Hello, It's Hannah

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...

Hello, friends! I know it’s been a while, but I just wanted to take some time off for vacation and getting ready to head to college in FIVE days! So exciting! Anyway, I’m back and ready to share another Mental Health Monday with you. Today’s topic is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, otherwise known as OCD. WHAT IS OCD? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is defined as a type of anxiety disorder that produces unreasonable thoughts and behaviors that lead to compulsive behavior(s). ODC is commonly displayed through a fear of germs or a need to keep everything organized in a specific manner. The symptoms for OCD begin gradually and can vary in the different parts of life. SYMPTOMS The symptoms for OCD include: Compulsive behavior Compulsive hoarding Repetitive movements Social isolation Impulsivity Meaningless repetition of words Anxiety Depression Panic attacks Fear Nightmares Repeatedly going over thoughts TREATMENT Treatment...

Hey guys! I’m back with another Mental Health Monday. Today’s topic: depression. WHAT IS DEPRESSION? Depression is defined as a mood disorder causing a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. The cause of depression could be a chemical imbalance in the brain or a traumatic event, such as the death of a loved one. Depression heavily impacts daily life and activities. SYMPTOMS The symptoms of depression can vary, but the most common ones include: General discontent Anxiety Loss of interest Mood swings Excessive sleepiness Insomnia Agitation Excessive crying Irritability Social isolation Lack of concentration Thoughts of suicide Poor appetite TREATMENT The treatment for depression is usually medication, therapy, or a combination of both. There are different types of medication that can be prescribed by a doctor for depression, and also different types of therapy. It just depends. A NOTE FROM ME ...

I know, I know. “I’m too busy to put aside time to take care of myself.” “I just don’t have time anymore.” “School makes it impossible to make time for self-care.” Well, not anymore. Because today, I present to you… Self Care for a Busy Life! That’s right. I’ve got some tips and tricks for those of you who are in school, college, or your job keeps you busy, and it seems impossible to make time for self-care. I understand that it can be hard, but I promise that just taking five minutes a day to do something for yourself will benefit you in the future and will help you make self-care a habit. So, here we go! TAKE IT FIVE MINUTES AT A TIME When it comes to self-care, it does not matter if you do it for five minutes, five hours, five days, and so on. It just matters that you DO it. Five minutes is better than nothing. So I encourage you to find five minutes, just five, out of your day and dedicate it to yourself. It could be five minutes in the morning right wh...