When you experience strong feelings such as stress or anxiety, do you find yourself binge eating, grazing constantly during the day or restricting what you eat? If so, then you could be an ‘emotional’ eater. Turning to food asa source of comfort, or eating to feel better when we’re bored, worried or frustrated, is a common behaviour. We may treat ourselves to something indulgent as a reward at the end of a long day, or to celebrate getting through a challenge. Other people might go in the opposite direction – eating less in an attempt to feel in control when things seem uncertain or unpredictable.
A ‘trigger’ is something that sets off an emotional response of some kind in the body. Understanding why this response happens can help us to make sense of and manage what's happening.
Watching someone you love suffer from depression is upsetting; their pain can sometimes become your pain. The first step is to recognise the symptoms of depression and understand how it can be treated.
Father’s Day can shine a light on painful emotions or memories that we’re able to handle the rest of the time. If you're likely to find the day hard, here are some tips for making it through.
In this blog, we share a few ideas and CBT-based techniques that might help if you’re struggling with the impacts of your condition.
Imposter syndrome is the feeling of not being ‘good enough' to do your job, and it’s only a matter of time before people notice! Here are some ideas for managing anxieties, doubts and negative thoughts...
After a weird couple of years, it might be hard to remember what a 'normal exam feels like. Here are some ideas to help you manage any feelings of stress or worry, and get ready to tackle the challenge ahead.
It's normal to have the ‘baby blues’ for a couple of weeks after the birth of your baby. If the symptoms persist or get worse, however, you could be experiencing postnatal depression.
Many of us will have had thoughts like "I can’t take this any more", or "It would be better if I wasn’t here". Sometimes these thoughts pop into our minds, without warning.
This year’s National Stress Awareness Month is focused on the theme of ‘Community’, highlighting the importance of supportive relationships. Here are some ways we can support someone who's affected by stress.
The theme of this year's World Health Day (7 April) is Our planet, our health. The importance of the relationship between our environment and our mental health is well-recognised. Here are some ways to support it...
The Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘confidence’ as “the quality of being certain of your abilities”. The good news is that it’s possible to learn and build confidence, much like we can with a skill like communication.
Mother’s Day can be a joyful occasion, but for some of us it tends to be more poignant, stressful or sad. So how can you get through the day? First of all, don’t let your emotions take you by surprise.
CBT is a highly collaborative treatment, which makes the relationship you have with your therapist really important. But as with any human relationship, things don’t always go smoothly.
Receiving a diagnosis you don’t want, whether it’s physical or psychological, is likely to make you fearful. The uncertainty means your mind will probably play out numerous possible scenarios and ‘what ifs’.
If you’ve ever had CBT, you’ve experienced the life-changing work of Dr Aaron Beck, who has died at the age of 100.
Research shows that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can work well for people with learning disabilities. Online CBT, where you type conversations with your therapist, lets you take treatment at your own pace.
We often find there are things people hear or believe about CBT that don’t reflect reality such as 'I will be better after one session'. Here are some of the most common assumptions we come across – and the facts.
Did you know that CBT is recommended by the NHS and NICE as a way of helping to manage chronic pain? We explain how it works.
Trying to explain intrusive thoughts is a bit like trying to explain daydreams or our imaginations. Why do we have these intrusive thoughts? What we can do about them if they need to be addressed?
Giving people a choice of ways they can access mental health treatment is important. That’s why since April 2021 we’ve been offering video CBT alongside typed therapy in some areas of the UK.
If you've experienced a sexual assault, and the impact of the incident is stopping you from going about the world feeling happy, confident and safe, it’s well worth seeking help.
Feeling angry is OK. Problems arise when we either 'act out', or try to ignore our anger. This blog looks at how to deal with the emotion in a more constructive way.
A ‘trigger’ is something that sets off an emotional response of some kind in the body. Understanding why this response happens can help us to make sense of and manage what's happening.
When you experience strong feelings such as stress or anxiety, do you find yourself binge eating, grazing constantly during the day or restricting what you eat? If so, then you could be an ‘emotional’ eater.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘confidence’ as “the quality of being certain of your abilities”. The good news is that it’s possible to learn and build confidence, much like we can with a skill like communication.
Racing or pounding heart, breathlessness, shaky legs, fluttery stomach, light-headedness…these are all symptoms we might experience if we have anxiety.
Coming out is often portrayed as a largely positive experience and, for many, it will be - but that doesn't mean you won't feel anxious about taking the step.
Expectations around this Christmas are high - which can lead us to feel under pressure to make everything perfect. Now's a good time to stop, take stock, and plan to make it enjoyable and relaxing for everyone.
Feeling anxious about using public transport can be a problem if it’s something you need or want to do. Here are some ideas that might help reduce your fears, including some CBT techniques.
Have you ever suddenly jolted awake in the middle of the night with your heart pounding? Or do you wake in the morning feeling a sense of dread, or immediately overwhelmed by stress?
People with health anxiety may find it has intensified recently, as the UK gradually emerges from lockdown. It’s hardly surprising if we’re more focused on our health right now.
Have you ever Googled physical symptoms to find out what they are? Symptoms like racing heart and breathlessness can sometimes have a psychological cause.
Watching someone you love suffer from depression is upsetting; their pain can sometimes become your pain. The first step is to recognise the symptoms of depression and understand how it can be treated.
Many of us will have had thoughts like "I can’t take this any more", or "It would be better if I wasn’t here". Sometimes these thoughts pop into our minds, without warning.
The terms ‘low mood’ and ‘depression’ are sometimes used interchangeably. While depression is a form of low mood, the two do have slightly different symptoms, and might need treating in a different way.
We all know about the special bond that exists between humans and their pets. People can lose pets for a number of reasons – not only due to them dying. Find out some ways to
Going through a break-up can be difficult in a number of ways, and it's normal to feel a range of emotions, from grief to anger. There are some CBT principles and tools that might be useful...
Many of us have thoughts we find worrying, confusing and even distressing. In this blog, we explore the three main types of ‘troubling’ thought people have, what’s behind them, and how we can manage them.
Anyone can feel lonely - and this year we could find ourselves particularly susceptible. While we can't change the rules of lockdown, there are steps we can take to manage any feelings of isolation.
Many of us get a touch of the blues when autumn starts to turn into winter. We might feel like hibernating when the clocks change, or the colder and wetter weather could cause our mood to drop.
Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts that can pop into our heads without warning, at any time, and can often be disturbing or even distressing.
Understand how to support a friend or family member with depression, spotting the signs and showing that you are there for them.
Have you ever woken after a good night’s sleep with a fresh perspective on a problem or tough decision? The impact quality sleep can have on our mental health is being highlighted on World Sleep Day (18 March 2022).
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We spend up to a third of our lives asleep! It’s really important for both our physical and psychological health, but we often don’t prioritise it as highly as we should.
We all have restless nights now and again. Things like stress, the temperature in our bedroom and something we’ve eaten or drunk can all have an effect on how well we sleep.
Following the pandemic, some people experienced a ‘brain fog' where they found it hard to concentrate and think straight. If you're still feeling tired, unmotivated, distracted, or just a bit fuzzy you're not alone.
The pandemic has put us under strain for two years now. Always wondering what's around the corner and trying to keep up with the latest information and rules, have created conditions where stress can really thrive.
The continuing unpredictability around Covid might cause some people to feel anxious, on edge, or down. While none of us can control what happens, we can control how we respond, and also build our resilience.
The prospect of returning to work after furlough or remote working is likely to prompt different thoughts and feelings. We have some tips for getting into the right mindset.
As we go back out into the world again, we'll all be at different stages of readiness in our minds. Tuning into how we - and others - are thinking and feeling will help us navigate life following the vaccine.
The prospect of lockdown easing will be making many of us feel a bit uncertain and nervous about going out again and mixing with others.
ieso's Clinical Partnership Manager, Emily Marshall outlines five things to consider about lockdown lifting and coping mechanisms if you feel anxious about the new pressures that come with this.
We’ve all had plans go astray in the last year. While none of us can control everything that affects the plans we make, we can control how we respond - and we can also work on building our resilience.
If you have a phobia of needles, the thought of being called for your coronavirus ‘jab’ might be making you a bit apprehensive. In this blog we share some techniques to help you manage your anxiety.
For people with OCD, the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic may have made their symptoms worse, or caused them to return. It could also have triggered OCD symptoms in people who haven’t had them before.
In this blog, we share a few ideas and CBT-based techniques that might help if you’re struggling with the impacts of your condition.
People who’ve been diagnosed with diabetes can find it affects them in different ways. Here are a few ideas and CBT-based techniques that might help if you’re struggling with the physical impacts of your condition.
Having diabetes can affect people both physically and psychologically. In this blog we share a few ideas and CBT-based techniques to help with managing the effect diabetes might be having on your mental health.
Being diagnosed with a long-term medical condition can have a significant psychological impact. In this blog, cognitive behavioural psychotherapist Daniella Doon-Joseph looks at how CBT can help.
Misconceptions about OCD are common - especially the one that it's all about being neat and clean! If we delve into the condition, however, we find there’s much more going on.
Being told by your doctor that you have diabetes can come as a shock. It might be hard to come to terms with the diagnosis, and what it means for you. Everyone will react to the news differently...
Father’s Day can shine a light on painful emotions or memories that we’re able to handle the rest of the time. If you're likely to find the day hard, here are some tips for making it through.
Imposter syndrome is the feeling of not being ‘good enough' to do your job, and it’s only a matter of time before people notice! Here are some ideas for managing anxieties, doubts and negative thoughts...
Feelings of loneliness affect millions of people in the UK, and can contribute to poor mental health. Research from the Mental Health Foundation has found...
After a weird couple of years, it might be hard to remember what a 'normal exam feels like. Here are some ideas to help you manage any feelings of stress or worry, and get ready to tackle the challenge ahead.
This year’s National Stress Awareness Month is focused on the theme of ‘Community’, highlighting the importance of supportive relationships. Here are some ways we can support someone who's affected by stress.
The theme of this year's World Health Day (7 April) is Our planet, our health. The importance of the relationship between our environment and our mental health is well-recognised. Here are some ways to support it...
Mother’s Day can be a joyful occasion, but for some of us it tends to be more poignant, stressful or sad. So how can you get through the day? First of all, don’t let your emotions take you by surprise.
Survivors may find themselves thinking more about their own trauma as a result of the recent increase in media attention to sexual assault. CBT can help with processing your experience, thoughts and feelings.
On Time to Talk day, we're encouraged to talk openly about mental health. Look at why it's important to share what's on our minds, how to approach someone when you need to talk, and how to be a good listener.
As soon as the Christmas decorations come down, the media starts warning us about Blue Monday. Feeling blue is not inevitable! You can take action to protect yourself against things that might trigger a low mood.
Following the pandemic, some people experienced a ‘brain fog' where they found it hard to concentrate and think straight. If you're still feeling tired, unmotivated, distracted, or just a bit fuzzy you're not alone.
The pandemic has put us under strain for two years now. Always wondering what's around the corner and trying to keep up with the latest information and rules, have created conditions where stress can really thrive.
The continuing unpredictability around Covid might cause some people to feel anxious, on edge, or down. While none of us can control what happens, we can control how we respond, and also build our resilience.
The prospect of returning to work after furlough or remote working is likely to prompt different thoughts and feelings. We have some tips for getting into the right mindset.
As we go back out into the world again, we'll all be at different stages of readiness in our minds. Tuning into how we - and others - are thinking and feeling will help us navigate life following the vaccine.
The prospect of lockdown easing will be making many of us feel a bit uncertain and nervous about going out again and mixing with others.
ieso's Clinical Partnership Manager, Emily Marshall outlines five things to consider about lockdown lifting and coping mechanisms if you feel anxious about the new pressures that come with this.
We’ve all had plans go astray in the last year. While none of us can control everything that affects the plans we make, we can control how we respond - and we can also work on building our resilience.
If you have a phobia of needles, the thought of being called for your coronavirus ‘jab’ might be making you a bit apprehensive. In this blog we share some techniques to help you manage your anxiety.
For people with OCD, the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic may have made their symptoms worse, or caused them to return. It could also have triggered OCD symptoms in people who haven’t had them before.
