The stress of being a professional athlete is enough to affect someone’s mental health under the best circumstances. Throw in a pandemic, postponed Olympics, and then, when the games finally start, a lack of loved ones there to support you in the stands, and the stress can become overwhelming. As athletes gear up for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, they reflect on the taxing year they’ve had preparing and the stress still to come once the games begin on July 23....

This fear can have many underlying causes. An untreated fear of rejection may worsen over time, leading to greater and greater limitations in a person’s life. This article discusses the fear of rejection, including how rejection sensitivity can affect your life and behavior. It also suggests some strategies you can use to overcome this fear. Subscribe Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts How Fear of Rejection Limits Your Life Although not every person experiences the fear of rejection in the same way, it tends to affect the ability to succeed in a wide range of personal and professional situations....

Friday Fix: Episode 202 There’s a big difference between acting tough and being strong. But, these terms are often confused. When people want to act tough they say things like, “I’m not scared!” even when they are or “That didn’t hurt!” even when it did. People are often applauded for acting tough too. Someone might say, “I’m so impressed you got this report done even though you’re sick,” or “I’m so impressed you didn’t even cry at the funeral....

Kelly is commonly referred to as the founder of cognitive clinical psychology. He played a role in the early development of the field of cognitive psychology. This article discusses George Kelly’s life and theories. It also explores the impact that his work had on psychology. Early Life George Kelly was born near Perth, Kansas, in 1905. His parents, Theodore Vincent Kelly and Elfleda Merriam Kelly, were farmers. During much of his early life, Kelly’s education was limited to teachings from his parents....

Giving compliments is an important social skill to learn because it is a great way to start conversations, develop social bonds and reduce anxiety about communicating. 9 Steps to Giving Great Compliments Once you have mastered the art of giving compliments, you may find that you are also better at gracefully receiving compliments. Remember, whether giving or receiving, compliments should always be a positive experience. Research on Compliments and Social Anxiety Disorder In one small study of 17 individuals with generalized social phobia, it was shown that those with the disorder had physiological reactions to negative comments (criticism) but not to positive or neutral comments....

Fortunately, most high schools offer non-psych courses that can still benefit future psych majors. Additionally, you can enroll in clubs and activities that, although not specifically geared toward psychology, can help you develop relevant skills and knowledge. This article focuses on preparing for a college major in psychology, but these courses and activities can be great tools even if your goal is to simply broaden your knowledge of psychology or if your choice of major changes in the years ahead....

For example, you may be okay with your partner going out one night a week without you but feel that two or three nights per week is unacceptable. Or maybe you are willing to forgive one case of infidelity but feel that any more than that is too much. Boundaries are one of the measures of relationship health. As such, they can contribute to your relationships with your partner, children, family, and friends in positive or negative ways....

Still, I swore I would never come out to my parents. Not unless I absolutely needed to—unless there was a woman I loved and needed to share with the world. But secrets weigh. They start soft and precious, butterfly wings fluttering against the cages of my heart, and day after day, they grow heavier, the flutters less sweet, more violent. Until I felt like the secret was consuming me like it was rising from my heart into my throat and choking me so I couldn’t breathe, it seeped into my mind, and soon my depression and anxiety took on a distinctly secret-like shape....

Transgender people, whose marginalized gender identities place them at increased risk for discrimination, have been targeted by legislation in recent years that bars their access to appropriate bathrooms and changing facilities, prevents necessary medical treatment, and has interfered with their ability to compete in sports. But under this new interpretation of Title IX protections, trans youth who seek to join an activity at school must not be prohibited from full participation on the basis of their gender identity....

Everyone’s COVID-19 experience is unique in terms of work and home challenges, but one aspect of the pandemic seems to be fairly universal: People are struggling. “We simply were not made to operate in this way, with so much uncertainty,” says Cheryl Carmin, PhD, psychologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “The brain loves routine, knowing what’s coming next, and familiarity. To be thrown into the opposite of that, so quickly, is understandably causing quite a lot of anxiety, fear, and stress....

We’ll provide step-by-step instructions on adding text to your Instagram photos and tips and tricks to help you get creative with your edits. So, let’s get started! Step-by-step instructions Step-by-step instructions: And that’s it! With just a few simple steps, you can easily add text to your Instagram photos and make them more eye-catching and engaging for your followers. Tips and tricks Tips and tricks: With these tips and tricks in mind, you can take your text-editing skills to the next level and create some truly stunning Instagram photos....

What Is Aggressive Communication? During aggressive communication, you stand up for yourself in a way that is inappropriate and may violate the rights of others. You may find that people seem exhausted, overwhelmed or drained after talking with you when you are in an aggressive state. Some people also establish their superiority through aggressive communication by putting others down. Verbal characteristics of aggressive communication include sarcasm, a harsh tone of voice and condescending statements like...

Learn how to be more empathetic and how your capacity to understand others’ feelings can improve your relationships and well-being. How to Be More Empathetic Some people tend to be more naturally able to place themselves in someone else’s position, but it is also an ability that you can develop and strengthen. There are many strategies that you can utilize to develop a strong sense of empathy for other people....

Even if you are struggling with feelings of isolation and longing for a partner—or at least some romantic prospects—there are things that you can do to help feel better about being single. Change Your Perspective FInding ways to overcome loneliness and feel better about your single status isn’t just important for your state of mind; it’s also important for your health. Feelings of loneliness, including romantic loneliness, can have a serious impact on health and well-being....

Why Attend a Support Group? Eating disorders can be isolating illnesses. They interfere with your ability to eat with others, making it hard to socialize. Many people with eating disorders experience shame. Support groups consist of individuals with a similar issue, usually led by a leader with either clinical or lived experience. Support groups can help break the isolation and connect you with others with similar life experiences. In addition, they can reduce stigma and isolation....

Things that used to excite you start to feel less interesting. Instead of moving forward toward your goals, you’re remaining stagnant. These feelings can be frustrating. But, there are things that you can do to not only figure out why you’re stuck, but also learn how to get motivated and excited again. Recognizing the Signs You’re Stuck in a Rut Being “stuck” is something you may not even notice at first....

One of the popular features of the platform is the ability to loop videos, which is a great way to make videos more engaging and entertaining. Learn all you need to know about Snapchat video looping, from the absolute basics to advanced techniques. If you are a beginner or an advanced user, this will provide you with everything you need to know to loop videos on Snapchat. So, let’s get started!...

However, even those who have a heavy amount of work requirements that cannot be eliminated can maintain a comfortable level of work-life balance—it’s an ongoing endeavor. Being busy with work and life can still include maintaining a balance. When we have too many obligations that require energy, time, and other internal resources, we can approach burnout. But when we live a life geared toward avoiding all such obligations when possible, we risk having a life devoid of meaning and satisfaction....

Meet Nikki Sixx Nikki Sixx is the co-founder, bassist, and primary songwriter for the legendary rock band Mötley Crüe. He’s also a member of the successful band Sixx:A.M. His book, “The Heroin Diaries,” was a New York Times bestseller. In it, he shares journal entries from the days he was doing hard drugs. He also shares what that was like for the people around him to see his ascent into drug use....

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Bipolar Disorder and Suicide Risk It can be scary to watch someone display any of the warning signs of suicide, but recognizing these red flags before there may be a problem, especially in cases of adults or teens with bipolar disorder is best. It is estimated that nearly 30% of those diagnosed with bipolar disorder will attempt suicide at least once in their lives....