Hello, It's Hannah

If you are anything like me, tests are the ultimate source of anxiety. You study for hours on end, memorizing the information,  running through note-cards, just hoping that your brain can somehow retain this ridiculous amount of information. And even when you're positive you know the material, you go into the test, write your name on the paper, and boom. All information is gone. You blank. You freak out. You guess B for every question and hope you're at least 25% right. Tests have been my main source of anxiety for years. That's why I have come up with a "pre-test routine" to keep myself calm and positive throughout the entire experience. And today, I'm here to share that routine with you. How to Calm Yourself Down Before a Test 1. DO NOT CRAM If you retain anything at all from this post, let it be this. Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT wait until the night before to start studying. This is, scientifically, a horrible way to study, and will result in the ...

Hello, friends. For those of you who have been following my blog since it came into existence, you know what it's all about. It's about positivity, self-care, and your overall mental health and well being. My posts are generally happy and sunshine-y, and I always tell you to have a lovely day. This is not one of those posts. This morning, I walked into my Women's Studies class, not expecting to walk out crying and shaking with rage. But I did. Why? Because we had a discussion about Terence Crutcher. Why? Because "we can't not talk about it", as my professor stated. After the class, I completely, 100% agree with her. After hearing the details about not just this incident, but so many others that have gone unnoticed, I am in a position where I've decided that racial justice, and injustice, needs to be a part of this blog. And not just the blog, or any of my social media outlets, but my life outside of the Internet. I have always been afraid o...

Ah, comparison. That lovely instinct that pops up as soon as we see someone "prettier" or "smarter" or "happier" than we are. The instinct that tells us we aren't good enough as we are and that we need to be or achieve what someone else is or has achieved in order to be full and happy. It seems like it's impossible to go a day without comparing yourself to someone else. Well guess what? It isn't. Today, I'm here to share with you what comparison is, why it's toxic, and how to knock it off.  WHAT IS COMPARISON? Like I said in the intro, comparison is seeing someone else and automatically comparing what you have and who you are to them. If it's "better" than what they have, you feel better about yourself. If it's "worse", you go the whole day, or perhaps your whole life feeling like you aren't good enough. This instinct is natural. We've been taught comparison and have been compar...

Hello everyone, and Happy Monday! I'm back today with my very last Mental Health Monday. I have covered all of the major mental illnesses and disorders and  I would like to move on to another weekly topic. If you have any suggestions or anything you would like to see me post, email me, leave a comment, or tweet me. The last Mental Health Monday will be focused on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. WHAT IS PTSD? Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is defined as a mental health condition triggered by witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. PTSD cannot be cured and it can last for one's entire life, but certain treatments can help. SYMPTOMS OF PTSD The symptoms of PTSD include: agitation irritability hostility flashbacks fear nightmares anxiety loss of interest or pleasure in certain activities self destructive behavior isolation Emotional detachment and unwanted thoughts are also fairly common symptoms of PTSD. TREATMENT FOR PTS...

Now I don't know about you guys, but my idea of relaxing and enjoying myself usually entails listening to music. I always choose songs that make me happy and relaxed, and it instantly puts me in a calm state of mind. I don't think about anything but the music. So today, I'm going to share my Self-Care Playlist with you! Feel free to use mine when you have your "me time" or you can make your own. So here we go. My Playlist for Self Care 1. Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae 2. The Wolves and the Ravens by Rogue Valley 3. Hazy by Rosi Golan (ft. William Fitzsimmons) 4. In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning by Frank Sinatra 5. Sparks by Coldplay 6. Yellow Light by Of Monsters and Men 7. Sweeter Place by Svrcina 8. Soak Up The Sun by Sheryl Crow 9. Coffee by Grace 10. Don't Know Why by Norah Jones 11. Stars by Alessia Cara 12. Pioneer by The Band Perry 13. Strange Birds by Birdy 14. Home by Blue October 15. Tailo...

Hello everyone, and happy Monday! Today I’ve got another Mental Health Monday for you. Today, we’re focused on ADHD. WHAT IS ADHD? ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and is associated with trouble paying attention and focusing, excessive activity, sitting still, and acting without thinking. ADHD can start in early childhood and can go into adulthood. The exact cause of ADHD is unknown, but it is usually hereditary. SYMPTOMS OF ADHD Symptoms for ADHD include: Hyperactivity Short attention span Fidgeting Impulsivity Forgetfulness Trouble focusing Mood swings Easily bored ADHD can also be asscociated with certain learning disabilities and depression. TREATMENT ADHD is not curable as of right now, but there are certain medications and therapies used to ease the symptoms, such as: Talk therapy Stimulants Cognition-enhancing medication Support groups A NOTE FROM ME I have struggled with ADHD my e...

We’ve all been there. It’s Thursday morning, you wake up, and the second you open your eyes, you’re already exhausted. Yesterday’s stress is still rattling in your brain, and the thought of even trying to get out of bed is agonizing. If you really and truly feel awful when you wake up, and the stress of the week is weighing on your shoulders and just feels like too much to handle, do yourself a huge, ginormous, favor: TAKE A BREAK. If you go hours, days, or even weeks without taking time for yourself, the results can be catastrophic. Sometimes, you just need a day to relax, unwind, and have a day that is all about you. No one else. Just you. This, my friends, is called a Mental Health Day, and I’m going to teach you how to have one. How to Have a Mental Health Day Step 1: Pick a day Choose a day for your Mental Health Day, preferably the day you start feeling like the stress is too much. If you have a full time job or are in school, it can be a little hard to skip a ...

Alright, so as most of you are probably aware, we need sleep. Badly. Without sleep, our bodies don’t have the defenses and functions that we need throughout the day. Sleep deprivation impairs our ability to pay attention, retain information, and concentrate, which is why sleep is especially crucial for those of you in high school and college. So, to put things in perspective, let’s start with some facts about sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep kicks up levels of anxiety and depression, and affects the way we process emotions It disrupts our body’s natural clock (officially called Circadian Rhythm), 60 million Americans (and counting) have some type of chronic sleep disorder Only sleeping 5-6 hours a night leads to an increased risk of higher blood pressure 87% of high school students get less than the recommended amount of sleep, and ther amount they get is decreasing College students normally get between 6-6.5 hours of sleep a night, an hour and a half bel...

Hello friends! After a crazy three weeks of getting ready for college, getting settled into college, and starting my very first college classes, I’m back and ready to blog! And for those of you who don’t know, I’m a freshman at the University of North Texas, and I’m majoring in Psychology. Now, back to the blogging. As you know, it’s Monday, and that means another Mental Health Monday. Today’s focus is Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar Disorder, also known as manic depression, is a brain disorder associated with unusual mood swings that make daily life and daily tasks difficult. SYMPTOMS Manic Episodes The symptoms for bipolar disorder manic episodes include: Feel very “up” or elated Have a lot of energy Have increased activity levels Feel “jumpy” Have trouble sleeping Become more active than usual Talk really fast about a lot of different subjects Be agitated or irritable Feel like their thoughts are going very fast Think th...