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Mental Health Center

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Signs of High Functioning Depression

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Signs of high functioning depression

Depression affects everyone differently. For some, it is debilitating, making it hard to get out of bed each day. Some days are spent in bed. For others, depression can be seasonal. The seasonal affective disorder occurs during certain seasons throughout the year. For most, it occurs during the winter months, when there is less sunshine and colder weather. As Spring arrives, the depressive symptoms fade. However, another type of depression is high functioning. So what makes high functioning depression unique, and what are the signs of high functioning depression? By looking at someone with high functioning depression, you may think they are happy and living their best life. They may not exhibit outward signs of depression as you know it. What Is High Functioning Depression? The clinical name for high functioning depression is persistent depressive disorder (PDD). Or at least that is the type most closely related to the symptoms of high …

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National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week

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children's mental health awareness

What is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week? National Children’s Mental Health Awareness week spans May 1st through May 7th, seeking to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health while urging that positive mental health is imperative to a child’s healthy development. Positive mental health refers to good functioning in individual and social domains as well as the presence of positive emotions. Children’s mental health. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “ADHD, behavior problems, anxiety, and depression are the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children” (2021). In fact, approximately 9.4% of children ages 2-17 have received an ADHD diagnosis; 7.4% of children ages 3-17 have been diagnosed with a behavioral problem; 7.1% of children ages 3-17 have an anxiety diagnosis; 3.2% of children 3-17 have been diagnosed with depression (CDC, 2021). Mental health in childhood means meeting emotional and developmental milestones, learning healthy …

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Stress Awareness Month

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Stress Awareness Month

What is Stress Awareness Month? Stress Awareness Month has been recognized during the month of April since 1992; it spreads awareness of the ways in which stress impacts our mental and physical health as well as urges us to find healthy ways to manage our own stress. What is stress and how does it impact us? We often talk about stress, but what does it really mean? According to the American Psychological Association, stress is defined as “the physiological or psychological response to internal or external stressors. Stress involves changes affecting nearly every system of the body, influencing how people feel and behave” (2020). Put simply, stress is our own response to stimuli (stressors). Stress can be acute (responses to short term stressors) or chronic (response to ongoing, long term stressors), and not all stress is bad. Some stress can help us better navigate situations such as job interviews or …

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National Autism Awareness Month

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National Autism Awareness Month

What is National Autism Awareness Month? National Autism Awareness Month spans the month of April with the purpose of spreading awareness, breaking the stigma, and providing support and hope to those who have or support someone with Autism. Starting in the 1970s, Autism Awareness Week was celebrated, later growing into the entire month of April.  What is Autism? According to the American Psychological Association (APA), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) describes a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by challenges with “social communication and social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns in behaviors, interests, and activities” (APA, 2021). The term spectrum is used to highlight the wide variation in presentation and severity of symptoms. ASD is understood to occur across all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups (CDC, 2020). Statistically speaking, ASD is four times more likely in boys than girls and approximately 1 in 44 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) …

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How to Support World Bipolar Day

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World Bipolar Day

March 30th is a special day. It marks the anniversary of World Bipolar Day. This date was chosen because it is the birth date of Vincent Van Gogh, who is thought to have struggled with bipolar disorder. There are 5.7 million Americans who can relate to Van Gogh. Out of that 5.7 million, 89% have severe symptoms. There are likely many more people with bipolar who, for different reasons, do not seek treatment. One way to change this and encourage everyone to get help is to bring about awareness of bipolar disorder, like supporting World Bipolar Day. Below are simple ways you can get involved in spreading the word and breaking the stigma of bipolar disorder. 1. Understand Bipolar Disorder Before you celebrate World Bipolar Day, take the time to learn everything you can about bipolar disorder, like that it is a mental health condition that causes a person to have mood …

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