Category: Anxiety

Samhainophobia is the extreme fear of Halloween, which can be triggered by things associated with the holiday such as ghosts, pumpkins, and costumes. This specific phobia is characterized by intense anxiety and panic that can lead to physical symptoms like sweating or shortness of breath. It can stem from a past traumatic experience related to Halloween and can be managed through therapy and other coping mechanisms
Posted in Anxiety Phobia Samhainophobia

Samhainophobia: the fear of Halloween

 Author: admin Published Date: October 21, 2025

What is samhainophobia?Samhainophobia is the specific phobia of Halloween — an intense, persistent, and often irrational fear of anything associated with Halloween (costumes, decorations, trick-or-treating,…

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Practical strategies to manage low mood and mental health over winter
Posted in Anxiety Depression Diet Economic Mental Health Seasonal Affective Disorder Trowbridge Service Users Group

Practical strategies to manage low mood and mental health over winter

 Author: admin Published Date: September 17, 2025

These are things you can try yourself, many with no cost or low cost: Local/community support available in Trowbridge, Wiltshire Here are services, groups, and…

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Am I Mentally Ill or Just a Generation X? A Psychological and Sociocultural Analysis of Generational Trauma Introduction The question “Am I mentally ill or just a Generation X?” reflects a tension between individual pathology and collective experience. For many members of Generation X (born roughly between 1965 and 1980), symptoms of depression, anxiety, emotional detachment, or cynicism may not be solely the result of personal dysfunction but rather the legacy of a specific sociohistorical upbringing. This paper explores how psychological theories of trauma, development, and resilience intersect with the sociocultural context of Generation X. It argues that the challenges faced by this cohort are best understood not only through a clinical lens but also as manifestations of shared generational conditioning. Generation X in Historical and Cultural Context Generation X was shaped by profound social shifts: rising divorce rates, increased maternal participation in the workforce, and the decline of traditional community structures (Strauss & Howe, 1991). As a result, many children became “latchkey kids,” left unsupervised after school, fostering independence but also emotional neglect (Henderson, 2017). Unlike the Baby Boomers, whose upbringing was characterized by postwar optimism, or Millennials, raised under intensive “helicopter parenting,” Gen X developed under an ethos of self-reliance and skepticism of institutions. The broader cultural environment emphasized stoicism and emotional restraint. Mental health discourse was minimal, and psychiatric treatment carried significant stigma (Kessler et al., 2005). This climate discouraged vulnerability and normalized the suppression of emotional needs, conditions that contemporary psychology would recognize as risk factors for later difficulties in emotional regulation and attachment (Bowlby, 1988).
Posted in Anxiety Borderline Personality Disorder BPD Depression Eating Disorders Economic ethnic minorities

Am I Mentally Ill or Just a Generation X?

 Author: admin Published Date: August 23, 2025

A Reflection on Cultural Upbringing, Trauma, and Mental Health Narratives Introduction In recent years, conversations about mental health have become increasingly visible in mainstream culture….

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Anxiety is a normal, adaptive emotion that helps us prepare, focus, and stay safe. It becomes a disorder when intensity, duration, or avoidance cause significant distress or impairment.
Posted in Across the Web / Research Anxiety Mental Health Mental Health Research Trowbridge Guru

Understanding Anxiety: From Healthy Worry to Anxiety Disorders

 Author: admin Published Date: August 19, 2025

Normal Anxiety: Your Body’s Alarm System At healthy levels, anxiety is your brain’s way of keeping you safe. It sharpens focus, helps you prepare, and…

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Anxiety is a normal, adaptive emotion that helps us prepare, focus, and stay safe. It becomes a disorder when intensity, duration, or avoidance cause significant distress or impairment.
Posted in Across the Web / Research Anxiety Mental Health Mental Health Research Trowbridge Guru

Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and What Helps (with UK & Wiltshire focus)

 Author: admin Published Date: August 19, 2025

Abstract Anxiety is a normal, adaptive emotion that helps us prepare, focus, and stay safe. It becomes a disorder when intensity, duration, or avoidance cause…

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