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When people think of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), soldiers with traumatic experiences of war and people who have lived through disasters often come to mind.
However, trauma can arise from a variety of situations, such as neglect, abuse, domestic violence or abandonment by the primary caregiver.
Are you currently going through a time of change? A new job, starting university, getting married, buying a house, or living away from home for the first time?
This change may be obvious, subtle, unwanted or well-planned.
It's possible that you're experiencing stress regardless of whether it's a negative or positive change. Just how much stress depends on how you react to it.
When it comes to asking the important question 'are you okay?' fear can get in the way.
Fear of the response. Fear of our inexperience on the topic of mental health. Fear of appearing to be a stickybeak.
But these concerns don't recognise the relief many people feel after they hear the question.
It takes courage to ask simply and directly, ‘are you okay?’, if concerned about someone's mental health.
What if they’re actually fine? Will they be offended? And what do you do if they aren’t okay?
These are common concerns people have when it comes to asking a friend, colleague or loved one ‘are you okay?’. So it’s tempting to frame the question in a way that encourages a positive response, ‘you’re okay, aren’t you?’
For people who are socially isolated, online forums and support services can be a great way to encourage tangible changes in daily life. Often, making friends online can be a stepping stone to reaching out and making friends in the offline world.
I'm an artist, speaker, writer, teacher, wife, mum and founder of The Heartworks Creative.
I use every one of my bipolar brain cells, experiences and talents to assist and empower others on their own personal mental health recovery journey.
Remembering the past is important. It defines who we are. But sometimes the process of storing an experience as a memory can go awry.
These memory disturbances can present later in life where the event is relived in the form of a flashback.
Psychiatric medications, also known as psychotropic medication, play an important role in the treatment and management of mental illness.
Yet despite being commonplace, there are many myths surrounding the use and effectiveness of psychiatric medication.
When a loved one is diagnosed with a mental illness, the automatic concern is for their wellbeing, treatment and recovery. This is a normal and natural response.
Yet many people fail to realise the process can change the family dynamic. Schedules and priorities may change, with time required for appointments, treatment and support.
A disaster or some other upsetting global event can dominate our thoughts and feelings, our private and public conversations, our homes and workplaces. And with 24/7 news just a click or tap away, it’s very easy to become overwhelmed.