Kaileen McMickle, MS, LPC

There could be a few reasons that's happening. If you are afraid of leaving your home and going other places, that may be an anxiety response. Not all people who feel this way have all the criteria for agoraphobia, but that doesn't mean it's not hard and doesn't interfere with your life. This may... more

I'm going to second that it is completely brave of you to share something you kept hidden for over 30 years. That's a HUGE deal!Something awesome about the brain is that it can learn at any time in the human lifespan. No matter how long you have dealt with the affects of trauma, your brain has... more

I'm going to reframe this and you can decide if this is helpful!What I'm reading based on what you gave is that you are actually doing your best to manage intense feelings of internal dysregulation. Anger is something that is generally a protective emotion that quickly arises to keep us safe in... more

I second the suggestion to find a therapist who is trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)!I'll also add that all you describe is very common in PTSD. Emotionally, it's an exhausting condition and can take a lot of energy from the body. Depression is a common consequence of PTSD since many... more

It seems like you are being extra hard on yourself here! The behavior he exhibits is pretty normal for a three year-old. Sounds like he may feel more emotionally dysregulated upon waking and wants one of his love sources to help him stabilize that. It's probably more instinctual and not personal... more

My very first thought is this is so much to carry on your own! A mother's instinct is to care for her children so I can imagine how hard it must be to see your son in pain and struggling. I hear a ping of helplessness in there as well. That's heavy.My question is: who is supporting you? I know... more

Thanks for reaching out with this important question!To start, I'll say the diagnosis for depression can differ depending on what the context of those markers are. For example, depression is diagnosed differently if there's a bipolar element or if someone is withdrawing from drugs or alcohol. It... more

Glad you are reaching out here!There are two types of self-harm: suicidal and non-suicidal. A lot of people I see and have seen engage in self-harm just to manage emotional dysregulation, but not to end their lives. Self-injury actually does a great job at helping us to manage really intense... more

That must feel heartbreaking to you. Where do you think that anxiety comes from? I would try some self-reflecting to see what comes up there. Maybe you are worried about losing your best friend, or something completely different. It's understandable that you would have a lot of feelings in this... more

Talking to people can be pretty scary. When we talk to people, sometimes we overanalyze what we say or how we react in fear that we will seem weird or they won't like us, which makes us appear awkward. So that overthinking piece can ironically work against us.When you talk to them, really spend... more

Seems like you've really been through the ringer without much of a break. Just reading through the details you put in the question, I hear a couple things. One is that you seem like a helper. That's not bad at all, though other people taking advantage of your nurturing qualities and not giving... more

As you know (probably very well), those types of thinking patterns are energy suckers. I'm assuming you are often tired and don't sleep as well as you could, especially as our thoughts tend to creep up on us when we are trying to fall asleep.One thing to know is that those thought patterns are a... more

Hello! There's not a lot of information here, but I have a couple thoughts about what could be happening for you.My first thought is what we know about the effect of alcohol on the body. It's a depressant, meaning it slows down your central nervous system functioning--including your heart rate... more

I'm sorry you're going through that. Panic attacks are terrifying.One thing to start with is knowing that panic attacks are not going to hurt you and your anxiety will come down with time. Fighting that process can sometimes heighten symptoms because your brain wants the message of panic to be... more

Doesn't sound like your boyfriend is a source of support and I'm really sorry to hear that. And my assumption is that the car accident was traumatic for you and still impacts you in some ways.By just reading what you wrote, I'm not sure what that impact has been on you, but I get the impression... more