“Self-medication” with marijuana has been an ongoing issue for decades. With the recent legalization of controlled cannabis sales in Canada, however, there may be some confusion amongst youth as to the safety and advisability of marijuana use. Many people – youth included – are under the misunderstanding that cannabis is a blanket “cure” or “remedy”...
While it might seem silly to some, it is well documented that sunlight is a large influencer on the mental health of people young and old alike. The common term for when you start to feel blue when hours of sunlight begin to drop in the winter months is Seasonal Affective Disorder. Studies have...
Back-to-school is often a very exciting time for students – a time when they can see their friends again, show off their new wardrobe, and take the new classes that they have been looking forward to since the summer. But school can also be a time when a young person’s depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder...
Teenage Self-Harming Seeing evidence of your child self-harming, or hurting themselves with intention, can be a terrifying experience for a parent. In addition to the fear, you may be unsure of what to do or say, and want desperately to stop the behaviour. This is a common experience for many parents, as the instances of self-harm...
“My kid is a little OCD.” A teacher recently told us about hearing a parent utter these words. A lot of people use this or similar verbiage, it turns out, to describe quirks or mannerisms which mimic Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. People may use this kind of phrase to describe someone who seems to...
“Does my son need therapy?” “Should I get my daughter counselling?” There are questions we’re asked all the time here at Capital Choice Counselling in Ottawa. The series of events – or the long, gradual decline – that brought you to this place is significant and shouldn’t be diminished in any way. Chances are, if...
Blueprints. We need them to plan and create buildings, which in turn provide us with shelter and functionality for years. In addition to literal blueprints, though, what about the figurative blueprints that guide our lives? Without a blueprint, without a plan, where would we end up? Directionless, unsure of where we were going and probably...
Do you have trouble sleeping? Have you found yourself tired and lethargic at school? Unable to focus in class? “Dragging” by the end of the day, or sooner? If so, you’re not alone. A recent study found that 75% of young adults aren’t getting enough sleep. You’ve probably heard people (parent and teachers) tell you...
What’s the difference between shyness and social anxiety? Though this might sound like the setup for a bad joke, social anxiety disorder is nothing to laugh about. It’s rough out there for anyone who suffers from this insidious, often-overlooked condition, feeling a fear of going out into society and being amongst people on a day-to-day...
With exam time approaching, many students find themselves stressed – more than usual, even. Is it the pressure to do well? Do youth feel a burden placed by society (teachers, parents, et al)? Perhaps its in our competitive nature as human beings? Whatever the reasons, a clear link exists between exams and anxiety. We’ll delve...
