Psychiatric Blog - San Diego Mental Health Services

What to Do Today to Overcome Social Anxiety

Social anxiety disorder goes beyond just the occasional bout of nerves or feeling self-conscious about being “shy.” We all feel nervous or out of our element from time to time, maybe on a first date, or in a job interview, but social anxiety (social phobia) is so much more than that. Social anxiety disorder is…

Depression, Mood

Complicated Bereavement or Major Depression?

It can be difficult, even for a seasoned professional clinician, to tell the difference between depression and complicated bereavement. Let’s consider comparing complicated bereavement vs. depression, or major depression. A layperson’s definition of depression involves what has become a “buzz word” of sorts. We’ve come to use the term to describe everything from having the…

Mental Illness

Hopeful Reminders for Someone Beginning a Mental Health Recovery Journey

What is mental health recovery and what does it entail? A true-to-life mental health recovery definition will cover not just getting back to the point of being able to function, but will include more of helping you achieve your best, most-satisfying life. You might have already questioned whether or not you can make the journey…

Mental Illness

Be Aware of the Effects of Social Networking on Mental Health

Looking back in time, one might say that social media sites as we know them today crept up on modern society unawares. Those of all ages–ranging from the very young and impressionable, up through adolescence, young adulthood, and even mature adulthood–have come to follow social media apps consistently (and even obsessively, one might argue). Over…

Mental Illness

Showing Support for a Friend or Loved One Who Has Attempted Suicide

The suicide attempt of any individual creates an unsettling ripple effect on the lives of those close to him or her. Fortunately, he or she failed in the attempt, but in the mind of the suicidal individual, this failure only exacerbates problematic feelings of depression, incompetence, guilt, shame, low self-esteem, and worthlessness. You may feel…

Mental Illness

3 Major Ways Mental Illness Affects Relationships

Mental illness in relationships is often a dynamic that gets marginalized and considered peripherally, at best. Every individual, and hence, every relationship is unique, so how mental illness affects relationships depends on many singular factors. For the affected partner (or both partners), many questions loom: “What kinds of issues will arise because of my mental…