With jobs in short supply and bills to pay, more people are working when they used to be sleeping. Some are working a series of part-time jobs that keep them up past their normal bedtimes or working the night shift and struggling to readjust their body clocks. It’s not easy. Shifting your sleep cycle causes metabolic confusion […]
Widening Generation Gap Strains Family Relationships
Not since the 1960s have old and young Americans been so divided on basic social issues. Vietnam, civil rights and women’s liberation created a deep divide between today’s Baby Boomers and their WWII-era parents. Today the flashpoints are morality, religion and relationships. The widening philosophical divide between the generations has the potential to drive an […]
Learning to Identify Causes of Stress
Life is full of minor stresses. Your son spills a glass of milk. Your daughter can’t find her shoes. The dog throws up on the carpet. The mailman delivers another bill. Your husband announces he can’t make it home to coach the soccer team. The car won’t start. You’re going to be late. You already […]
Risk Factors for Mental Health Problems
This week we’ve been talking about the activities and behaviors that make for good mental health (see our July 13 and 15, 2009 posts). Throughout our lives, many forces shape our emotional well-being, both internal and external. Particular events in our lives, genetic and biological factors, and childhood experiences impact our ability to develop and […]
Cornerstones of Good Mental Health
Two important cornerstones of good mental health are resiliency and the ability to develop supportive relationships. Even though disappointment, loss and change are normal events in life; they often cause feelings of stress, sadness and anxiety. People who lack good mental health can be overwhelmed by these feelings. Resiliency, the ability to persevere in the face […]
How to Improve Your Emotional Health
Emotional health is as essential to our well-being as physical health. Mentally healthy people are in control of their emotions and behavior. Emotional health allows us to weather the roller coaster ups and downs of life, handle daily challenges and build enduring relationships to create productive, fulfilling lives. When life hits a bump in the […]