What if I still don’t think I’m sick enough? Some…

What if I still don’t think I’m sick enough? 

Some professionals are just bad at their jobs. That’s the truth. So we may have to shout to get the help that we need or possibly get another opinion from another mental health professional.

One of the questions I received like this is below:

Could you do a video on not feeling sick enough or doubting you have a mental illness at all even when you’ve been diagnosed with one? I feel I have this problem of having minor problems with everything (some eating issues, never diagnosed as they are not bad enough, really minor self harm), but am seriously not sick enough with anything and therefore not worthy of help. I’ve had a lot of invalidating comments and judged as “not sick enough” and turned down when asking for help from professionals too. I’m afraid I don’t have depression, I just have a bad self esteem, because I really am good at nothing, lazy and a bad person. Basically that I don’t have real depression or it’s really minor and therefore everything I thought was the “voice of depression” is actually true. I don’t feel like my past was bad enough to warrant PTSD diagnoses. That no matter how bad I feel those feelings just aren’t and can’t be bad enough to be valid and real. Any help much appreciated!

By: Kati Morton.
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What if I still don’t think I’m sick enough? Some…

What if I still don’t think I’m sick enough? 

Some professionals are just bad at their jobs. That’s the truth. So we may have to shout to get the help that we need or possibly get another opinion from another mental health professional.

One of the questions I received like this is below:

Could you do a video on not feeling sick enough or doubting you have a mental illness at all even when you’ve been diagnosed with one? I feel I have this problem of having minor problems with everything (some eating issues, never diagnosed as they are not bad enough, really minor self harm), but am seriously not sick enough with anything and therefore not worthy of help. I’ve had a lot of invalidating comments and judged as “not sick enough” and turned down when asking for help from professionals too. I’m afraid I don’t have depression, I just have a bad self esteem, because I really am good at nothing, lazy and a bad person. Basically that I don’t have real depression or it’s really minor and therefore everything I thought was the “voice of depression” is actually true. I don’t feel like my past was bad enough to warrant PTSD diagnoses. That no matter how bad I feel those feelings just aren’t and can’t be bad enough to be valid and real. Any help much appreciated!

By: Kati Morton.
Support Kati Morton on Patreon

Antisocial vs. Asocial Podcast used: An Antisocial is Someone…

Antisocial vs. Asocial 

Podcast used: An Antisocial is Someone Who Doesn’t Care And Violates Others While An Asocial is Someone Who Doesn’t Like To Socialize

By: Psych2Go.

Changing Minds and Mental Development Professor Gwen Adshead…

Changing Minds and Mental Development 

Professor Gwen Adshead explores how psychological therapy affects the mind and its implication on mental development.

In this talk, I will discuss what happens when minds change, drawing on evidence from neuroscience and research into psychological therapy. I will discuss mentalisation: the process whereby humans learn to read others intentions, and explore how that can fail. I will discuss research into mindfulness practice, and the implications for mental development.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/changing-minds-and-mental-development

By: Gresham College.

Can an eating disorder be considered self-harm? I know that I…

Can an eating disorder be considered self-harm? 

I know that I used to binge as a way to hurt myself/punish myself. Do you think the two are related? Is binge eating (or other eating disorders) classified as self harm? Because I honestly feel that the reasons I used to binge, and the feelings that surrounded food, could fall under the umbrella of self harm. I know that food is a necessity, but the way I used to go about it was toxic and definitely always damaging. I’m trying to work on this now, but I’m just curious if others feel the same way I did/do.

By: Kati Morton.
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Diagnosis? Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Nonsuicidal self-injury…

Diagnosis? Nonsuicidal Self-Injury 

Nonsuicidal self-injury actually falls under “conditions for further study” within the DSM. Therefore, it’s not an actual diagnosis yet, but is something that they hope more scientists will study so that they can add it in. I know that many of you were excited that it was finally it’s own diagnosis and not just a symptom of Borderline Personality Disorder, but we are getting there! This is actually good news because it tells us that they are finally realizing what we already knew; that self-harm behavior happens without a BPD diagnosis. What I would love to hear from you is whether or not you think their proposed criteria is correct or if there are other things that you think need to be added or changed. Since this is something they are just now talking about, I think it’s great to discuss as a community.

So please share, and let’s hope that when the next DSM comes out, they add this in as a proper diagnosis. xox

By: Kati Morton.
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5 Tips for dealing with TOXIC PEOPLE How do we deal with toxic…

5 Tips for dealing with TOXIC PEOPLE 

How do we deal with toxic people in our lives? I offer up 5 tips on how to better manage those relationships that leave us feeling worse rather than better.

1. Set boundaries! I know that this is can be really hard to do and many of you have told me that you feel mean or bad for doing this. Trust me, you will feel so much better once you have set up some limits as to when you will talk to them and how long you will be around them.

2. Asserting ourselves and telling them what we need. This doesn’t mean we are being rude or mean, it just means we are clearly communicating what we need to them in hopes that they will hear you and change the way they interact with us.

3. Use your support system! Those people who love us and support us and make us feel better… yeah them! Spend time with them so that you can recharge your batteries and take care of yourself.

4. Model the behavior that you want to see from the toxic person. This may mean talking about what’s going on with you and then acknowledging that you have been talking for awhile and it’s time to hear about what’s going on with them. You could even go as far as explaining that you prefer it when your conversations are not just one sided.

5. Lastly, cutting them off. I know this can sound harsh, but if you have tried the other things and they have not worked to correct it, it may be best to just cut them off. I can honestly say that as I have gotten older, I find less and less time for those emotional vampires. I prefer to be around people who build me up, not tear me down, and so cutting them off completely may be the healthiest thing you can do.

I hope you found this information helpful. I know how hard it can be to have toxic people in our lives, especially if they are a parent or long term friend. I know doing some of these things is hard, but please take the time to try them out. It may be awkward in the moment, but trust me, you will feel better later on! xox

By: Kati Morton.
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5 Ways to Relieve Anxiety or Stress | Psych2Go ft….

5 Ways to Relieve Anxiety or Stress | Psych2Go ft. DasKookie 

Here are some tips or suggestions on things you could do this weekend!

Based on: Anxiety: What Can Help?

By: Psych2Go.

Are ALL people with depression SUICIDAL? Can you address the…

Are ALL people with depression SUICIDAL? 

Can you address the idea that all people with depression (any type) are suicidal?

Today I talk about this common myth: that all people who are depressed are suicidal. I think it’s important to know that although these two mental health issues do overlap from time to time, they do not always occur together. Someone can be suicidal and not be depressed, and someone with depression can struggle with any of the many other symptoms other than suicidal thoughts.

Another thing that I bring up is that we cannot make someone suicidal by just talking about it. It is okay to talk to someone about suicide and when or if they are having thoughts of it. This was hard for me to understand when I first became a therapist, but talking about it is actually helpful. It may be hard for them to talk about it, and make sure you have a good relationship with them, but most who struggle with suicidal thoughts feel hopeless and like there is no way out. By lending an ear and supporting them you are not going to make them kill themselves. I hope that this video helps debunk a common misunderstanding about depression and suicide. Happy Mental Health Month!! xox

Mental Health Month links:
https://www.nami.org/mentalhealthmonth
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/may

By: Kati Morton.
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What is Mindfulness? What is mindfulness? Recently, a lot of…

What is Mindfulness? 

What is mindfulness? Recently, a lot of talk about this stress reduction practice has been popping up in popular culture. From mindfulness retreats to mindfulness yoga, this practice seems to be everywhere. Is this just a fad or is there some kind of scientific validity to mindfulness? Theories in positive psychology have examined mindful living and found positive correlations between it and happiness and wellbeing.

Other studies have found that individuals who partook in mindfulness for health actually saw benefits and positive outcomes in their lifestyle. Mindfulness is defined as being conscious of the present moment.

Articles:

• http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner.aspx
• http://www.mindful.org/five-steps-to-mindfulness/

By: Psych IRL.