Ever found a conversation replaying in the mind long after it has ended? Or spent hours trying to work out whether the "right" decision was made? That cycle is known as rumination. Unlike healthy reflection, rumination keeps the mind trapped in the same thoughts without leading to a solution. Over time, these repetitive thoughts can make it harder to concentrate, sleep...
When anxiety takes hold, breathing often changes without being noticed. It may become quicker, shallower or feel harder to control. This is a natural response to stress, but it can also make anxious feelings seem even stronger. Breathing carries on by itself most of the time, but it can also be changed whenever needed. That bit of control turns out...
As a psychologist, I hear the same thing from my client in the therapy room, in the lunch rooms with other health professionals, and even from my own family and friends about the winter. So many of us are saying the same thing: the dark, cold, and dreary days leave us feeling unusually flat, drained, and unlike ourselves. For some...
We all know sadness. It’s a natural, human response to life’s disappointments, losses, heartbreaks, or even just a run of exhausting days. It feels heavy, but it usually has a story — a reason that makes sense. Depression, however, is something different. It’s not “sadness that won’t go away.” It’s a clinical condition that can reshape how you think, feel,...
Mood swings are a normal part of being human. We all have good days and bad days, but bipolar disorder is something else entirely. It brings episodes of intense mood between (mania or hypomania) and deep depression. It is a condition that can affect the person's thinking, behaviour, energy, relationships, work, and even self-care. These aren’t just “bad moods.” These are...
As a psychologist who works with many women dealing with hormonal mood changes, I often hear the same question: “Is this just bad PMS or is it something more?” For most women, premenstrual symptoms are manageable. But for others, the days before a period can be overwhelming emotional storms that disrupt work, relationships, and self-worth. This is often Premenstrual Dysphoric...
As a psychologist, I often meet people who have lived with a quiet, heavy sadness for years without realising it had a name. Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD), formerly known as dysthymia, is a chronic form of depression where low mood lingers most days for at least two years (in adults). While the symptoms are usually less intense than a major...
Your chest tightens, your heart races, your breathing becomes shallow, and for a moment, it can genuinely feel like something is seriously wrong. Many people who experience a panic attack for the first time believe they are having a heart attack and honestly, the symptoms can feel frighteningly similar. Panic attacks are more common than many realise. They can happen during...
We all get weird thoughts sometimes. These thoughts come into our minds. Then they go away. We move on with our day. We have all been in situations where we do things over and over like checking the lights or the door a few times. This is normal.. For people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) these thoughts and actions don’t simply...
As a psychologist, I often hear clients say, “I’m just shy.” Many worry they are making a deal out of something that everyone experiences.. But here’s the thing: there’s a line between ordinary shyness and social anxiety disorder. And knowing which one you’re on can change everything. Shyness vs. Social Anxiety: Not the Same Thing Shyness is a personality trait. It’s common,...
