Kristen Breske, LMHC
Sometimes, life takes an unexpected turn and you’re left with no clue about how to deal with the changes that may have come your way. Being diagnosed with a mental illness or substance use disorder, which requires care, is one example. If you’ve been diagnosed with a mental illness, or addiction has you in its …
Schizoaffective disorder is a chronic, yet not so common mental health condition. It includes those who suffer from symptoms of both schizophrenia and a mood disorder, such as bipolar disorder or depression. Most patients suffering from schizoaffective disorder are initially diagnosed with chronic depression or a mood disorder. Types of Schizoaffective Disorder There are majorly …
Do you often find yourself saying “I don’t feel like myself”? Have you ever felt that you’re not real? Or does the world around you start appearing dreamlike at times? If yes, you could be suffering from depersonalization derealization disorder! Note: Such feelings are not unusual if felt occasionally. However, for DDD sufferers, these feelings …
Parenting, although different for everyone, is always a challenge. Some kids love playing outside, while others prefer indoor activities. Some enjoy parties and school events while others prefer sleepover with their best friend. Some are completely comfortable with the gender they were assigned at birth, while others feel as if they were born in the …
In a society where transphobia runs rampant, it’s common for parents to mistreat, mishandle, misgender and reject their child if he/she denies conforming to the gender they were assigned at birth. Such behavior often causes mental health issues in transgender individuals, such as chronic depression, anxiety, stress, feeling of loneliness, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts. …
Gender is a social construct. An abstract idea. But the rules of gender are too strong to be broken or changed easily. Hence, unless you live away from the judgmental social norms in many societies, people will expect that you conform to a certain gender identity – male or female. Being unable to identify with …
The process of ‘coming out’ to your parents, or anyone else in your life, involves three basic steps: (1) Understanding your feelings (2) Accepting them, and (3) Valuing your newborn identity. Only after you’ve passed through these basic steps will you feel the readiness to ‘come out’. How to Come Out Without Shame? This is …
Although a person’s sexual orientation and gender behavior has no direct impact on other people’s lives, having to live with the social stigma of LGBTQIA2S+ is a real issue for many. The impact of how the society views you can be seriously harmful for the mental health of an individual, and not being able to …
“Sex is biologically determined at birth, while gender is a social construct” – Dr. Alexandra Sherlock In English, the terms sex and gender are often used interchangeably, but they both have different meanings in reality. Sex refers to the biological sex assigned to a person at the time of birth. On the other hand, gender …
It was in the year 1801 when the concept of Personality Disorders was first introduced by a psychiatrist named Philippe Pinel. Later, the concept evolved to include 3 clusters/types of disorders with 10 disorders in total. What is a Personality Disorder? Personality disorders make one think, feel, and behave differently than others. In other words, …