Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder marked by recurrent intrusive thoughts and fears that lead to ritualistic behaviors. At first, you might find the obsessions and compulsions are manageable, but left untreated, the patterns of OCD can impact all aspects of your life. Here at Next Step 2 Mental Health, our multidisciplinary team excels when it comes to diagnosing and...

Anxiety at Christmas? While Christmas can be nothing short of jolly for most people, it’s not always exciting for those who suffer from anxiety. Here are a few things to consider during the holidays if you live with someone who has anxiety… A United Kingdom-based mental health charity, Mind, explored the connection between anxiety and the holiday season. Let’s take a look at...

Bipolar disorder affects 4.4% of all adults at some point throughout their life, and about 2.8% of adults have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the last year, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. Out of the adults diagnosed with bipolar disorder, nearly 83% experience extreme disruptions to their daily routines. Bipolar disorder is a mental health illness characterized...

Holidays can be a time of joy and togetherness, but sometimes holidays can be stressful or even sad. Spending the holiday alone may be the result of conflicting schedules, familial issues, or the financial strain of traveling. This year, however, the COVID-19 pandemic has halted Thanksgiving plans across the globe.  Regardless of what’s having you feel a little blue this Thanksgiving,...

A new study followed 62,354 patients who contracted COVID-19 between January and August  New research published on November 9, 2020 in The Lancet Psychiatry journal shows 20% of people who contracted and recovered from the coronavirus were diagnosed with a mental illness within 14-90 days after testing positive. Researchers followed 6.8 million patients (62,354  of those patients were...

Whether you’re dealing with seasonal affective disorder, major depressive disorder, postpartum depression, or bipolar depression… it can be hard to motivate yourself to work out. Yet…exercise is one of the best things you can do to support your health — and that includes your mental health too! But just knowing that exercise is good for you isn’t always enough to...

Even though Thanksgiving is regarded as a time of togetherness, gratitude, and joy, there are many reasons why the holidays may be anything but bliss. This year in particular may look a little different than previous Thanksgivings, especially if quarantines and travel restrictions prevent you from gathering as you normally would. In addition to the unique challenges of 2020, holidays can be...