Common Conditions

What is Suicidal Ideation?

Suicide continues to be a growing presence in our society. People who want to end their lives typically do so because they don’t feel they have any other choice. They feel desperation, an overwhelming, constant emotional pain, and a belief that their life has no worth. People die by suicide because of a variety of reasons. Severe depression, psychosis (e.g., delusion or hallucination prompts self-destructive tendencies), substance abuse, and terminal illness are some of the common reasons why people may wish to end their lives.

There are many causes for suicidal ideation, including our genes and biological make-up, environmental factors, childhood developmental issues, and trauma. Suicide claims more

What is Stress?

Traditionally, stress is our body’s reaction to a real or perceived threat. The stress prompts us to fight or flee, getting us out of immediate danger. However, in our Western society, stress is more of a daily occurrence that comes up for a variety of reasons, and are not typically things that can be fought against or from which we can run.

For uniformed professionals, such as first responders, military personnel, and emergency service personnel, one’s occupation may be stressful due to the regular (and sometimes daily) exposure to traumatic events, competing priorities on short timelines, and being in a position that is relied upon by society.

Whether we have

What are Sleep Disorders?

Everyone experiences problems sleeping every once in a while. Normal sleep disruptions can come on for a variety of reasons, including excitement, anxiety, preoccupation, feelings of stress, teeth grinding, or night terrors. While you may lose a night or two of solid sleep, typically these normal sleep disturbances resolve themselves in a short amount of time.

However, sometimes sleep disturbances are not quickly resolved. A lack of regular sleep can affect every aspect of your life, including your communication and relationships with others, your concentration, decision making, school or work responsibilities, and daily functioning. Furthermore, a lack of sleep can create significant emotional upheaval, including increased irritability, agitation,

What is Self Harm?

Sometimes, thoughts, feelings and experiences can seem too overwhelming or difficult to handle. Loss, trauma, feelings of emptiness, or loss of control are all reasons why people may self-harm. People may cope with these experience by hurting themselves. For some, self-harm may turn emotional pain into physical pain, which can be easier to understand and resolve. Most of the time, these individuals do not have an active wish to die. They hurt themselves by cutting, burning, or hitting themselves as a way to feel better. Self-harm is typically a symptom of another mental illness, such as depression, rather than a mental illness on its own.

Self-harm is most

What are Relationships Issues?

Every couple experiences issues in their relationship every once in a while. No couple, no matter how well-suited, goes without times of struggle. Sometimes, couples are able to resolve their challenges and get back to enjoying life together. However, if concerns, challenges, and issues are left unresolved they can turn into marital dysfunction, which can lead to chronic conflict, blaming, separation, and ultimately, divorce. For the individuals in the marriage, these issues can seriously and negatively impact physical and mental health.

There are many different reasons why couples struggle in their relationship. Some of the reasons why marital dysfunction arises may include:

• Financial challenges
• Infidelity
• Infertility
• Addictions
• Mental illness
• Physical health issues
• Employment challenges
• Death of
  

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Everyone experiences frightening situations in their lives. It is normal for us to feel nervous, have a hard time falling asleep, or have recurring thoughts about the situation after having experienced something frightening. The discomfort and disruption in our lives eventually go away, however, and we resume our normal lives.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is different. PTSD is a pervasive mental illness that is typically brought on by the experience of, or witnessing of, trauma associated with death, threat of death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Traumatic events are typically unexpected, and you often feel powerless to stop or change the event.

PTSD is not

Panic Attacks

Human beings experience panic when they are in a situation of danger, triggering a normal “fight or flight” instinct to help them get out of a situation that is potentially threatening to their lives.

A panic attack, however, is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that arises without a distinct situation of danger. It is far more intense than a common feeling of being “stressed out”. Some people feel as though they are suffocating, having a heart attack, or fear they are dying. While terrifying and stressful, a panic attack is not dangerous and will go away on its own.

Symptoms

• racing heartbeat
• difficulty breathing, feeling as though you “can’t get enough air”
• terror
  

What is Grief & Bereavement?

Over the course of our lives, we all experience grief as a result of a loss. Grief is a normal, and necessary, reaction to losses of all kinds (e.g. loss of a job, loss of finances, etc.), but usually the most troubling occurs when we experience the death of a loved one. After experiencing such loss, we may ask ourselves why this happened to us, or how we’re going to be able to make it through another day and move forward with our lives. The profound devastation, sadness, anger, confusion, and denial we experience are part of grief.

Bereavement is the period of grief and mourning after

What is Family Dysfunction?

It is common for families to go through difficult times. There is no such thing as a “perfect” family, or one that never experiences any challenges. Families are complex systems made up of long-term, complex relationships. The loss of a loved one, health challenges, trauma, and financial difficulties can significantly impact family dynamics, relationships, routines, communication, and problem-solving abilities, which, left unattended, can lead to chronic family dysfunction.

Some of the common reasons why families may experience difficulties may include:

• Marital challenges (e.g., separation, divorce)
• Financial concerns
• Traumatic experiences (e.g., abuse, natural disaster, etc.)
• Addictions
• Mental illnesses
• Health challenges
• Loss of a loved one

While family challenges can pass on their own, most of the time

What is Depression?

Sadness is a normal part of life. Everyone feels the “blues” every now and then. Most of the time, sadness comes on as a result of a situation that happens in our lives. Sadness is typically passing, and resolves itself with time.

When you experience depression, you’re experiencing more than just passing sadness. Depression is when you feel severe despair over a long period of time. It affects all aspects of your life, including your mental health, physical health, relationships, work, and personal goals. As a hypo-arousal emotion, depression takes away your energy, making it difficult to fulfil your normal daily functions. You may have trouble getting out of