Self-Help for Low Mood: How to Lift Your Mood Without Therapy

A smiling woman in front of a large building who's happy from doing self-help for low mood.

What exactly are moods? Are you frequently stuck in a low mood, even when the situation doesn’t call for it? Is there a way to shift out of a low mood without going to therapy? Dr. Julie Smith writes that you can understand your moods and assert control over them to a large degree. Depression and sadness don’t necessarily warrant formal therapy. She offers several insights and tips for elevating your outlook in her book Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? Read more to get some self-help for low mood conditions.

The Asshole Survival Guide by Robert Sutton (Book Overview)

A woman reading a book in an office.

Do you feel helpless or angry when confronted with mean people? Do you wish you had better strategies for dealing with them? The Asshole Survival Guide by Robert Sutton offers wisdom for dealing with jerks—rude and tyrannical people of all kinds. Focusing primarily on bad behavior in the workplace, he argues that, with the right tools, you can take away a jerk’s power, lessen their effect on you, and keep them from harming others.  Continue reading for an overview of this practical book.

How to Change Your Mood: Break Free From the Vicious Cycle

A split image of a man where on one side he's happy and the other side he's sad.

Are you always “in a mood,” causing those around you to walk on eggshells? Do you depend on circumstances, medication, or therapy to bring you out of it? Dr. Julie Smith says that it’s likely that you can change your mood yourself by monitoring and adjusting four things. If you attend to your physical state, your thought patterns, your actions, and your connections with others, you can elevate your frame of mind. Read more to learn how to change your mood with Smith’s recommendations.

Dr. Julie Smith: Anxiety Self-Care Practices to Calm Yourself

A relaxed woman closing her eyes as part of a self-care routine for anxiety.

How often do you feel anxious? Are you able to calm yourself effectively, or are you afraid you must resort to medication or therapy? Psychologist Julie Smith writes that people often mistakenly believe that they need to commit to long-term, in-depth therapy. If they have some basic education about how their minds and bodies work, they’ll be able to take control of their mental health themselves, without intensive help from a professional. Keep reading for Dr. Julie Smith’s anxiety self-care insights and techniques.

Cognitive Reframing Techniques: Reduce People’s Power Over You

A split image of a city with emotional cloud bubbles over them as cognitive reframing techniques.

Is someone in your life a jerk? Do you wish you could neutralize the impact they have on you? When interaction with a jerk is inevitable, you can lessen the jerk’s power over your mental state by changing your mindset. Using cognitive reframing techniques, you can protect yourself from the negative effects of their behavior, even if you’re frequently exposed. Keep reading to learn these techniques and reduce people’s power over you.

How to Protect Yourself From Toxic People You Can’t Avoid

A woman protecting herself from a toxic person by ignoring her when she's yelling.

Do you have a jerk at home or work? Is there a way to protect yourself from them, short of avoiding them altogether? According to Robert I. Sutton, sometimes distancing yourself from jerks isn’t possible; you might be forced to be around them for extended periods. When a lot of interaction with a jerk is unavoidable, you can lessen their power over your mental state by changing your mindset. Continue reading to learn how to protect yourself from toxic people.

Low Mood and Anxiety Self-Care Tips From Dr. Julie Smith

A man with low mood and anxiety, burying his face in his hands.

Are you often inexplicably down or anxious? Are you eager for a solution that doesn’t involve therapy or medication? According to Dr. Julie Smith, one of the main reasons people go to therapy is to rid themselves of conditions such as low mood and anxiety. She argues that many people can resolve these matters on their own by understanding them and making certain adjustments. Continue reading to see whether self-care might be the right solution for you.

Barbra Streisand: Childhood, Self-Perception, and #1 Value

Barbra Streisand: Childhood, Self-Perception, and #1 Value

What was Barbra Streisand’s childhood like? What does she value more than anything else? What question did she ask Queen Elizabeth? We all know Barbra Streisand as a star of theater, movies, television, and music. But, before that, she was a child from a troubled family. In her memoir, she discusses her upbringing and how it affected her. She also shares her top value and how she sees herself—perceptions that are, in part, shaped by that difficult childhood. Read more to learn about Barbra Streisand’s childhood, self-perception, and what she values most.

Can You Be “Addicted” to Social Media? What Psychologists Say

A social media addicted man standing on a boulder in nature.

Can you be addicted to social media? What’s the difference between an addiction and a compulsion? Start scrolling through Facebook or TikTok and if you’re not careful, an hour can pass in the blink of an eye. Social media feels addictive. But “addiction” might not be an accurate way to describe its effects on our brains and attention. Continue reading to learn what makes social media use problematic, whether or not it’s actually addictive, and how you can take control of your attention.