What’s the Difference Between an Anxiety Attack and Panic Attack?

Knowing the difference between an anxiety attack vs. panic attack is more than an issue of semantics. It can shape the course of your mental health. If you don’t know which one you are having, it will be difficult to find the appropriate treatment or develop useful coping skills. You might waste time addressing the wrong issues.

Negative Habits and Depression

Having depression can sometimes lead to developing negative habits as we try to cope. Often things that aren't necessarily wise or healthy feel good at the moment. Sometimes it's easier to do what is comfortable rather than that which requires work and sacrifice. Also, depression drains us of our energy, thus making it difficult to take even that first step towards building healthier habits. Does this mean we're stuck? No, we're not; we just need to identify our negative habits and work toward changing them into more positive coping skills.

How to Manage Nighttime Anxiety

My nighttime anxiety strikes right before going to bed. Many times, sleep is delayed or even prevented by my anxiety. I tend not to enjoy nighttime, because I know that I'm going to feel anxious as soon as my head hits the pillow.

How Do I Know If I Am Getting Married to the Right Person?

How do you know if someone is the right person for you? With so many marriages ending up in divorce, this question is a common one. Finding the answer often takes thoughtful consideration.

5 Ways Love Changes Us for the Better

Country music superstar George Strait made the song “You Look So Good In Love” famous. As we listened to his masterful and beautiful song, we asked ourselves: Do people in love look the same as those who are not?

Four Ways to Enhance and Sustain the Love in Your Relationship

A quick check on google reveals 345,000,000- when asking for the number of self-help books on love in long-term relationships. Clearly many couples have an interest in improving and sustaining their love.

Learning How to Grieve When the World Moves On

It was 1:30 p.m. on a Monday when a man walked into the therapy office for his usual therapy session, taking his usual seat on the leather couch and crossing his legs in that relaxed way that changes the entire atmosphere of a room. The light had shifted, I thought, as our eyes met and I tracked his expression to see where to begin our session. Actually, I realized, the light hadn’t shifted. The sun sneaking in through the blinds was highlighting the same patches of couch and carpet in the way it always did in the early afternoon, but the veil of gloom that had found a home over his face had been lifted.

How to Achieve Long-Term Recovery from Substance Use

Recovery from substance abuse is a long and complicated process. While much of the literature focuses on early recovery—a fragile and critical time—there are thousands of folks in long-term remission from substance use. The issues we face in long-term recovery are just as critical to our progress, relapse prevention, and ongoing health.

Gambling Addiction and the Brain

Recently, scientists and mental health professionals decided to classify problem gambling as a behavioral addiction, the first of its kind, putting it in a category of disorders that also includes substance abuse. The reason for this change comes from neuroscience research, which has shown that gambling addicts have a lot in common with drug and alcohol addicts, including changes in behavior and brain activity.