Mental Health

The schema originates early in life due to traumatic events like parental divorce, emotional abuse, inconsistent nurturing, or illness/death of a caregiver. These adverse childhood experiences create an imprint that gets reinforced over time.

A negative self-image often stems from underlying mental health issues like depression, anxiety, trauma, or body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Cultural pressures and media messaging promoting unrealistic beauty standards also contribute to many people developing a distorted self-view.

Stay patient with yourself and your partner. With consistent effort, emotional intimacy is possible. Keep communicating openly. Small steps forward will accumulate into transformed relationships.

Disconnecting from social media, even temporarily, can provide many benefits. A social media detox involves refraining from using platforms like Facebook and Instagram for a set period of time. This allows you to take a step back and break free from the constant notifications, endless scrolling, and non-stop exposure to curated content.

Emotional constipation can be frustrating, isolating, and detrimental to mental health. Emotions can build up inside us and cause distress when they can't flow freely. Fortunately, with some self-awareness and the proper techniques, it is possible to get emotionally unblocked.

Enmeshment between a mother and son is characterized by an extreme emotional closeness that prevents the son from developing a sense of self outside the relationship. It's an unhealthy dynamic that robs both mother and child of independence and privacy.

I understand you have concerns about fearful avoidant deactivating behaviors in your relationship. It's clear you care deeply for your partner and want to find solutions. While avoidance can be challenging, growth is possible. Try to remain patient and let your partner know you are there for them, even when they pull away. 

I understand your anxiety feels overwhelming right now. Many people struggle with anxious thoughts and feelings, so you are not alone. Anxiety is very treatable through counselling, lifestyle changes, and support from loved ones. I know it's hard, but try to stay hopeful. Things can get better with time and consistency. 

Discernment counseling is a type of therapy that helps couples who are in a state of uncertainty about their relationship determine whether or not they want to pursue permanent separation or to continue trying to work on their relationship.