Many have heard about bipolar disorder, but lots of people do not realize that there are actually two distinct types of this condition. Bipolar disorder is characterized by repeated, significant mood and behavior shifts between mania and depression.

May marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Month. Whether you’ve seen social media posts or articles about this designation, or you work at an organization that is discussing plans for the month, you might be curious about its purpose.

When you’re in a relationship, you might assume that by avoiding conflict altogether, you and your partner will be happier in the long run. Should you get into an argument, you may try to shut down the conversation as soon as possible and act like nothing happened.

As you move into the first chapter of your adult life, you might be feeling anxious and stressed about all of the changes coming your way. Perhaps you’ve just graduated from college. Now, you’re moving to a new city for a job opportunity.

Maybe you’ve been struggling with your mental health recently because you’ve been so focused on your weight. You might have been dealing with body image issues for years, and recently, it seems like your anxieties about your body have reached a fever pitch.

It’s easy to assume that if you have an anxiety disorder, you might struggle to function in everyday life. But this assumption isn’t always true. In fact, many people with anxiety still go above and beyond when it comes to managing their daily responsibilities.

Maybe you’ve found yourself questioning your gender identity for the first time in your life. Or perhaps you used to struggle with your gender identity as a child or young teen, and you tried to suppress those feelings for many years. Now, the same complicated emotions you thought you had pushed to the back burner are cropping up again. You’ve tried to silence this internal questioning. Yet even as you try to distract yourself from this sudden confusion, you can’t avoid these thoughts. Maybe you are now in college, maybe you are actually past college, and well into your adult years.

Maybe you’ve felt “different” from your peers throughout your entire life. When your friends excelled in school, you struggled to keep up with basic assignments, even in classes that you enjoyed. As your classmates found their career paths after college, you hopped from job to job, wondering if you would ever find a workplace where you truly fit. At home, you feel like you can barely keep a single room organized, let alone declutter your whole house. Getting chores done on a weekly basis feels draining. You wonder how anyone manages to keep up with these routines without collapsing into exhaustion. You look around and question how your friends and coworkers seem to “do it all” while you’re spiraling.

Maybe you know someone who is struggling with depression. Even if they haven’t specifically told you that they’ve been dealing with symptoms of depression, you’re concerned about their mental health. You might recognize the warning signs, and now you’re wondering how to best offer your help, especially now with winter holidays approaching. Whether this person is a sibling, friend, coworker, or another important person in your life, you can find a way to show them your support. Letting someone know that you are there for them will not cure their depression, but it may lift their spirits and prove to them that someone cares about their wellbeing. Here’s how you can help the people in your life who are suffering from depression.

Anxiety attacks can catch you off guard at the most inopportune moments. You might become overcome with anxiety when you’re at a party with a friend, while you’re presenting a report at work, or while driving. In the past, activities like these might not have made you feel particularly anxious. But lately, any mildly stressful situation can send you spiraling, even if you know that you’re perfectly safe. If you’re tired of dealing with anxiety attacks, it’s worth investigating the potential root causes. Certain risk factors can make you more susceptible to anxiety attacks. Here are a few common causes of anxiety attacks that might be interfering with your quality of life.

Maybe you’ve been questioning your sexual orientation or gender identity for a while now. You know that you’re different from your peers, and whether you’ve gotten comfortable with a specific label or not, you want to open up to your family and friends about who you really are without painful repercussions. This is where therapy can help. Here’s how a therapist can support you throughout the coming out process.