ADHD Stigma
ADHD stigma is considered one of several risk factors for negative outcomes of ADHD, including developing other mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, alcohol/substance abuse, and eating disorders. Stigma of any kind is often connected to increasing the risk of suicide. A shocking fact about people with ADHD is that they are 3 times more likely than the general population to commit suicide.
This is for the Parents in the Room - When should ADHD be considered for my child?
Even though ADHD can look different for each individual, there is a process for exploring a possible diagnosis. When we assess for ADHD, we are looking for what falls beyond the typical childhood behavior category and how their life is impacted by those behaviors and needs. If you’re noticing your child’s behaviors seem more intense, more frequent, or last longer than what is a developmentally appropriate behavior, that is a pattern to note. We also want to reflect on how their functioning is being impacted by their behavior. Let’s look at the 2 most common settings, home and school, and see what we notice…
Positive Psychology
Positive psychology, promoted by psychologist and researcher Martin Seligman, encourages individuals to adopt—you guessed it—a positive outlook on life. But not in the way that Instagram influencers often encourage toxic positivity. Benefits of positive psychology include increased self-esteem, improved relationships, and a better outlook on life. To me, those all sound like things we are very much in need of as we see to the start of 2021. This isn’t to ignore all the seemingly insurmountable negatives from the past year, however focusing only on those discounts the little moments that help us get through those huge, life-altering events that are usually out of our control. What we can do is tap back into personal strengths, gratitude, wellbeing, and feelings of hope, compassion, and optimism that motivate us to get through the day.
Understanding Negative Emotions
Everyone feels sad sometimes. Sadness is a normal, healthy human emotion. We feel sad when we lose someone, when someone we love is going through a hard time, or when we are disappointed. We feel sadness when less significant things happen too- our favorite restaurant is closed, or it rains on a day we plan to be outside. Depression is not the same. It is a diagnostic term that means someone is feeling a combination of different symptoms that get in the way of normal, everyday functioning. Depression is sometimes used in place of sadness, but, in a clinical setting, these words are completely different. Sadness can be an aspect of depression, but both can exist on their own.
But how can “bad” emotions be helpful?
Is It Time to Break Up With Your Therapist?
Therapy is a relationship. In order to be effective, you need to feel connected to your therapist. So what happens when you no longer feel like your needs are getting met? Do you stop coming in? No show? Something many people don’t realize is that therapists do want you to be honest with them, especially if the relationship isn’t working.
So You Want Mental Health Treatment
Mental health treatment is different for everyone, and people often feel overwhelmed trying to figure out where to begin. Outpatient therapy is a great place to start, and you and your therapist can work together to figure out if that is the right course, or if you need a higher level of care.