People have the innate desire to feel purposeful and productive. One way that many people feel like they have purpose is through working or volunteering. Feeling like one is giving back to the community or contributing to society can help keep the body and mind active and create a feeling of well-being. There is a…
Welcome to Mental Health Matters, a regular column in the Tallahassee Grapevine that features stories and tips on issues relating to mental health, from the staff of Apalachee Center. This week, I’m very excited to be using this space for something a little different. I want to let you know about a new place to…
The term “trauma” is commonly used in our world today. In fact, we have witnessed several events recently publicized across news media that have been traumatic for many people in different ways. It is also very likely you have experienced something significant during your lifetime that you label as traumatic. The experience of trauma is…
Almost everyone experiences a crisis at some point in life or knows someone who did. Crises are events like the loss of a loved one or job, a breakup, horrific trauma, injury, or drug abuse. They can leave people feeling helpless and hopeless. People in crisis can be hospitalized, sometimes against their will, if they…
Whether you’re prone to depression, grieving a loss or just feeling a bit “bah-hum-bug,” a season focused on joy can be tough. Here are some tips for surviving the holidays: Keep Yourself Healthy Maintaining healthy habits is essential to treating and preventing “the blues.” Heading to bed on time and avoiding lengthy post-party naps is…
There are many ribbons indicating the bearer’s passion for a specific cause. A yellow ribbon for our soldiers, pink for breast cancer awareness, and red for AIDS awareness are some of the common ribbons that can be seen on the back of many vehicles on the highways. The multi-hued puzzle ribbon indicating autism awareness only…
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the intervention of choice for the treatment of a variety of psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and personality disorders in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Research indicates that CBT is an especially effective intervention for a broad range of psychological problems. In fact, studies comparing the effectiveness of…
The National Institutes of Mental Health noted that most violent crimes are committed by people who are not mentally ill, and most mentally ill people do not commit violent crimes. Dramatic cases in the news, however, sometimes can lead readers to falsely assume that mentally ill people are violent. Mental illness, nonetheless, does become an…
About 30% of all Americans that go to the doctor are instructed to begin an exercise program. This has increased from 23% from just a few years prior. Approximately one third of all Americans are obese. Clearly, there are a whole lot more calories being taken in than burned. Despite the improvements that are associated…
When people talk about an illness, they usually base their ideas on the symptoms, or signs of that illness. For instance, colds can include stuffy noses, scratchy throats, and lowered energy. Flu can include fever, chills, and stomach upset. More serious illnesses, such as heart disease or cancer, also have a variety of physical indicators…