Toxic Positivity - The Cost Of Positive Vibes
Toxic positivity essentially refers to a persistent effort to maintain and present a happy and optimistic state across all situations. Of course, this sounds great in theory, but does it work?
Perfectionism - A Blessing Or A Curse?
It’s a term that holds both a positive and negative connotation – perfectionism. Perfectionism is a trait that many will humbly turn to when asked what their biggest weakness is in a job interview. However, for people who truly experience perfectionism, the impact can often be torturous.
What Are The Causes Of Narcissism?
It is easy for us to label people displaying narcissistic traits as simply arrogant or manipulative, however in doing so we are often missing a larger piece to the puzzle of narcissism. There are often deep-rooted causes behind these behaviours and cognitions, many which began in one’s first few years of life.
What is Nightmare Disorder?
Most of us can relate to the experience of having a nightmare, particularly when we were children. Some people may even remember the nightmare itself or perhaps the experience of jolting up in bed with a fright. For most of us, nightmares are rare experiences however for people experiencing nightmare disorder these experiences can become problematic and pervasive.
The Big Five Personality Traits: Openness To Experience
Do you often get lost in elaborate daydreams and fantasies? Do you find yourself in deep appreciation of art or music? Are you constantly wanting to try new foods, places or activities? If so, you may be high on the personality trait of openness or openness to experience.
How Are You Really?
How are you? How many times have you been asked this question in your life? A thousand? Five thousand? And how many times have you lied?
Gaslighting: What Is It And What Are The Signs It Is Happening To You?
Relationships can be tricky. Whether it’s with your significant other, a family member or a friend, arguments and conflict are bound to turn up at some point or another. However, there is a big difference between disputes in healthy relationships and disputes in relationships involving gaslighting. So what is gaslighting, and what does it look like?
What Causes Dissociation?
In my last blog we covered what dissociation is, the difference between ‘normal’ and ‘pathological’ dissociation and the types of pathological dissociation (I highly recommend you read this blog first in order to bring some context into this article). In today’s blog we will take a look at what causes dissociation and its treatment options.
What is Dissociation?
Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a conversation with someone when you realise that you have completely zoned out and have no idea what they’ve been talking about? Have you ever driven home with almost no recollection of the journey there? Have you ever been so immersed in your work that you lose complete awareness of how much time has gone past? If so, you may have been experiencing something called dissociation.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?
Most of us are familiar with the term ‘winter blues’. People will often describe feelings of tiredness, lack of motivation or feeling flat during the colder months. While for some people this might result in slightly longer sleep ins and perhaps hitting the gym a little less, for others it can take a real toll on their daily life and overall wellbeing. So what is really going on here … and why?
What Are Intrusive Thoughts And What Can We Do About Them?
Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts or images that enter our consciousness often without any prior warning. We tend to find these thoughts quite distressing, alarming and disturbing and they often cause us to feel guilt, fear and shame. While intrusive thoughts can trigger a range of negative emotions, there is some good news …
Signs You Are Burned Out And What To Do About It
We all know what it’s like to feel stressed. You might have felt it around exam time at university, or perhaps when going through a particularly demanding period at work. Stress is a very common experience, however feeling burned out can take this stress to an entirely new level.
What Are Repressed Memories?
Have you ever experienced something you wish you could just forget? Maybe it was something really embarrassing that happened in high school, perhaps it was a fight you had with a family member or maybe it was a really devastating break up that left you heart broken for months. Whatever the case, sometimes we just wish that we could block some memories out of our minds. Well, it turns out that some people actually do … but it might not be in the way you expect.
How To Overcome Your Phobia
What is something that scares you? Really scares you? We all have them, some people might feel a knot in their stomach before stepping on a plane, others may feel their heart start racing before going to the dentist. Fears are relatively normal and quite common, however phobias … can be much more intense.
Five Reasons You Should Spend Time Alone
How often do you truly spend time alone? Not necessarily at home messaging your friends or scrolling through social media but alone with no distractions. In today’s society being around people is often equated with being likeable, friendly and sociable and spending time alone is associated with antisocial traits, loneliness or sadness. But it turns out that we could all benefit from spending some time in solitude. So how can spending time alone provide value to our lives?
Are You Having An Identity Crisis?
Who are you? This question, although quite simple is surprisingly complex. In more individualistic cultures we are likely to answer something like a teacher, a nice person or a student. In collectivist cultures we might answer something like a daughter, a brother or a mother. Whatever the case, we tend to define ourselves by our values, which often dictate the choices we make. But what happens when our choices are not in line with what we value or with who we truly are? Who are we then?
What is Conduct Disorder?
Remember that kid at school who constantly seemed to be causing some sort of mayhem. Maybe he would bully other kids, maybe he would destroy school property or perhaps he would even break into people’s homes. All of these behaviours are potential indicators of someone who has conduct disorder. So what is conduct disorder?
Is Social Media Making You Lonely?
Back in the days of the cave men, we needed some sort of relationship with others in order to survive. We depended on others for protection from other tribes, collecting food or building shelter. If you found yourself alone there was a good chance that feelings of anxiety would arise … as you were probably at risk of dying. While this may not necessarily be the case in today’s society, a lack of social connection can still have devastating effects on our physical and mental wellbeing.
Can Money Buy Happiness?
Money can’t buy happiness. This is a saying that gets thrown around in society a fair bit and one that seems to have people split on either side. While some people believe that there are factors much larger than money that should impact upon emotional wellbeing … others recognise the significance of money in living a fulfilling life in accordance with their needs and desires. So what’s the truth? Can money buy happiness or not?
How Hating Your Job Is Ruining Your Life
Do you wake up in the mornings with a heavy feeling of dread and apprehension in your stomach? Do you count down the minutes until 5pm? Do you feel unmotivated and drained by the end of the working day? If so, you are not alone. In fact, a staggering 20-40% of people report disliking their jobs … but this doesn’t make the implications of it any less severe. So how is hating your job affecting your life?