In 2020, research revealed that 37.2 million people in the United States experienced poverty (US Census Bureau, 2022). In addition, more than 1 in 5 (22%) children living below the federal poverty level had a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder (Data and Statistics on Children’s Mental Health | CDC, 2022b). Keep in mind that this […]
Our Latest Blogs
15
Dec
Dec
The body’s autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for automatic functions, including controlling your bladder, temperature, heart rate, breathing, and much more. Sometimes, people’s ANS doesn’t work the way that it should. This is called autonomic dysfunction or autonomic neuropathy and affects more than 70 million people worldwide. Cases can be mild to severe but […]
13
Dec
Dec
For many people, the holidays are a time for celebration and gathering of loved ones. Whether you are hosting or visiting your family or friends for the holidays, there are always a few essential items included for the celebration, such as food, presents, and a common one: alcohol. If you are opening a bottle of […]
12
Dec
Dec
For individuals struggling with eating disorders, holidays can be challenging. Bright holiday lights are shining, mom’s cookies are baking, and a festive spirit is filling the air. But then they see it—a table card lying gently on the table with a name in bright red letters. A seat is reserved for an uninvited guest, their […]
09
Dec
Dec
Everyone feels stressed at times. It is a normal human response to threats. Your body adjusts to new circumstances with the assistance of stress reactions. Stress can keep us focused, determined, and prepared to stay out of harm’s way. If you have a big test coming up, a stress response might make your body work […]
08
Dec
Dec
Hi, my name is Lori. I am a parent of three kids with three different expressions of gender and sexuality. And I have been a registered nurse since 1997, my preferred specialty being pediatrics. My kids have the same father and were raised in the same home, with the same values, in a safe environment. […]
05
Dec
Dec
Taking care of your mental health is more important than ever. One of the best ways to do that is by practicing yoga. Combined with mental health treatment, yoga is an effective method for coping with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It can also help improve your sleep quality. Still, […]
01
Dec
Dec
In September of 2022, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released draft recommendations stating that all adults under age 65 should be screened for anxiety and depressive conditions. The Task Force, an independent voluntary panel of national experts in disease prevention and evidence-based medicine, cites that Americans are reporting symptoms of mental health […]
25
Nov
Nov
Mental health is important no matter how old we are. Positive mental health enables us to handle life’s stresses, manage our responsibilities well, and maintain good relationships with others. Yet people with cognitive distortions have an increased tendency to view things negatively. Cognitive distortions or irrational thought patterns are not considered a mental illness. Rather, […]
24
Nov
Nov
When you are depressed, you may find it difficult to get up in the morning. Even if you manage to drag yourself out of bed and find a way to dress, you may not be able to do much more than drag yourself along. You may believe nothing is worth doing anymore because it all […]
23
Nov
Nov
In the United States, Thanksgiving is traditionally viewed as the start of the holiday season. However, the rising popularity of Halloween has lengthened the season by at least a month. Between the decorating frenzy of the highly devoted “spooky season” lovers and the inflatable Santas, lights, and wreaths that start appearing in early November, Thanksgiving […]
21
Nov
Nov
A strong company culture plays a significant role in employee happiness and productivity. It’s something more employers and business owners need to pay attention to since an estimated 83% of American workers struggle with work-related stress. That kind of stress leads to less productivity in the workplace and can cause employee retention to suffer. More […]
17
Nov
Nov
Most wellness experts agree that restorative yoga has many benefits, especially for beginners. It’s a holistic and therapeutic approach to physical and mental health. Regardless of whether you are young or old, mobility through passive stretching can help everyone. But beginners don’t always know where to start. With so many online and in-person classes available, […]
15
Nov
Nov
My mom is a wonderful mother. She’s kind, loves classic rock, has funny stories—and she loves me. I know that. I have always known that. Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be understanding of her problem. I saw her drinking and began to justify how normal it was. Resentment was there, but it […]
14
Nov
Nov
Being grateful has a lot of benefits, including making you happier. This Thanksgiving, find out how expressing gratitude can make you happier and have a better holiday season.
12
Nov
Nov
The past few years have seen an explosion in research into brain structure, organization, and function. As a result, brain fitness is becoming a crucial area of scientific investigation, much like physical fitness has been a central part of human health and well-being in the past few decades. Brain fitness refers to the brain’s ability […]
11
Nov
Nov
It’s a fact that we all go through hard times. One thing that all human beings have in common is challenges. They happen to everyone at different moments and for various lengths of time. Although challenges are sometimes daunting, they don’t have to be. Hard times can be an opportunity to emerge from the ashes […]
10
Nov
Nov
For the vast majority of people (if not all of us), there are times when life can feel overwhelming. Mental health issues can make it even worse. Finding a social worker you can relate to in a friendly manner can be life-changing if you struggle with mental health. Letting Down Your Guard Sometimes, seeing a […]
09
Nov
Nov
In February 2020, our lead Resource Specialist and Clinical Director Denise Vestuti received a call from a mother from Norwalk, CT, distraught over her 31-year-old son’s low emotional state and addiction relapse. The call was like many of the hundreds of requests for help received at rtor.org each year—a distressed parent or other family member […]
06
Nov
Nov
In 1987 when I was 22 years old, I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Scared and alone, I had no role models to guide me. Hospitalized and given pills, I was sent out into the world to find my way without a map. In June 2000, I obtained a Master’s in Library and Information Science. That […]
03
Nov
Nov
Unresolved mental health problems and related issues can impact you negatively. About 25% of American adults over 18 have a diagnosable mental disorder. This usually co-occurs with anxiety disorders and substance abuse. And since the Covid-19 pandemic, over 42% of employees have indicated a decline in their mental health. If you have been feeling down, […]
31
Oct
Oct
Moments of extreme trauma can have life-changing impacts on your mental and emotional health. Immediately following a sexual assault, it’s easy to feel that things will never be the same again. You will be okay. The path to recovery takes time and effort. Following the right steps can make dealing with domestic violence or sexual […]
28
Oct
Oct
Depression is difficult for anyone, but perhaps even more so for children who lack the ability to seek solutions for themselves. As a parent, it is your difficult but crucial responsibility to help see them through. Everybody’s experience with depression is unique to them. There are many factors that can cause clinical depression in kids […]
27
Oct
Oct
Feeling disconnected? Do you experience dissociation? Is it so intense that you just blink and feel like a week has passed? How long were you away from your body anyway? Those are difficult questions to answer. Dissociation starts with feeling disoriented. Then there’s memory loss. I have years in my life that I don’t remember […]
24
Oct
Oct
Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland, a pea-sized gland close to the center of your cerebral cortex. It assists your body in determining when it’s time to rest and when it’s time to wake. The body normally produces more melatonin during the night, and it is common for levels to increase after […]
20
Oct
Oct
When coping with anxiety and depression, many options exist to help you deal with your daily struggle. Exercise has been proven to positively impact mental health, easing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and many other cognitive problems. There are also the obvious physical benefits of exercise, such as better heart health and improved quality of life. […]
17
Oct
Oct
I did not inherit Kim Kardashian’s butt. I inherited my father’s rear end – flat and wide. I passed this rear end down to one of our girls. The other lucked out and inherited her father’s butt – a cute pop-out affair from years of squats and deadlifts. Perfect for twerking, but her father and […]
13
Oct
Oct
Everybody loves getting lost in their favorite pastimes. Whether it’s eating fish and chips on the beach, sharing a bottle of wine with friends, or gaming late into the night, there’s nothing better than burning off steam and treating yourself to some luxury and fun. However, some habits can become destructive if taken to extremes. […]
10
Oct
Oct
Though domestic violence may leave you with scars and bruises, the harm often goes deeper than the physical. An experience of domestic violence can have a lasting negative impact on your overall well-being. One of the most common and severe effects of domestic abuse is adversely impacted mental health. Domestic abuse can leave you with […]
03
Oct
Oct
Student mental health challenges are real, and colleges struggle to keep up. The college years can be some of the most stressful and overwhelming times in a young person’s life. Balancing academics, social activities, and personal responsibilities can affect even the most well-adjusted student’s mental health. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 […]
26
Sep
Sep
Relationships require time, energy, and commitment. They are not created overnight. And as difficult as it is to start a relationship, it’s even more difficult to sustain one. The ride is not always smooth. It is bound to be bumpy, and sometimes you will need to put in that extra ounce of care to stay […]
22
Sep
Sep
Sensory processing disorders have gotten a lot of recognition lately, but the condition is by no means new. It was first identified in the 1960s when Dr. Anna Jean Ayres speculated that behavioral problems in children were linked to issues with absorbing, understanding, and processing their external environments. In 2006, Dr. Lucy Miller––a student of […]
19
Sep
Sep
Depending on where and who you are, you might get access to excellent care when you are sick or injured. Not everyone is so lucky, however. Health disparities are all too common in the United States, causing poor outcomes in patient care for the most vulnerable people. The good news is the growing awareness of […]
15
Sep
Sep
Taking a holistic approach to mental health is the best way to go. It ensures that mind, body, and soul are aligned and helps us reduce stress, increase our output, and stay in a healthier state of mind. Therefore, investing your time in different practices that help feed your mind, body, and soul is essential. […]
12
Sep
Sep
Ketamine is both a valuable anesthetic and a potentially harmful street drug when misused, but did you know that ketamine is a proven treatment for depression, too? A Schedule III drug, ketamine, can cause you to feel detached or dissociated from the world around you. Depending on the dose and manner in which you take […]
08
Sep
Sep
Your mental health journey as a young adult was likely quite different from the one you now face. As an older adult, you may experience mental health concerns unique to this period of your life, such as depression, anxiety, and isolation. Thankfully, there are various ways to navigate these mental health challenges and any others […]
06
Sep
Sep
Last spring, there were two suicides in the high-achieving Connecticut town where I live. They were separate tragedies, one involving a twelfth grader, the other a tenth grader. It rocked us all, especially the classmates of these young people. We need not know what drove them to their last desperate act. It is not our […]
05
Sep
Sep
The idea of independence is associated with strength, self-sufficiency, and autonomy. While being independent is important for survival, we cannot function independently without interdependence. Interdependence is when two or more people rely on each other for support, and it is a necessary and healthy part of our physical, mental, and emotional development. Interdependence is often […]
01
Sep
Sep
Video games have been growing in popularity for decades. When gaming consoles and PCs first hit the market in the 70s and 80s, people could conveniently play their favorite arcade games without ever leaving the house. Fast forward to the late 90s and early 2000s, when multi-player role-playing games hit the scene, and gaming became […]
29
Aug
Aug
It starts with a twinge in the chest, a slight tremor in the hands, and difficulty catching a breath. My old companions, anxiety and depression, have joined me once again. Sometimes an event or a personal interaction precedes their appearance. Sometimes they show up out of nowhere and club me in the chest. As a […]
25
Aug
Aug
Choosing between inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs isn’t easy, especially if you’re dealing with an addiction to alcohol or drugs. On the one hand, going to inpatient rehab allows you to fully immerse yourself in your recovery and work one-on-one with professionals who can help you overcome the hurdles around recovery while providing 24/7 support. […]
22
Aug
Aug
Everyone has a unique personality. People’s personalities grow as they go through various life events. Most people are adaptable enough to learn from their mistakes and adjust their behavior when necessary. On the other hand, people with personality disorders find it far more challenging to manage their behavior. They have distressing thoughts and emotions that […]
19
Aug
Aug
As a parent, nothing is more exciting than having your children thrive in life. Parenting is not easy; it takes time, patience, and know-how. One of the things most parents desire is to have their children listen to them. For parents and kids alike, there can be challenges related to listening to each other. However, […]
17
Aug
Aug
I first heard the term ‘people pleaser’ in my mid 30’s when I started working in a residential addiction treatment facility. Until then, I had never really thought about how my bending over backward to please others had affected me. I had always believed that accommodating other people’s needs was a good thing—that I was […]
15
Aug
Aug
If you’ve ever lied awake at night staring at the ceiling, heart racing, and thoughts running through your mind uncontrollably, you know how damaging it can be to your sleep. Unfortunately, at night, when your body finally comes to rest is when your anxious mind comes alive. Anxiety affects over 40 million adults and ranges […]
12
Aug
Aug
At some point in your life, you might experience a violent or frightening event that triggers a severe stress response and trauma symptoms. In many cases, those symptoms get better with time, but sometimes they get more intense and linger, interfering with your everyday life. Persistent trauma symptoms could mean you have post-traumatic stress disorder […]
10
Aug
Aug
Most of us are familiar with the effects of stress on our mood, emotions, and behaviors, but we may not be considering the impact on our bodies. During chronic stress, our sympathetic nervous system (“fight, flight, or freeze”) is upregulated to prepare the body for threats and conflict. While these physiologic changes are highly advantageous […]
05
Aug
Aug
Technology is a double-edged sword for parents. The internet and smart devices can be great learning tools. Yet, online bullying and the presence of various online predators make these tools potentially dangerous and damaging to young minds. What we know: There are links between excessive internet and social media use and lower self-esteem in children. […]
03
Aug
Aug
Functional neurological disorder (FND), or conversion disorder, as some people know it, is a disease where electrical signals in the brain aren’t communicating correctly. The body relies on these signals for everything from movement to digestion, so disruption can be catastrophic. While there isn’t a mechanical or structural cause for FND, there are several symptoms […]
01
Aug
Aug
A year or even a few months ago, I never would have played a PC game for self-care — and I certainly wouldn’t have chosen to spend my nights and weekends holed up in my home office. As a freelance writer who works from home, I already spend most of my days on a computer, […]
29
Jul
Jul
Living in the modern world means stress is a normal part of life. The simple act of existing takes a toll on us all. From having to work stressful jobs to raising kids to worrying about bills, there is no shortage of things to stress us out. Although you may insist on being a relentlessly responsible […]
27
Jul
Jul
You’ve overheard your teenage daughter saying she wants to lose weight. Maybe she’s spent too much time scrolling through content from influencers on Instagram. Or perhaps a comment you made about another person’s body stuck with her. In today’s world, teens are inundated with messages about how they should look online. Yet, their perception of […]
25
Jul
Jul
You may know a lot about the physical effects of menopause, but how much have you heard about its cognitive and psychological impacts? The mental health implications of this transition are just as real as the bodily ones and just as manageable with good information and support. Confidence and Self-Esteem In our youth-idolizing culture, changes […]
22
Jul
Jul
Mental health is a challenge that the entire nation has struggled with of late. While this in and of itself is worrying, those living in rural America seem to have even more significant barriers to overcome. People in rural areas have less access to healthcare resources than their urban counterparts, resulting in poorer health. Though […]
20
Jul
Jul
People of color face many challenges, from substance abuse to health concerns and trouble accessing mental health resources. Though employment programs, mental health clinics, and free rehab centers have been put in place to offer assistance, those in communities of color dealing with these issues still lack proper care and recognition. Professionals working with BIPOC […]
18
Jul
Jul
Today’s mental health landscape is turbulent. Worldwide events of the past few years have created some of the most widespread mental health strains and stress the world has ever known. Though awareness of mental illness and psychological health might be at an all-time high in many places, the number of people living with significant mental […]
15
Jul
Jul
One of the most important things you can do to help students succeed in school is to create a productive study environment. However, when it comes to managing students with mental health needs, it becomes a bit more complicated. The ultimate goal is to still create a productive study environment, but also one that meets […]
13
Jul
Jul
As human beings, we all feel sad at times. Sadness is a natural emotion that everyone experiences. It occurs at different levels, and people often confuse extreme sadness with depression. Here is a detailed guide to help you know the difference between sadness and depression, so you can treat your depression or cope with sadness […]
11
Jul
Jul
Most of us have experienced being othered by an individual or an entire group. For some of us, this experience can be quite common. I’ve been traversing life in this Black skin for a few decades, and as a Black woman, that otherness invariably includes exaggerated perceptions of strength, resilience, and independence. From childhood, I’ve […]
08
Jul
Jul
Mental health is a vital part of overall health and wellbeing. According to the World Health Organization, health is a condition of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing, not just the absence of sickness or disability. Mental health encompasses much more than the absence of mental disorders or disabilities; it is mainly about quality of […]
06
Jul
Jul
No matter how mentally strong you are, deployment can be a stressful experience that takes its toll on you. It’s no surprise that many service members struggle to return from deployment. If you’re a veteran who has recently returned from operational deployment, you might find these tips helpful in readjusting to life as a civilian. […]
04
Jul
Jul
Does hearing laughter as you walk by a group of people make you feel self-conscious? Are you a lover of the great indoors, specifically your home? You walk into a room of seated people, and they’re looking at you. How do you feel? Everybody experiences social discomfort throughout their lives. It’s the reason for common sayings […]
01
Jul
Jul
If you constantly feel on edge or are riddled with anxiety and don’t know why you may need to take a minute to look around your own home. You may not realize it, but how you decorate, use your space, and interact with your housemates may be what is causing your anxiety to go through […]
29
Jun
Jun
Employee mental health problems can impact a business quite seriously. Approximately 80% of adults with depression report at least some difficulty with their work, home, or social activities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among the many dimensions of wellness, mental health in the workplace and associated issues are more difficult […]
27
Jun
Jun
“Life is suffering.” This phrase is associated with Buddhism and its Noble Truths. If you have struggled with your mental health, you know well how painful it can be to simply reside in your brain. In the context of the Noble Truths, the term “suffering” is an English translation of the Sanskrit word “duhkha” (or […]
24
Jun
Jun
Many people may have heard of PTSD, but few understand it. There is a lot of information about it, but this is sorely lacking from the human standpoint. We often associate PTSD with flashbacks or aggression. However, many people are unaware of the complex emotions and feelings of shame and inadequacy that torment those who […]
22
Jun
Jun
Do you know that saving or storing material items of little worth can be a sign of a mental health problem? Hoarding disorder is a condition in which people have persistent difficulty letting go of things that are not useful and end up storing them unnecessarily. What is Hoarding Disorder? According to Mayo Clinic, compulsive […]
20
Jun
Jun
These days, there is greater public awareness about the impacts of traumatic events. Books such as The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk and Trauma and Recovery by Judith Lewis Herman, among many others, have played an essential role in educating us about the effects interpersonal trauma can have across a lifetime. […]
17
Jun
Jun
Depression affects people from all walks of life and is one of the most common mental health problems in the United States. Depression among LGBTQ+ individuals is higher than among cisgender straight individuals. This article will look at how much pressure and depression closeted people experience compared with those who are out and proud. I […]
15
Jun
Jun
Staying mentally healthy is a lifelong journey. Just like a plant, mental health needs care, attention, and support to flourish over a long time. You may not have a mental health disorder, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to work on your mental health—it’s just a part of being human. Whether you struggle with […]
