D8, also known as Delta-8-THC, is a derivative of the hemp plant that has similar effects to the active ingredient in marijuana — THC. And yes, in case you were wondering, D8 will get you high if you take enough of it. A lot of D8 today is synthesized from CBD. It didn’t take long for CBD to take off. It seemed as if almost overnight,…
While both men and women can have Autism, the symptoms of Autism in women can be profoundly different from those in men. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disability that appears during early childhood. It can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors, such as being nonverbal, having atypical speech patterns, restricted…
Have you ever heard someone describe a person as “borderline?” They’re usually referring to borderline personality disorder Similar to how people say, “that’s depressing” or “you’re acting bipolar,” “borderline” is a term that often gets used colloquially without understanding the heavy weight behind the word. In the ever-important fight against ending the stigma around mental health/illness, we need to begin by understanding what these different…
According to the experts, spiritual fulfillment always has to do with a poorly defined definition of what the spirit is — namely, that it’s something that has nothing to do with reality, that it must have something to do with gods or spirits or a connection to the universe or some other religious or faux-religious bullshit. I reject this definition. I think that spiritual fulfillment…
As we continue our series on cognitive distortions, let’s take a look at one that can cause major problems: emotional reasoning. You’ve heard the term “trust your gut.” Well, this isn’t a one size fits all term. Life is a little more complicated to navigate than this saying portrays it to be. Emotional reasoning can alter a person’s perception negatively, leading them to make poor…
What’s the difference between being a recovered alcoholic and a recovering alcoholic? We hear it all the time in AA. I’m a recovered alcoholic or recovered addict. I’m a recovering alcoholic or recovering addict. But what does that mean? Why do we say it? Recovering Alcoholic vs Recovered Alcoholic — Recovered = No More Pain Being recovered means that I don’t suffer anymore. I no longer…
Mental filtering is thinking in a distorted way over any considerable amount of time, which can lead to anxiety, depression, and even drug addiction. People struggling with addiction usually are dealing with some sort of mental illness. Whether it’s bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, or major depressive disorder (to name a few), those of us suffering from co-occurring disorders have a lot to overcome if we…
Rigid boundaries are anything that marks a border in your life that you’re not willing to make any changes to or allow anyone to cross no matter what. Boundaries exist regardless of whether or not the line is real or imagined. Rigid personal boundaries are limits, guidelines, or rules a person creates in order to identify safe and reasonable ways for other people to behave…
Self-sabotage and addiction is an interesting subject. You’d think all of us would be our own greatest advocate, only taking action to better ourselves and achieve things in our lives. However, more often than not, we are our own worst enemies and engage in self-sabotaging behavior. We get in our own way, and many times, we aren’t even aware of it. The first step is…
Discounting the positive is a cognitive distortion where you never give credit to yourself for positive things and see yourself as only negative. Essentially, you’re taking positive experiences and either making them negative or saying they “don’t count” for some reason that usually has no basis in reality. “Cognitive distortion” is a term used for beliefs (that are not based on the truth) that lead…