A Mental Health Expert Tells Us How To Stay Stress-Free This Holiday Season
If you’re a parent or caregiver of a teen reader, they may have come across spicy novels either on their social media feed (ones like “Heated Rivalry” are hard to miss) or right in the bookstore. They very well could be reading them, too. There’s a variety of reactions parents might find themselves having to this scenario, but it’s important to keep in mind that there are many reasons teens could be drawn to these types of books. (And, if we’re being honest, many of us can probably remember reading “spicy” books in secret as teens ourselves.)
Everyone experiences worry from time to time. For some, worry becomes constant, a mental loop that interrupts sleep, focus, and daily life. Overthinking can make even small decisions feel overwhelming, leaving people exhausted and anxious. Chronic worry is more than just “thinking too much.” It’s a persistent state of heightened alertness, often tied to underlying anxiety, perfectionism, or past experiences. Understanding why it happens is the first step toward managing it.
Feeling distant doesn’t always mean being alone. Sometimes it means sitting in a room full of people and feeling like a ghost... unseen, disconnected, and quietly overwhelmed. In this episode, we talk with therapist and practice owner Lily Thrope about what emotional distance really looks like, why it so often shows up during the holidays, and why loneliness is one of the most misunderstood feelings we carry.
