If I had only one wish in life it wouldn’t be unlimited funds or a bottomless pot of coffee, not a condo in Maui or free college degrees for my kids. I wouldn’t even want to add years to my life. My wish would be this: to become more emotionally resilient — to be able […]
I’m scared of downtime. That’s right, relaxation is downright uncomfortable for me. Part of me craves it like every other human being. Yet as soon as it is here, I twitch. I pace the house. I don’t know what to do with my hands and my legs — even more importantly, my brain. Sometimes the […]
Hi, I’m Therese, I’m a recovering alcoholic, former smoker, and past anorexic; a depressive and bipolar; and a graduate of two inpatient psychiatric programs. I’m also intelligent, driven, compassionate, sensitive, creative, playful, and loving. Although the world has erected a solid wall between the above two statements, I’m on a mission to tear it down—not […]
I think most people cringe at the thought of “falling back,” or turning our clocks back an hour to signal the end of Daylight Saving Time and the beginning of Standard Time, or Winter Time, as it’s sometimes called. Technically there isn’t less sunlight — it’s just rearranged. But it feels like there’s less because it’s dark when we […]
Perfectionists tend to regard boredom, distraction, and procrastination as the axis of evil. But they can actually benefit your mood and productivity. In his blog, Why You Need Boredom, Distraction, and Procrastination in Your Life, Thorin Kloswki defines boredom, distraction, and procrastination as the “holy trinity of inactivity.” According to his research, the brain can’t […]
I don’t like to think about how all the clutter in my home is affecting my psyche, but according to several studies, it most definitely does. For example, researchers at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute conducted a study published in the January 2011 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience that found when your environment is […]
Social scientists have long studied the effects of body language on the perception of others. For example, a 2009 study published in the journal Language and Cognitive Processes investigated the role of hand gestures in persuasive speech and found that people assess public presenters to be more effective and competent when they use their hands. […]
According to the National Center for Sleep Disorders Research, approximately 30 to 40 percent of adults report some symptoms of insomnia within a given year, and 10 to 15 percent report chronic insomnia. According to a 2015 study published in Psychology Research and Behavior Management, half of American seniors, aged 65 and older report sleep […]
This post is from my archives. I’m considering building an ark, because it feels as if it’s been raining for 40 days and 40 nights. In one of the wettest, coldest Mays in Maryland’s history, highly sensitive types like myself are having difficulty not getting pulled into a depressive mood that often accompanies bad weather. I […]
In his public TEDx talk, motivational celebrity Tony Robbins claimed that he has never lost a client to suicide. However, a few days before she jumped to her death, Sydney native Rebekah Lawrence participated in an intense self-help seminar called The Turning Point replete with techniques on how to positive think oneself to satisfaction and […]
Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” Giving feels good. We’ve all experienced that high from doing something good: donating our used books to the library, feeding the homeless at the soup kitchen, walking for AIDS or another cause, calling or visiting […]
We’ve been told since our first pimple arrived to look in the mirror and say, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and today is going to be a GREAT day, despite this mammoth zit on my chin” while plastering a fake grin on our face. Positive psychologists have force-fed us affirmations, telling us that the […]
“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people,” wrote Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. “It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and is the main obstacle between you and a [crappy] first draft.” Today’s culture encourages perfectionistic behavior — as if it’s synonymous with being […]
A picture may very well be worth a thousand words. A motion picture? Maybe even more than that. In a March 2016 article for Counseling Today, Bronwyn Robertson, a counselor and member of the American Counseling Association, writes: Barely able to breathe, a young man battling a panic attack hesitantly enters the group room and makes his way to […]
Ten years ago, when I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I was working with a psychiatrist who wanted me to alert him at the first hint of a creative thought, like an article idea or God forbid a concept for a book—any scribbling into a notebook–because that was surely an indication that I was […]
This was last year’s list of survival tips. I will publish this year’s shortly! I feel guilty writing that: “getting through the holidays.” I’ve done an excellent job this year of scheduling events that will force my brain to appreciate the magic of the holiday season: I actually participated in a cookie swap even though […]
None of us ever set out to live a life with chronic pain and illness, but it happens. There comes that moment when you are sitting in yet another doctor’s office going over your symptoms for the third time that week, and the physician is simultaneously squinting his eyes, trying to make sense of your […]
In 1996, psychologist Roy Baumeister, Ph.D. conducted a cruel experiment. With some of his former Case Western Reserve University colleagues, he studied the effect of tempting participants with scrumptious treats in order to see how much willpower human beings actually have. He kept the 67 participants in a room that smelled like freshly baked chocolate […]
Thank you so much to everyone who made a donation to improve Project Beyond Blue. The new site is up! Still adding things here and there, but you can get the general feel. We now have a Member Forum, a place where everyone can introduce themselves and post discussions, and a Member Blog, where members […]
“Live to the point of tears,” said Camus. That’s not so hard if you have treatment-resistant depression or any kind of chronic mood disorder. You learn to take Kleenex with you wherever you go. In the middle of a depressive episode, especially, it happens as naturally as sneezing or blowing your nose. Two or three […]
