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.

Although many are skeptical about the effectiveness of hypnosis, it may be the answer to some of the mental health problems you’re facing.

Follow these steps if you are having a panic attack at work.

Good communication is essential towards any high quality relationship. Here are 15 quick and simple tips that you can use to help build your communication skills.

Support systems can be such an important part of successfully overcoming obstacles in life. Learn more about some ways you can build yours in this blog post.

Emotions can get the best of everyone at times. We tend to lose control of our emotions during an argument, after a personal failure, or when we are concerned about a loved ones. If we leave our emotions unchecked, it can lead to regretful actions or words used in the heat of the moment. And it is not always our anger or sadness that has the ability to lead us to bad decisions, it can be happiness or excitement in certain contexts, if not regulated. Have you ever made a plan with someone based off being in an exceptionally good mood, only to realize the next day you have little interest in fulfilling your new obligation? This is where emotional regulation comes in.

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.

5 real mental health stories from our #realmentalhealth social media campaign!