Dr. Melissa Shepard

😬 this is a very unhelpful response some parents have to seeing their kids struggle with their mental health. If your kid opens up to you about their mental health struggles, try not to make it about you. Avoid using guilt in an attempt to motivate or manipulate your child into feeling better or acting differently. It won’t work and will likely just make them feel even more guilty and alone. Remember, you can be the world’s best parent and your kid may still struggle with their mental health. But we all make mistakes and what is important is owning up to it and working on changing what you need to change. And if you do feel guilt about your child’s struggles, talk with another adult (especially a mental health professional!) about those feelings. If your child is already dealing with difficult feelings, the last thing you want to do is force them to manage your emotions as well. #depressionhelp #mentalhealthmatters

Sometimes it’s hard for people to recognize what ADHD actually looks like day-to-day. The points I mention in this video are examples of how we might see the symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, etc. manifest in real life. Like any mental health issue, the diagnosis of ADHD can be complex. Unfortunately, you can’t just use a list like this to decide whether or not you have ADHD. People who do not have ADHD can still have these things happen sometimes. And not everyone with ADHD will experience all of these symptoms. The only way to be sure is to be evaluated by an expert (although I know that can be really difficult to find sometimes). If you need help dealing with stuff like this, or just want to feel less overwhelmed, I have a group coaching program that you can join! Our group is a monthly membership program that includes educational lectures, live Q&A, body-doubling sessions, and access to a supportive community of people navigating the same things. You can join via the link in my bio and if you’ve made it this far (lol) use the code “20OFF” to get $20 off the first month of your membership. #adhd #overwhelmed

Mostly this is just a silly meme, but it’s also kind of a good metaphor for some of the neurochemical changes in psychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety, and ADHD. You may have heard some of the oversimplified theories about neurotransmitter levels in psychiatric illnesses. For example, the idea that people with ADHD have low dopamine levels, or that people with depression have low serotonin levels. Some of these theories are still strongly debated, but what is clear is that the neurochemical bases of these disorders is super complicated (way more complicated than saying they are caused by decreased or increased levels of one specific chemical). For example, people with ADHD have differences in their dopamine levels, but these levels may be higher or lower in different brain regions. There are also differences in the way ADHDer’s brains respond to dopamine (regardless of the actual dopamine level). We also know that in depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD, and other psychiatric illnesses, there are usually multiple neurotransmitter systems affected. So in ADHD, for example, we find that medicines impact levels of norepinephrine and serotonin in addition to dopamine. Neurotransmitters also don’t explain the full picture. For example, some antidepressants may work in part by decreasing inflammation in the brain and providing an environment that allows neurons to form more robust connections with each other. All that to say, it’s complicated! And maybe instead of thinking of changes in single neurotransmitter levels, it’s more accurate to say that medicine changes the way our neurons communicate and coordinate with each other (a lot like a choreographed dance!) 👯 #adhdmemes #adhdbrain #depressionandanxiety

Should be any day now 😭