What Are the Characteristics of a Learning Disability?

Tanya J. Peterson

Knowing characteristics of learning disabilities can help you understand, support your child. Learn about learning disabilities characteristics on HealthyPlace.

Characteristics of a learning disability are features that you can observe and that shape a child’s experiences living with a learning disability. Learning disabilities characteristics apply to the disorders; additionally, learning disorders can create certain traits in kids. Knowing these characteristics helps you understand both your child’s learning disorder and your child. When you’re familiar with the characteristics of a learning disability, you are better equipped to help and support your child in all aspects of their life, whether it’s education, behavior, relationships, and more.

Learning Disabilities Characteristics

Learning disabilities are lifelong. They often become evident in childhood when kids enter school. People are born with a learning disability, but the characteristics usually aren’t noticeable until later. It makes sense that learning disabilities characteristics become clear to others once a child tries to learn in a structured environment. Because of this, learning disabilities often go undiagnosed until elementary school, middle school, or high school (and some people aren’t diagnosed until adulthood).

The primary feature of a learning disability is that it is a processing problem of the brain. Characteristics of learning disabilities can include the traits, signs, and symptoms of each learning disorder. Beyond the language, communication, and mathematical problems that make up a disorder, learning disabilities characteristics also include features like:

  • Motor skills deficits, both fine and gross
  • Problems with hand-eye coordination
  • Memory problems
  • Sensory issues

Cognitive deficits are prominent characteristics of learning disabilities. Cognitive skills are needed to succeed in the classroom, on the playground, at home, in activities, or elsewhere. Among the cognitive characteristics:

  • Problems with attention skills like sustained attention (inability to remain focused), selective attention (difficulty blocking out or ignoring distractions), and divided attention (problems trying to do two tasks at once, like listening and writing down words)
  • Visual processing difficulties
  • Auditory processing problems
  • Working and long-term memory problems
  • Struggles with logic and reasoning
  • Slow processing speed

These general characteristics apply to learning disabilities. Children with learning disabilities also have identifiable characteristics.

Characteristics of Children with Learning Disabilities

All children are unique individuals, including those who happen to have a learning disability. While no two children with the same learning disorder are identical, there are certain traits these kids often have that are associated with their disability. General learning disabilities can be related to these characteristics in kids:

  • Strong emotions
  • Feeling little control over emotions
  • Always feeling at least a step behind classmates
  • Feelings of frustration and anger because they believe they’ll never keep up
  • Poor social skills
  • Difficulty making and keeping friends
  • Attention and focusing problems
  • Impulsive behavior
  • Hyperactivity
  • Cognitive problems
  • Difficulty working and playing quietly
  • Problems waiting in line, like forming a line at the classroom door and standing still
  • Difficulty waiting for their turn, such as waiting to use a swing on the playground
  • High degree of frustration felt or expressed seemingly constantly
  • Low self-esteem

You might have noticed that some of the characteristics of learning disabilities are similar to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. ADHD isn’t a learning disability, but according to ADDitude, an authoritative resource on ADHD, about half of kids with ADHD also have a learning disorder (Silver, 2018). Even for kids who don’t have ADHD, learning disabilities are characterized in part by struggles to pay attention, concentrate, and sit still.

Children with learning disabilities have traits that indicate that they can benefit from understanding and support. Further, the disabilities themselves have characteristics that can help you spot your child struggling to learn and process information. Knowing characteristics of learning disabilities will help you help your child.

article references

APA Reference
Peterson, T. (2022, January 17). What Are the Characteristics of a Learning Disability?, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2025, May 13 from https://www.healthyplace.com/parenting/learning-disabilities/what-are-the-characteristics-of-a-learning-disability

Last Updated: January 17, 2022

What Are Treatments for Learning Disabilities?

Tanya J. Peterson

Get trusted info on learning disabilities treatment and interventions to help your child be successful. And find out which treatments don’t work.

Learning disabilities treatment can make a world of difference for a child, not just at school but at home, too. Left untreated, kids can become easily frustrated and experience feelings of failure and inadequacy as they compare their learning disability to their classmates’ learning abilities. Treatments for learning disabilities are actions taken to set up a child for success. As such, learning disabilities treatment can improve learning success as well as a child’s quality of life.

Can a Learning Disability Be Cured?

Because it’s a processing problem within the brain, a learning disability can’t be cured. It can, however, be treated. The sooner the treatment for a learning disability begins, the more effective it is. Identifying and treating a learning problem early allows a child to gain learning strategies before falling significantly behind classmates. Learning disabilities treatment can also minimize or prevent other struggles as well, such as self-esteem problems, emotional, or behavioral issues.

You’re about to learn some common treatment methods for learning disabilities. Before diving into treatments, it’s worth noting that the foundation of any learning disabilities treatment is a child’s strengths. Having a learning disability doesn’t mean that kids have nothing going for them in the classroom or beyond. All kids have strengths and talents. Talk with your child about discovering and applying their strengths and abilities to their learning, social skills, and more.

Learning Disabilities Treatment at School, Home, and Beyond

Your child’s individualized education program (IEP) specifies learning modifications and accommodations. These interventions are important treatment approaches in school. Modifications and accommodations are adjustments that allow kids to learn the same material as their peers, just in a slightly different way. For instance, modifications for a child with a writing disorder might allow the student to complete assignments and tests verbally. Accommodations for a child with a reading disorder could include text-to-speech software.

Many other school-based treatments and interventions are used to support students with learning disabilities. Some of them are:

  • Intensive teaching techniques, like one-on-one instruction, breaking material into smaller bits
  • Allowing a child extra time to complete work, assigning a notetaker to assist the student
  • Visual aids
  • Memory aids like mnemonic devices
  • Multi-modal teaching that uses senses beyond auditory and visual
  • Teacher check-ins during classroom instruction
  • Using motivators like goals, encouragement, positive reinforcement
  • Bypass interventions allow students to get around an area of disability, such as taking tests orally or having a reader
  • If the IEP allows, structuring the student’s day so that they spend a portion of it in a resource room/special education room

Learning disorder treatments should happen at home, too. Home-based support is essential. You don’t have to use the same interventions as your child’s teacher, because your environment, goals, and your child’s tasks are different.

An important treatment intervention for home life is to be unconditionally supportive of your child. Listen to their frustrations and help them use their strengths to overcome obstacles. Homework can be a problem for kids with learning disabilities. Create a dedicated homework area and create a structured routine for daily homework. Consider hiring a tutor if you and your child clash when you try to help. Above all, have realistic expectations, neither too low nor too high.

Treatment interventions are crucial for your child’s mental health, too. Often, when a child has a learning disability, they have difficulties in other aspects of their lives. These experiences are common:

  • Depression, anxiety, and other emotional problems
  • Poor social skills and problems making and keeping friendships
  • Lagging athletic/physical skills
  • Behavior issues
  • Low self-esteem

Mental health therapy, including play therapy, is an important learning disabilities treatment.

There are numerous learning disabilities treatments and interventions. Not everything is a treatment, though. There are things that make terrible interventions for kids with learning disorders.

What is NOT Part of Learning Disabilities Treatment?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against any intervention that hasn’t been proven effective through research (HealthyChildren.org, n.d.). This can include:

  • Special vitamins
  • Special glasses
  • Eye exercises
  • Patterning exercises
  • Diets that eliminate foods, additives, etc.

Medication is also not part of learning disabilities treatment. While conditions such as ADHD, depression, or anxiety happen because of neurotransmitter imbalances in the brain, learning disabilities happen because of hardwiring problems in the brain. Thus, there is no medication for learning disabilities.

A final treatment is very much worth mentioning. It’s important to let kids with learning disabilities just be themselves, accepted fully for who they are without always trying to treat or fix them. Equally important is allowing them to pursue things that interest them. Like other treatments for learning disabilities, letting them be themselves and do things they like will increase success in school, at home, and in life in general.

article references

APA Reference
Peterson, T. (2022, January 17). What Are Treatments for Learning Disabilities?, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2025, May 13 from https://www.healthyplace.com/parenting/learning-disabilities/what-are-treatments-for-learning-disabilities

Last Updated: January 17, 2022

Tips for Parents of Students with School Refusal

HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

If your child is struggling to overcome school refusal caused by anxiety, check out these tips:

  1. First of all, remain calm. While it’s important to respect your child’s fears, make sure he knows that you aren’t afraid.
  2. Ask questions! Why is your child refusing school? Is your child anxious about many things or just one? Is your child actually in danger? I know a student whose PE teacher had her running through a beautiful field of white flowers…not realizing that she was terribly allergic to the bees buzzing around her. The student obviously became very scared of attending PE. When she was allowed to exercise indoors or away from the bees, her fear dissolved.
  3. Seek accommodations from the school. To ensure cooperation, consider an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
  4. Encourage your child to attend school every day, even if it’s just for an hour. Allowing your child to stay home may reinforce the idea that school is dangerous. At first, your child may only be able to sit in the library with a parent or other trusted adult. That’s okay.
  5. If your child is at risk of falling behind academically, hire a tutor. Getting behind will likely increase anxiety and make it harder to return to school. While parents may be qualified to instruct their own students, working with an outside instructor can be an important step toward getting back into the classroom.
  6. Take small steps that push your child slightly out of his comfort zone. Work with your child. In my experience, it’s better to be too lenient than too harsh.
  7. Emphasize and reward partial successes. If you promise your child a toy in exchange for spending one hour at school, make sure you give her the toy even if she runs screaming the second that hour is up. If she is unable to stay for an hour, praise her for her effort and accomplishment, and ask her to try again tomorrow.
  8. Expect setbacks, but be consistent. If your child is unable to maintain recent progress or make new progress, offer support and acceptance, but continue to express your expectations.
  9. Replace "crutches" (like coming home early or eating in class) with more effective coping tools. Help children understand and accept their anxiety, and teach them how to use anxiety relaxation techniques.

If your child has an anxiety disorder, addressing her school refusal may not be enough. Talk to your pediatrician or a mental health professional for more information.

About the author: Kiri Van Santen is a homeschool teacher, tutor, and coach specializing in the education of children with anxiety disorders. She was diagnosed with Panic Disorder and OCD in her early teens. 

APA Reference
Staff, H. (2022, January 17). Tips for Parents of Students with School Refusal, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2025, May 13 from https://www.healthyplace.com/parenting/anxiety/tips-for-parents-of-students-with-school-refusal

Last Updated: January 18, 2022

My Only Resolution Is to Cultivate Better Coping Mechanisms
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Since 2016, life has been hurtling unprecedented personal and professional challenges my way. I've been coping with them the best I can, mainly due to my belief in this Persian adage: this too shall pass. And towards the end of 2019, things were looking up, if only just a little. Then in 2020, the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Needless to say, I had a new list of challenges to face. However, this time, I had little faith in the adage. I tried to keep going, but in January 2022, I decided to pause for perspective. It's the reason I have only one new year resolution: to cultivate better coping mechanisms.

Why Aren't I Using Better Coping Mechanisms Already?

I've decided that 2022 will be about introspection and rest because, over the past few months, I have been feeling like a hamster on a treadmill. Due to pandemic fatigue and the deadly duo of clinical and situational depression, I picked up some unhealthy coping mechanisms in 2021. While it was okay to rely on them for some time, I'm afraid I let them stay for too long.

The result is I am going through an episode of low-functioning depression, something I wouldn't wish on anyone. Thanks to overworking, doomscrolling, and little exercise, this was expected. Be warned: if you let these unhealthy coping mechanisms become a habit, you are prone to low-functioning depression and burnout. The only way I know to recover from both is to slow down and rest unapologetically. 

Regaining My Health with Better Coping Mechanisms

To make a proper recovery, I need to make immediate lifestyle changes. Therefore, my focus this year is to regain my mental and physical health. That can only happen when I replace unhealthy habits with better coping mechanisms. I hope you do so, too, because many of us have fallen into bad habits due to the pandemic. 

Prioritizing self-care is imperative to stop feeling like a hamster on a treadmill. With everything we have been through these past few years, it's normal to be exhausted and disillusioned. How long can we push ourselves to keep going at a pre-pandemic pace?

Ultimately, a well-rested mind is more important than becoming the employee of the month. In my experience, rest is crucial to building resilience. And don't we need to be resilient to get through a pandemic? Therefore, the least we can do is slow down and make time for rest. Recovery might be a long time away, but it's a good start. 

How Postpartum Depression Affects Your Family
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Postpartum depression (PPD) does not just affect the individual suffering from it. It also affects the family. If you're dealing with postpartum depression, it can be easy to become so introspective that you lose perspective of those around you. By trying to understand how your loved ones are feeling, however, you can strengthen your relationships while also helping them more appropriately support you. 

When Family Can't Understand PPD

It's frustrating when your loved ones do not understand what you're experiencing. In fairness to them, a lot of postpartum depression symptoms don't make sense. Excessive exhaustion, mood swings, or sudden changes in appetite are all common symptoms, but they're not easily explained. If your loved ones haven't been through it, it may be impossible for them to fully understand. That fact may leave them feeling frustrated. 

In that case, articulating how you feel is important to helping them sympathize. My husband was my first line of support, and he obviously had never experienced postpartum depression. So, I would explain to him how I felt. I would describe the physical manifestations of my depression, like how I felt like there was a crushing weight on my chest. That allowed him to respond more precisely. It was a give-and-take. I gave him communication, and he returned that with plenty of patience and support. 

Family Must Deal with the Powerlessness of PPD

Dealing with a problem you can't fix can be infuriating, especially if it's hurting someone you love. If you have postpartum depression, your family might want to "fix" it for you because they don't like seeing you suffer. The problem with that, of course, is that they can't. Postpartum depression is a condition that can be treated, but it's not a problem to be fixed. 

Absolving your loved one of the responsibility to fix your postpartum depression can go a long way in helping them be productive while you seek PPD treatment. Letting them know how they can help in your treatment is important. My husband couldn't make my depression go away, but he could care for our children while I went to the doctor. He couldn't give me more energy, but he could pick up dinner on the way home. Simple shows of support were huge, but he had to accept the limitations of his support. Letting him know I didn't expect him to solve all my problems for me was crucial.

Communicating Effectively

Someone dear to me used to say, "Our communication isn't always pretty, but it gets the job done."

Communication can be messy, but it's necessary to have a strong relationship. If you're fortunate enough to have the support of your family, don't reward them by shutting them out. Tell them what you need. Tell them how you feel. Make sure they know you don't blame them, and make sure they know you appreciate them.

If you need help communicating with your loved one on those rough days, watch the video below for a "magic phrase" that helped me tremendously.

Elder Abuse: What Is It and How Do You Recognize It?
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One significant niche of individuals who suffer from verbal abuse is the senior community. Often abuse happens to vulnerable people, and elders are no exception. But of course, verbal abuse is just one of the many branches of this ongoing problem, making those at risk even more in danger of harm. 

Types of Elder Abuse 

Like abuse of younger individuals, elders can suffer at the hands of an abuser in many ways. These include: 

  • Verbal
  • Emotional or Psychological  
  • Financial
  • Neglect or Abandonment 
  • Exploitation
  • Physical
  • Sexual 

Often abuse that happens to seniors in the community goes undetected or unreported. These individuals may feel embarrassed or feel that they have no choice but to live with the circumstances.

Many times, individuals who are close to the victim are the abuser. They may include a primary caregiver, adult child or grandchild, sibling, or partner. This intimate family dynamic makes reporting the abuse and seeking help even more difficult for the victim. 

How Serious Is It? 

The seriousness of abuse in senior citizens is quite alarming. Naturally, statistics may show significantly lower numbers due to a possible lack of reporting a situation. Even so, the World Health Organization approximates that one in every six individuals 60 years of age or older were the victim of abuse last year alone.1

As the population continues to live longer, healthier lives, the growing number of seniors at risk increases each year.

Other shocking reports from the U.S. National Library of Medicine state that India has the highest rate of elder abuse at 14%, with the United States in second at 7.6%.2 

How to Spot a Problem

Helping vulnerable individuals in abusive situations is critical for resolution and healing. Some signs could point to a problem with an elderly individual in your community.

The National Center On Elder Abuse provides many indicators which may indicate an abusive situation. These indicators can include:3

  • Withdrawal from daily activities they once enjoyed 
  • Lack of communication or unresponsive 
  • Decreased self-esteem or self-worth
  • Feelings of despair, hopelessness, or heightened anxiety
  • Lack of self-care 
  • Unusual behaviors, such as rocking, biting, or others that could be mistaken for dementia 
  • Extreme weight loss 

Knowing these and other tell-tale signs can allow you to seek the help they need to stop a growing problem in the community. If you have a senior in your life that may be the victim of abuse, there are resources to help. You can be the voice to a vulnerable person in need when you speak out about elder abuse in your community. 

Sources

  1. World Health Organization (WHO), Elder Abuse. October 4, 2021.
  2. Pillemer, K. et al., "Elder Abuse: Global Situation, Risk Factors, and Prevention Strategies." The Gerontologist, March 18, 2016. 
  3. National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), Research Statistics and Data. Accessed January 13, 2022.

Coping with Self-Harm and Dissociation
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Self-harm and dissociation, separately, can be scary things. Together, they can be a frightening and isolating experience, to say the least. Let's talk a little about what that's like, and how to cope.

What Is Dissociation?

Dissociation, simply put, is a sense of detachment from reality. Some people experience a mild, generally harmless version of it from time to time in the form of daydreams. The same can be said when you "lose" yourself in an engrossing book, game, or movie.

Depersonalization and derealization are two much more serious examples of this that some people may or may not experience in conjunction with self-harm. As the Mayo Clinic's overview of these disorders explains,1 depersonalization occurs when you feel disconnected from yourself and who you are—you may feel as if you are not you or as if you do not really exist. Derealization, on the other hand, is when you feel disconnected from your surroundings—it's the world around you, rather than you, that feels unreal.

I've personally experienced derealization only a handful of times. It's surreal, to say the least, to look around your own backyard—the one in which you grew up and constantly played—and think, "Where am I? Why doesn't this place look familiar to me?"

Some people may only ever experience dissociation and not engage in self-harm; others who self-harm may never experience dissociation. But for a "lucky" few of us, self-harm and dissociation appear to be connected.

How Are Dissociation and Self-Harm Connected?

I'm not a therapist, and I won't pretend to have all the answers as to why some people experience dissociation and self-harm simultaneously. But I think a lot of it has to do with our emotional survival instincts. Our brains are hard-wired to protect us from overwhelm at any cost. Dissociation can be a way of distancing ourselves, psychologically, from thoughts, feelings, or situations we may feel unable to cope with.

I've never been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, but I've struggled on and off with anxiety for some time now, and I've experienced several of what I am reasonably sure were panic attacks. It was these attacks that sometimes brought on an episode of derealization. While dissociated, everything—including my fear—seemed far away and inconsequential. It was like my brain needed a breather before it could parse everything I was trying to cope with.

Similarly, some people self-harm to vent difficult emotions and find relief from overwhelming distress. From this angle, I think it's pretty clear why those same people might also experience dissociation. Both are attempts to cope; unfortunately, neither seem to serve us well in the long run.

Coping with Self-Harm and Dissociation

At the moment when you're experiencing dissociation, it can be difficult to focus. In my experience, the most helpful thing at these times is to have someone nearby who can help you through it. This should be someone who not only knows about your situation but is aware (ahead of time) of how you want them to handle it. If this varies from one episode to the next, simply ask this person to be quiet and listen for what you need.

In my case, I usually ask for two things: peanut butter and talk. Because of its consistency, sticking a small spoonful of PB in my mouth forces me to slow down, to focus on a tactile experience. In that slowness, I can sometimes find a sense of calm. Asking my boyfriend to distract me by talking, meanwhile, gives me something to listen to, something to do besides spiral deeper into my dissociation. His voice is a comforting lifeline I can follow out of the fog and back into the real world.

Sometimes, however, I just need a quiet space to breathe. In my experience, simple breathing exercises are the most reliable coping methods for dealing with short episodes of dissociation—they're easy to remember, even when dissociating, and can be done anywhere, anytime. I'll say it again: slowing down and focusing on one single thing can be powerfully grounding.

Equally important, however, is what you do outside of an episode of self-harm and dissociation. Practicing good self-care—physical, mental, and emotional—is critical to diminishing and potentially preventing these episodes. Getting enough sleep, reducing stress, and eating a balanced diet all increase your resilience, decrease your distress, and make you less prone to self-harm urges and dissociation.

Above all, be sure to seek help if you need it. I strongly recommend finding a therapist or other mental health professional who can help you dig down to the root causes of your distress and help you find your best path forward. Other important sources of support include trusted family and friends, support groups, hotlines, and educational resources.

It's not easy coping with self-harm and dissociation, but it can be done. If you know of any other helpful tips or tricks for managing these that I've not mentioned here, please share them in the comments. Your suggestions might help more people than you know.

Source

  1. Mayo Clinic, Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder. May 2017.

Is My Girlfriend, Boyfriend or Partner Depressed? Here’s How to Tell

Emma-Marie Smith

Is your girlfriend depressed? Are you worried about a boyfriend or partner? Although the symptoms of depression can be severe, many people get good at hiding them. Shame, stigma and not wanting to burden others can all contribute to someone covering up their feelings, especially in a new relationship. If you want to support your partner, you need to know the signs of depression and how to differentiate it from normal sadness. With this in mind, here’s how to tell if your boyfriend or girlfriend is depressed.

Is My Girlfriend, Boyfriend Depressed or Unhappy?

Wondering if your girlfriend or boyfriend is depressed or just unhappy can cause a lot of anxiety in a relationship. You may wonder if her low moods have a clinical explanation, or if she is just not happy being your partner. There are vital differences between sadness and depression that are important for everyone to understand.

“People who have never dealt with depression think it's just being sad or being in a bad mood. That's not what depression is for me; it's falling into a state of grayness and numbness.” – Dan Reynolds

Sadness is a human emotion that all of us feel at some time in our lives. Stress at work, low self-esteem and relationship challenges can all lead to us feeling like we want to hide away. If your partner appears sad and withdrawn, this may be a sign of depression. However, it could also indicate problems in your relationship.

Does either of you feel insecure, for example? Do you trust one another, or are you both easily jealous? Perhaps there is a lot of conflict in your relationship or you put each other down when arguments arise. Whatever the reason, if you think your girlfriend is depressed because of your relationship, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open.

Signs Your Partner Is Depressed

Feeling a bit low is normal every once in a while, and there doesn’t always have to be a reason. Depression, on the other hand, is a long-term mental illness that impacts your ability to function and stops you from enjoying things you used to like doing.

According to the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5 criteria), which is used by mental health professionals, there are nine determining factors when separating sadness from depression. The severity of each symptom is also considered as part of the diagnostic process.

Here are the signs your partner is depressed:

  • Feeling depressed nearly every day
  • Experiencing a lack of interest in activities they used to enjoy
  • Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
  • Changes in appetite coupled with weight gain or weight loss Irritability, restlessness or agitation
  • Extreme fatigue/tiredness
  • Exaggerated feelings of guilt or worthlessness
  • An inability to concentrate or make decisions
  • Suicidal thoughts or actions, or talking a lot about death

If your boyfriend or girlfriend is depressed, you can call the NAMI helpline at (800)-950-6264 for advice and support. If you believe your partner is acutely suicidal, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or your local emergency services without delay.

Is Our Relationship Making My Girlfriend, Boyfriend Depressed?

It’s important to realize that depression is a mental illness, not an emotion. While an unhappy or unsupportive relationship can contribute to depression (and some studies have shown that it can be a risk factor), a relationship is unlikely to cause depression on its own.

Other risk factors for depression include:

  • Childhood trauma or difficulty coping with a devastating life event
  • A family history of depression or bipolar disorder, as well as prior mental health disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, PTSD or an anxiety disorder.
  • History of substance abuse
  • Low self-esteem
  • Lack of acceptance from family or community for identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community
  • Trouble adjusting to body changes from injury, such as paralysis or loss of limbs
  • A chronic illness or medical condition
  • Lack of support system for any of the above

As you can see, depression is a complex illness that can occur for a multitude of reasons. It’s rare that depression is caused by a relationship alone, so if your girlfriend, boyfriend or partner is depressed, there may be other factors at play.

article references

APA Reference
Smith, E. (2022, January 12). Is My Girlfriend, Boyfriend or Partner Depressed? Here’s How to Tell, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2025, May 13 from https://www.healthyplace.com/depression/relationships/is-my-girlfriend-boyfriend-or-partner-depressed-heres-how-to-tell

Last Updated: January 12, 2022

Why I Love Baths to Cope with Anxiety
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Every day, I make a point to take at least one bath. Sometimes if I’m really stressed, I’ll take more than one.

Baths Help Me Cope with Anxiety

Baths, to me, are about more than just getting clean. They are basically the biggest resource I have for resolving my stress. In this video, I discuss why.

See Also

New Year's Resolutions for Binge Eating Disorder Recovery
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The new year is a new beginning, which brings a special clarity as you reflect on what you want to change. It's often recommended to set concrete resolutions so you can measure how well you're doing throughout the year. This advice can be helpful, but for binge eating disorder recovery, changes are subtle and difficult to measure. In my experience, setting New Year's resolutions for my recovery and eating habits has consistently caused stress and unnecessary pressure. Of course, you can set milestone goals for going a certain number of days without binge eating. But if you are trying to start or strengthen your recovery from an eating disorder, you can't expect your recovery to be as neat as a checklist. 

Binge Eating Disorder Stress from New Year's Resolutions 

One year, I spent New Year's Day recovering from a binge. I felt ashamed and frustrated with myself for beginning a new year this way. I felt like I'd already dirtied my clean slate. I continued from that day feeling defeated, with low expectations to "fix my eating" that year. There was no room in my resolutions for slip-ups. I approached recovery with rigidity and little empathy for myself when I was struggling. 

It makes sense why I felt this way. It's unfair to put pressure on ourselves to fix disordered eating overnight. When we set resolutions to quit binge eating or other eating disorder behavior, we set ourselves up to be frustrated during the recovery process.

Recovery, as I understand it, is not a perfect endpoint to reach. Leave room in your resolutions for mistakes, hard days, and awful weeks. Remember, you are building resilience and inner strength by continuing to recover after struggling. If we can observe ourselves with empathy, we can learn more about ourselves and what we need by living through a binge. 

Binge Eating Disorder Recovery and the New Year

The pressure of New Year's resolutions can make recovering from binge eating disorder more difficult. It's more helpful to create resolutions that don't require you to have a perfect record of eating. 

Here are some tips and journal prompts to help you reframe your resolutions to support your recovery:

  • Make resolutions for the bad days -- If you binge or struggle with recovery, how will you try to help yourself? Imagine it's a friend or a family member who is struggling; how would you want them to treat themselves if they were struggling with an eating disorder? 
  • Make room for your values -- Eating disorders take up mental space and energy. As you move along in recovery, what would you spend recovered energy on? When you start to act on your wishes and values, you start to reclaim your life from the prison of an eating disorder.
  • Slow your roll -- It's okay if you binge in recovery. There is no deadline, no set timeframe, and no perfect endpoint to reach. This can be frustrating, but it can also be incredibly freeing. For today, and every day, practice accepting wherever you are right now in your recovery. 

Every day is also a new beginning, especially in recovery. I hope you continue to recover this year. I also hope you can treat yourself with empathy. Know that I am proud of you, and you are not alone.

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