When traumas strike and emotions become overwhelming, a person is forced out of their comfort zone. According to scientific research, when this happens the frontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for thinking, planning and reasoning) shuts down and the victim’s window of tolerance narrows. Window of tolerance is a term created by clinical […]
Anger is a state of heightened arousal that kicks in when your mind perceives a situation to be potentially dangerous and determines the best solution available is to fight or flee. Used in the proper context and with the right amount of control, anger can be quite beneficial. It can be used when you need […]
Self-harm is a term used to describe deliberate, harmful physical actions used as a means to cope with emotions or distress. It’s difficult for people to understand self-harming as a coping strategy and many jump to the conclusion that it must be an attempt at suicide. However, research has shown that people who self-harm have […]
It is quite normal to have down days and to feel a little unsure of yourself, but prolonged low self-esteem can have a debilitating affect on the quality of your life. Self-esteem is described as confidence in one’s own worth or abilities, and as self-respect. Clinical psychologist Melanie Fennell, who has devoted her working life […]
Humans are hardwired at a DNA level to need interaction, but society doesn’t always provide us with enough opportunities to fulfil this very human need. Feelings of loneliness and isolation are increasing in Ireland, and throughout the rest of the modern world. In 2016, British Prime Minister Theresa May appointed a Minister for Loneliness to […]
Raising a teenager can be challenging even at the best of times. Young adults must cope with hormonal changes while they explore their place in the world. They also have to navigate school or college, exam stress and peer pressure. With so much change happening, it can be difficult as a parent, or carer, to […]
In today’s world, people are suffering increasingly with anxiety or depression. Voluntary organisation Aware estimated in 2015 that one in 10 people in Ireland suffer from depression at any one time. Thousands more people suffer from anxiety, the most common mental health issue alongside depression. It’s estimated that one in 9 people in Ireland will […]
Our modern lives are increasingly fast paced, and the demands placed upon us are greater than at any time in our collective history. It’s not unusual to feel sad or overwhelmed from time to time as we learn to cope with life’s pressures. However, more serious mental health issues such as anxiety and depression are […]
