psychology Archives - The Health Sessions

It All Starts With You: 11 Radical Self Love Quotes

When you think about it, the only constant in your life is you. And yet, many of us struggle to accept – let alone love – ourselves for who we truly are, flaws and quirks included.

Too often, we compare ourselves to others, feeling that we don’t measure up. What the critical voices in our head tend to forget, is that we’re only seeing the highlight reel of other people, while our own journeys are filled with ups and downs. So we beat ourselves up over the mistakes we make. Even when we do succeed, we feel like it’s more a matter of luck than the result of our talents, skills and hard work.

Self love can be especially hard to practice when you have a chronic illness. Because how do you love the parts of your body that hurt, let you down and prevent you from living a ‘normal’ life?

And still, self love has a big impact on your quality of life. Self love helps you to set healthy boundaries, allow supportive people in your life only and practice self-care. When you respect your own wants and needs, you’re more likely to make decisions that nourish instead of deplete you. That’s why Gala Darling states that loving yourself is a revolutionary act.

Take a look at these 11 self love quotes to help you realize it all starts with you.

Beat the Winter Blues: 7 Self-Help Tips to Ease Seasonal Affective Disorder | The Health Sessions

Seasonal Affective Disorder: 7 Self-Help Tips to Beat the Winter Blues

Do you start to feel down, sluggish and carb-hungry as soon as the days are getting shorter?

This time of year, when it’s cold and dark outside, can trigger the winter blues in many people. It’s no wonder the third Monday of January was dubbed ‘Blue Monday’ by the travel world to promote trips to exotic destinations.

Seasonal changes, especially a lack of daylight, can disrupt your biological clock. Your internal clock regulates countless of bodily functions, including your sleep-wake cycle, alertness and energy levels, and your mood.

In around 5% of people living in northern latitudes, these changes in circadian rhythm contribute to feelings of depression. These recurring depressive episodes in autumn and winter are called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Just like a ‘regular’ depression, seasonal affective disorder is characterized by a depressed mood, loss of interest in activities, withdrawal from social interactions and problems with sleeping and appetite. Symptoms like oversleeping and craving carbohydrate-rich foods are characteristic for winter seasonal affective disorder.

According to the American Psychological Association, January and February are the most difficult months for people affected by seasonal affective disorder. If escaping to a tropical island isn’t an option, what can you do to beat the winter blues?

Take a look at these 7 ways to ease your seasonal affective disorder and brighten your mood this winter.

Disclaimer: Always seek help from your doctor, psychologist or other medical professionals when you struggle with severe depression and/or have suicidal thoughts!

6 Breakfast Tips That’ll Improve Your Mental Health

This article is written by Mia Johnson.

Nutrition is often the most neglected aspects of mental health. Food might play an integral role in our physical health, but the same is true for our minds. It’s only natural, considering that your brain is an organ like any other. This means that giving it the nutrients it needs can help improve its performance and health.

Breakfast is the backbone of our daily nutrition. It’s not called the most important meal of the day for nothing. The meal that starts your day off plays a big role in how that day will unfold. Here’s how you can positively impact your mental state with a good breakfast.

31 Coaching Questions to Help You Grow

Tough times often turn into moments of self-reflection. Hardship like chronic illness, relationship problems and financial troubles forces you to stand still. It leaves you wondering: what went wrong and what happens next? Difficult times also make you re-examine your priorities: what matters most in life?

Coaching doesn’t give you the answers, but it helps you pose the right questions. Asking meaningful questions can help you look at your situation from a fresh point of view. That new perspective may give you the insights you need to find solutions – or, if there aren’t any easy answers, acceptance and inner peace.

Even though you didn’t ask for it, painful periods can provide valuable life lessons. According to research, roughly 70% of people who went through tough times have experienced some kind of psychological growth in return. Following adversity, you may have a new understanding of yourself, a greater appreciation for life, a deeper connection with loved ones or a higher purpose in life.

Need a little help with your soul-searching? Whether you use them as a daily journal prompt or explore them together with a trusted friend over a glass of wine, take a look at these 31 coaching questions to help you grow.

7 Strategies to Deal with Health-Related Anxiety | The Health Sessions

7 Coping Strategies to Deal with Health-Related Anxiety

A recent health scare reminded me how frightening it can be when your body lets you down. Not only does it feel scary when your heart’s racing, you can’t breathe and you might faint, being sick also makes you worry. What’s wrong with me? Is there something doctors can do to stop this? Will I be ok?

Advice about dealing with anxiety often reminds us that 90% of our worries will never become reality. One well-known exercise from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy makes you challenge your thoughts: Is what you’re thinking accurate and true? Could there be another way of looking at this?

This is a helpful technique when you’re afraid of spiders and speaking in public. But what if your fears are legit? What if you’re faced with an incurable disease, scary symptoms and an uncertain future?

It’s perfectly normal to have health-related anxiety. Who wouldn’t be stressed when your life’s turned upside down and you don’t know if things will ever be normal again? And of course you’re scared when you suddenly experience debilitating side-effects from the meds that are supposed to help you. You’re only human.

No matter if you’re worried about the gloomy perspective of your progressive illness or you’re afraid of needles, take a look at these 7 psychological strategies to deal with health-related anxiety.