Questions tagged [mental-health]
For questions about interpersonal skills where mental health issues play a significant role, and that do not require professional help to resolve.
67
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Parents are forcing me to attend coaching despite it is affecting my mental health
Context: I am a 17 year old boy, currently in grade 10. I also go to extra coaching classes after school for Mathematics.
Here's the problem: I don't feel good in the coaching centre that I go to. ...
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4
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2
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600
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How do I help my wife to see her potential?
My wife comes from a background of a controlling, abusive mother who always told her that she was incapable, and then a controlling, abusive (now former) husband who always told her that she was ...
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Family of migraine patient - how to help kids understand violent outbursts of migraine patient (mother) in response to noise
I had assumed that my wife was a bad person due to the way she behaved when my daughter cried for any reason. She would get angry and even at times hit my daughter when she cried instead of consoling ...
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How do I explain moving out due to medical reasons to my roommate?
I need advice for a very specific situation, which I have described below.
Context: I am a college student, and I live on-campus. Due to a bit of a space crunch on campus this year, the rules require ...
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How to get a friend to stop acting like a therapist?
I suffer from Bipolar Disorder. I suffered from a depressive episode last year. A friend of mine feels I'm too negative. He constantly prods me in social situations -- "What's going good Bob?&...
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2
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587
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How to talk to my brother, who has mental health issues, about my frustrations with him?
I live with my parents while I finish up my degree. A couple of months ago, my brother got out of a long, toxic relationship. He has since moved back in with my parents. The relationship ending caused ...
user33863
7
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1
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419
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How to help a close friend seek help with possible early onset dementia
I have a close friend who is genetically predisposed to early-onset dementia. My friend is relatively young (mid-30s), but has been having concerning unexplained behavioral shifts, such as:
...
14
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2
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How to detect and counteract gaslighting
Gaslighting is one of those things that becomes a logical trap for both the abused (they can look deluded, without physical evidence, which can lead to further manipulation) and also for a falsely-...
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How do I convince someone that I "Just don't want to be friends again" if they are in denial about it
Almost exactly a year ago, I met this guy through a university society and since we both studied the same subject, I agreed to chat and meet him before lectures a few times. He would message me ...
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How can I help a hoarder friend while I worry about the health of her cats I need to feed?
One of my best friends, "Anne", has mental health problems for a long time. She's very closed off, just like me, and never responded much to my offers of help. I still tried to help her any ...
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How do you respond (in a reasonable manner) when a less-educated friend suggests reasons for your current psychiatric disorder?
My friend suggested that a recent and ongoing flare of my autoimmune disease was causing my ongoing depression.
She is a very close friend, and I love her dearly, but she is much less educated than I ...
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I suspect my wife is transgender. How can I talk best talk to them, and handle the possibilty if they are? [closed]
I've been with my wife for 10 years (married 2). I am a CIS male, and have suspected my partner (female sex, but agender) may be trans for a while now. They share a lot of similarities I've heard ...
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How to ask a female friend to stop harassing my boyfriend?
Back Story:
When we were in high-school, a male friend of mine (let's say X) developed a crush on another friend (Y). Ever since he told her about this, she started acting as if she owned him. She ...
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34
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6
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How can I have a conversation with my fiancé about a subject he doesn't want to talk about?
My fiancé has a bit of a troubled history. I knew that when we got together. He has some mental issues, which I attributed to years of being bullied. Only recently I managed to figure out the main ...
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4
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How to ask my mother to stop giving me unsolicited (health related) advices?
I have a lot of mental health issues and my mother tends to think that fixing my life is her duty. As such, she will often give me unsolicited health advice so that I could get "better".
She would ...
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How to help an elderly paranoid parent? [closed]
My mother is elderly (pushing 80) but is generally is good shape, sound mind, is able to take care of herself and live on her own and so forth. She is able to drive except at night due to her ...
13
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When is it appropriate to mention someone else's suicide attempt?
So, earlier today my friend and classmate attempted suicide. He's in the hospital right now and will probably be okay, but I dread the next time he'll come to college.
I know there are triggers and ...
- 1,135
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2
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How can I communicate to my mother that her complaints about me make me feel like I'm not enough?
(and never will be)
I'm on the autism spectrum and often feel overwhelmingly fatigued and tired. My mother, on the other hand, has a lot of energy and is always doing a million things.
From time to ...
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44
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11
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How to avoid answering "what were you sick with"?
I have been on "sick leave" for a little more than a week due to mental health issues. I'm now back to work and my coworkers are asking "did you have the flu?" or other questions like that.
I know ...
- 17.3k
18
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How to tell my alcoholic aunt I fear for my cousins' lives because of her drunk-driving?
Content warning: Alcoholism, physical and psychological violence.
My cousin just called me in tears. Again. She shared her fears with me about her parents drinking too much, even when they have to ...
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Asking to be made aware of a surprise because of anxiety issues
I'm on the autism spectrum and I have anxiety issues. Doing unknown things in an unknown place terrifies me.
From time to time (~twice a year) my workplace would organize a "team-building" ...
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11
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What techniques I can use in conversations with my schizophrenic friend?
I have a friend who I've known for over forty years. Early on in our friendship, my friend was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and has been on medication and psychiatric care ever since. There ...
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41
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Telling my mother that I have anorexia without panicking her
I have a lot of (mental) health issues and I know my mother is often worried about me. One of the things that worry her is how poorly I eat (I told her that I basically eat the same thing at every ...
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How to reassure my boyfriend
My boyfriend and I have been together 4 months and my anxiety is ruining our relationship. When we have a slight clash of opinions/different viewpoints it triggers my anxiety and it will turn into a ...
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Asking a coworker to chitchat somewhere else
Background
I work in an open space and people there chitchat fairly often. I do it, my coworkers do it and everyone is fine with that (even if it can be a bit annoying IMO).
Today, one of my coworkers ...
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4
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How to tell a girl with anxiety and OCD I'd like to date her without triggering her?
Background:
I'm a college student currently at home on summer vacation. A few weeks before I left school, I was approached by a girl who knew me through a mutual friend. She suggested we hang out and ...
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62
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3
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How do I talk to my wife about unrealistic expectations?
I have been married less than a year and we are both quite young, which is partly why I'm posting on here for advice.
My wife has recently been 'complaining' that she finds it difficult that she can'...
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On what to compliment someone with anorexia in order to improve their body image?
I'm in an online support group for people with anxiety, depression and these kinds of things (I already talked about it in this question).
The other day, someone with anorexia (her words) posted a ...
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13
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3
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How to deal with racist sexist friend
I have a childhood friend of 40 years, who is steadily becoming more intolerant of anyone who is not a white anglo male. In the last year alone, he has ranted to me over email (we live on different ...
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2
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How to ask ex-girlfriend to seek professional help
Background
My now ex-girlfriend and I have dated for nearly three years (both nearly in our 30s). Up until some months ago, our relationship was the perfect one everybody is looking for. In short, we ...
user24136
9
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1
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How to ask ex-girlfriend to delete nude pictures of us that she took?
An ex-girlfriend whom I used to date around two years ago is in town. We had broken up amicably and have kept in touch somewhat. We are planning to meet this week to catch up.
Back when we were ...
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0
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How can I help talk a close friend out of religiously radicalizing? [closed]
I have a close friend that I grew up with that has begun to show signs of radicalizing in his religion. I do not share this religion but we are close friends. He has many friends, very educated, a ...
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2
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Acknowledge there is a problem without making the other person more worried
A little about me:
I'm on the autism spectrum; I have tiredness issues and other related problems. I'm currently working full time and this plus my tiredness makes it really difficult for me to eat in ...
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7
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2
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514
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Asking a retired soldier about their experiences
I know an elderly guy through a volunteering program that helps charities. He seems rather kind but I don’t talk to him often.
I know when he was younger, he served on the American forces and helped ...
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10
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1
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How to ask a possibly depressed, not-so-close friend if they need help
Context: Western European country, people involved are in their late 20's
I was at a party at a friends house, where I met a mutual acquaintance, whom I have met only a few times in the past.
We had ...
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2
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Being told to get into a relationship despite state of mental health, how to ask why?
In spite of my current mental health, friends, family, and health care professionals* often tell me to consider getting into a relationship without telling me why I should get into one.
As a ...
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Worried about girlfriend lifestyle changes
My girlfriend has been experimenting with different lifestyle changes lately, which I think is not only amazing, but an important element in growth. I would like to support her through all these ...
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How to stop friends giving me burnout at social events?
I care about my friends, and I believe it's mutual, but I've noticed a trend over the past couple of years.
Nowadays we generally tend to visit each other's homes rather than go out to bars or ...
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3
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Telling my boss that I have tiredness issues
I'm a junior IT engineer who was recently hired by a company. I'm from France and my probation isn't over yet (two to four months left to go). I'm also on the autism spectrum (the people at my work ...
- 17.3k
6
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1
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707
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How can I avoid asking leading question when inquiring for someone well being?
Some time ago, I read an article where someone with Alzheimer explained that, when someone asked her "Do you remember?" she felt pressured to say "yes" even when she didn't.
So, from this I was ...
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2
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1
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How can I talk about my problems without having people exaggerate their gravity
Note: this is not a call for help or anything, I'm doing fine :)
I want to open up and talk about my problems, anxieties and depressive periods. The thing is, I'm used to it and it's often not as big ...
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1
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How to announce to our relatives that our daughter has dementia?
We are a couple, 36/M, and 38/F, with a 13-year-old daughter, who was diagnosed with dementia on Saturday. We're from Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada.
Over the past few weeks she'd been ...
4
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1
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How can I tell my friend to take her medication?
I have a friend who takes medication for anxiety and depression. When she forgets to take her medication she has very specific behaviors, some of which include tantrums, panic attacks, and ...
user23130
5
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2
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Talking to a parent about their mental health
I am worried I have a parent who exhibits signs of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and I would like them to see a clinician. How can I bring up my concerns without running into the stigma around ...
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1
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How can I show my brother that he did something wrong, without seeming angry, so that he doesn't feel afraid to make a mistake
Brief summary about myself. I work in IT and often enough people ask me to help them with their IT related issues, most often it's someone from the family or relatives. In my every day work I do a lot ...
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2
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2k
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How to confront a friend who lies about relationship and popularity?
This is all going to sound very judgemental to my friend, but trust me, it's not. I think I know how she feels and I understand why she would do it and I want to help her. My whole friend group does.
...
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How can I explain a phobia when travelling to a non-English speaking country?
I considered putting this question into the Travel stackexchange but this issue feels like it's more to do with interpersonal skills and communication than actually travelling. I'm happy for it to be ...
- 541
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2
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4k
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How to communicate to my girlfriend that I'd like to talk more without coming across as desperate, needy, or clingy [closed]
First, a little background
My girlfriend and I have been together for just over 8 months now, and I have to say that this is the happiest relationship I think I've ever been in. I'm 23 going on 24 ...
user20355
5
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2
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576
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How can I properly refuse my mother's help?
I'm living in a theocratic country, where people have to study religion in schools and universities extensively, no matter the field of study. And holding different views from the mainstream religion ...
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1
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How to throw out the group mentor in a proper way?
I am a part of an activity group of 10 members (in our case: theatre). We mostly get along pretty well, know each other for quite some years already, but have worked as such a group only for a year by ...
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