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.

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.

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.

There are actually many health benefits to engaging in a hobby! It also helps you build confidence, create a social support network, and allows you to cultivate unused skills. Here are some reasons everyone should have a hobby:

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.

It is helpful to examine the situations in your life at home, school, work, and social environments, as well as your own attitudes and thoughts about yourself to figure out the potential sources of low self-esteem.