There's a big difference between feeling a little sad and having depression. In fact, we are made to have all sorts of emotions ranging from joy to sadness. They are a completely natural part of life. But they should not be our "normal" state. So if someone feels down for more than a few days, it could be because they have depression. According to the World Hea...

If this headline has piqued your interest, it's probably because you're questioning whether you do indeed have an addiction to technology.  Are you dependent on your devices? Do you feel the need to be in constant contact with others? Do you find yourself obsessively checking for emails, messages, missed calls? Are you continually engaged on social media - mi...

It seems like a riddle: those who have experienced past trauma often put themselves in situations to experience similar trauma. It’s not a conscious decision either. They don’t think to themselves: I will put myself through more pain on purpose. These people may continuously find themselves in toxic, abusive relationships. They may become violent, chronica...

There are so many stresses in life between work, personal relationships and social commitments. Sometimes we forget that contact with another being can seriously affect our stress levels - in a positive way! Believe it or not, science research has established that daily cuddles with your pet are good for both of you. Just 30 minutes with a puppy positively affects...

Buzzwords such as ‘stay home' and (even more recently) 'stay alert' have sparked off their very own movements in recent months. This aside, how are people coping psychologically amid the pandemic and crucially, how can they manage their mental health during this unprecedented time? Origin of Pandemics The Spanish flu that erupted in 1918 killed 50 million ...

We have all experienced a bad night's sleep. Lying there counting sheep in the hope it will send us back to sleep. Or waking up in the middle of the night with a thousand thoughts running through our mind. The alarm goes off at 6 am, and we're back up and heading for work feeling like we had less than a minutes' sleep.  A bad night's sleep every now and t...

Finding the perfect location for rehab isn’t always easy. For most, it requires an environment that provides enough stimulation without feeling overwhelming or feeding bad habits. There is a myriad of reasons why you should choose South Africa as the ideal luxury rehab destination, such as nature, wildlife, culture, and excellence in the field of substance abu...

Stress brought on by an anxiety disorder can be severe enough to interfere with daily activities and affects those around us in obvious and observable ways.   High-functioning anxiety, however, is not as detectable, mostly because those living with it continue their day-to-day life and appear to be fine on the outside. Internally, however, things are...

Through exhaustive research, psychologists are slowly discovering the reasons and triggers which cause substance abuse and addiction. Research tells us that biological and experiential factors trigger addiction.  Categorised as a chronic psychiatric disease, addiction forces the person to seek recompense in substance abuse. However, although there is ...

You may have noticed that what you eat and drink can lift or lower your spirits. It affects how we feel, thinks, and even how we behave. Some foods are known to lift your mood, concentration, and energy levels, while others can have the opposite effect. For example, eating a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains can help reduce your ris...

There’s no denying it. Alcohol is an integral part of everyday life for many of us. We joke about our intake and the need for alcohol to get us through stressful situations. Mostly, we don’t even consider alcohol to be a drug, in the sense of marijuana, cocaine or heroin.  Albeit in the back of our minds we might harbour some concern about our intake, mor...

Research generously and continuously supports ecotherapy as a key benefit to mental health. In fact, just the suggestion of nature seems to improve human mental health. A study carried out by Mind found that 95% of those interviewed said their mood improved after spending time outdoors. They noted a change from depressed, stressed and anxious, to calm and bal...