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It’s very common to hear stories about people with romantic infatuations but they are not always rooted in love. Instead of it being love, it could be limerence. But what is limerence and when would a person need to seek help for it? Let’s break …
You’ve just come home from the hospital with your new baby and you’re sleep deprived, not knowing which way is up and which way is down, if it’s day or night, if you’ve eaten or not eaten. Those first few days, weeks, and months even …
Most people have heard of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but a lot of people have never heard of Complex PTSD. The type and length of the trauma is generally what differentiates them. Let’s discuss some more specifics about what makes them different.
With both PTSD and CPTSD, it starts with a traumatic event, and a traumatic event can affect anyone. Typically PTSD is triggered by a single event. Examples can include a car accident, an isolated act of violence or a near death experience. CPTSD is from prolonged trauma or repeated traumatic events over months or years, such as those experienced by children who are abused over many years, prisoners of war or emergency service workers. Since the experiences have happened more frequently and over a longer period of time, it is usually more severe.
Typical symptoms of PTSD are flashbacks, nightmares, changes in mood, and avoidance of things that may be a reminder of the trauma.
“CPTSD symptoms encompass those of PTSD and extend to include disturbances in self-identity, difficulties with emotional regulation, and challenges in forming and maintaining relationships.”
(Eshaghian, Maythal [mindful_psyche]. “CPTSD vs. PTSD.” *Instagram, April 16, 2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/C51JSv-PxIf/?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA%3D%3D)
Those experiencing CPTSD may have negative feelings about themselves due to shame or guilt that is associated with what they have been through. They may feel like they are different from other people or they cannot relate to others. It’s not uncommon for them to lose hope. These symptoms contribute to the major difference between CPTSD and PTSD which is the impact on relationships and in daily functioning.
It may take years for the symptoms of CPTSD to start becoming evident which is different than PTSD, as those symptoms usually begin shortly after the traumatic event.
PTSD is a recognized mental health diagnosis, however, CPTSD is not recognized as a diagnosis as it is relatively new. There is no specific test to differentiate between the two, so doctors or therapists may just make the diagnosis of PTSD. Tracking symptoms by writing them down and then discussing with a mental health professional, can be a way to determine if it is complex PTSD.
“Many mental health professionals do recognize C-PTSD as a separate condition, because the traditional symptoms of PTSD do not fully capture some of the unique characteristics shown in people who experienced repeat trauma.”
(Tull, Matthew. “How Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) Differs from PTSD.” Very Well Mind. May 21, 2024. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-complex-ptsd-2797491)
Similar strategies can be used to treat both, including medications and psychotherapy. Additional therapies or interventions can be explored to help with CPTSD.
School has started back up and despite this being the same old routine, you still find yourself frustrated and upset with the morning routine… Where are your kid’s shoes? Where is their homework? Why are you feeling rushed and irritated yet again? Is your …
Before becoming a parent you may think you know what type of parent you will be and how you will handle the ups and down that come along with this very important role. But you may quickly realize as a new parent that regulating your …
Contrary to what some people believe, the baby blues and postpartum depression are not the same. Although they are both common, they can be different when it comes to how intense the symptoms are and how long they last. Let’s break it down and identify the differences.
Baby blues are common in new mothers and can start within a few days after the baby is born. It typically lasts just a couple of weeks.
Postpartum depression can start within a few weeks after birth or even during pregnancy. It can last for months or even years.
Leading symptoms of baby blues include: Crying and feeling sad, feeling irritable or moody, feeling anxiety, having trouble sleeping, even when baby is sleeping, being impatient, having trouble concentrating .
Leading symptoms of postpartum depression include: Crying and feeling overwhelmingly sad, feeling moody or having excessive mood swings, having trouble sleeping, even when baby is sleeping, a lack of interest in your baby, feeling overwhelmed, appetite changes (usually decreased), feeling hopeless, it can also include thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.
Some of the symptoms are similar, such as sadness, irritability and trouble sleeping, however, postpartum depression typically has additional more intense symptoms.
It’s not possible to pinpoint the reason that one person may struggle with baby blues or postpartum depression and another will not. Both physical and emotional changes are usually contributors.
Hormonal changes after childbirth can lead to mood swings and the short term symptoms associated with baby blues.
As with the timeline and symptoms, the cause of postpartum depression also seems to be a little more complex. There is a drop in the estrogen and progesterone hormones in your body after childbirth and this can lead to postpartum depression. You can also feel tired, sluggish or depressed as a result of a sharp drop in hormones produced by your thyroid gland.
“When you’re sleep deprived and overwhelmed, you may have trouble handling even minor problems. You may be anxious about your ability to care for a newborn. You may feel less attractive, struggle with your sense of identity or feel that you’ve lost control over your life. Any of these issues can contribute to postpartum depression.”
To treat baby blues, it’s important for new mothers to look for solutions to prioritize rest because lack of sleep can lead to exhaustion and exacerbate symptoms. Staying connected with others, including regular communication and visits with friends and family is important so that you don’t feel isolated or alone and can feel like yourself. Taking time for yourself is also essential because it’s easy to put all your time and energy into taking care of the baby, which leads to neglecting your own needs. Take a walk, take a few minutes to do some breath work or participate in a hobby that you enjoy so that you feel like yourself.
All of the same things mentioned above that help with baby blues can also be helpful for postpartum depression. But as discussed, postpartum depression is more intense and considered a mental health condition, therefore it may require medication and therapy in order to manage it. Perinatal therapy may be an option and we discussed that in a previous blog here. Treatment and time to recover will be different for each individual depending on severity and their individual needs.
Whether you are experiencing baby blues or postpartum depression, you should not be embarrassed as it is very common in new mothers. There is nothing you did to bring it on and there is help available. If you are struggling with this, contact us, we can help.
People use the terms panic attack and anxiety attack interchangeably, and although they may appear to be similar, they really are very different. You might mistake a panic attack for an anxiety attack (in someone else, or yourself) if you are not aware of the …
Vacations are supposed to be relaxing, but if you’re reading this, you know that going on vacation involves stress. Sometimes it’s stress before, during and/or after. But you can take action and cut down on the stress. Let’s break this down so you can get …
Sibling fighting can happen year round but it can go through the roof during the summer. But this shouldn’t surprise you. They are together all the time and don’t get a break from each other like they do the rest of the year when they get to have their space in their own classroom, with their own friends.
Beth Anne Tieche from @lowliftfun talks about how parents can use phrases to teach siblings to collaborate, improvise and self-advocate. Summer is a great time to improve the relationship between siblings so we are going to talk about three of the phrases that can be helpful.
Most kids think their ideas are the best ideas and when it comes to something like choosing what game to play and what movie to watch they want to decide based on what they want to do. This can lead to fighting among siblings because both want their own way. Compromise is a big part of any relationship, and it’s definitely important for siblings to practice on a regular basis.
Talk to your kids about how we all have different likes and dislikes and preferences on how we do things, and that’s okay. Encourage them to use the phrase, “What’s your idea?” when they are trying to make a choice about something or they are trying to solve a problem together instead of demanding that their way is the only way.
This will help them show their sibling that they care about their preferences and want to work together to come up with a solution. When they practice using this phrase, they will learn to be considerate of others and open to collaborating.
Sometimes kids have a hard time explaining why they don’t want to do something or why they are not engaging. They may not even know why they don’t want to, they just know they don’t. They may just walk away or refuse to do something and that can be very frustrating to their siblings, leading to a fight.
Most kids will agree that if something is not fun then they don’t want to do it. So an easy way for them to explain themselves when they need to ‘check out’ or not participate can be to simply say, “This isn’t fun for me”. More than likely, this would make sense to their sibling and they would be less likely to get mad. Just walking away or shutting down, triggers frustration and anger from their sibling, but by saying “this isn’t fun for me” they are creating an opportunity to transition to another activity, something that they both enjoy.
So if their sibling is badgering them to play one more round of a game that they don’t like, they can use this phrase. This is a way for them to self-advocate and not continue to be pushed into continuing to do something they don’t want to do. Self-advocacy skills are essential in adulthood so practicing them as a child is important.
A very common issue among siblings is the constant picking, and that almost always leads to fights and/or arguments. It could be repeated comments being made or repeatedly putting their hands on each other (poking, wrestling, hitting). But kids are notorious for just doing this over and over even when their sibling asks them to stop. Some adults just brush it off and say, “that’s just what siblings do”, but how is that teaching them to respect the boundaries of others and when someone says no, they mean no?
Talk to your kids about the importance of listening and acting. When their sibling asks them to stop doing something to show them respect and stop doing it. By saying “I hear you. I will stop.” they are going a step further and acknowledging that they hear them and they care about them so they will stop. Building that respect between each other will deepen their bond and help them develop empathy.
So teach them to recognize when they have crossed that line and need to back off and that they should then say, “I hear you. I will stop.” Respecting the boundaries of their siblings will teach them to respect those boundaries of others in their life, now and when they grow up.
There is no way that parents can eliminate all sibling fights, but it is possible to offer support and teach your kids skills to reduce the fighting and teach them important life skills along the way. Teaching your kids how to speak up and use words and phrases to express their thoughts and feelings can be helpful for them with sibling relationships and relationships with friends and other family members.
Social media and the internet can be super helpful resources when it comes to building awareness, destigmatizing and educating about mental health. AND, of course, there can be a lot of misinformation because literally anyone can say anything on the internet. So let’s take a …