Search Results for: lisa firestone/feed/2009/11/fear-of-intimacy

How to Break the Cycle of Child Abuse

…become intimidating and lash out at our children, they teach their kids to fear them. This can create ruptures in their attachment style and damage their sense of well-being. 5. Repair. Because we are human, we are bound to make mistakes. We will not be perfect with our children 100 percent of the time. What we can do when we mess up is repair. Dr. Daniel Siegel, co-author of No-Drama Discipline, describes a process of rupture and repair, which es…

Learn More
military suicide, veteran suicide, psychalive

Memorial Day: An Opportunity to Reach Out to Veterans

…e third time. This leaves them into a state of hyper-vigilance, a state of fear and distrust that persists beyond deployment. After facing constant stress and threat to their lives, how then do they psychologically re-adapt to a safe environment? A feeling of isolation is another strong factor contributing to increased suicide risk. The uniquely traumatic events veterans experience can leave them feeling distanced from the families and friends the…

Learn More

Coping with the Economic Crisis: Story from a PsychAlive Member

…re are difficulties we will all face that will leave us feeling unfathomed fear and doubt, staying on our own side mentally is perhaps the only way to truly withstand the struggle. As friends of mine get laid off from jobs they loved, hated or felt indifferent to, their mental struggle has, so far, far surmounted the physical one. Some found new jobs, some have taken the leap to achieve goals they’d long said they’d pursue “someday,” but the pain…

Learn More

I recently discovered death

…it does, at least I will go out with a bang. I will win because I have no fear.” Then, after 22 years of living a new life, of learning how to be attached to people and to myself, a close friend died. I have realized through this that I don’t want to die. I love this opportunity I have to be alive. I am so lucky that my youthful, “free-spirited” and yet incredibly self-destructive adventures did not kill me. I miss my friend deeply, and feel wave…

Learn More

Daily Self Portrait: Fashion is More than What You Wear

…e hilt in order to leave the house, then that may show low self-esteem and fear of failure,” she adds. No one walks the fashion runway of life with a greater sense of confidence than our newest favorite, real-life princess, Duchess of Cambridge Catherine Middleton. Can we talk for a moment about Kate’s beautiful shoes and flattering clothing choices? Her jewelry (and let’s face it, she has her choice of emeralds and rubies) is always understated….

Learn More

Are You Sabotaging Yourself?

…allow ourselves to feel the primary emotions of sadness, shame, anger, or fear in order to feel free in our adult lives. These are all feelings that would have been overwhelming to our infant selves, but that we, as adults, can now tolerate. By breaking a destructive sense of identity, we can start to learn new ways of behaving and relating that are more in sync with who we really are and what we really want. We can halt our self-sabotaging behav…

Learn More
nervous system

Do You Identify as an Anxious Person?

…belief that you are an anxious person is actually reinforcing anxiety and fear in your life. When you look at the fearful thoughts you have, you’ll see that most of them, if not all, are simply not true. But remember, whatever anyone believes is their identity, is the life they live. Playing small is not your true nature – Why live a limited life? This conversation alone could bring a level of mindfulness or awareness to pop you out of unhealthy…

Learn More

Addressing Suicide Risk in Trying Times

…n increase in the suicide rate. In addition to economic strain, scientists fear that environmental factors will generate an uptick in suicides, as a recent Stanford study discovered a link between increased temperatures and higher suicide rates. Concerns like these are starting to spread, as we become more aware of how certain traumatic events may trigger suicide risk. One such occurrence took place in March of this year when three different peopl…

Learn More

Tips for Coping with Coronavirus Stress

…to do the same. We will all have moments when we are more or less calm or fearful, and we can take turns leaning on one another for support. We should also try to have fun, play games. and joke around. Laughing and allowing ourselves to relax with friends in familiar ways is something we should assign a lot of value in tough times. 5. Engage Your Mind When a crisis occurs, it can be really hard to think of anything else. Yet, with each day passin…

Learn More

Facing Into the Rough Winds of a Challenging Time

…y worries. As the stories unfold, I hear about witnessing gang violence or fear of gun violence in her school. Kidnappings, rape and gun violence have been part of our society for a long time. The increased frequency and intensity of anxiety I am seeing in our children has led me to wonder about why they are so anxious, struggling to feel grounded and secure. Unwelcome events interject themselves into our lives and those of our children in insidio…

Learn More