Coping and Thriving

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and first and foremost, shout out to you for engaging in the positive pro-mental health exercise geeks like us call reading. In the words of essayists Joseph Addison and Sir Richard Steele, "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." You could be ...

If you live with Parkinson's disease, this exercise guide will help you overcome challenges to physical activity and set fitness goals to improve your function and reduce debilitating symptoms. What Is Parkinson's Disease? Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive disorder of the nervous ...

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time; it's a universal emotion. When it takes over and starts to affect your daily activities, though, it might become a problem. Here are some techniques to help you manage your anxiety and decrease its consequences. 1. Prioritize the positive to manage ...

When it comes to mental health issues and being different, there are a lot of things that can get complicated. Sometimes it is the simple things. Ever thought about how a task is easy for the average Joe, yet for you, it can bring so many complications? How do you deal with this? Recently I have ...

Research shows a correlation between chronic physical conditions and mental health.   Studies have shown that around 50.6% of people with mental disorders also had a chronic illness. At the same time, the challenges of a health condition can affect one’s emotional well-being. A cycle can also form ...

If you struggle with social anxiety, these 10 signs indicate that it could be something more and you might be on the autism spectrum. Although I was diagnosed as autistic when I was 8, it took me until the age of 20 to fully accept it. Prior to this, I tried aimlessly to place why I was ...

I teach a class in creative writing at my local psychiatric hospital. My patients come from many backgrounds and have many diagnoses. But now doing this for three years, I have never come across someone who couldn’t benefit in some way from writing. Sometimes I will ask a person if they have ...

Chronic illnesses aren’t fun. To be sick and know that you will not get better is a hard pill to swallow — sometimes literally. But you cope; it’s kind of your only choice. You find a team of doctors, create a treatment plan, make lifestyle changes, and do the best you can with the hand you’ve been ...

Living with a chronic illness can be challenging and often requires extra effort just to get through the day. This is especially true when it comes to managing a job. Balancing work demands while managing your health may seem daunting, but with these simple tips, you can make sure that you are ...

Video journaling can be a helpful tool for managing your mental health, processing emotions, and expressing yourself if writing in a journal isn't for you. Many people know the mental health benefits of keeping a journal. Whether you write, draw, or both, some advantages include mood regulation, ...

In the autumn of 2022, with the help of a friend, I produced a guide (in the form of a PowerPoint hand-out) called "A Guide to My Autistic Self." This was aimed at my parents as a means of helping them understand me and my autism better. I have noticed some subtle changes in how my parents respond ...

If you live with misophonia and/or misokinesia, these tips can help you cope with the anxiety, pain, and stress that repetitive sounds and movements can trigger. Once you discover the words "misophonia" and "misokinesia," the first step is to understand what you have and put a name to what you are ...