Cognitive distortions are errors in thinking, which are generally irrational or exaggerated. These thoughts are not usually based on facts, but we believe them to be true. When we believe these distortions, we find ourselves having high levels of stress and anxiety, which also effects our overall self-esteem. Catastrophizing is one of those cognitive distortion (aka magnifying). It consists of the way we magnify things out of proportions, which causes us to think about terrible scenarios that we believe could happen.
Eating disorders are serious, but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of every age, sex, gender, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic group. According to NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) an estimated 20 million women and 10 million men in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives. While no one knows for sure what causes eating disorders, a growing consensus suggests that it is a range of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.
It has been shown that the attachment style developed in childhood effects our relationships as adults. While people tend to stay within the same attachment style through adulthood, people do change and adopt behaviors or traits from multiple styles. The different types of attachments should be seen as a continuum.
Bowlby found that attachments with the primary caregiver usually develop during the first 18 months of the child’s life. This includes instinctual habits, such as crying and clinging. Once children reach the toddler stage, they will form an internal working model, which means they already have frameworks and beliefs about their own self-worth and how much they can depend on others to meet their needs.
Unwanted thoughts are those intrusive thoughts that cause high levels of distress. They seemingly come from nowhere, stick with us, and can cause a significant amount of anxiety. Unwanted intrusive thoughts generally consist of repetitive thoughts about relationships, decisions, sexual identity, safety, religion, death, or worries about questions that have no certain answer. When these thoughts are graphic or contain “inappropriate” themes, people can feel embarrassed or ashamed by them, which can cause people to not talk about what is happening.
Religion refers to the organized, community-based system of beliefs. Spirituality, on the other hand, resides within the individual and what they personally believe. You can be part of a religion and not be spiritual, while you can be spiritual and not a part of an organized religion. Both religion and spirituality are shown to have positive impacts on mental health.
Life is very much like a roller coaster - full of ups and downs. At some point or another you may find yourself going through one of those low points. Whether it’s the lose of a job, an addiction, or perhaps something entirely out of your control - life happens and sometimes you can’t always avoid it. So what can you do to bounce yourself back to a better place? Here are a few suggestions.
Most people want to be responsible so their friends and family can count on them. Being responsible means that you can be trusted to make the right decisions and act appropriately without supervision. When you become accountable for your actions and behaviors, you begin to develop a positive reputation. Being trusted by loved ones will make you feel more capable, which in turn will lead to higher self-esteem and self-worth.
A midlife crisis occurs in middle-aged adults (typically 45-64 years old) when they are going through transitions regarding their identify and self-confidence. It is described in psychology as a crisis, which is generally brought on by things that are highlighted a person’s growing age, inevitable mortality, and shortcomings of life accomplishments. Midlife crises can bring about feelings of depression, remorsefulness, anxiety, and the desire to be young again. This desire to feel young again tends to bring about life changes, such as purchasing a sports car.
