Understanding Intrusive Thoughts and How to Get Help Managing Them - Grow Therapy

Imagine a scenario where you’re in the kitchen chopping vegetables and you suddenly have the thought to cut yourself with the knife. The thought came out of left field and you might start to get anxious or wonder why you had the thought. This is an example of an unwanted intrusive thought. Even though they’re […]Imagine a scenario where you’re in the kitchen chopping vegetables and you suddenly have the thought to cut yourself with the knife.
The thought came out of left field and you might star...

What to expect during your first therapy session - Grow Therapy

Nervous about starting therapy? We’re here to help you learn what to expect for your first session and how to prepare. Starting therapy can feel both exciting and nerve-wracking, especially if it’s your first time. You’re taking a big step towards improving your mental health and well-being, but you probably have lots of questions.
Any new beginning comes with a bit of anxiety, but learning more about what to expect can ease your nerves. You might’ve seen depictions of therapy in movies or on TV...

“Back to Bed Syndrome” Is the Reason Why You Want to Give Up Halfway Through the Day

It’s one of those days. The lid gave way on your $7 latte and now you’re wearing it. You completely dropped the ball on something at work. You have zero energy and even less motivation to answer the 37 unread emails piling up in your inbox. Oh, and your credit card bill is due today!

All you want to do is go back to bed. Give up. Try again tomorrow.

Sound familiar? Welcome to what we’ve not-so-lovingly coined: Back to Bed Syndrome.

OK, so it’s not exactly a clinical term, but it’s a phrase we...

The Relationship Between Self-Harm and OCD | Charlie Health

If you have OCD and engage in self-harming behaviors, you’re not alone. Keep reading to learn about the connection between self-harm and OCD.Trigger warning: Self-harm, suicide. If you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts or are in danger of harming yourself, this is a mental health emergency. Contact The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 24/7 by calling or texting 988.If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you’re no stranger to seemingly never-ending loops of intrusive thoughts, obsessions, and...

Alcohol and Panic Attacks | Charlie Health

Are you experiencing panic attacks after drinking alcohol? We’re explaining the link between alcohol and anxiety –– plus six ways to cope with panic attacks.Have you ever experienced shortness of breath, a racing heart, trembling, and an overall sense of impending doom after drinking? If so, you might have had an alcohol-induced panic attack. Panic attacks are intense episodes of super-high anxiety and intense fear. They come on quickly and end quickly, too. While panic attacks typically occur o...

Why Do Antidepressants Cause Suicidal Thoughts? | Charlie Health

If you’re about to start taking an antidepressant, you may have heard about the increased risk for suicidality. Here’s what you need to know about the link between antidepressants and suicide –– and what to do about it.Trigger warning: Suicide. If you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts or are in danger of harming yourself, this is a mental health emergency. Contact The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 24/7 by calling or texting 988.


Antidepressants are widely prescribed, helping millions of people wh...

Childhood Trauma in Adults | Charlie Health

Are you a survivor of childhood trauma? If so, it’s important to understand the impacts of childhood trauma in adulthood. Read on to learn about how trauma impacts you and how to treat trauma with therapy.Childhood trauma doesn’t stay in childhood. The impacts of trauma stick with you, and you might not even realize how deeply affected you are, especially if you’ve never processed it. Even years later in adulthood, unresolved, repressed trauma can affect your mental health, relationships, and vi...

5 Ways to Give Yourself a Damn Break Today

Life really kicks your ass sometimes, so the least you can do is not add to the misery by being unnecessarily hard on yourself.  While sometimes you do need a little tough love, shame isn't the only motivator for change, says therapist Abby Wilson, LCSW. Yeah, in theory, you could shit-talk yourself into “being better,” but that doesn’t feel as good as taking care of yourself.

It’s also a massive problem because basing your value on external factors, like productivity or pleasing people, can m...

Empaths and Anxiety | Charlie Health

Although empathy is a gift, it can be a double-edged sword, leading to increased anxiety. Learn more about empaths, anxiety, and how to cope.Do you absorb others’ emotions and energy? Does your loved ones’ pain affect you? Are you often overwhelmed by deep emotions? If so, you’re most likely an empath, defined by Charlie Health Primary Therapist Alysson Thewes, LCSW, as “ someone who can sense, read, and relate to or empathize with other people’s emotions and often takes on or absorbs these emot...

How to Deal When Other People’s Holidays Make You Feel Sad

If you’ve been personally victimized by families in matching pajamas on Instagram, you may be entitled to compensation. Just kidding (sadly). But you are entitled to some advice and solidarity,  because let’s be real—the holidays aren’t always cheerful. In fact, they can feel pretty sucky, especially when you’re comparing your life to others.

From sizing up how lavish other people’s gifts are next to yours to wondering why you and your family don’t have a big non-dysfunctional dinner like you s...

How to Make a Gratitude Practice That Doesn’t Feel Like Toxic Positivity

If you’ve ever thumbed through a self-help book or if your eyeballs contributed to the 3.3 billion views of “gratitude” videos on TikTok, you know everyone is out here giving a TED Talk on the benefits of feeling grateful, aka practicing gratitude. It makes you feel better about your life! Makes you more optimistic! It chills you out! You get it. The hype is coming in hot. But, in my experience, practicing this mental fitness tip has been a bit of a flop.

Seriously, I have given it my best. Cou...

Can Someone Please Explain Inner Child Work?

If you can’t make it through a day without seeing a post about your “inner child” on social media—welcome to the year 2023. With #innerchild on TikTok reaching a whopping 1.8 billion views (and climbing), the concept of “working” with your “inner child” is blowing up for helping people understand how their childhood impacts their adult lives and working through any past trauma...but what does doing inner child work even mean anyway?

In theory, everybody has an inner child, or the past version (...

Why Are so Many People on TikTok Talking About Maladaptive Daydreaming?

Everyone daydreams from time to time—kissing your crush, popping off on your condescending boss, or vacationing somewhere with crystal clear water and palm trees—but what if elaborate daydreams take over your life? What happens when daydreaming makes it hard for you to function, and you’d much rather live the life you’re imagining in your head than the life that’s right in front of you? Enter: Maladaptive daydreaming.

Daydreaming actually exists on a spectrum. On one end, you have the “mind wan...

How to deal with overwhelming anxiety: 6 skills from therapists for regulating your emotions

Sometimes, anxiety can overwhelm you. If this happens, your head may swirl with negative thoughts and you may experience a racing heart, trembling, or hyperventilating.This can make you feel like you're caught in a storm of your own anxieties — but you don't have to let it consume you. Learning to regulate your emotions can help you control overwhelming thoughts and give you the tools to calm yourself in times of extreme stress.Here are six therapist-recommended ways to regulate your emotions an...

19 Little Things You Can Do Each Day to Fight Off Depression

Struggling with depression? Discover small, actionable steps to fight depression daily. From music therapy to lifestyle changes, these tips might help ease symptoms and improve your mood. Remember, every little step counts.Anyone who endures the physical and mental discomfort of living with depression — hopelessness, brain fog, never-ending boredom, etc. — deserves a gold medal. It really is a daily battle.If you’re gripped with depression, taking action might be the last thing you want to do. B...

How to Help a Friend Who's Considering Suicide

If you’ve ever had a friend tell you they’re having suicidal ideation, it can be really scary. It can catch you off guard and leave you feeling helpless. It’s not like we thoroughly learn how to cope with mental illness, let alone suicidal thoughts, in school. As a society, we shy away from discussing suicide since it makes so many people feel uncomfortable.However, we need to open up the dialogue so that we can break the stigmas which stop people from reaching out for help in the first place, a...

8 Physical Ways to Diffuse Anxiety When Breathing Won't Work

Many tout meditation as a remedy for anxiety, and rightfully so. But in moments of panic where anxiety already feels like it’s past the point of no return, coping techniques like meditation or even breathing exercises might not be as helpful, especially if those types of exercises are not your thing.Some people need techniques that are a little more physical or sensory-oriented. Here are eight small and simple physical ways you can calm your anxiety, and get your mind and its racing thoughts bac...

What Do You Do When a Suicide Hotline Fails You?

An increasing number of hotline callers aren’t getting what they need — with alarming consequences.

In a time of crisis, 32-year-old Kaley — who struggles with anxiety and depression — Googled suicide hotline and called the first one that popped up.

“I was dealing with an emotional breakdown related to work. It got to a point with my job that I was unable to cope in a healthy way, and I didn’t have the mental health support I needed at the time,” she recalls.

“Something in me just snapped. I...

I Take Meds, So What? — Talkspace

Overview Millions and millions of people in the US take daily medications to manage health conditions. In fact, according to the CDC, almost half of the population takes at least one prescription drug.
If you have high blood pressure you might take medications to prevent strokes. High cholesterol? Most don’t think twice about taking medication to lower the risk of heart disease. For the most part, others don’t judge these folks for taking their daily meds, let alone of...

When the Sound of Your Own Breath Gives You Anxiety

Share on PinterestThe first time I stayed in a hostel, I spiraled. Not because I was scared of being killed à la classic slasher movie “Hostel,” but because I was paranoid about the sound of my breath, which I was certain was the loudest thing in the room. I was in a tiny dorm, made up of two dangerously close bunk beds. I could hear myself breathing, and for the life of me couldn’t calm my mind down.Can the other girls hear me, too? Are they already asleep? Are they gonna hear me and think I’m...

How Do Queer Patients Find the Best Therapists for Their Needs?

At 23, Keegan Campbell finally decided to give therapy a try. He was tired of feeling helpless and alone, and he wanted to get his life back on track. At first, his weekly sessions had a positive impact on his life and psychological well-being. Then he revealed his sexual orientation to his therapist, and the experience went downhill. “She specialized in marriage and couples counseling,” Campbell says, “and when I told her I was in a same-sex relationship, she seemed distant. This was in New Yor...

How To Cope With Nighttime Anxiety Attacks

Nighttime used to be the absolute scariest time for me. As soon as the sky began to darken, I knew my crippling anxiety was approaching. The night became one of my biggest triggers, and like clockwork, I would start to feel short of breath as soon as my head hit the pillow. The dreaded tightening of the chest and heart palpitations would join in soon after. Perhaps the worst part, though, were my irrational racing thoughts.This is it, I’d think. Tonight is my last night on earth. Let me text all...
Load More