Oftentimes, when we think about what could harm our mental health, our minds go to major life events—the loss of a job, the end of a relationship, or the death of a loved one. But small habits that often go unnoticed can also play a major role. Below are three common habits that could be negatively affecting your mental health:...[ read more ]
Anxiety can greatly impact a person’s overall health and well-being, and if you struggle with this condition, you may be willing to do almost anything to relieve your symptoms. There are numerous lifestyle changes you can make to help manage your anxiety—for example, you could try meditating, exercising, sleeping more, and reducing your caffeine and alcohol consumption—but did you know...[ read more ]
The brain has three main executive functions: working memory (which helps you remember what you’re doing at the present moment), cognitive flexibility (which helps you shift your thinking from one topic to another), and inhibition control (which helps you focus and stop yourself from saying and doing certain things). Executive dysfunction disrupts these functions, making it difficult for someone to...[ read more ]
If you’re looking to improve your mental health and overall well-being, one of the best things you can do is track how you’re feeling. Not only does this allow you to identify any issues you might be experiencing and set goals for how to resolve them, but it can also help you analyze how you’re progressing toward those goals. Here...[ read more ]
You may have heard about the benefits of setting boundaries with family, friends, and coworkers—by communicating your needs and wants, you can boost your self-esteem, prioritize your mental and emotional health, and improve your overall well-being. In the long run, boundaries can also enhance the relationships you have with those around you since they can help you feel respected instead...[ read more ]
Rumination involves obsessively thinking about negative experiences and feelings. Some people replay events that occurred in the past, while others worry about situations that could potentially occur in the future. Rumination tends to have a snowball effect—certain mental health conditions (including generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder) can cause someone to ruminate, and rumination can in turn worsen the...[ read more ]
Chicago Child Psychiatry Associates Welcomes Caroline Rowland, Certified Nurse Practitioner, to Our Child Psychiatry and Young Adults Team Chicago Child Psychiatry Associates, owned by Dr. Amer Smajkic, is a leading provider of child and young adult mental health services with 10 years of patient excellence awards. We are thrilled to announce the addition of Caroline Rowland, APN, PMHNP-BC, to our...[ read more ]
Have you recently gone through a divorce, a broken engagement, or a breakup? The loss of a romantic relationship can be especially difficult because we spend so much time with our significant others, so a separation can impact many aspects of our lives and leave us feeling like our world has been turned upside down. Not only do we have...[ read more ]
You’ve probably heard of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (more commonly referred to as “ADHD”). This very common mental disorder often causes difficulty focusing, excessive movement, and poor impulse control. But did you know that ADHD may also increase creativity? Researchers are still working to determine whether there’s a definitive link between ADHD and creativity, but many studies suggest that individuals with ADHD...[ read more ]
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a type of mental disorder that can cause excessive movement and make it difficult for someone to focus and control their impulses. For many people, ADHD can also make it hard to stay organized—deadlines are missed, projects are started but not completed, and piles of clutter make it impossible to find important items. Fortunately, there...[ read more ]
