Have you been feeling a bit low lately, but you can’t quite put your finger on why? It may have something to do with your social media habits. According to a recent study , social media use can increase depression and loneliness. For years people...
Maintaining healthy relationships with extended family members—such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and in-laws—can be tough. Many Canadians live in different cities, provinces, or even countries than their extended family members. Unfortunately, for many people, this distance can make it difficult to...
In many cases, grief occurs when someone has already suffered a loss. But grief can also result from a loss that is impending but hasn’t yet occurred. When this happens, it’s referred to as “anticipatory grief” or “preparatory grief.” Anticipatory grief commonly affects individuals who...
Do you struggle to maintain a positive relationship with your father, mother, brother, sister, spouse, or child? If so, you’re not alone. Oftentimes, the people closest to us are the ones who know how to push our buttons the most. And conversely, we tend to...
Anger is a normal emotion; one that everyone experiences from time to time, and one that’s healthy when expressed appropriately. However, for some people, anger is an emotion they express far too frequently, and in harmful and hurtful ways. Their anger gets out of control,...
Dealing with a loved one who is depressed is always tough. When that loved one happens to be a parent, the roles flip and you become responsible for their mental health care. Older people get depressed for a variety of reasons such as declining physical...
Are you an introvert? People with this personality type tend to feel more comfortable focusing on their inner thoughts and feelings rather than what’s going on around them, and they often feel re-energized after spending time on their own. Society often paints introverts as being...
Emotional abuse is not as easy to spot as physical abuse, but oftentimes its effects can be just as traumatic. Emotional abuse can involve a wide range of tactics, including gaslighting, shaming and manipulation. All of these are intended to leave the victim feeling confused,...
Do you tend to start feeling unhappy around the same time each year? If so, you might have seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that the Canadian Psychological Association estimates affects about 15% of Canadians, at some point in their lifetimes. Below, we...
There’s nothing better than the refreshed feeling you have when you wake up from a restful night of sleep. But did you know that sleep can do much more than just alleviate fatigue? It’s true! Getting a sufficient amount of sleep can: Improve your cardiovascular...
Does your career often leave you feeling stressed? If so, you’re not alone. The Benefit and Pension Monitor shared the results of a 2023 survey of 2,500 Canadian employees. The results included: 60% of respondents reported suffering from workplace-related stress, with 34% stating that they...
If you’ve been researching self-care practices, you may have come across something known as journaling. But what is journaling, exactly, and what can it do to improve your mental, emotional, and even physical health? Journaling, at its core, is the regular practice of writing down...