Depression Archives | Rice Psychology

Loneliness, its Effects, and Why You’re Seeing it Everywhere

on June 14, 2019 at 12:16 pm /

In college, I didn’t spend much time with my friends. It’s not that I didn’t have any, I just preferred being alone and didn’t feel the need to make much of an effort to get close to people. At least, that’s what I always told myself. The weird thing is, now I find myself alone a lot. It’s no longer because I prefer it but it’s just the way things have turned out for me. I moved away from my hometown and I work from home, so I don’t have daily interaction with colleagues. Also, social media just doesn’t do...

Parental Caution: What a History of Mental Illness in Your Family and Marijuana Could Mean for Your Kids

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on May 23, 2019 at 10:29 am /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. When I was a teen, smoking marijuana was a common pastime for my friends and I. It was fun, mostly harmless, and we all grew out of it fairly quickly. Our kids are still young and happily not old enough to be dabbling with illicit substances yet (seriously, they are five and eight!). I told my wife that I wouldn’t mind if our children dabbled in a little weed when they were a bit older as long as they kept their usage to a minimum, but she immediately opposed this...

Kids and Suicide: Having a Serious and Frank Conversation About the Topic

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on March 28, 2019 at 9:56 am /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. It just broke my heart to hear in the news that two students who survived the Parkland shooting in 2018 died by suicide related to PTSD. I can’t even imagine the psychological trauma they endured from such a horrible tragedy. I have a son and it worries me sick thinking of something like that happening at his school. I also can’t help but think that there might be other unimaginable things he and kids his age go through that might trigger feelings of suicide. It scares me to death, and...

Taking it One Step at a Time: Overcoming the Loss of a Loved One

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on February 15, 2019 at 11:18 am /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. My coworker, Jane, recently lost her terminally-ill grandfather and has since been visibly gloomy. I asked her if everything was okay, but of course, she is devastated. I keep hoping that her mood improves. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case and she’s become increasingly secluded and avoids everyone at the office. She’s also requested a few personal days from work. I offered to visit her at home, but she didn’t want to talk to anyone. Is there any way to help her? Losing someone you love can be one of...

Tampa’s Winter “Warmerland” is Exactly What Your Body and Mind Need!

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on January 30, 2019 at 6:02 pm /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. And, if you’re reading this from anywhere in the northern U.S. or Canada, please forgive us. We feel for you and hope that you can stay inside by a warm fire with cocoa at the very least during this polar vortex episode! After five years of freezing temperatures and snow storms in New Jersey, Matt and I decided to call Florida home. Just a week after settling in, we realized that this was probably the best decision we’ve made together! Matt goes on bike rides every day and I...

New Year, New You: Physical Activity Can Make a Big Mental Difference

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on January 2, 2019 at 1:42 pm /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic: At the beginning of the year, I told myself I’d be hitting the gym a lot more often. The goal was to stay active and keep those extra pounds at bay. The first few weeks were great! I was jogging at least three times a week and lifting weights as often as I could. Sure, I was a little tired when I’d get home, but I was feeling better both physically and mentally. Unfortunately, as the year went on, I started cutting back on the exercise and soon I was...

No More Stigmas: Speaking Out About Your Anxiety and Depression

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on June 7, 2018 at 9:56 am /

On June 5, we lost fashion icon Kate Spade. Many of us knew her brand and loved her purses, iPhone cases and accessories. What most in the public were completely unaware of was that under that lighthearted and creative exterior lived a woman who suffered terribly from depression and a fear of “being found out”. She worried that if her struggles with depression were made public, it would tarnish her image and damage her business. It’s heartbreaking that she was so afraid of what others would say if she privately sought help and spoke out about her mental illness. On Friday,...

Trudge On: Sticking with Therapy During Hard Times

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 21, 2017 at 9:37 am /

So, you’re in therapy and it’s helping. Then along comes a major life event such as a potentially devastating hurricane, the death of a loved one or sudden unemployment. When the going gets tough, do you reach out to your therapist for support and continue your sessions, or do you put them on hold until the crisis has passed? To share a personal experience (Wendy), I’ve worked with several excellent therapists in my life, both for personal and professional (training) therapy. Because I felt a strong connection with each of my therapists, they were often among the first people I turned...

Feeling Blue: 3 Steps You Can Take to Improve Your Winter Mood

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on February 1, 2017 at 9:08 pm /

Living in Florida, I find that the winters aren’t nearly as bad as they were up north. When I lived in New York, it was tough to make it through the long winters. For many, it isn’t necessarily the cold weather or snow that is so bothersome, it’s the darkness of the days. Check out what one man has to say on the topic of winter blues. “It might sound weird, but in the summer and spring, I’m usually a cheerful person because it’s bright and lively out. In the winter, though, days are more apt to be cloudy and gray. The...

What To Do If “The Season” Is Getting You Down

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on December 3, 2014 at 1:34 pm /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Are you just not in the holly jolly spirit this December? If so, or if you know of someone who needs a bit of support, you’ve come to the right blog. We are here to help! If you are down about the season, it can be helpful to write down or at least really think about the things that are bothering you. It is often best to do it in a 2-column type format so that you can “respond” to each negative thought with something more neutral, realistic, or even positive. This is part of what...