When I was suffering from depression years ago, I thought I had to pretend to be happy to get through it. I thought I had to let everyone know that I was OK, that nothing was wrong with me.But it ended up making everything much, m

The truth is this: only you can ever know if a coping skill is good or bad for you. It always comes back to you. Here are some general guidelines to help you determine how you're coping.

The hundreds of answers I got to my Twitter mental health question, sadly, didn't surprise me as much as they should have. They actually made me really sad. And they pointed to a disturbing fact.

There's something that makes a lot of people uncomfortable.But it's something that's actually really effective in relationships.When used properly, this technique can improve your relationships while also increasing your mental he

Before you make a rash decision to physically go somewhere else, you have to ask yourself as many questions as you can. Learn about what those questions are--and why getting away may not be the answer you're looking for.

Now, some of these strategies take time. That's just life. But if you want to clear your mind and get through your day in peace and productivity, I've found that they're well worth the effort.

Being grateful normally works because it snaps you out of doom-and-gloom thinking by focusing you on your present good fortune. But it's simply not enough in most cases.

So much of mental health comes back to a feeling of aliveness, of vitality and seeking wisdom.To find that feeling of aliveness, do you need a prepackaged answer, or do you need to ask the right question

My family is multiracial. My dad is half-black, but I can pass as white. And this gives me great anxiety. Here's what I'm doing about it.

I've been experimenting with a new way of looking at the world. And it's been working well for me. It's something that most people don't do. At least, I haven't heard many people bring up this approach.

Fear drives the world. But it doesn't have to be that way. Fear runs the media. And it's because fear is a powerful emotion. But there is something greater than fear, something that you can cultivate right now.

How do you know when you're ready? How do you know if it's safe to talk about your experience living with mental illness? Or your response to a traumatic situation? Or anything that destabilized your mental health?

Perception is reality. And perception is always mental health. Bold statements? I don't think so. How you perceive the world shapes your world. It's crucial to understand this. It's crucial to your happiness.

What's the point of protesting something? And what is the connection between protesting and mental health? If we can understand it at the individual level, maybe we'll understand it at the group and societal levels.

Anger issues should be studied in the environment they take place. But I believe, in the vast majority of situations, that anger is detrimental to mental health and should be avoided. In the end, you'll walk away with 3 questions.

You've probably been told to "think outside the box."Which means to think creatively. But it's not the only way to be creative. You can also be creative and mentally healthy by thinking inside the box.

"Being there for someone." What does that MEAN? It seems elusive, like a bat flitting away in the night. But it doesn't need to be that way. There are core principles.

We all get embarrassed. I certainly do. For the longest time, I thought I shouldn't share what embarrasses me. I no longer believe that. Here's why.

We've all heard about the importance of finding good role models. But what does that look like in terms of mental health? Here's what it looks like to find the right kind of mental health role model--for YOU.

Doing this one simple thing works wonders for my mental health. It shouldn't take more than 3 minutes if you do it right. Here's how I create a simple daily plan.

If you want happiness, you can't obsess. And you can't obsess over something in particular.

To be happier, you have to stop doing certain things. And this one is a big one.

Different days impact people in different ways. And for holidays, that is especially apparent. Mother's Day is one example. For some, it's a wonderful day. For others, not so much. So, what does it have to teach us about mindset?

Here's an uplifting, poetic meditation on hope. If you're struggling, this will help you see life in a new way.

This is my story from feeling broken to feeling not broken. To feeling whole. If you've ever wondered if you're broken, this story is for you.

Embracing uncertainty is a skill that requires practice. But it's a skill that you can learn. If you're struggling with this, this post is for you.

My first mental health book, In Search of Happiness, will be out at the end of May 2020! Here are three mental health poems from the book.

It's May 2020, and that means it's Mental Health Awareness Month. For one month each year, the world comes together to raise mental health awareness month. But we need more than that. We all have mental health. It's part of us.

Politics. Mental health. The two don't often go together. But if you think in this particular way, I guarantee you'll be happier.

Quarantine fatigue is real, and it has its roots in mental health. Specifically, it has its roots in a strange term that not many people know about. If you want to know why people are doing what they're doing, you're in luck.

When things go wrong, it doesn't mean you're a failure. I still struggle to push past that initial reaction to events not turning out the way I expected. Recently, I was reminded of the benefit of having things go wrong.

Have you considered the role that freedom plays for your mental health? It actually has quite a big impact. Learn how you can bring more freedom into your life.

The world is now online, and that's especially true during the coronavirus pandemic. To maintain your mental health and have meaningful conversations, you'll have to adapt. Here are some simple ideas.

When you feel powerless, it often comes down to mindset. Of course, if you easily change your mind, you already would have by now. Here's a story to help you gain your power back.

This is the second video for The Mental Health Update. This started as only an email newsletter, but now it's expanded. Watch to learn more about my story and why I write and tweet about mental health every day.

This is my story about when I thought I couldn't keep going. And it's about what I learned. We all have the ability to keep going.

There are times when people just won't leave you alone. This happens quite a bit online. What do you do then? You follow three principles. They work. And they work offline as well.

Where does the need to control come from? Usually, it stems from anxiety. When you're anxious, it's normal to want to latch onto one or two things and try to control them. Here's how to cope with that anxious desire to control.

After months of email updates, here is the first video mental health update. Communicating authentic mental health information requires using multiple formats, and here's the first of many videos to come.

If you want good mental health, you have to consider self-esteem and the self-esteem continuum. Low self-esteem and high self-esteem are really not separate things. They are part of the same spectrum.

What do you do if you feel like anxiety and depression are increasing? The two often go hand in hand. Here's a down-to-earth approach that could help you.

Taking a break is not just about the break. It's about the feeling behind it. Here's why you should not only take breaks--but also learn to think about your breaks in a new kind of way.

When it comes to talking about mental health issues online, why don't more people talk about depression? A huge percentage of the population deals with it, so why is it not more common? This might be why.

These days, it seems everyone just wants to be right and get on with their lives. But two things can be true at the same time. Here's a personal perspective that speaks to a larger truth.

We add new phrases to our vocabulary all the time? How do they get their meaning? It's a process of social construction. This is how it is for mental health terms. Learn how the process works--and what you need to know.

If you're frequently hard on yourself, read this. If you are overwhelmed, read this? These are the honest words you need to read.

Productivity is not just doing more stuff. It's focusing on the right stuff. And when you do that, your mental health naturally improves. Here's how it works.

What is active listening and why is it important? Rather than bore you with a long definition, here's a powerful example that you can use right now. It's all about listening to not respond.

Does anything really matter? It's a question lots of people ask themselves? There are no easy answers, but this thought exercise can help you head down the right path, or at least get closer to it.

Are you stuck at home? Is it making you a little stir crazy? It happens to the best of us. Here are 3 activities you can do to improve your mental health while you are stuck in the house.