Kate Motaung

Bipolar Disorder is a disorder of the brain that results in significant, often cyclical, changes in mood, energy and activity levels resulting from those changes. The range of moods can include extreme highs (elation, high energy, activity in overdrive) and extreme lows (despondent, can’t get out of bed, suicidal). The “up” episodes are called manic (if severe) or hypomanic (if less severe), and the “down” episodes are called depressive. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, any one of

Attention Deficit Disorder, known as ADD, is commonly recognized and present in children as an inability to remain focused in structured environments, such as school. Some of the more well-known symptoms of ADD that are easily identified include fleeting memory recall, very short attention span, and trouble with impulse control. These paint a picture of ADD, especially with children, as one of the more difficult and misdiagnosed conditions. However, often some of the more unusual symptoms of ADD are

Plenty of stereotypes and assumptions exist about eating disorders. Here are five eating disorders statistics to set the record straight. 5 Eating Disorders Statistics 1) “Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness” (Arcelus, Mitchel, Wales & Nelson, 2011). Compared to the vast array of research and literature on many other mental health illnesses, there is a glaring lack of research on eating disorders, especially research that goes beyond the traditional conceptualization of eating disorders. Due to

Most of us are familiar with various symptoms of anxiety, such as a nervous stomach, racing pulse, restlessness, or worrying thoughts in response to a stressor. Almost everyone can think of a new experience, challenging conversation, or scary situation that elicited these reactions. At times, anxiety is highly beneficial; it alerts us to harm, protects us from potential danger, and heightens our ability to react as needed to specific situations. However, anxiety is problematic when it occurs excessively and

If you are wondering whether you or someone you know has bipolar, it is important to get a diagnosis from a mental health professional. Having said that, what follows is a look at some of the symptoms you can look for if you are on the fence about seeking a diagnosis. What is Bipolar II Disorder? Bipolar disorder is typically characterized by an emotional cycle of highs and lows, or manic and depressive states, over a period of days

In the modern world, we are constantly looking towards our next step. What will my next promotion be? Will I be able to advance in this career in this company, or will I need to jump ship to be able to move forward in my career? The answers to these questions guide us in our career development, but sometimes discerning what is right can be a real challenge. This is where Christian counseling can serve as a major help

Why are so many Americans plagued with anxiety symptoms? Why are the statistics of anxiety so much higher in America compared to  worldwide figures? My hypothesis is that here in America, we glamorize busyness. We put such an emphasis on living to work instead of working to live. It is completely countercultural to many other places in the world, where they value time spent with friends and family over time spent at work making money. Americans are famous for

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, has increasingly become a modern societal health concern, though it has been known under different names for hundreds of years. A Brief History of PTSD Historical records suggest that people recognized various trauma symptoms following battle, such as nightmares, difficulty sleeping, or a rapid pulse. After the American Civil War, medical professionals attempted to create a diagnosis, which they called “soldier’s heart,” regarding the cardiac symptoms observed during panic attacks. Sigmund Freud’s early career

Do you ever feel like the things that you used to enjoy do not interest you anymore? Maybe you used to love reading or painting or jogging, but now those activities seem boring and meaningless. Do you ever feel sad and empty? Not just a “bad day” kind of sad, but a sadness that you cannot seem to shake? Do you ever feel so tired that you can barely make it through your day, then you finally lay down

Most of us do not get out of childhood without a few scars. Abuse can come in many forms, at any age, and from multiple sources including family, friends, acquaintances and strangers. In the past 40 years, social norms and government rules regarding child abuse and neglect have become much less tolerant. As compassionate, responsible people, we now have resources to turn to when confronted with the disturbing specter of abuse. So, when we believe we are witness to

There are many individuals who have faced experiences in life that qualify as a “traumatic event.” Trauma can be described as a physiological and psychological wound. Trauma is a reaction to a perceived or real threat to one’s life or directly witnessing the death or serious harm toward another individual. The process and exposure to trauma often feels like being knocked off your feet. It can take a while to get to the root of the trauma. Awareness of one’s

Depression is one of the most solvable diagnoses in Mental Health. Primarily, it is driven by the thought disorder of having expectations that are far too high and unreasonable for yourself or others. However, it has genetic components that can be overwhelming also. Symptoms of Depression Depression can show itself as: feeling lethargic being irritable having a lack of contact with self simply existing poor self-care feelings of apathy a constant nagging feeling seeking comfort (through something like food