Trauma dumping refers to a situation where an individual shares their traumatic experiences in an overwhelming, often boundary-violating manner without the listener’s consent. While it’s not always intentional, trauma dumping typically crosses interpersonal boundaries and may cause the listener to feel overwhelmed or trapped. Learn more about how to spot…
Hyperfixation is a unique state of mind, which, while often linked to conditions like ADHD, doesn’t always indicate a mental health condition. Hyperfixation involves an intense and prolonged focus on a specific interest, something that many individuals with and without conditions like ADHD may experience. This article explores the nuances…
Domestic violence, also known as intimate partner violence, is a complex and dangerous issue that thousands deal with every day. Even after a violent situation has ended, the mental and emotional ramifications of the experience remain. Because of this, domestic violence therapy is often necessary to address the traumatic events…
Everyone has a disturbing dream from time to time. However, when these dreams become persistent, they can interfere with one’s everyday life. And when this happens, it could be a sign of nightmare disorder.
Have you ever been in the midst of a conflict with your significant other and wished that you could rewind, start over, and reset? Maybe you didn’t know how to heal the emotional wounds that were inflicted in the heat of the moment—and still don’t. Sometimes an expert is required…
After experiencing a traumatic or emotionally scarring event, the fear, pain, and helplessness felt in that moment can linger and affect someone’s life in the weeks and months after it happens. This reaction is completely understandable, as events like those are extremely harmful and can certainly change the life of…
There may come a time when someone with a mental illness — like depression, anxiety, or PTSD — needs your help. While mental health conditions require proper treatment from a mental health professional like a counselor or psychiatrist, you can provide help in the form of comfort, reassurance, and support. Are…
Have you ever wondered what your dreams mean? The contents of our dreams can be quite perplexing — especially when they’re violent and scary. Take, for example, a recurring dream I used to have when I was a kid: It’s my birthday, and I’m wandering around my backyard. My friends…
Do you maintain a go bag where you keep critical documents, petty cash, a flashlight, water, a can opener, family heirlooms…? Is that theoretical survival kit starting to feel a little heavy right now? Can you imagine lugging it for miles if the roads are impassable by car? Maybe you…
New research finds that people with PTSD who do not receive treatment have a higher risk of developing dementia later in life. This research also finds that veterans diagnosed with PTSD (who are more likely to receive treatment for PTSD compared with the general population) have a reduced risk of…
As September 11 approaches, many Americans brace for impact. After 20 years, we have come to expect the grief, the sadness, the fear, the anger. Or, even an overwhelm of all of these emotions at once. For some—especially those who lost loved ones on this fateful day—it never gets easier;…
According to a new study “Distinct neural mechanisms for the prosocial and rewarding properties of MDMA,” published in Science Translational Medicine, MDMA (ecstasy) could improve trust between patient and therapist, thereby enhancing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine differentiated two molecular pathways, one responsible…
