Tag: Mental Health

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How to Sleep Better: Tips for Restful Nights and Energized Mornings

Sleep is a fundamental aspect of human life. It affects us physically and mentally, impacting growth and stress hormones, our immune system, appetite, breathing, blood pressure, and cardiovascular health1. Good sleep can help these systems work properly. 

Sleep deficiency is linked to chronic health problems2, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. It’s also linked to a higher chance of injury in individuals of all ages3 because the body heals during sleep. 

A common myth is that people can adapt to little sleep without negative repercussions. Research shows that getting enough quality sleep at the proper times is vital for mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety. Follow these tips to maximize your quality sleep.

Assessing Your Sleep Environment

As you embark on your restful journey, you can note your current sleep setup. Notice how much light comes into your room, what temperature feels most comfortable, if any noises are present throughout the night, and how many hours of sleep you average. 

Optimizing Your Bedroom for Sleep

Creating a sleep-friendly environment is essential for improving sleep quality and overall health. Some aspects to consider include:

Choosing the Right Mattress and Pillows

Selecting the right bedding can support good sleep posture and comfort. Visit a mattress store to see if you prefer a firmer or softer bed. Mattresses can be made of memory foam, innerspring, latex, or a hybrid of materials. Explain your sleep patterns to a store associate for help choosing.

Choosing pillows can be similar to choosing a mattress—some prefer firmer ones for extra neck support, while others need softer, thinner pillows. The right height and firmness align your head and neck with your spine. Side sleepers usually need a thicker, firmer pillow; back sleepers may prefer a medium thickness and firmness; stomach sleepers need a soft, low pillow.

Establishing a Sleep-Conducive Lifestyle

No matter your job and lifestyle, you can always prioritize sleep. Implementing sleep-positive habits can greatly improve all aspects of your life.

Regular Sleep Schedules

Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends, to regulate your body’s internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm. This natural, internal process regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours. Consistent sleep schedules can decrease mental and physical health risks9.

Daylight has the biggest influence on circadian rhythm10, but food intake, stress, physical activity, social environment, and temperature also affect it—this is why it’s vital to adjust your sleep environment to fit your sleep needs.

Diet and Sleep

Food is fuel for your body—physically and mentally. Healthy, well-rounded diets that include all food groups and minimize processed foods can promote sleep. Specifically, fruits, fatty fish, dairy, fiber-rich foods like beans and oatmeal, and certain protein sources with tryptophan, like turkey, are linked to good rest11. These foods have certain vitamins and nutrients that help regulate sleep and melatonin production. If you have dietary restrictions, you might find it beneficial to take vitamins such as magnesium, vitamin D, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids to support your sleep.

You’ll want to avoid saturated fats and refined carbohydrates close to bedtime, which are in most processed foods. Alcohol does not help your relax, and also disrupts your REM sleep cycles throughout the night, diminishing your quality of sleep.

Exercise and Sleep

Exercising can help you fall asleep faster and improve your sleep quality12. Physical activity increases the production of melatonin, a hormone that impacts sleep-wake cycles and reduces stress. This can help you feel more tired and fall asleep faster. 

Your physical activity doesn’t need to be intense to have the intended effect. Even 30 minutes of moderate daily activity can help you sleep longer and deeper. Choosing exercise you enjoy is the key to maintaining a routine and having positive sleep effects. Practices like yoga provide physical exercise and incorporate mindfulness, which can further improve sleep by lowering stress and promoting relaxation13.

Exercise releases endorphins, which keep your brain awake and energized, so physical activity should be done at least 2 hours prior to sleeping14. Going to bed after letting your core temperature cool down after exercise is also easier. 

Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques for Better Sleep

Mindfulness focuses on breathing and bringing your mind’s attention to the present without drifting into concerns about the past or future. Several practices can cultivate mindfulness, such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qigong. These techniques reduce stress and rumination, improve memory and focus15, and enhance rest13.

Meditation and Breathing Exercises

You can practice several mindfulness techniques as you wind down for bed. A core mindfulness element is using breath to guide your energy. Deepening and controlling your breath can help lower stress16 and help you relax for sleep. Try box breathing—this calming exercise allows you to stay mindfully present in your body.

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As you mindfully breathe, you can practice meditation. Some people find it useful to use guided meditations from videos or apps such as Headspace. You may visualize inhaling positive feelings and exhaling unhealthy thoughts. If your mind wanders, that’s okay, just come back to the present moment. 

You can also do a mindful body scan. Sitting in a comfortable position with eyes closed, begin to pay attention to your head, then your shoulders, then your arms down to the tips of your fingers. As you scan down your entire body, you’ll mindfully release any tension, preparing you for a relaxing sleep. 

Reducing Screen Time Before Bed

Blue light from phones, laptops, and tablets can greatly reduce sleep quality7. This light wavelength inhibits melatonin production, disrupting your sleep cycle. If you’re using any of these devices right before bed, you may find falling and staying asleep harder.

Try to minimize your blue light exposure before bed by doing other relaxing activities, such as reading a book, gentle yoga, and journaling. Many devices have settings that reduce blue light exposure in the evening hours. Apps are also available to adjust your screen’s color temperature based on the time of day.

Managing Stress for Better Sleep

Factors such as work and relationships can keep you up at night; however, using stress management skills can help you navigate these stressors.

One way to ease stress is by creating a time management system that works for you. You can begin effectively managing your responsibilities by taking inventory of where you invest your time and energy. List your priorities and how much of your time each receives. Can and should something change to put more energy into something else? Be honest with yourself and see what you can change for the better. 

Set up your schedule in advance using a physical or virtual calendar to block off time for your responsibilities. Get granular with this—instead of blocking off 2 hours for “errands,” put “45 minutes: haircut; 30 minutes: pick up office supplies; 45 minutes: pick up groceries.”

Writing can be therapeutic17, so journaling is a great outlet to work through stress. You may reflect on your day, goals, desires, or beliefs, whatever helps you unwind. You could answer prompts such as:

  1. Write about three things you were grateful for today. How did they impact your mood?
  2. List your accomplishments today, no matter how small. How do you feel about what you achieved?
  3. Reflect on any insights you gained today. How can these influence your future actions?
  4. Explore any strong emotions you felt today. What triggered these feelings, and how did you respond?
  5. What stressed you out today, and how did you manage it? Are there strategies you could improve on or try next time?

Navigating Sleep Challenges

For some, sleep can become a more significant issue. Research found that anywhere from 10%-60% of adults have some form of insomnia12, a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. Other sleep issues can also interfere with getting quality sleep, affecting physical and mental health. Fortunately, there are options for you to recover. 

Dealing with Insomnia

Insomnia can be treated through various methods, and people often find success through a combination of evidence-based and holistic approaches. Helpful lifestyle changes include maintaining a regular sleep schedule, exercising, and eating wholesome foods with nutrients like tryptophan and magnesium. However, sometimes healing requires more intensive methods.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) is the most effective non-pharmacological treatment for chronic insomnia18. You’ll work to change sleep habits and scheduling factors, as well as misconceptions about sleep and insomnia that exacerbate sleep difficulties. You may practice sleep restriction therapy, where you only lie in bed when asleep or very close to it, rather than lying in bed until you feel sleepy. 

Medically prescribed medications can help with more intense insomnia19. Your clinician may recommend benzodiazepine, melatonin, or orexin receptor agonists to provide more consistent sleep. Other medications, such as antidepressants with drowsy side effects, can also help with insomnia.

Addressing Other Sleep Disorders

Sleep apnea affects oxygen intake20 by stopping and starting breathing throughout the night. This can cause poor sleep quality and affect focus and mood throughout the day. Restless legs syndrome causes unpleasant or uncomfortable sensations in the legs21 and an irresistible urge to move them, which can also cause sleep disruptions.

If you have sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or other sleep disorders, seek professional help if the sleep issues persist, cause significant distress, or impact your daily activities. Professional treatment can help if lifestyle changes and home remedies do not improve your symptoms.

You and your doctor will walk through your symptoms to create the most effective treatment plan for your needs. You can ask questions such as:

  1. What do you believe is the underlying cause of my sleep issues? Do I need additional therapy to work through these underlying causes?
  2. What are the benefits and side effects of my treatment options? Are there lifestyle changes I need to make to accommodate these side effects?
  3. How soon can I expect to see a positive change in my sleep?
  4. Should I see a sleep specialist?

Supplements and Sleep Aids

Using sleep supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids can be tempting for those struggling with sleep issues, but it’s important to approach these solutions with caution. Your body has a system to regulate sleep, so adjusting this process could negatively impact it.

Sleep supplements and OTC sleep aids are found in many pharmacies and convenience stores, making them accessible. Sleep aids include antihistamines and natural supplements such as melatonin, valerian root, and magnesium, offering various options based on individual needs. They are generally effective in the short term, making them useful in a pinch. 

There is a risk of becoming dependent on sleep aids22, especially with frequent use. Additionally, side effects of these sleep aids can negatively impact the following day, contributing to daytime drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, dry mouth, and cognitive impairment.

In general, use caution when trying sleep supplements and OTC sleep aids. While they can be beneficial in managing short-term or occasional sleep problems, they are not typically recommended for long-term use. It’s crucial to address the root causes of sleep disruption and consult healthcare professionals to manage any issues safely.

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What Is ASMR?

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a sensory response to specific audiovisual stimuli. Watching and listening to ASMR can cause relaxation1, reduce stress, and alleviate anxiety. Physically, ASMR can create tingling sensations in the brain and down your back and arms, which is why the ASMR experience is often called “getting tingles.”

Not everyone will experience ASMR, as its effect varies from person to person. Some people will only respond to specific “triggers,” like tapping, and not other sounds or stimuli. You can even become desensitized to ASMR, often called “tingle immunity.” New sounds or stimuli can restore its effect. 

ASMR can improve sleep, mental focus, and general relaxation. It’s become increasingly popular as a study tool or holistic sleep method. ASMR creators–or ASMRtists–upload videos on social media, including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to make their content easily accessible. Videos range from a few minutes to 10+ hours. 

The Science Behind ASMR

Emerging study results back the claims of ASMR fans who swear by its relaxing, comforting effects. 

Understanding the Physiological Response

One study on the effects of ASMR used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to observe brain activity. The results showed ASMR triggers can decrease heart rate and increase skin conductance levels, a measure of the body’s response to stimuli. This suggests ASMR elicits a reaction similar to comforting interpersonal attention, which can create an overall sense of well-being, relaxation, and happiness—supporting the experiences of ASMR fans.

Benefits of ASMR

ASMR was found to reduce symptoms of depression and insomnia2 by relieving stress and promoting comfort. ASMR also offers a sense of personal connection3 and friendliness between the ASMRtist and the viewer, especially as viewers narrow their preferred style of ASMR and find their favorite ASMRtists. Some creators make specific videos tailored to personal attention and comfort, like simulated make-up applications, reassuring conversations, and repeated words of affirmation. 

Non-personal attention can also comfort the viewer, like watching someone get their back scratched, their hair combed or receive a soothing spa treatment. This relaxed environment and the viewer’s ability to put themselves in the subject’s shoes can almost feel as comforting as receiving the treatment themselves. 

The overall effects of ASMR can improve sleep and promote relaxation, calmness, and comfort. Viewers with mental health challenges, acute stress, and sleeping disorders often find ASMR particularly beneficial as a non-pharmaceutical, at-home remedy for their symptoms.

Common ASMR Triggers

ASMR triggers usually fall into these categories: sound-focused, visual-focused, and an intentional blend of both. 

Sound-Focused Triggers

A sound-focused video features a close-up view of an ASMRtist’s hands and their microphone. You’ll watch them manipulate, scratch, and tap items to make certain sounds, either holding them by the mic or placing them on a flat surface. The focus isn’t on ASMRtist’s hands, body, or movements; rather, the sounds the item makes. Here are a few common sound triggers:

  • Tapping
  • Whispering
  • Brushing the mic or object with a soft brush
  • Scratching
  • Using an item to tap/touch another item
  • Any triggers done ear-to-ear (binaural stimulation) with a special head-shaped mic

Visual-Focused Triggers

Visual-focused videos center on movement, sometimes without any sound at all (besides gentle background music, potentially). For example, an ASMRtist may move their hands and fingers in repetitive, flowing movements to stimulate ASMR. Visual-focused ASMR could also include painting, simple crafts, and eye-tracking ‘games’ hosted by the ASMRtist. Makeup destruction is also popular, as is organizing and cleaning.

Blended Triggers

Many ASMRtists blend visual and sound-focused triggers for a more comprehensive experience. For example, they may use rhythmic hand movements to comb someone’s hair, touch or tap an object, or whisper into their mic as they spin and pulse their hands. Some viewers strongly prefer the combination of visual and audio triggers and find them more effective.

An ASMRtist using blended triggers may also quietly narrate what they’re doing to help the viewer focus and connect. This is often called ‘whispered’, as in ‘whispered back scratch ASMR’. Some viewers prefer this, some find it distracting. ASMRtists often specify ‘non-whispered’ or ‘no talking’ on their video titles to help those viewers find the best ASMR for them.

Tactile Triggers

Though less common and accessible, some ASMR fans enjoy tactile triggers best. These include in-person touch, like hair playing or skin touches, that cause ASMR. Soft scratching or touching down the back and arms can cause the sensations of ASMR and its same positive effects. 

Experiencing ASMR

Knowing the benefits of ASMR, you may be more eager to experience it yourself. It’s okay if you don’t know where to begin—you can start in all sorts of ways. 

Finding Your ASMR Triggers

Start by watching ASMR videos. Try a variety, or begin with a compilation video of multiple (sometimes hundreds) of triggers in quick succession. This can help you find your preferences and discover new triggers even as a long-time ASMR fan. Your response to triggers should be immediate, so you’ll know right away what you prefer. Keep your mind open to new possibilities as you go, as what you like may surprise you.

You can peruse videos simply by typing ‘ASMR’ in the search bar on YouTube, which has longer videos. You can do the same on Tik Tok, Instagram, and other forms of social media to find snippets of longer videos. Once you know what kinds you like, your search could look like ‘slow tapping ASMR’, ‘back scratching ASMR’, or ‘unpredictable no talking ASMR’.

Many ASMRtists cater to deaf viewers or those with attention disorders. Read the title of each video or specify your search to find these types of videos. 

Creating an Ideal ASMR Environment

To get the benefits and effects of ASMR, your environment must align with rest and peace. For example, watching ASMR on a crowded subway likely won’t offer the same benefits as your environment would make it hard to stay focused and engaged with the content. 

Create a peaceful environment by dimming your lights, lighting a candle or incense, and getting comfortable. Ensure you won’t be disturbed by noises, people, or responsibilities. Your bedroom can be an ideal space to watch ASMR, especially for those who use it as part of their bedtime routine. Make yourself as comfortable as possible, and wear headphones if that gives you a better experience. Most ASMRtists recommend headphones for better sound quality and to experience binaural (ear-to-ear) audio.

ASMR for Relaxation and Sleep

ASMR can be highly effective in a sleep routine. Watching a video before bed can help you relax, process your day, and have a calmer mind before you shut your eyes with the intent to sleep.

To work ASMR into your nightly routine, start by watching a video every night. Set a timer for it to remind you, if needed. You could also pick out your videos for a whole week by saving them on YouTube. This can spare you the time and effort of picking a video each night, which can make it easier to integrate into your routine. 

If you have other nightly habits, like reading, you can watch ASMR after those activities. Try to do it right before you close your eyes to make sure your mind stays relaxed and calm as you shift into sleep. 

The ASMR Community 

ASMR has a large fanbase, especially as it continues to grow in popularity. YouTube hosts many ASMR videos and ASMRtists, as its long-form videos cater more to the length of ASMR videos. Many YouTube creators focus specifically on ASMR content and center on a niche, like tapping, back scratching, or organizing items. Some ASMRtists will show their face and talk to the camera during the video, commenting on the trigger, life updates, and more. ASMRtists like these can connect more personally with their audience and grow a unique following, though some viewers find conversation distracting and detracting from the experience.

ASMR fans often gravitate towards a handful of ASMRtists and join a community of others with the same preferences. Some ASMRtists have online groups for viewers to interact with them and other fans. You can even pay for specific ASMR videos that include your preferred triggers. Some fans also financially support their favorite ASMRtists with small monthly donations. 

The ASMR community as a whole provides a space of comfort and safety for many. ASMR’s focus on soothing, comforting, and healing touches every aspect of it, from its online communities to each unique video. Many ASMRtists with similar styles collaborate and create videos together, so you may see your favorites visit each other and make content.

Criticisms and Misconceptions of ASMR

Despite its growing popularity, ASMR faces skepticism. Some regard it as a sexual fetish due to the intimate nature of certain triggers, while others dismiss it as a pseudo-science4. However, for those who experience ASMR, it’s neither. It’s a personal, non-sexual, and subjective experience that varies person-to-person.

ASMR could also be seen as something only women can create and enjoy. But viewers and ASMRtists vary in all sorts of ways, from their age, race, gender, and sexuality. They live worldwide and represent unique cultures, languages, and demographics. 

Future of ASMR

ASMR could become even more of a buzzword and household practice in the coming years.

Research and Developments

As ASMR grows in popularity, more scientists and clinicians have begun publishing studies and reviewing its effects. This could broaden the medical community’s awareness of ASMR and make it more common practice to recommend it. For example, a particularly potent study could encourage doctors and mental health providers to recommend ASMR to their patients.

ASMR has been studied5 and likely will continue to be. As more studies and experiences reach the public, more people may try ASMR and incorporate it into their daily lives, similar to meditation and mindfulness. Apps and training courses now exist solely to help people meditate; the same could soon be true for ASMR.

Expanding ASMR Applications

Like other mindfulness practices, ASMR could be included in standard treatment plans for mental health conditions. For example, a therapy session could include watching an ASMR video to settle your mind before beginning. A therapist could also use it as a calming tool, similar to soothing music, during a session. 

Since ASMR can lower heart rates and improve mood5, it may become more mainstream in all types of treatment, from therapy to a calming pre-operation tool in the medical space. ASMR’s overall future and integration into the broad realm of healthcare seems promising.

ASMR’s Whispers of Hope

ASMR can be a highly beneficial tool for people with and without mental health conditions or sleep disorders. You can ask your friends and family if they watch ASMR and the types of benefits they feel. If you like ASMR, you’ll join a thriving community focused on comfort and healing. If you don’t, you’ll still have plenty of company. Try ASMR today to see how it can help you.

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What Is Self-Harm and Why Is It Done?

*Trigger warning: This article includes details and discussions of self-harm.*

Self-harm is self-inflicted and harmful behavior done without the intent of death. Examples include cutting, burning, and bruising the skin. Picking at wounds and pulling hair may also be self-harm. 

Self-harm is often used to manage strong emotional pain, express intense emotions, and escape numbness. It’s not typically done to initiate suicide, but someone who self-harms is more likely to die by suicide1.

Understanding Self-Harm

Self-harm can be confusing and difficult to understand, whether you or a loved one do it. It can seem illogical—causing pain to escape the pain. Knowing the reasons behind it can help you support a loved one or learn more about how treatment can help you. 

Definitions and Forms of Self-Harm

Self-harm is defined as inflicting physical harm to yourself on purpose1. It’s more common in teens and women. Some people will only do it a few times; others may struggle to stop once they start. Media representation (TV shows or movies) commonly portrays self-harm as cutting the skin, but it actually takes many forms. Here’s some examples:

  • Burning the skin with matches, a lighter, or another source of fire. Chemical substances can also cause burns.
  • Punching or hitting to cause bruising or broken bones.
  • Scratching, piercing or cutting the skin with razors and other sharp objects.
  • Pulling out hair. 
  • Ingesting toxic substances, like drugs, high doses of medications, and chemical cleaners to inflict harm.
  • Any self-inflicted behavior intended to cause physical harm. 

Though self-harm can cause injuries that need medical treatment (and even life-threatening injuries), it differs from suicide attempts in that the person does not intend to die. Suicide attempts are often intended to cause death, while self-harm is used as a coping tool. 

For example, someone may cut deeper than intended, requiring immediate medical care for a wound that could have killed them. This differs from a suicide attempt because they did not make that cut with the intention or hope to die.

The Psychology Behind Self-Harm

Self-harm commonly occurs as a way to cope with overwhelming emotions2, including anger, grief, and numbness. It’s also frequently used as a tool for self-punishment. Some people self-harm to gain attention and help from others (also called a cry for help). Others may self-harm for all 3 reasons. In any case, they need and deserve help.

Self-harm also serves as an emotional outlet2 and provides a sense of control. It can provide a more continuous distraction from intense emotional pain, as the inflictor often needs to bandage and care for their recurring wounds, which also offers a sense of control and can provide nurturing not otherwise received. 

Though it seems counterintuitive, self-harm can release endorphins3 as the body responds to pain. This can spike your adrenaline and improve your mood, which offers an escape from numbness and a break in intensely low mood. But it’s only temporary. 

Addressing The Stigma Around Self-Harm

The stigma surrounding self-harm claims it’s a sign of weakness and attention-seeking, which can cause people to feel ashamed and unwilling to ask for help. Cuts, scars, and bruises also don’t align with most beauty standards, which can cause further shame. 

Shame can cause a cycle of self-harming, as continuous harm reinstates shame, which can cause ongoing self-harm. Hiding injuries and crafting cover-up stories can also fuel shame and cause even greater stress, which can feed the cycle.

To break through the stigma, you can practice empathy and compassion—towards yourself and others. Educate yourself on self-harm to better understand its causes; this can help you approach conversations about getting help with greater confidence and compassion. You can also advocate for yourself or others by correcting common misconceptions about self-harm. Discuss it as a symptom of overwhelming pain, not an inability to cope with it. If people don’t understand and are not willing to try, you can leave them out of your journey.

Factors Contributing to Self-Harm

Self-harm isn’t usually the first way people try to manage strong emotions and cope with pain. People may even seek treatment but ultimately not get the relief they need. And since self-harm can offer momentary relief or distraction, stopping may sound pointless and daunting—why quit something that works? Fear can then contribute to repeated self-harm: fear of giving up potentially the only coping tool you have.

Treating underlying conditions, beginning treatment as soon as possible, and catching the signs early can prevent self-harm and the fear of letting it go. 

Emotional Distress and Mental Health Disorders

Conditions like depression, anxiety, trauma, and borderline personality disorder can contribute to and cause self-harm as a symptom. Here’s why:

Pre-existing mental health conditions can largely contribute to and cause self-harm, but so can your environment, the people around you, and the media you take in.

Environmental and Social Influences

Bullying, family dynamics, and peer pressure can lead to self-harm. Media may also create curiosity around self-harm, which could lead to experimentation, and then a habit that becomes hard to break. Some TV shows and movies geared toward teens vividly show (and often romanticize) self-harm. This can prompt teens to replicate the behavior or see it as the only way to deal with negative emotions. 

Similarly, and especially for teens in middle or high school, being in a peer environment where self-harm is normalized and romanticized can lead to experimentation. Teens may self-harm to fit in, to relate to their friends, or to gain sympathy from classmates (which is often a genuine cry for help). Bullying can cause self-harm as a way to cope with emotional pain and as a form of self-punishment.

Signs and Symptoms of Self-Harm

If you’re worried about a loved one or a friend self-harming, you can keep a few warning signs in mind as you note their physical and emotional changes. If you do notice any signs, try to keep your questions gentle and centered on concern. Make sure your emotional state invites vulnerability. Though distressing, self-harm and the causes behind it are treatable.

Warning Signs of Self-Harm

If you’re a parent, a teacher, a sibling, or a concerned friend, you can keep a lookout for the following signs of self-harm in someone you care about.

  1. Suddenly spending time alone, usually in a shut or locked room. This could be their bedroom, bathroom, or another area of your house. 
  2. Unexplained injuries, cuts, or burns.
  3. Taking or hoarding first-aid supplies. 
  4. Finding blood on their clothes, sheets, and used first-aid supplies (like gauze or bandages).
  5. Wearing full-coverage clothes and seeming particular about not revealing their arms, legs, stomach, or other areas they’re normally okay with showing. This may be especially noticeable in the summertime (like wearing a hoodie in hot weather). 
  6. Items like razor blades, knives, lighters, or other self-harm tools going missing in your home. You may find them tucked away into a hiding place in their room or bathroom. School lockers can also hide supplies.
  7. Behavioral changes like seeming down, tearful, and hopeless.
  8. Acting withdrawn and unfocused in social and family situations.
  9. Flinching or seeming in pain when certain parts of their body are bumped or touched. 

Starting The Conversation and Next Steps

Remember: noticing these signs may mean your loved one needs help, but with that help, they’ll learn to heal. Keep that in mind as you bring your concerns to light. You can start with gentle questions about their behaviors and items you may have noticed go missing, like self-harm tools and first-aid supplies. You may ask something like,

“I’ve noticed you seem very down and that you spend a lot of time in your room. I’ve also found band-aid wrappers hidden in the trash. You aren’t in trouble if you say yes, but I want to know if you are hurting yourself.”

If your loved one answers yes, they have been hurting themselves, you may need to see the wounds to make sure they don’t need medical attention. If they’re unwilling to show you but agree they need treatment, you can offer to take them to urgent care or the emergency room. 

If they don’t need immediate medical treatment, you can discuss getting help in other ways. Acknowledge and validate their pain, avoid judgment, and encourage them with the vast array of treatments available to people who self-harm (like therapy, peer support groups, virtual care, outpatient care, and even residential rehabs). When they’re ready, you can help them take the first steps into treatment.

Depending on your relationship, you may be able to control their environment in the meantime. If you’re the parent of a child who self-harms, for example, you may gather and hide all your knives, razors, lighters, and other self-harming tools as a preventive measure. You can also set rules about alone time (like limiting it to an hour a day, keeping their door open, or requiring frequent check-ins) to keep a closer eye on them and their behaviors. 

In some cases, alone time may not be safe in any sense. Consider going to the emergency room to get admitted to a psychiatric hospital, where your loved one receives continuous monitoring in a safe environment. 

Support and Treatment Options

Many forms of treatment and therapy can help you or your loved one heal from self-harm and its underlying causes. 

Professional Help and Therapies

Behavioral therapies address the unhealthy or inaccurate thoughts and emotions leading to behaviors like self-harm. Examples include:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which addresses and challenges the emotions causing self-harm, like anger, shame, and grief. Using CBT, a therapist will help their patient determine the validity of their thoughts, prevent spiraling, and reshape their thought patterns. 
  • Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) helps manage intense emotions and teaches tools for coping and resilience. Rather than challenging or changing thoughts, DBT helps patients accept the thought and manage how they respond to it. For example, someone experiencing intense emotions may respond with a coping tool they learned in therapy, not with self-harm.
  • Problem-Solving Therapy8 uses skill and attitude training to see problems as solvable, promote rationalization, and reduce impulsivity. This therapy can be especially helpful for adolescents with depression, suicidality, and self-harming behaviors.

Self-Care Strategies and Coping Mechanisms

Alongside professional help, you can also practice self-care strategies and at-home coping mechanisms for self-harm. Here are a few of those strategies and practices you can try:

  • The ice-cube method: Hold an ice cube in your hand (or your mouth) when emotions become intense and overwhelming. The cold ice cube serves as a neurological distraction9 and can give you mental clarity. Relief and clearer thinking can then prevent self-harm.
  • Exercise: Fitness can serve as a distraction8 and an action. Let out emotions through weight-lifting, boxing, running, or taking a walk. 
  • Drawing/doodling: Making shapes, lines, or drawings can release emotions and give a sense of accomplishment. You can make angry slashes with your pen over the page, slowly color in shapes, or draw lines over and over. You can even add words and combine journaling with doodling.
  • Busy your hands: Whether you have to sit on them, play with a fidget toy, or simply run them over textured fabric, keeping your hands busy can help distract you until the urge to self-harm fades.
  • Tear something apart: Rip up paper, food, or something you’re okay with tearing. This serves as a distraction and an emotional outlet, which can prevent self-harm by satiating the need to do so.
  • Tell someone: Let a trusted friend or family member know when you feel the urge to self-harm. They can keep you company (even virtually) and keep you accountable by checking in. You don’t even have to specifically mention self-harm, just let them know you need support.
  • Remove yourself from your environment: Physically step away from your current environment and the potential self-harm tools within it. Ideally, you could go on a walk to get outside and separate from your home or other living environment. If you can’t, move to another room or seek company with a family member.
  • Make your environment as safe as you can: As you feel able, remove, destroy, or throw away self-harm tools. Give your stash to someone to get rid of. Tell a trusted family member to hide or lock up other self-harm tools in your home. These could include knives, shaving razors, and other sharp tools.
  • Be kind to yourself: The recovery journey for self-harm isn’t a straight line. You may go one, two, even 10+ days (or months) without self-harming, but end up doing it again. That’s okay. Don’t see it as failing, rather as a bump in your road to recovery—and you’re still on the road. Remind yourself of that often.

Self-care strategies can reduce your overall stress and promote wellness day-to-day. Here are a few techniques you can try:

  1. Set aside time to relax and do something you enjoy. Schedule yourself an hour each night (or however long you can) to read, meditate, craft, or call a friend.
  2. Stay hydrated and incorporate more whole foods into your diet to fuel and nourish your body.
  3. Get outside to soak in sunlight and Vitamin D—try walking through your neighborhood, taking your dog to a park, or sitting on your balcony.
  4. Prioritize good sleep. Follow a nighttime routine and try to wake up at the same time each morning to even out your sleep cycle.
  5. Move your body through exercise, yoga, playing with a pet, or taking walks. You could also take up new sports or hobbies like hiking, swimming, and rollerblading.

Prevention and Building Resilience

Changing the narrative around self-harm and offering education can prevent teens and adults from using it as a coping tool. To combat the glamorization of self-harm, schools, peers, and teachers can instead educate vulnerable teens on the realities of self-harm and what it means for their health. 

Knowing your treatment options can also serve as a prevention tool, as someone may not feel drawn to self-harm if other sources of relief are readily available (like therapy, support groups, or crisis services). The earlier schools and other organizations can make these resources available, the better.

Find Help and Hope

Understanding self-harm is the first step towards offering the necessary support and compassion to those in need. It’s about looking beyond the behavior and recognizing the underlying pain, offering a helping hand in their journey toward healing. Remember, with the right approach and resources, recovery is not just a possibility but a reality. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm, seek help from a professional to navigate the path to recovery together. You can also find rehabs with self-harm treatment by browsing Recovery.com.

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Mastering the Gray Rock Method: A Guide to Detaching From Toxic Interactions

The emotional toll of toxic relationships can be immense. Interactions that routinely go poorly and violate your personal boundaries leave you feeling drained. 

That’s where the gray rock method comes in.

Think of a gray rock: dull, uninteresting, and unfazed. The gray rock method equips you to become just that—emotionally unresponsive—to someone’s negativity. 

This method isn’t about confrontation or revenge. It’s a strategic way to set boundaries and protect yourself from emotional abuse. If you’re constantly walking on eggshells around someone who doesn’t engage well, this method can be a lifeline. It allows you to minimize the harm and emotional exhaustion these interactions cause. 

Here’s how the gray rock method works, why some people choose to use it, and how you can apply it to your life.

Understanding Toxic Relationships

Toxic patterns are common in relationships with narcissists and other cluster B personalities.1 Narcissists have an inflated sense of self-importance, lack empathy, and thrive on manipulating others. All of these traits make for predictably poor interactions. 

“If you have ongoing exposure to controlling people,2 it’s a virtual certainty that you’re going to experience blurry boundaries,” says clinical therapist and narcissism expert Dr. Les Carter. 

But not all difficult interactions warrant the gray rock method. There’s a difference between the all-consuming conflicts that chronically occur in relationships with emotionally immature people and the smaller problems that naturally occur in “normal” relationships.

Note: Gray rock is often used for relationships involving narcissistic abuse. While the term is often used casually, narcissism is defined3 as “a personality disorder with the following characteristics:

  • A long-standing pattern of grandiose self-importance and an exaggerated sense of talent and achievements
  • Fantasies of unlimited sex, power, brilliance, or beauty
  • An exhibitionistic need for attention and admiration
  • Either cool indifference or feelings of rage, humiliation, or emptiness as a response to criticism, indifference, or defeat
  • Various interpersonal disturbances, such as feeling entitled to special favors, taking advantage of others, and inability to empathize with the feelings of others”

Signs of a Toxic Relationship 

Red flags that signal a toxic relationship are easy to overlook, especially if you haven’t learned to identify them, or if your childhood experiences tell you they’re normal. So how can you tell the difference between normal relationship conflict and emotional abuse? Start by asking yourself if you’re experiencing the following: 

  • A one-sided power dynamic: You feel belittled, manipulated, or criticized.
  • Walking on eggshells: You constantly dread their next episode and perform in ways you think will gain their approval.
  • Emotional manipulation: They use shame and guilt trips to control your behavior.
  • Energy drain: Interactions leave you feeling depleted and emotionally exhausted.
  • Disrespect: They chronically disrespect your humanity and personal boundaries.
  • Lack of empathy: They show little to no concern for your feelings or emotional well-being.
  • Isolating behavior: They try to control who you see, effectively limiting your social circle.
  • Rage: They have unpredictable outbursts or anger issues.
  • Gaslighting: They deny or twist reality to make you question your perception.
  • Pathological lying: They lie compulsively and without reason.

Gray rock doesn’t apply to healthy relationships, which benefit from working through problems using clear communication. It’s a coping strategy for people who need to minimize the damage that toxic relationships cause. 

Why People Choose to Use Gray Rock 

Narcissists lack empathy.4 They struggle to see things from your perspective and have little regard for your emotional well-being. As such, they use manipulative tactics like shaming, gaslighting, or outright lies to get what they want. As a result, you’re left feeling drained, unheard, and questioning your sanity.

Because of this, many people choose to go no-contact with narcissists,5 especially when leaving an abusive partner. But no-contact isn’t always possible—and isn’t always the best solution. Sometimes you need to maintain relationships with emotionally immature people (for example, to co-parent a child with an ex). Other times, stopping contact altogether involves more emotional labor than simply keeping it to a minimum.

Implementing the Gray Rock Method

Gray rocking is a way of protecting your energy by giving people who intend to manipulate you nothing to work with. This means not sharing inner thoughts and feelings. “Narcissists are data collectors,”6 says Dr. Carter. “The more you share your thoughts, they’re just collecting data to use against you later on.” 

The goal of gray rock is to put yourself in the most neutral position possible. By becoming emotionally unresponsive, you decrease narcissists’ interest in you as a target. Here are some ways you can use it: 

  • Minimize emotional reactions.  Avoid expressing strong emotions like anger, frustration, or sadness. This might feel unnatural at first, but remember, you’re aiming to be a dull rock, not a juicy target.
  • Limit conversation. Respond to questions with short, bland, factual answers. Avoid elaborate explanations or justifications. Opt for one-word answers like “okay,” “sure,” or “fine” when possible.
  • Maintain a neutral demeanor. Keep your body language neutral. Avoid making eye contact, crossing your arms, or fidgeting excessively. A calm and unbothered exterior further discourages engagement.
  • Keep it brief. Keep verbal exchanges as short as possible.
  • Don’t share your opinions or expand on ideas. Reveal the least amount of information possible about yourself.
  • Don’t make attempts to correct their thinking. If they start antagonizing you, don’t argue back. End the interaction.  

Gray rock also extends to digital communication.

  • Keep texts and emails short and to the point.
  • Don’t answer calls or messages until you feel emotionally ready. 
  • Mute, block, or use do-not-disturb mode as necessary. 

Examples: Using Gray Rock in Conversation 

When you know you’re stepping into a challenging interaction, it helps to have a plan. Here are some ideas: 

Replies 

Give bland, non-committal responses without expanding further on ideas. You can also use one-word replies like “okay,” “sure,” and “interesting,” in a neutral tone. 

Neutral Topics 

Likewise, it can be useful to have some topics in your back pocket in case you need to steer the conversation away from sensitive subjects. These might include: 

  • The weather: “I heard it’s supposed to rain tomorrow.” 
  • Non-controversial current events: “Did you hear about the [positive news story]?”
  • Your surroundings: “This coffee shop has a nice atmosphere.”
  • Food: “Have you tried that new Italian place downtown?” 

Redirecting the Conversation 

You can also (cautiously) steer the conversation away from things you’d rather not talk about using phrases like these: 

  • “I haven’t thought much about that lately.” (followed by a safe topic)
  • “That’s interesting, but I actually need to get going.” (if appropriate)

Keeping the Focus on Them

One Redditor, nospaceforyou, says to avoid disclosing too much personal information to a narcissist,7 “keep him talking about himself,” using questions like: 

  • “What have you been up to?
  • Are you still doing [insert hobby]?
  • Have you seen [insert movie]? I’m trying to decide whether or not to go. What do you think?
  • Have you had lunch/dinner yet?
  • How is [insert one of their friends] doing these days? Do you still talk?
  • Do you have plans to go anywhere this summer?”

The key is to keep responses brief, factual, and non-judgmental. Avoid getting drawn into emotional discussions or sharing personal details that could spark further conversation. Remember, your safety comes first. If the situation escalates or feels unsafe, remove yourself from the interaction.

With all of these techniques, proceed with caution. Your relationship dynamic is unique, and you know best what will escalate or deescalate a situation. 

Is Gray Rocking Narcissistic Behavior? 

Stonewalling8 (giving you the silent treatment, ghosting, or shutting down) is a common narcissistic tactic. So what’s the difference between this and gray rock? The answer is: the motive.

“There’s a difference between selfishness and self-preservation,” says Dr. Carter. Stonewalling is a narcissistic person’s way of punishing you for not going along with their agenda. Gray rocking, on the other hand, is not used for manipulation.

Boundaries and Self-Care

Boundaries keep us safe and set the standard for how we want to be treated. By using the gray rock technique, you’re placing a clear limit on how much emotional energy you’re willing to invest. But it’s not a solution in and of itself. It should be used alongside other self-care strategies to protect your emotional well-being.

If boundary setting has been difficult for you in the past, there’s no need to feel bad about it. In fact, many empathetic people struggle with setting boundaries. The good news is that boundary setting is a skill that can be learned.

As you navigate this relationship, prioritize activities that replenish your emotional energy. Keep doing the daily routines that make you feel well, and surround yourself with supportive people. Rest more if you need to and do things that nourish your spirit, like spending time in nature. 

Have Your Own Back 

It’s normal to feel a little guilty when setting boundaries—especially if you’ve been conditioned to believe that standing up for yourself is wrong. But deciding to put a stop to the emotional depletion you’ve experienced is a huge act of self-love. It’s also a brave acceptance of the situation for what it is. It’s your way of saying that the other person can think and act however they want, and you’re no longer invested in trying to make it different. Your job is not to internalize their opinions, but to live your life and be true to yourself.

“Some people just cannot engage well,” says Dr. Carter. “Gray rock is a way of practicing self-care and self-respect, and is a reasonable way to engage with someone who does not participate well.”

Note: Gray rock is a temporary strategy for managing difficult people. It doesn’t address the root cause of the toxicity. Toxic relationships give us a lot to unpack, and therapy can help us process, heal, and learn from what happened. 

Challenges and Considerations

Emotional detachment can feel awkward, especially if you’re used to expressing yourself openly. Suppressing your natural reactions might make you feel like you’re being fake. One Redditor, indulgent_taurus, says gray rock itself can be emotionally tiring:9

“Due to my fawn response, I’ve never felt comfortable saying ‘no’ or setting boundaries around certain topics…I’m grateful for the grey rock technique. BUT, it’s also exhausting. It’s hard for me to give those bland, boring answers without sounding defensive or angry…my hypervigilance is on overdrive when I’m in her presence.”

“I had every right to step away from people who had hurt me deeply.”

The decision to minimize contact with someone you were close to is never easy—especially if that person is a family member. Sara D, a child abuse survivor, describes her experience: 

“I know other child abuse survivors and I know of no one, myself included, who made the decision to go no or low contact or grey rock lightly—no one. My very personal decisions to limit contact with my abuser and my enabler and, at another point, to have no contact whatsoever with the both of them certainly weighed heavily on me. Those decisions were some of the most painful and difficult yet also most impactful of my life!… They came with costs—to everyone involved. But those decisions felt necessary, and right; they were self-preserving decisions. And I had every right to step away from people who had hurt me deeply, who had betrayed my trust early and often and shown no remorse and taken no accountability.”

Gray rock doesn’t solve all your problems—the idea is that it costs you less than engaging in conflict.

Risks of Using Gray Rock

Gray rock is growing in popularity, but as of yet, not much research has been done on this technique. It also carries some potential risks: 

  • Escalation: Narcissists crave attention, and if they’re not getting the reaction they seek through their usual tactics, they might respond by escalating their behavior.
  • Feeling emotionally drained: While the goal is to be emotionally neutral, constantly suppressing your true feelings can be draining. It’s important to have healthy outlets for your emotions outside of this dynamic.
  • Inadvertently enabling: In some cases, a narcissist may misinterpret your lack of response as permission to continue their bad behavior. It’s important to maintain clear boundaries, even if you’re not engaging emotionally.

Adjusting Expectations

It’s hard to acknowledge, but it’s just not possible to have healthy, fair relationships with certain people. With gray rock, we let go of the expectation that our exchanges are going to be rewarding, or that we can change their behavior. Instead, we adjust our behavior to best handle the situation at hand. 

Alternatives and Support

In some situations, it’s better to walk away completely. If you feel unsafe, talk to a trained support specialist about making an exit plan. 

  • National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
  • Crisis Text Hotline: text Home to 741741
  • Love Is Respect: 866-331-9474

Dealing with the fallout from a toxic relationship can be overwhelming. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Therapy and support groups provide a safe space to express yourself and connect with others who understand what you’re going through.

Take Charge of Your Interaction and Protect Your Well-Being

You deserve to feel safe and respected. You get to decide what’s in your best interest and how much emotional energy you want to spend. The gray rock method is just one tool you can use to maintain your personal boundaries. 

Even when using gray rock, managing these interactions takes an emotional toll. Be kind to yourself as you progress through your healing journey, and don’t hesitate to reach out for help when you need it. 

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Understanding the Physical Toll: How Anxiety Impacts the Body and Ways to Cope

Learning how anxiety affects the body can help you understand mysterious symptoms and the impact untreated mental health conditions can have. Although anxiety can manifest in many ways, not everyone will experience physical symptoms. On the other hand, some people may feel the physical symptoms most acutely. 

Anxiety’s physical symptoms could first seem purely like a physical health condition, especially if you’ve never been diagnosed with it. Set an appointment with your doctor if you’re wondering if your symptoms may be caused by or related to anxiety.

What Is Anxiety?

People with anxiety disorders experience frequent and persistent worry1 out of their control.  This can manifest as generalized anxiety disorder or as a specific phobia, such as social anxiety disorder or panic disorder. Even when temporary stressors resolve, people with anxiety disorders don’t experience relief. Anxiety can be thought of as a constant anticipation of future threats2.

For example, someone with anxiety may constantly worry about their job, their health, or the safety of their loved ones. They’ll perseverate on worries like, “What if I’m not performing well and get fired? What if my loved one gets into an accident or gets sick? What if I get sick or hurt?”  It may feel like a preventative measure to prepare for worst-case scenarios, but in reality, these festering worries just lead to stress and anxiety.

A lack of issues does not alleviate their anxiety. That often means they need to learn how to reduce their anxiety manually, since it won’t fade in times without stress. They can learn to counter recurrent and persistent worries, stopping the thoughts from lingering and causing symptoms of anxiety.

Physical Symptoms of Anxiety

Some of the most common physical symptoms of anxiety3 include:

  1. Headaches
  2. Shortness of breath
  3. Nausea
  4. Diarrhea
  5. Back pain
  6. Insomnia
  7. Racing heart (also called tachycardia)

Anxiety affecting your physical health is also called somatization4, where emotions and feelings express as physical pain or discomfort. This can happen with other mental health conditions too, but is especially common with anxiety. 

Cognitive Effects

Anxiety can affect how you process and take in information5. For example, if you’re in a near-constant state of hyperarousal, benign events could seem scary or exacerbate your anxiety. Feeling anxious can also make it harder to make educated decisions and react appropriately.

Anxiety may prevent you from concentrating and remembering dates, information, and tasks you need to get done. If your brain is stressed, it may not feel like those things are important enough to be remembered. Instead, you may perseverate on potential threats and prepare for fear.

Anxiety can also distort your perception5. It can cause stronger reactions to cues of threat, like fearful expressions, an edged tone, or an unwanted task you suddenly must do. The threat itself may not even be a threat or is a small one, but a distorted perception from anxiety makes it feel much scarier. You may experience friends and loved ones questioning your reactions or anxiety levels and telling you “it’s no big deal.” From your perspective, though, it does feel like a big deal. 

Immune System and Stress Response

A perceived threat triggers your body’s stress response2. Since anxiety can alter perceptions and make non-threats seem threatening, it can regularly activate the stress response. This sends floods of stress hormones and other stress responses throughout the body. 

The stress response is intended to help you survive2 and escape threats, so your heart rate increases, you get a spike in adrenaline, your muscles tense for action, and you breathe faster. While this works great in certain situations, it’s not always intended to happen and can feel distressing.

Excess stress hormones can affect the immune system6 similarly to an inflammatory disorder. Hormone-releasing glands may work ineffectively after continued activation and use. This can also make you more susceptible to autoimmune diseases and other health problems, especially if you have chronic stress or long-term untreated anxiety.

Gastrointestinal Effects

Anxiety can sometimes feel like a pit in your stomach. Your brain and gut share a strong connection7, which is why anxiety can cause nausea, pain, and diarrhea. The gut-brain axis is a complex communication network that involves the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system, linking emotional and cognitive areas of the brain to your gut. Anxiety can activate the autonomic nervous system8, which can impact your gut and lead to symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea. These painful and disruptive physical symptoms can also worsen your anxiety, creating a cycle.

Treating one or both parts of the cycle can help you find relief. Therapy and medications for anxiety can relieve gastrointestinal symptoms, and treatment for gastrointestinal symptoms can relieve anxiety. Treatment targeted at both may be most effective for you.

If you’re feeling nauseous before a presentation or other anxiety-inducing event, you can practice coping skills to soothe stress. Deep, mindful breathing can calm your nervous system. You can try box breathing, where you breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 4 seconds, and breathe out through your mouth for 4 seconds, then start again from the top. Physical activity and healthy distractions (like reading, cooking, or watching a show you enjoy) can help, too.

Sleep Disturbances

The hyperarousal state caused by anxiety can make it hard to fall asleep9 and stay asleep. Your brain may wake you up more often if it’s used to feeling under threat, especially if you’re having nightmares that trigger the stress response. Anxiety can also trigger nightmares; for example, a parent may have persistent nightmares of losing a child. 

You may compulsively worry about what happened during your day, replay interactions, or start mentally preparing for tomorrow’s threats as you try to fall asleep. Worrying about what happened and what could happen can trigger your stress response and bar your brain from the relaxed state it needs to sleep. 

Those diagnosed with sleep conditions like insomnia could find their anxiety improves once they get insomnia treatment9, and vice versa. Treatment for insomnia depends on which kind you have (trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both), but often includes therapy and medications. Short-term hypnotics, certain antidepressants, and benzodiazepines can calm the mind and allow sleep.

Muscular Tension and Pain

The stress response causes your muscles to tense2 and prepare to fight or flee. If your anxiety often activates this response, you can experience muscle pain from the prolonged tension. This could also lead to skeletal conditions like low back pain and make pre-existing osteoarthritis more painful. Anxiety can lower your ability to tolerate pain10 and make other musculoskeletal conditions more painful as well. 

Relaxation techniques can help relieve tension and pain. Try progressive muscle relaxation, where you’ll mindfully tense and untense your muscles (head to toes, toes to head, or another pattern.) You can also apply topical remedies to relieve pain.

Respiratory System

The stress responses speeds up breathing to ensure your cardiovascular system has enough oxygen to react to threats. You may experience shortness of breath when anxiety triggers this response11 without a threat to run from or fight. Feeling like you can’t breathe or aren’t getting enough air can intensify your anxiety and create a self-feeding cycle. 

Sometimes, this can worsen to a panic attack, which may cause you to hyperventilate or hold your breath. Both of these can cause someone to pass out (or feel close to it). 

Feeling constantly short of breath or like you’re just barely getting enough air could be a sign of anxiety. Practice deep breaths, filling and expanding your stomach, and bring your concerns to your doctor.

Hormonal Imbalance

Anxiety can interfere with hormone production and release12, which can lead to thyroid problems and menstrual irregularities. This can even extend to reproductive issues. Stress and anxiety can cause endocrine disorders when they go untreated. 

Anxiety treatment can alleviate the disruptions in your endocrine system and restore it to health. Treatment options for anxiety include therapy, medications, and a combination of the two.

Seeking Professional Help

If you notice physical or emotional symptoms of anxiety, you can start your treatment journey by scheduling an appointment with your doctor. They will help you determine the cause of your symptoms and rule out other potential conditions. They may also refer you to therapy and prescribe an anxiety medication. At your appointment, you can ask questions like these to better understand your condition and treatment:

  1. Do I meet diagnostic criteria for anxiety?
  2. Should I be on medications for my symptoms? If so, what are the potential side effects?
  3. What are my next steps in treatment?
  4. Can you refer me to therapy or a different level of care?

Behavioral therapies for anxiety aim to change unhelpful thought patterns and challenge the compulsion to worry. Cognitive behavioral therapy, for example, invites you to notice the thoughts and emotions behind your behaviors and question their validity. Dialectical behavioral therapy encourages you to notice and accept your emotions while also aiming to adjust how you respond. 

Exposure therapies can reduce anxiety around places or situations that trigger anxiety. You may imagine the exposure or go out and experience it. For example, you may take small drives to reduce anxiety around driving, especially if you’ve been in a car accident. Your therapist will be careful to not retraumatize you or suggest anything you don’t feel able to do, but you’ll likely venture outside your comfort zone with their support.

Lifestyle Changes for Anxiety Management

Lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on your overall wellness and anxiety levels, especially when combined with professional treatment. You can try any combination or number of changes to see what works best. 

Strengthen Your Sleep Hygiene 

Good sleep can help you feel more rested and capable of handling challenges. The amount you need varies by person, but you can shoot for 6-8 hours. Set up a nighttime and morning routine to align your circadian rhythm and ease anxiety about falling asleep and waking up. 

Set Boundaries at Home and at Work

Setting emotional boundaries can shield you from additional stress and anxiety. For example, if interactions with a family member cause you anxiety, set a boundary. You could do this by limiting the time you spend with them, how often you text them back, and by what information you share with them. You can verbalize your boundary or let your actions express it.

At work, you can clearly communicate your working hours and set an expectation to work within them closely. Creating a healthy work-life balance can lower anxiety and give you more time to pursue activities you enjoy. 

Eat Well

Healthy eating allows you to function at your full capacity, which can help you manage stress and anxiety. Prioritize whole foods with nutrients and vitamins. As much as you can, avoid processed foods, fast food, and sugar. Sugar rushes can feel like panic attacks13, so limit how much you have. Similarly, excess caffeine can cause a spike in adrenaline, heart rate, and make you feel panicky.  

Make sure you’re drinking enough water, too. Dehydration can sometimes cause or mimic anxiety symptoms13; sip on water throughout the day and shoot to drink an ounce for every 2 pounds of your body weight. Someone who weighs 150 lbs would drink 75 ounces of water following that suggestion.

Exercise

Exercise can help relieve stress and make you feel good (thanks to endorphins). Gentle and intense exercise offers these benefits. You could go on walks, try yoga, or weightlift. Exercise can lower stress levels and help you relax. Align your exercise with your lifestyle and ensure it’s something you enjoy.

Meditation

Meditation can reduce anxiety symptoms14. Many phone apps offer free guided meditation sessions you can attend anytime. You can also meditate with binaural beats, other music you like, or no music at all. 

Meditation can help align your mind and body in a state of calmness. It’s often described as a spiritual experience; you could also use prayer as a form of meditation.

Resources and Hope for Healing

Anxiety has multiple effects on the body and multiple avenues for recovery. Talk with your doctor or mental health provider today to assess your symptoms and seek treatment. 
You can also browse Recovery.com to find treatment centers for anxiety with photos, reviews, pricing information, and more.

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12 Practical Tips to Manage Stress as a College Student

College can be an exciting time, but it can also come with pressure to succeed. Students may think they need perfect grades, a buzzing social life, and adequate sleep and exercise to thrive. Outside factors like work and financial stress can also contribute to this pressure. Sometimes, it’s hard to maintain the juggling act.

More than ever in the past few years1, there’s been a rise in anxiety, depressive symptoms, and burnout among students2. Students have been seeking professional mental health services3 on campus than ever before; however, there is more demand than supply of mental health support. 

Fortunately, you have multiple ways to manage stress. Discover how tiny habits can transform your college life.

1. Time Management

Time management is crucial for students balancing coursework, social activities, and personal responsibilities (especially on a college campus with plenty of distractions). Studies have found that students who use time management skills excel in their grades4. These skills also reduce anxiety5, improve well-being, and enhance sleep quality.

You can begin effectively managing your school work, friends, job, and hobbies by taking inventory of where you invest your time and energy. What are your priorities, and do those get most of your time? Do you tend to procrastinate homework by scrolling on your phone? Do you spend so much time on schoolwork, that you don’t have time for activities you love? Be honest with yourself and see what you can change for the better. 

Set up your schedule prior to the start of the week. You can use a physical or virtual calendar to block schedule your responsibilities. Get granular with this—instead of blocking off 2 hours for “homework,” instead put “Art History 200 Reading and Discussion (pages 74-189).” You could even block off 3 hours for dinner with friends on Friday night. Visually seeing what tasks you need to do and when can help prevent procrastination. 

For personal goals, use a habit tracker to break down your daily progress. For example, you could write “go for a run” or “make my bed.” Remember to give yourself grace; it might be hard to check everything off your to-do list. Stay accountable yet flexible.

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2. Establishing Boundaries

Personal boundaries are the emotional, physical, and mental limits you set to protect your well-being. Establishing boundaries with everyone, from your partner to a stranger on the street, is essential.

Setting boundaries while in college can reduce stress6 by balancing your priorities. For example, you may say no to a friend’s get-together so you can do homework, and you may also set a time to stop studying so you can get 8 hours of sleep. Knowing your limits and when to say “no” can ensure you align with your values. There will always be more social and academic opportunities, but your well-being should be your top priority.

When discussing your new boundary with another person, communicate clearly and emphasize that you’re setting this to honor your well-being. For example, you could say, “I have a lot on my plate right now and need to focus on school work. I won’t be available for social plans until the weekend. I hope you understand.”

You can create a boundary with yourself to care for your mental and physical health. For example, you could include a “self-care” session once every two weeks, during which you take time to do things that bring you joy and reduce stress, such as reading, exercising, and getting outside. 

3. Seeking Professional Support

Numerous resources are available for students grappling with high-stress levels. Your university likely has qualified mental health professionals to assist students with stress and related concerns. A quick search for “__[College Name]__ Mental Health Resources” will reveal the support options at your disposal, including therapy sessions with licensed therapists, peer support networks, and wellness initiatives. You have the flexibility to choose the services that best suit your needs. These offerings are accessible both in-person and online, ensuring you can find help in the best format.

Because of the mental health crisis in college students7, sometimes counselors won’t have availability to take on a new client (especially during high-stress times of year, like leading up to finals week). The best way to avoid this obstacle is to be self-aware and recognize when you feel overwhelmed. Regularly assess your well-being, and if you start to experience unhealthy emotions, reach out for help. Some students may find it helpful to begin seeing a counselor through their university at the start of the semester, that way they can continue sessions throughout the school year. 

Questions to Ask Your Provider

Once you’re connected with a mental health professional, consider asking questions such as these to get the most out of your counseling sessions:

  1. How do you tailor your therapy sessions to my student experience?
  2. Can you help me with specific issues (like stress management)?
  3. What can I expect from the first few sessions?
  4. How will you measure progress in my therapy sessions? 
  5. What do you suggest for managing stress and anxiety, especially during exams or deadlines? 

4. Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Small adjustments to your daily routine can significantly lower stress levels, enhancing your overall college experience. Healthy lifestyle choices that resonate with your well-being can diminish stress and anxiety, elevating your general wellness8. Some important life areas you’ll want to consider include:

As you explore these lifestyle choices, trust what feels right for your brain and body. One person might discover that getting 9 hours of sleep is helpful for them, while another may feel amazing when they dedicate 20 minutes to meditation every day. Whatever contributes to your well-being is the right choice.

6. Setting Realistic Goals

Breaking down large academic and personal tasks into smaller, manageable goals will make achieving these goals more realistic17. If you see that your everyday effort is making a difference, you may feel more motivated to continue working towards your goals. This may also inspire you to effectively use your time and be the best version of yourself.

You can track your progress using the habit tracker or block scheduling method. Celebrating your achievements along the way is a fun way to encourage yourself. Once you’ve reached a milestone in one of your goals, you may go get ice cream or buy a new book. 

Remember, progress can be alinear, and what may have been a good plan initially might need to be adjusted to fit your current circumstances. Stay flexible and give yourself grace; some progress is better than no progress.

7. Time for Recreation

Allocating time for hobbies that bring you joy can help you stay motivated and happy. In fact, those who regularly enjoy their hobbies are less likely to experience stress, low mood, and depression18. Purposeful activity, meaning carving out time to do what you love instead of only doing it when you have leftover time, should be an important part of your schedule. You may have more energy to complete all your responsibilities when you allow yourself to have dedicated fun time.

8. Avoiding Procrastination

Procrastination can occur when you fall out of routines and motivation. Not only can your schoolwork suffer from procrastination, but your mental health can worsen with symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem19. 

To overcome this, take note of what triggers your procrastination. For example, you might procrastinate when you feel overwhelmed with school obligations. When this happens, you can use task managers and block schedule your time, so you feel more in control of when you’re doing your tasks. You might enforce boundaries with others, like staying home on Sundays to do homework, and yourself, like no phone time from 4-8pm on school days. Creating a routine that works for you is a powerful incentive to manage your workload effectively.

9. Managing Finances

Developing a budget can help you manage your finances, especially during college when resources are often limited. A well-planned budget can help reduce financial stress by providing a clear picture of your income and expenses, allowing you to make informed decisions about your spending and saving habits. You could list all your expenses and put them into categories such as “necessities” and “wants.” Focus on essentials (tuition, rent, groceries) first and see what’s left for other spending.

You could search “__(University Name)__ Scholarships and Financial Aid” to see what scholarships or grants your school offers. You can talk to your academic advisor about applying to these. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid’s FAQ page.

Some students have time in their schedules for a job. Part-time employment can be an excellent way for college students to earn money, gain work experience, and develop new skills while managing their study schedules. Internships can also help you advance to your desired career.

10. Practicing Self-Compassion

You practice self-compassion when you are kind and understanding rather than harshly self-critical when you make mistakes or feel inadequate20. In times of difficulty, like finals week, you can give yourself the same support and encouragement that you would give to a friend.

A positive mindset is a cornerstone of self-compassion. Some people are naturally more pessimistic, so creating positive thoughts and behaviors may take intentional actions. For example, you may say positive affirmations to yourself every morning or create a list of 5 things you’re grateful for every night. Small steps like these compound to a happier mindset. 

If you are typically hard on yourself when you don’t receive certain grades, try using a positive mindset rather than beating yourself up. For example, you could write in your journal, “Although this isn’t the grade I wanted, I’m proud of how much effort I put into studying. I know that I am capable and smart.” Positive thought patterns allow you to perceive stressful situations as less threatening, leading you to use healthier, more effective coping skills21. 

11. Time for Reflection

Taking time to reflect on personal values and goals can ensure that you look at the whole picture and live in harmony with your desires. You may journal your responses to questions such as 

  1. Are my academic classes aligned with my career goals?
  2. What would my future profession entail, and am I gaining valuable experience in my classes that will contribute to it?
  3. How much time do I spend on homework per week? How much time do I spend on hobbies and time with friends and family?
  4. How do I feel about my academic performance? Are there changes I can make to enhance it?
  5. Do I dedicate enough time to my hobbies? 
  6. In what ways have I been effectively managing my time? What ways can I improve?
  7. When I’m stressed, how do I cope? Are there better ways to cope?

You could plan to do a self-check-in once a week or once a month. If you need more advice, you can talk to advisors or mentors about personal development. Someone with more experience can provide valuable insights. 

12. Embracing Imperfection

Whether pressure comes from parents, friends, or yourself, perfectionism can lead to stress22 and unrealistic expectations. It can also hinder academic and personal growth because of the self-punishing thought patterns. 

Sometimes, accepting 85% is more valuable than achieving 100%, so you can care for your mind and body. Your happiness and well-being are more important than one test score. College is a time of change, learning, and self-discovery, so embracing imperfection can help mitigate these pressures by fostering resilience, adaptability, and compassion toward yourself and others. It can also create a more fulfilling college experience.

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Developing New Habits for Mental Health

In today’s fast-paced world, prioritizing mental wellness is more important than ever—and it often feels harder to do. While it’s important to get professional help when necessary, consistently practicing healthy habits plays a huge role in maintaining mental health on a day-to-day basis. 

Making these small changes can help you manage stress and build resilience that will empower you to navigate challenges and live with more ease. 

Stress Less, Live More: Daily Habits for a Healthier You

It’s all too easy to neglect our mental well-being when feel overwhelmed by stress. But prioritizing your mental health doesn’t have to be complicated. Incorporating simple yet powerful practices into your daily routine can help you reduce stress levels, boost your mood, and cultivate a sense of calm. 

Try these 10 habits to improve mental health:

1. Prioritize Quality Sleep

A well-rested mind is a resilient mind. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night to allow your body and mind to rest and recharge. Establish a consistent sleep schedule, create a relaxing bedtime routine, and ensure your sleep environment is dark, cool, and quiet.1 Getting good-quality sleep will enhance your focus, mood, and ability to manage stress effectively.

2. Nourish Your Body With Balanced Meals

What you eat directly impacts your mental well-being. Fuel your body with nutritious meals rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Limit processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats. A balanced diet provides essential nutrients that support your brain function,2 improved mood, and overall energy levels.

3. Embrace Regular Physical Activity

Exercise is a powerful tool for boosting mental health. Find activities you enjoy, like dancing, yoga, or long walks outside, and try to do them for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Physical activity releases endorphins—natural mood elevators that relieve stress and anxiety—while also promoting better sleep and cognitive function. Rather than looking at exercise as a chore, think of it as making movement a regular part of your life.

4. Practice Mindful Presence With Meditation

If you’ve never meditated before, it might seem intimidating. But doing this simple practice for just a few minutes each day lets you be more present, experience life more fully, and place some useful distance between your stressors and your reactions. If you have a hard time sitting still, combining mindfulness with movement through a practice like tai chi can help. 

See meditation teacher Tara Brach’s instructions on how to meditate, or check out apps like Insight Timer for free guided meditations.  

5. Connect With Loved Ones

Social support is vital for emotional well-being.3 Nurture your relationships with loved ones by scheduling regular catch-ups, making time for meaningful conversations, and offering your support. Spending quality time with friends and family provides a safe space to share your thoughts and emotions, and increases your sense of acceptance and belonging. 

6. Engage in Activities You Enjoy

Make time for the things that bring you joy. Our days are often dictated by the items on our to-do lists, but it’s just as important to do the things your heart desires. If finding time for yourself is a challenge, try adding playtime to your daily schedule. Incorporating fun into your routine is a great way to reconnect with life and protect your mental health in the process. 

7. Challenge Yourself to Learn New Things

Stepping outside your comfort zone may feel, well, a little uncomfortable at first. But it significantly boosts your confidence and self-esteem. Learning new skills, picking up a new hobby, or simply exploring unfamiliar topics keeps your mind engaged, sparks creativity, and gives you a sense of accomplishment. Embrace challenges and allow yourself to discover the joy of lifelong learning. You may not always feel like it, but you’ll be so happy you did. 

8. Practice Gratitude

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude significantly reduces stress.4 Take time each day to reflect on the good in your life, however big or small. You can do this by journaling, appreciating your loved ones, or simply taking a moment to notice the beauty around you. 

9. Spend Time in Nature

Nature has a calming effect that reduces stress and anxiety. Whether it’s a walk in the park, a hike in the woods, or simply sitting in your backyard, spending time outdoors will noticeably improve your mood. Allow yourself to disconnect from the daily grind to reconnect with the natural world—and reconnect with yourself.

10. Limit Screen Time

In our hyper-connected world, setting boundaries with technology is a must. Try to limit your screen time throughout the day, especially before bed. Try these techniques to stop mindless scrolling: 

  • Track your screen time or set limits using the settings on your phone. 
  • Turn off notifications during certain hours. 
  • Don’t bring your phone to bed.  

A mindful presence in the real world means a calmer and healthier you.

Take Charge of Your Well-Being: Why Habits Matter

These actions may seem small, but when you practice them over time, they have a noticeable impact. There’s a reason most mental health treatment centers focus on exercise, nutrition, and sleep hygiene as core parts of their program. These foundational habits for mental health are the building blocks of a happy life.

Additional Support for Mental Health

Our culture often rewards the very habits that lead to burnout. But taking steps to improve your mental health isn’t a sign of weakness. Self-care is a sign of strength. 

If your mental health challenges are severe, prolonged, or interfering with your daily life, it’s important to get professional help. You can even book a session from the comfort of your own home. See our resources for online therapy and contact providers directly to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions About Developing Habits for Mental Health

How can habits impact mental health?

Daily habits play a significant role in mental health. Prioritizing quality sleep, nourishing the body with balanced meals, and engaging in regular physical activity all contribute to emotional well-being. 

How do daily habits affect stress levels?

Daily habits play a crucial role in managing stress and building resilience. Prioritizing self-care practices like movement, mindfulness, gratitude, and play positively impacts stress levels. 

Can practicing mindfulness really improve mental health?

Yes, mindfulness practices like meditation and tai chi have proven benefits for mental health. Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine, even for a few minutes, can help you feel more present and calm, and manage stress effectively.

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Unpacking the Rise in Mental Health Diagnoses Among Gen Z 

Gen Z, the generation born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, is experiencing a mental health crisis unlike any seen before. Studies show that nearly 42% of zoomers have a mental health diagnosis,1 compared to 29% of millennials and 20% of Gen Xers at the same age. This begs the question: Why are mental health diagnoses on the rise among Gen Z, and how can we better support this generation’s mental wellness?

Gen Z is a unique demographic, shaped by unprecedented societal shifts. They’re the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age, constantly connected to an online world flooded with information and social comparison. They’ve grappled with global challenges ranging from economic crises to global warming to COVID-19, and witnessed political turmoil and societal unrest firsthand. 

Understanding the unique challenges this generation faces is key to understanding the state of their mental health.

Digital-Age Pressures

Social Media’s Impact

Gen Z’s constant immersion in the digital space, and especially in social media, poses some unique challenges to their mental well-being. Carefully curated online personas often make others feel less adequate by comparison. 

Gen Z mental health influencer Zach Gottlieb describes how this unrealistic picture of perfection can make zoomers feel less safe to be themselves:2

On social media there’s so much pressure to put out a certain persona that’s curated, and isn’t vulnerable, and isn’t all of your moments, but only the moments you select for people to see. I feel like we’ve adopted that into our own lives, and we start practicing the same. We’re curating our lives and the moments we want to share with others.

Young people are often judged by older generations for their social media use in ways that aren’t necessarily helpful. Rather than blaming them for something that’s a reality of their daily life, Gottlieb says we need to ask why social media is a problem.     

For me, this comes from the comparison aspect. When you see people post all these things—whether it’s related to their bodies or things they’re showing off or places they’re going and experiences they’re having—when you see a lot of people doing a lot of cool and interesting things and looking great all the time, you might start to wonder, ‘Why am I not like this? Why am I not always looking perfect? Why am I not always going on these really cool adventures or trips or whatever it may be?’

Effects of Social Media on Body Image and Self-Esteem

This isn’t an uncommon experience. Social media is changing how we see ourselves. One study found that 87% of women and 65% of men compare their bodies to images they see on social media,3 and that 50% of women and 37% of men compare themselves unfavorably.

In addition to its impact on self-esteem and body image, social media exacerbates mood disorders like anxiety and depression. And the fear of missing out (FOMO) that social media promotes makes zoomers feel even more anxious, isolated, and alone.

Information Overload

From an early age, Gen Z is bombarded with information about a world that’s constantly in flux. The 24/7 news cycle and neverending social media updates easily add up to information overload. This constant exposure to global issues—most of which are negative or alarming—often exceeds our human capacity to process large-scale tragedy. 

All of this overwhelm makes young people feel powerless. The pressure to keep up with the ever-changing digital landscape and be constantly “on” is mentally taxing. Interestingly, Gen Z adapts to this via what scientists call “clip thinking,”4 or the ability to remember the search for information more than the content itself. Researchers say this is a protective response that allows people to “‘leave’ the flow of information without feeling incomplete, and then “merge” into the stream again.”

Clip thinking is just one example of the informational demands on young people, which often far exceed their ability to cope. 

Societal and Environmental Factors

Beyond the digital realm, Gen Z’s mental health is shaped by broader environmental forces.

Economic Uncertainty

Gen Z’s mental health is affected by significant economic pressures. Entering the workforce during a time of economic uncertainty, many often into difficulty securing stable jobs, managing student loan debt, and affording basic necessities. This constant struggle for financial security makes it hard to focus on long-term life goals and prioritize well-being. Gen Z’s anxiety has real causes rooted in factors like unemployment and the rising cost of living.

Lance Fuquay, a recent graduate, describes the stressors zoomers are dealing with5 with as they enter the workforce: 

There’s a ton that’s coming at you, and you’re thrust into it and we don’t really know what to do. Housing affordability, student loan debt, and just the constant political strife we have right now between the two parties…I think those are the biggest things I’ve seen.

Climate Change Anxiety

Gen Z is the first generation to fully grasp the magnitude of the threats posed by climate change. This stress is so pervasive that Gen Z has been called “the climate generation;” their fears are referred to as “eco-anxiety.”6

An existential threat like climate change is especially overwhelming for young people, and affects their sense of security and hope for the future. This intense worry about the state of the planet and what it means for their future makes zoomers feel anxious, helpless, and angry. 

Academic and Career Pressures

Gen Z faces intense pressure to excel academically7 and secure their futures in an increasingly competitive job market. Their fears are fueled by a number of obstacles: rising college costs, the perception of limited job opportunities, and the ever-evolving demand for new skill sets as technology advances.

The emphasis on gaining impressive academic achievements and entering high-paying careers can lead to age-inappropriate stress and feelings of inadequacy. This fear of failure and the pressure to live up to societal expectations significantly affects zoomers’ mental health. The “quarter-life crisis”8 young people often experience requires them to learn that there are diverse pathways to success, and prioritize their emotional well-being as part of their academic and career goals.

Shifts in Family Dynamics and Social Life

While technology can be a valuable tool for connection, it tends to push us further into the digital space and away from the real world. This is also true for social interactions. 

Today, people communicate more online than they do offline.9 This has both positive and negative effects: while less nonverbal communication lowers the quality of interactions, online spaces also create new opportunities to form connections, some of which are genuinely fulfilling. 

Gen Z’s mental health awareness and immersion in the digital landscape also affect the way they relate to their parents—and how they’ll parent in the future. Being more conscious10 of mental health can be a positive. That can better equip them to identify their issues with their parents, and the causes of their developmental trauma. 

While some critics frame zoomers as entitled kids who don’t respect their parents enough,11 their willingness to confront issues positions them to interrupt cycles of intergenerational trauma. Many zoomers are choosing to delay parenthood (or forego it altogether). But those who do decide to have children are likely to parent with more emotional maturity than previous generations. “There will be less wounded adults walking the earth,” says Bonnie Compton, a child and adolesecent therapist. 

Access to Mental Health Resources

Increased Awareness and Diagnosis

The rise in mental health diagnoses among Gen Z is worrying. But an increase in diagnoses is in part due to an increase in awareness. More people are in therapy, and more people see mental health as a primary concern.12

As Gen Z continues to lower stigma around mental health, they’re more likely to seek treatment and receive diagnoses. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, many people find their diagnosis empowering,13 because it helps them identify their problems—and is often the first step to solving them. In a stigmatized view, perceiving a diagnosis as a personal failing deters some people from seeking treatment. But, “This perspective can be reframed by viewing a mental health diagnosis as a framework for establishing a treatment plan,” says Ashley Santangelo, who was diagnosed with panic disorder. 

The increase in diagnoses doesn’t just signal a worsening of mental health within the population. It also reflects a positive shift towards seeking help and normalizes addressing mental health concerns. It also means Gen Z needs accessible mental health resources to support the growing demand for services.

Challenges in Accessing Mental Health Care

While mental health literacy is increasing, Gen Z still faces significant challenges in accessing quality care. One major barrier is affordability. The high cost of therapy sessions,14 along with limited insurance coverage for mental health services, can put professional help financially out of reach for young people. A shortage of qualified mental health professionals,15 especially in rural areas, also limits the availability of care.

Barriers to treatment can worsen mental health conditions—and discourage people from getting help altogether. More low-cost options and better insurance coverage for mental healthcare can expand access to healing for young people who need it. 

Coping Mechanisms and Resilience Building

To address their collective mental health challenges, Gen Z will need to learn healthy coping strategies to navigate the complexities of living in an uncertain world. 

One aspect of this is community support. Open communication within families, supportive peer networks, and school programs can help zoomers create the sense of belonging they’re missing. 

People of all generations have seen drastic mental health improvements through digital detox, and Gen Z is no exception. Research shows, for example, that reducing social media use significantly improves body image16 in teens and young adults. Setting boundaries around screen time, engaging more in offline activities, and focusing on real-world connections can combat the negative mental health impacts of being hyperconnected all the time. 

Mindfulness practices can also help. Techniques like meditation and deep breathing can give young people tools to manage stress effectively. These simple practices go a long way in the ability to self-regulate emotions, and can help zoomers build emotional resilience to support them throughout life.

The Role of Institutions in Supporting Gen Z

Educational Systems

Schools play a huge role in supporting Gen Z mental health. Academic environments shape a large part of young people’s lives, and their well-being directly impacts their learning, engagement, and success.

Gen Z, of course, is aware of this. In fact, they see mental health as a primary concern in education17 and are asking for better support services. According to national polls, zoomers “believe individualized learning plans, increased teacher pay, more social, emotional and mental health support, and smaller class sizes would make the biggest impact.”

By expanding access to mental health resources like counseling services, workshops, and support groups, schools and universities have the opportunity to positively affect change. Integrating mental health education into school curricula empowers students with knowledge about mental health conditions, coping mechanisms, and available resources to make sure zoomers have access to the support they need.

Gen Z students also cite bullying as a main issue affecting their mental health—and cyberbullying on social media, which impacts 1 in 3 students,18 only presents more opportunities for problems. Research backs this up: a series of studies on bullying in schools found that “the risk of depression in children and adolescents who were bullied was 2.77 times higher than that of those who were not bullied.” This dynamic doesn’t just affect victims of bullying. The same report also found that “the risk of depression in bullying individuals was 1.73 times higher than that in nonbullying individuals.”19

Creating supportive school environments means taking measures to prevent bullying, encouraging strong relationships between students and educators, and taking real steps to promote inclusion. 

Government and Policy Changes

Addressing the mental health crisis Gen Z is facing requires not just individual and community-based solutions, but also systemic changes at a higher level.

Increased funding for mental health services20 would allow for the expansion of mental health programs, the training and recruitment of more mental health professionals, and the development of better, more accessible treatment models. “Throughout the world, mental health remains a neglected priority, low on the agenda of policy makers and funders at the national and international levels,” say professionals who are calling for change.

Policy changes that expand mental health insurance coverage remove financial barriers for people seeking help. And investing in preventative measures like community outreach and mental health education programs in schools means more young people will have the knowledge and resources to proactively manage their mental well-being.

Together, we can create a more supportive environment where Gen Z has the opportunities they need to thrive.

Finding Ground in a Groundless World

Gen Z is undoubtedly dealing with some extremely large-scale challenges. From the pressures of the digital age to economic uncertainty, this generation navigates a constantly changing landscape that seriously impacts their well-being. But the increase in diagnoses we see also reflects a positive shift. More open conversations are encouraging people to seek help. Even from their isolated corners, zoomers are collectively creating a culture of healing.

Gen Z is far exceeding previous generations’ knowledge of mental health, but they need to learn how to thrive in spite of the complex realities they face. Addressing this crisis requires a comprehensive effort. By working together, we can make sure mental health receives the priority it deserves, and support this generation as they shape the world of tomorrow.

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Hope in Recovery: Navigating the Journey With Optimism and Resilience

Hope is talked about so broadly in recovery circles that it often comes across as cliché. But hope is not just a fluffy feeling. It’s a powerful force that gives you the motivation to change your life and the strength to sustain those changes.

In the depths of addiction and depression, hope often gets lost. Finding it again is a pivotal experience that can change your journey for the better. We’ll explore the science-backed proof behind the power of hope in recovery, and hear stories from people for whom hope was a driving force for lasting change. 

Understanding the Dimensions of Hope

Research consistently shows a strong correlation between hope and positive recovery outcomes. 

Cognitive Aspects of Hope

Hope isn’t just blind optimism; it’s a powerful cognitive tool that’s tied to our thoughts and beliefs. “Hoping is a human capacity with varying affective, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions,” say researchers on the cognitive aspect of hope1 among patients dying of cancer. 

Hope helps us think more positively. Framing challenges as opportunities for growth, and focusing on past successes as proof of your strength, grows your confidence in your ability to succeed. 

Hope helps you set goals and work toward them—and that’s an important part of charting your course to recovery. As you progress, achieving your goals, however small, reinforces your sense of accomplishment and belief in yourself. And that goes a long way in empowering you to regain control of your life. 

Emotional Aspects of Hope

The recovery journey is full of significant challenges. It forces us to face avoided aspects of ourselves and confront our deeply held fears. Hope is what allows us to get through those times without giving in to despair. 

Sticking with the process when times get tough builds your resilience and emotional intelligence. Through that process, you’ll grow your ability to understand the emotional complexity of life. You can hold both things to be true at once: acknowledging the reality of your current situation and knowing that it can change. 

Hope gives us the persistence that recovery requires.

Social Aspects of Hope

Hope thrives in connection. Surrounding yourself with positive people who believe in your ability to heal keeps you on track toward your recovery goals. 

Addiction is often called a disease of isolation.2 Recovery, on the other hand, is a chance to build community with those who share your struggles and support you on your path. These connections provide a safe space to talk through your challenges, celebrate your wins, and receive encouragement during trying times. 

Seeing others’ success in recovery gives us hope that the same is possible for us. 

“Just because you feel awful at a given time does not mean you won’t feel happy and hopeful at a later stage.”

Anthony, who was hospitalized for severe mania and psychosis, describes how he eventually found hope in accepting support from others:3 

Earlier in my illness I felt like I was being badgered against my will and complained a lot and saw things negatively, whereas once I started to believe that other people could help me feel better and had good intentions I started to perceive my situation in a more positive and hopeful way. I began to look at opportunities for the future rather than concentrating on regrets and resentments. We often see self-reliance as a good thing; with mental illness it is hard to accept sometimes that we cannot fix things ourselves and that there is nothing wrong in needing and accepting the help of others.

Hopelessness is a main feature of struggles with mental health and addiction. But Anthony reminds us that feeling doesn’t last forever. “For anyone suffering from a similar condition,” he says, “I would say that just because you feel awful at a given time does not mean you won’t feel happy and hopeful at a later stage.”

Strategies for Cultivating Hope

Hope has clear benefits for recovery. So how can you invite more of it into your life?

Setting Realistic Goals

According to scientists, “Hope is commonly divided into two constructs:4 agency, defined as goal-directed energy, and pathways, defined as the ability to create paths to a goal.”

In other words, hope can be broken down into 2 parts:

  1. Agency: Putting in the effort to achieve your goal
  2. Pathways: Creating the strategies you need to succeed

To feel hopeful about recovery, you need the drive (agency) and a plan (pathways) to feel confident about reaching your goals.

Hope naturally grows when you feel a sense of accomplishment. Setting realistic goals is a great way to do that:

  • Start by identifying your long-term goals. What does success in recovery look like for you? 
  • Then, break these down into smaller, achievable milestones. 

For example, instead of setting a vague goal like improving your sleep, you can aim to go to bed 30 minutes earlier 3 nights a week. As you achieve these smaller goals, celebrate your progress! These victories are the building blocks of long-term success, and each one reinforces your self-belief. Setbacks are a normal part of the journey, but progress is made via consistent, small steps over time. 

Seeking Inspiration

Hope thrives on inspiration, and we need input to feel inspired. 

Look for stories of recovery. Documentaries or memoirs of people who overcame addiction offer powerful messages of possibility. The universal stories of humanity found in literature and art speak to us in ways the soul understands. 

The most powerful inspiration, however, often comes from those closest to us. Talk to friends or family members who have faced challenges and emerged stronger. Surround yourself with positive influences that ignite your inner light and remind you of how bright your future can be.

Building a Supportive Community

If your close relationships are strained, you can also find community in group therapy, recovery communities, or support groups (in-person or online) that connect you with others on a similar path. Witnessing others’ struggles and triumphs is a powerful reminder that you’re not alone. 

Therapy is a confidential space to explore challenges, develop coping mechanisms, and build emotional resilience. A qualified therapist can also help you navigate setbacks and cultivate a positive outlook as you stay focused on recovery.

You can also seek mentorship from someone with more time in recovery. Their guidance, encouragement, and lived experience can be invaluable assets on your journey. Some recovery communities, like 12-Step groups, build mentorship into their program. 

Hope and Mental Health Recovery

Anyone who’s lived with depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions can tell you how hopeless life can feel. Hope gives us a way out of the darkness. 

One depression survivor, Eileen, describes how hope was the turning point in her recovery journey5 after falling into a deep depression due to burnout from parenting 3 children while working full-time: 

I was unable to laugh, have fun and it even got to the stage where I was unable to get of bed. I was deemed unfit for work. I felt that I was beyond curing, if a doctor has said I am never going to work again what hope have I of becoming better again.

But her family’s hope restored her own.

Thankfully my family held on to the hope that one day I would come back to my old self. Through time I began to see that there was hope for me to recover.

That hope empowered her to complete courses in mental health that not only helped her understand her own condition, but set her on a path toward helping others.

Hope empowers us to bravely confront the negativity in our life and transform it into something positive.

Hope in Addiction Recovery

Hope plays a critical role in all stages of recovery: from detox, to treatment, to long-term sobriety.

As you progress through your healing experience, hope bolsters your commitment to healing work and learning the skills that support long-term recovery. 

One study of people recovering from opioid addiction found that people with more hope had lower relapse rates6 after completing detox. 

Another study shows that hope plays an important role in people’s readiness for recovery.7 “Hope appears to be an important associate of contemplation toward change and appears to be required for action,” say researchers. They add that “hope also appears to be an important factor of coping in recovery.”

On the path to long-term sobriety, hope gives us the strength to manage cravings and overcome setbacks. While not a guarantee of success, it’s a reminder to stay focused on the fulfilling life you’re building. 

Hope and Physical Health

Hope also plays a powerful role in overcoming health challenges. Research consistently shows a link between optimism and positive health outcomes.8 People with a hopeful outlook tend to have stronger immune systems, experience less pain, and adhere better to their treatment plans.

Hope motivates us to practice healthy behaviors like eating well, exercising, and taking prescribed medications. By believing in your body’s ability to heal, you actively participate in your recovery journey.

Overcoming Setbacks With Hope

The road to recovery is rarely linear. Setbacks are inevitable, and we need to learn to navigate them without losing hope.

Recognizing and Accepting Challenges

Instead of viewing a setback as a sign of total failure, you can use the lessons you learn from it to strengthen your commitment to recovery.

Setbacks are opportunities for growth, because they help us identify areas for improvement. Did you miss a support group meeting? Perhaps scheduling reminders would be helpful. Were you overwhelmed by cravings? Explore management techniques or reach out to your sponsor for support.

By acknowledging the setback and strategizing to avoid it in the future, you transform a potential pitfall into a stepping stone on your path forward. Hope empowers you to learn from your experiences and cultivate optimism, so you can move forward with renewed determination.

Resilience and Perseverance

Challenges inevitably arise on the path to recovery. Here’s how you can persevere when life feels daunting: 

  • Practice self-compassion. While we often believe that self-criticism helps us improve, evidence shows that shame blocks our growth.9 Everyone makes mistakes—it’s part of being human! Treat yourself with kindness as you keep moving forward. 
  • Focus on progress, not perfection. Take time to recognize how far you’ve come. Each step forward is a testament to your strength.
  • Lean on your support system. Surround yourself with people who unconditionally have your back. Share your struggles openly and let their encouragement guide you through tough times.
  • Maintain healthy habits. Prioritize sleep, exercise, and healthy eating. Taking care of your physical health strengthens your mental well-being, allowing you to confront challenges with a clear mind.

Resources for Fostering Hope

Plenty of resources are available to help you generate hope as you navigate mental health and addiction recovery. 

Books

Podcasts

  • The Recovery Elevator shares uplifting recovery stories and practical advice for those on their healing journey.

Websites

Professional Help

Counseling and therapy equip you with strategies for managing the stress, anxiety, and negative thought patterns that often impede hope. Therapists can also help you develop healthy coping strategies to get through life’s challenges without using harmful substances or behaviors.

By tapping into professional support and resources for self-help, you can cultivate the hope you need to build the life you want.

Learn about your options for mental health treatment and reach out to a provider directly today.

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What Causes Depression?

Multiple causes and factors contribute to depression. It can vary between two siblings, and certainly between people all over the world. As clinicians and the general public gradually become more and more aware of what causes depression, more identified causes have come to light—as have treatments. 

Depression is characterized by feelings of low mood, hopelessness, and sadness1 affecting your daily life for 2+ weeks. Some people experience severe symptoms, like suicidality, while others may experience persistent but low-level symptoms. Some types of depression correlate with the seasons. It’s always best to seek a diagnosis from your doctor to determine the type of depression.

Arguably, there’s a treatment solution for every type and cause of depression. Whether it’s caused by genetics, environment, situations, or anything else, you have resources to heal. 

Is Depression Caused by Chemical Imbalance?

Sometimes, yes. An imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain can poorly affect your mood2 and cause clinical depression. But, this popular “cause” of depression is becoming less and less validated. 

Harvard Medical School2, for example, says, “…depression doesn’t spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, there are many possible causes of depression, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, and stressful life events.”

Chemicals and neurotransmitters are part of the picture, but not nearly all of it. For example, antidepressant medications raise neurotransmitter levels immediately2, but it takes weeks to see results. This suggests the issue goes much deeper than an imbalance; instead, research finds new nerve connections must form2 and strengthen in the brain to bring relief. 

What Is the Leading Cause of Depression?

Everyone reacts differently to life events, adversity, and abuse. Similarly, everyone has their own unique levels of neurotransmitters and nerve connections in the brain. That’s why a leading cause of depression can’t be identified. 

Some events and predispositions can better predict the onset or likelihood of depression. For example, 80% of those who experienced a major negative life event developed an episode of major depression3. A negative life event could include abuse, loss of a loved one, job loss, and homelessness. 

Pregnancy can cause postnatal depression3, due to a sudden change in hormones, stress, and sleep deprivation after birth. Between 10-20% of new mothers develop depression. Like trauma and abuse, pregnancy can make the likelihood of depression higher, but not guarantee its development.

Causes of Depression

The causes of depression can exist independently or overlap. For example, someone with depression may be genetically predisposed to it and experience abuse. The causes will vary for each person. Some people will also experience the causes but not develop depression. 

Family History/Genetics

Depression runs in families4. Children with a depressed parent are 1.5-3% more likely to develop depression than other populations. Bipolar depression has particularly high chances of affecting immediate family members. Identical twins, for example, are 60-80% likely to share their diagnosis of bipolar with the other.  

Several genes affect how we respond to stress4, which can increase or decrease the likelihood of developing depression. Genes turn off and on to help you adapt to life, but they don’t always adapt helpfully. They can change your biology enough to lower your mood and cause depression, even if it doesn’t run in your family.

Medication

Depression and medical illnesses commonly co-occur5, which led researchers to wonder if medications could cause depression (unrelated to the distress of medical conditions). They found that to be the case in some situations.

Several medications 5 were found to potentially cause depressive symptoms and clinical depression. Medications can also cause symptoms like fatigue, sleepiness, or low appetite, which can progress into depression. 

Abuse

Physical, psychological, and sexual abuse can cause depression6. Abuse can change how you see yourself and the world around you, which can lead to feelings of sadness, low self-worth, and hopelessness. Those feelings can then contribute to, or solely cause, depression.

Victims of abuse may also isolate themselves and shut down, which can make depression more likely to develop. Emotional abuse and childhood abuse tend to correlate strongly with adult depression6. Largely, any kind of abuse makes the development of depression more likely. 

Illness

Depression is more common in those with physical illnesses7 like diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and other chronic conditions. Feeling hopeless, unwell, and discouraged because of a health condition contributes to depression developing. Short-term illness, like being hospitalized and immobile after an accident, can also cause an episode of depression. Those with chronic illnesses may experience more frequent and long-lasting depressive episodes. 

Depression can reduce normal functioning, and even life expectancy7, in those with co-occurring physical illnesses. Treatment for depression can improve symptoms of physical ailments, too.

Drugs and Alcohol

Drugs and alcohol can cause physical and emotional symptoms that lead to depression8. For example, feeling dependent on a substance may cause discouragement and hopelessness, which can then progress into depression. Plus, coming down from a substance-induced high mood can make low moods even more profound. Losing relationships due to challenges with drugs and alcohol can erode support systems and lead to isolation. Sickness and ongoing effects of substance use can make you feel physically ill, which also connects to depression.

Effective treatment for substance use and depression addresses each disorder with the proper approach.

Death Or A Loss

Grief can be a powerful catalyst. The loss of a loved one, sudden or not, can cause low mood, hopelessness, and intense emotional pain. Though healthy grief cycles do include pain and depression, these emotions can become severe9 and interfere with your ability to function. 

Sometimes, those in grief need professional help to navigate the loss and feelings associated with it. This is especially true for anyone with thoughts of suicide or experiencing severe loss of function (can’t get up in the morning, can’t work, can’t eat).

Can You Develop Depression?

Anyone can develop depression. It’s most common in young adults10, but anyone of any age, sex, and race can become clinically depressed. You don’t need a history of depression, nor get depression by a certain age, to develop it. 

Depression can come on suddenly, or as a gradual build-up of symptoms. For example, the loss of a loved one could spur a quick onset of depression. On the other hand, stress and anxiety can more slowly progress into depression. In these cases, depression isn’t always noticeable until it’s glaring.  

Sometimes, catching stress, grief, and anxiety early-on can prevent them from progressing or contributing to depression. Other times, situations completely beyond your control can contribute to and cause depression. Examples include genetics, hormones, and simply how your unique brain works.  

Find Additional Help for Depression

Navigating clinical depression isn’t something you have to do on your own. You can begin your journey by talking with your primary care provider, who can refer you to 1:1 and group therapy. They may also prescribe antidepressants to work in tandem with therapy. 

Your therapist may use therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to improve unhealthy thought patterns. You may also try dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), which focuses more on managing emotions and thoughts in a healthy, productive way. 


You can also attend a treatment program for depression. Browse our collection of depression treatment centers to find a facility that fits your needs—see what insurance they accept, reviews, photos, and more.