impact; these efforts seek to empower those diagnosed while reducing stigma that surrounds the disorder.  What is Borderline Personality Disorder? According to the American Psychiatric Association, borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by “a long-standing pattern of instability in mood, interpersonal relationships, and self-image that is severe enough to cause extreme distress or interfere with social and occupational functioning” (APA, 2021). To meet diagnostic criteria, an individual must meet five of the following categories: frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment, a pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation, identity disturbance …

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