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Do you ever think, “No matter how much sleep I get, I can’t wake up?” While occasional sleepiness in the morning is normal, especially if you’ve had a busy week or stayed up a little too late, constantly being unable to get up in the morning can sometimes be a sign of a mental health problem.

In addition, disturbed sleeping patterns can worsen your mental health and exacerbate existing mental illnesses.

Because disturbed sleep can be a sign of or contributor to a mental health problem, you should never ignore a chronic inability to get up in the morning. Whether you sleep right through your alarm or lie in bed too exhausted to get up, there are solutions you can implement once you understand the underlying cause of your sleepiness.

What It Means When You Can’t Wake Up

Are you wondering why you can’t get up in the morning or what the underlying cause of your drowsiness could be? There can be a variety of reasons why can’t wake up in the morning and some may require more immediate medical attention than others.

Possible Medical Conditions

If you are struggling to wake up in the morning, it’s important to rule out medical conditions such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and chronic fatigue syndrome. If you have been diagnosed with one of these conditions, your inability to get out of bed may be related to your diagnosis.

In this case, a medical professional may prescribe medication or another treatment plan to help with this specific problem.

Sleep paralysis is another condition that can wreak havoc with your ability to wake up. This is a temporary paralysis that typically occurs when you wake up or fall asleep, but it can also happen at other times. Terrifying hallucinations and feelings of dread sometimes accompany it.

Mental Health Reasons You Can’t Wake Up

If it seems like you can’t wake up no matter how much sleep you get, it might also be related to a mental disorder. Below are some mental health conditions that may affect your ability to wake up in the morning.

Depression

If you are struggling to wake up in the morning, there is a chance that you may be living with depression. Other symptoms of depression include:

• Feelings of sadness
• Emptiness and hopelessness throughout the day
• Changes in appetite or sleep patterns

If you think your inability to wake up might be related to this condition, reaching out to a professional is important. Effective treatments can help, including psychotherapy, medication, and lifestyle changes.

Anxiety

Mental health conditions such as anxiety may also affect your ability to wake up. Research indicates that around 50% of people with anxiety experience sleep disturbances.

People who struggle with this condition often feel stressed and overwhelmed during the day, which can cause sleep problems at night. This means that you might not be able to fall asleep or stay asleep for an extended period of time each night, making it difficult to wake up the next morning.

Bipolar Disorder

Another potential mental illness that can make it hard to wake up in the morning is bipolar disorder, a condition characterized by extreme mood swings.

The highs and lows that come with it can cause sleep problems at night. This is because your sleep schedule may shift dramatically over a short period, either due to depressive or manic episodes.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder is another mental health condition that can make it difficult to wake up in the morning. People with this condition often have a harder time falling asleep at night and experience greater sleepiness during the day.

While this condition impacts people throughout the year, people who are more susceptible will notice their symptoms become worse during the winter months when there is less sunlight available. This means you might sleep for longer periods of time at night and have difficulty waking up when it is morning.

ADHD

People who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may also find it difficult to wake up in the morning. This is because they may tend to sleep for shorter periods and feel as if they haven’t gotten enough sleep when waking up.

PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can also cause you to sleep for more extended periods at night and have more difficulty waking up. This is because people with PTSD often experience nightmares or flashbacks that disrupt their ability to get a good night’s rest, causing them to feel tired the following day.

Sleep disturbances are a symptom of PTSD, affecting between 70% and 90% of people with the condition. Research also suggests that sleep disorders are connected to the onset and maintenance of the condition.

Impact on Mental Health

The relationship between sleep and mental health is bidirectional. People with psychological disorders often experience sleep problems, but evidence also indicates that sleep disturbances can also play a part in causing mental conditions.

While mental health conditions can make it hard to wake up, being unable to wake up can also affect your mental health. Below is a list of some possible impacts that struggling to wake up may have on you:

• Decreased energy levels throughout the day, making it more difficult for you to complete tasks and get things done
• Increased feelings of sadness or depression due to not being able to meet your expectations
• Negative self-talk about how you cannot accomplish everyday tasks, such as waking up in the morning
• De-stabilized circadian rhythms, which result in you feeling even more tired and unable to wake up
• Increased irritability towards others since waking up is taking an emotional toll on you

Tips for When You Can’t Wake Up

If a mental health condition is making it hard for you to wake up, even if it feels like you are getting plenty of sleep each night, below are some tips to help you cope:

Get Support

If you are struggling to wake up each morning, it can be helpful to enlist the help of friends, family, and health professionals.

• Talk to a friend or family member you trust and let them know what is going on with you so that they can provide support.
• Treat the underlying mental health condition. If another mental health condition causes your inability to wake up, seek treatment from a professional.
• Talk to your doctor: If other methods haven’t help, discuss your symptoms with your primary care doctor. They can evaluate your symptoms and rule out medical conditions that might contribute to them.

Practice Healthy Habits

Sleep issues often benefit from adopting some healthy habits. Your overall physical health can play a role in the quality and duration of your sleep.

• Take naps to catch up on sleep if you can’t sleep at night because of your mental health condition.
• Ensure you eat healthy foods throughout the day, so your body will have the energy it needs when morning comes around.
• Exercise during the day. This helps release endorphins which make sleeping easier when nighttime comes around. Studies show that people who exercise tend to experience less insomnia and may also have more energy when it comes time for them to wake up.
• Limit caffeine intake in the afternoon and evening hours. Research has shown that consuming caffeinated beverages within six hours of when you want to go to bed makes it harder for you to fall asleep.
• Avoid alcohol. Drinking too much before bedtime will make it harder for you to fall asleep and interfere with your natural hormone levels regulating sleep and wakefulness.

Adjust Your Sleep Hygiene

Practicing good sleep hygiene is essential for falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up well-rested. If you often feel as if you can’t wake up in the morning, consider trying some of the following tips:

• Create a calming bedtime routine. Doing things like taking a warm bath or reading before bed; this will help prepare your body and mind for restful sleep.
• If you tend to have an erratic bedtime, try to reset your circadian rhythm by going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day. This might mean waking up early on weekends so that you can maintain a regular schedule on the other days of the week.
• Limit your exposure to screens before bedtime. This means no TVs, computers, or phones for an hour before you go to sleep. Light from these devices inhibits melatonin release, interfering with REM (rapid eye movement) sleep that helps regulate moods. It also disrupts circadian rhythms by stimulating cortisol production instead of letting it drop naturally.

Other Strategies That Can Help

Adjusting your expectations and trying different tools and techniques to manage your morning wake-up routine can also be helpful.

• Be realistic in terms of meeting your expectations for waking up each day. This means not setting yourself up for failure by expecting too much from yourself during tough times.
• Keep a journal next to your bed. If you have trouble falling asleep at night due to worrying, writing about what bothers you will help relieve some anxiety. Making a plan for the next day will also ensure your morning goes smoother.
• Use a daylight alarm clock. This is a type of clock with a light that turns on gradually so you can wake up more naturally and feel less groggy compared to when using your phone alarm or other electronic alarms.
• Light therapy boxes can be helpful. They emit a bright light that is similar to the sun. This helps regulate your internal clock and ease depression or anxiety that can keep you from falling asleep or waking up.
• Set multiple alarms. Plug in your phone across the room (so you have to get up to turn it off) and set multiple alarms 15 minutes apart. If the alarm goes off, get up for a few minutes and do something before going back to bed such as taking your morning medication. This will help reduce how long it takes for you to wake up since your body won’t be in deep sleep anymore when each subsequent alarm goes off.

If you struggle with not waking up, it may be time to get help. There can be many reasons for this, and there is no shame in getting the support you need. Whether your struggle stems from a mental health condition or life stressors, find someone who will listen without judgment.

The law of attraction is a philosophy suggesting that positive thoughts bring positive results into a person’s life, while negative thoughts bring negative outcomes. In other words, a positive mindset will attract more success and happiness than a negative one. And this “law” applies to all areas of life including health, finances, and relationships.

Based on these lofty promises, it begs the question: Is the law of attraction real? The law of attraction has generated lots of attention in the past decade or more due to books like “The Secret,” by Rhonda Byrne but it’s worth investigating further—it’s not some magical energy bringing you good fortune, it’s all about psychology and your mindset.

The Laws of Attraction

How does the law of attraction work? Essentially, the energy of your thoughts manifest your experiences. So positive thoughts manifest positive experiences and vice versa. Advocates suggest there are central universal principles that make up the law of attraction:

• Like attracts like: This law suggests that similar things are attracted to one another. It means that people tend to attract people who are similar to them—but it also suggests that people’s thoughts tend to attract similar results. Negative thinking is believed to attract negative experiences, while positive thinking is believed to produce desirable experiences.
• Nature abhors a vacuum: This law of attraction suggests that removing negative things from your life can make space for more positive things to take their place. It is based on the notion that it is impossible to have a completely empty space in your mind and in your life. Since something will always fill this space, it is important to fill that space with positivity, proponents of this philosophy say.
• The present is always perfect: This law focuses on the idea that there are always things you can do to improve the present moment. While it might always seem like the present is somehow flawed, this law proposes that, rather than feeling dread or unhappiness, you should focus your energy on finding ways to make the present moment the best that it can be.

How to Use the Law of Attraction

So how do you get started with the law of attraction? According to this philosophy, you create your own reality. What you focus on is what you draw into your life. It suggests that what you believe will happen in your life is what does happen.

Some things that you can do to incorporate the law of attraction into your own life include:

• Be grateful
• Visualize your goals
• Look for the positives in a situation
• Learn how to identify negative thinking
• Use positive affirmations
• Reframe negative events in a more positive way

While the law of attraction may not be an immediate solution for all of life’s challenges, it can help you learn to cultivate a more optimistic outlook on life. It may also help you stay motivated to continue working toward your goals.

Relationships

You can use some elements of the law of attraction to work toward your relationship goals. One way to do this is to become more aware of the things that might be holding you back when it comes to allowing love in your life.

If you notice that issues like a fear of vulnerability keep you from forging strong romantic connections, you can start taking steps to overcome those fears. Approaching your relationships with positivity may help you form healthier relationships.

Work

The law of attraction can also be useful for achieving your professional goals. While people sometimes mistakenly believe that simply thinking positively about your career aspirations will manifest positive changes, the key is to use your long-term goals to make specific, concrete changes in the present that will help you take steps toward your goals.

For example, simply hoping for higher pay isn’t enough. Taking actions such as acquiring marketable skills, seeking promotions, or even pursuing a new position are steps you can take that will pay off in the future. According to the law of attraction, focusing your energy in positive ways will bring positive changes to your life in the future.

Money

Manifesting financial changes in your life requires small steps and steady progress. Instead of simply wishing for more, it’s important to assess your financial life and set goals for what you want to achieve both now and in the future. 

The law of attraction encourages people to shift from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. Instead of focusing on what you lack, practice feeling gratitude for what you have. In doing so, you’ll be better prepared as you work toward your financial goals and take advantage of the opportunities presented.

Impact of the Law of Attraction

While the law of attraction lacks scientific support, proponents suggest that it can produce positive changes in a person’s life. Some reasons why people may experience benefits from this philosophy include:

Spiritual Effects

The law of attraction may produce results because it taps into people’s spirituality. Spirituality itself is connected to a variety of health benefits including reduced stress, better health, lower depression, and better overall well-being.

Many people believe that this philosophy works by aligning God or the universe with our wishes. This notion suggests that people are all made of energy, and this energy operates at different frequencies. Because of this, it is important to change the frequency of energy with positive thoughts, especially gratitude for what we already have.

By using grateful, positive thoughts and feelings and by focusing on our dreams rather than our frustrations, we can change the frequency of our energy, and the law of attraction brings positive things into our lives. What we attract depends on where and how we focus our attention, but we must believe that it’s already ours or soon will be.

Better Well-Being

Utilizing the law of attraction may also bring about positive impacts on mental well-being. By focusing on attaining a new reality, and by believing it is possible, we tend to take more risks, notice more opportunities, and open ourselves up to new possibilities. Conversely, when we don’t believe that something is in the realm of possibilities for us, we tend to let opportunities pass by unnoticed.

When we believe we don’t deserve good things, we behave in ways that sabotage our chances of happiness. By changing our self-talk and feelings about life, we reverse the negative patterns in our lives and create more positive, productive, and healthy ones. One good thing leads to another, and the direction of a life can shift from a downward spiral to an upward ascent.

“Our thoughts influence our emotions and behaviors, so we need to be mindful of the words we use when speaking to ourselves. Our self-talk can become our reality,” says Rachel Goldman, PhD

One of the foundations of many types of therapy is that changing your self-talk can change your life in a positive direction. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a widely used and effective treatment for many conditions, is based on the idea that identifying and changing automatic negative thoughts can produce positive effects and help people achieve better mental well-being.

Golman continues, “And if we are feeling good, that shows! When we feel good about ourselves, we present ourselves differently and we become like a magnet and attract others with similar energy.” 

Tips for Practicing the Law of Attraction

There are some exercises that can help you learn to put the law of attraction into practice in your own life. Some ideas include:

• Journaling: Writing down your thoughts can help you better learn to recognize your habitual thought patterns to see whether you tend toward optimism or pessimism and learn more about changing negative patterns of thought.
• Make a mood board: Create a visual reminder that helps you maintain a positive mindset, stay motivated, and focus on your goals.
• Practice acceptance: Instead of focusing on what is wrong about the present or what needs to be changed, work on accepting things as they are. This doesn’t mean that you won’t continue to work toward a better future, it just means that you won’t get bogged down by wishing for things to be different right now.
• Practice positive self-talk: If you struggle with being overly self-critical, set a goal to engage in positive self-talk each day. Over time, this may come much more easily and you may find that it is harder to maintain a negative mindset.

Potential Pitfalls of the Law of Attraction

One problem with books such as “The Secret” as well as with some people’s interpretation of the law of attraction is that it suggests it’s the belief that good things will come to us that will bring us all that we desire, without any sort of action behind that belief.

It is the optimistic viewpoint that drives proactive behaviors that, in turn, bring optimists such great results in their lives. Optimists don’t receive their benefits from their attitudes alone—it’s the behavior the attitudes inspire that creates real change.

In order for beliefs to affect behavior, it is important to also have things such as:

• Goals
• Mindfulness
• Commitment
• Motivation
• Timelines
• Challenges
• Support

Critics of “The Secret” and other books about the law of attraction also point out the very real concern that people may start to blame themselves for negative events that are outside their control, such as accidents and injuries, layoffs due to a financial downturn, or major illnesses.

We can’t always control our circumstances, but we can control our responses to them. In this vein, the law of attraction can provide the optimism and proactive attitude associated with resilience in difficult situations, but it must not be used as a tool of self-blame.

History

While the law of attraction has received quite a bit of attention in recent years, the concept is not exactly new. These ideas have philosophical roots that date back to the early 19th-century approach known as “New Thought.”

There was a resurgence of interest in the idea during the 20th century, particularly with the 2006 release of the film “The Secret,” which was then later developed into the best-selling book of the same title and its 2010 sequel “The Power.”

ENFP is an acronym that stands for Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving. The ENFP personality type is one of the 16 different types identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

If you’re an ENFP, people have probably described you as enthusiastic, charismatic, charming, energetic, and independent. ENFPs are also creative, so they typically do best in situations where they have the freedom to create and innovate.

“ENFP types are very gregarious, love exploring, make empathetic leaders and parents, are highly motivated, and are good at understanding and communicating with people. However, they’re oftentimes driven by a lack of self-confidence and have a very difficult time with strong emotions, stress, and conflict,” says Christopher Hansen, a licensed professional counselor at Thriveworks in Austin, TX.

There are two subtypes of ENFPs: ENFP-A and ENFP-T.

• ENFP-A: Someone who is an ENFP-A is also known as an “Assertive Campaigner.” This ENFP subtype tends to be more confident and has more emotional control in their relationships.
• ENFP-T: ENFP-Ts are known as “Turbulent Campaigners” and often have less confidence and less emotional control, also experiencing more anxiety when dealing with everyday stress.

Key ENFP Characteristics

Having an ENFP personality means that you likely have the following strengths and weaknesses:

• ENFPs have excellent people skills. In addition to having an abundance of enthusiasm, they genuinely care about others and are good at understanding what people are feeling. This can make them attractive to be around.
• Given their zeal, charisma, and creativity, ENFPs can make great leaders. They are flexible and like to keep their options open. ENFPs can be spontaneous and highly adaptable to change.
• People with an ENFP personality type strongly dislike routine and prefer to focus on the future. They can become easily distracted, particularly when working on something that seems boring or uninspiring.
• While ENFPs are great at generating new ideas, their weaknesses can include putting off important tasks until the last minute and being disorganized. Dreaming up ideas but not seeing them through to completion is a common issue for an ENFP.

“This personality type places are good amount of focus on emotions and values and relationships are very important to them,” says Hansen.

ENFP Cognitive Functions

Each personality type is composed of four cognitive functions that relate to how they process information and make decisions. The first two functions (dominant and auxiliary) play the most obvious role in personality. The latter two (tertiary and inferior) also play a role, although their influence may only arise in certain settings or situations.

Here are the dominant, auxiliary, tertiary, and inferior cognitive functions for the ENFP personality type.

Dominant: Extraverted Intuition

Extraverted intuition means that ENFPs generally focus on the world of possibilities. They are good at abstract thinking and prefer not to concentrate on tiny details. People with this personality type are also inventive and focused on the future.

Because of this dominant function, ENFPs are good at seeing things as they could be rather than focusing on what they are. They have a natural tendency to focus on relationships and are skilled at finding patterns and connections between people, situations, and ideas.

Auxiliary: Introverted Feeling

When making decisions, ENFPs place a greater value on feelings and values rather than logic and objective criteria. They tend to follow their heart, empathize with others, and let their emotions guide their decisions.

ENFPs have a strong desire to be true to themselves and their values. In an ideal world, there would be congruence between that world and their values.

Tertiary: Extraverted Thinking

This cognitive function is centered on logically organizing information and ideas. The ENFP may use this function to sort through disparate data to efficiently spot connections. For example, an ENFP might “think out loud” when working through a problem, laying out all the information to create an easily followed train of thought.

Inferior: Introverted Sensing

ENFPs express this function by comparing the things they are experiencing at the moment to past experiences. In doing so, they are often able to call to mind memories, feelings, and senses that they associate with those events. This allows the ENFP to identify patterns and form expectations for future events based on previous experiences.

Personal Relationships With ENFPs

ENFPs are extraverts, which means that they love spending time with others. As extraverts, they are also naturally upbeat and gregarious. Socializing actually gives an ENFP more energy, helping them to feel more renewed, refreshed, and excited about life.

While other types of extraverts tend to dislike solitude, ENFPs do have a need for some alone time. This gives them space to think and reflect.

ENFPs tend to be warm and passionate in relationships. They are always seeking growth and ways to make their partnerships stronger. ENFPs also tend to be attentive and spontaneous. Their willingness to take risks can sometimes be stressful for those who love them.

Career Paths for an ENFP

People with an ENFP personality do best in jobs that offer a lot of flexibility. Because they are empathetic and interested in people, ENFPs also do well in service-oriented careers. They may benefit from avoiding careers that involve completing a lot of detailed, routine tasks. 

When choosing a career path, it can help to understand the potential strengths and weaknesses of your personality type. At the same time, you should not base your career decisions solely on your MBTI results as this test’s reliability and validity are unclear when applied to certain groups.

Tips for Interacting With ENFPs

If you regularly interact with an ENFP personality, here are a few tips based on your relationship type.

Friendships

ENFPs make fun and exciting friends. They enjoy doing new things and usually have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. ENFPs are perceptive of other people’s feelings and can figure people out quite quickly. You can help your ENFP friends by being the emotional support they need to achieve their goals.

Parenting

Because ENFPs dislike routine and may struggle with structure and limits, their children may perceive them as being inconsistent. That said, ENFP parents typically have strong, loving relationships with their kids and are good at imparting their sense of values.

Parents of ENFP children may find that their child has a strong sense of imagination and a great deal of enthusiasm for life. Your ENFP child’s energy may seem overwhelming at times, but looking for ways to help them explore their creativity helps put these personality traits to good use.

Relationships

ENFPs tend to be passionate and enthusiastic in romantic relationships. But long-term relationships can sometimes hit a snag because people with an ENFP personality type are always thinking about what is possible rather than focusing on the good in things as they are.

To keep the romance alive, look for new ways to keep things fresh and bring excitement into your relationship. Travel and new experiences can help with this and keep the ENFP partner engaged in the relationship and connected to their partner.

You’ll have many different types of relationships throughout your life, from friendships to family bonds to romantic partnerships. Each type comes with different expectations, benefits, and challenges. Since interpersonal relationships and social support are so vital for physical and mental well-being, understanding these various relationships and how to keep them healthy is essential.

Defining Different Types of Relationships

A relationship is any connection between two people, which can be either positive or negative.

You can have a relationship with a wide range of people, including family and friends. The phrase “being in a relationship,” while often linked with romantic relationships, can refer to various associations one person has with another.

To “be in a relationship” doesn’t always mean there is physical intimacy, emotional attachment, and/or commitment involved. People engage in many different types of relationships that have unique characteristics.

1. Platonic Relationships

A platonic relationship is a type of friendship that involves a close, intimate bond without sex or romance. These relationships tend to be characterized by:

• Closeness
• Fondness
• Understanding
• Respect
• Care
• Support
• Honesty 
• Acceptance

Platonic relationships can occur in a wide range of settings and can involve same-sex or opposite-sex friendships. You might form a platonic relationship with a classmate or co-worker, or you might make a connection with a person in another setting such as a club, athletic activity, or volunteer organization you are involved in.

This type of relationship can play an essential role in providing social support, which is essential for your health and well-being. Research suggests that platonic friendships can help reduce your risk for disease, lower your risk for depression or anxiety, and boost your immunity.

2.  Romantic Relationships

Romantic relationships are those characterized by feelings of love and attraction for another person. While romantic love can vary, it often involves feelings of infatuation, intimacy, and commitment. 

Experts have come up with a variety of different ways to describe how people experience and express love. For example, psychologist Robert Sternberg suggests three main components of love: passion, intimacy, and decision/commitment. Romantic love, he explains, is a combination of passion and intimacy.

Romantic relationships tend to change over time.:

• Honeymoon phase: At the start of a relationship when people are first falling in love, people typically experience stronger feelings of passion. During this initial infatuation period, the brain releases specific neurotransmitters (dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin) that cause people to feel euphoric and “in love.” 
• Conflict phase: Over time, these feelings start to lessen in intensity. People start to notice their partner’s flaws, and conflicts may start to come up. This stage is important for helping people learn to navigate relationship challenges.
• Commitment phase: As the relationship matures, people develop deeper levels of emotional intimacy and understanding.  

3. Codependent Relationships

A codependent relationship is an imbalanced, dysfunctional type of relationship in which a partner has an emotional, physical, or mental reliance on the other person.

It is also common for both partners to be mutually co-dependent on each other. Both may take turns enacting the caretaker role, alternating between the caretaker and the receiver of care.

Characteristics of a codependent relationship include:

• Acting as a giver while the other person acts as a taker
• Going to great lengths to avoid conflict with the other person
• Feeling like you have to ask permission to do things
• Having to save or rescue the other person from their own actions
• Doing things to make someone happy, even if they make you uncomfortable
• Feeling like you don’t know who you are in the relationship
• Elevating the other person even if they’ve done nothing to earn your goodwill and admiration

Not all codependent relationships are the same, however. They can vary in terms of severity. Codependency can impact all different types of relationships, including relationships between romantic partners, parents and children, friendship, other family members, and even coworkers.

Someone who feels more comfortable being needed, for instance, may avoid focusing on their own needs by choosing a partner who constantly needs them.

4. Casual Relationships

Casual relationships often involve dating relationships that may include sex without expectations of monogamy or commitment. However, experts suggest that the term is vague and can mean different things to different people. 

Researchers suggest that casual relationships can encompass situations such as:

Such relationships often exist on a continuum that varies in the levels of frequency of contact, type of contact, amount of personal disclosure, discussion of the relationship, and degree of friendship. The study found that people with more sexual experience were better able to identify the definitions of these labels compared to people with less sexual experience.

Casual relationships are often common among young adults. As long as casual relationships are marked by communication and consent, they can have several sex-positive benefits. They can satisfy the need for sex, intimacy, connection, and companionship without the emotional demands and energy commitment of a more serious relationship.

5. Open Relationships

An open relationship is a type of consensually non-monogamous relationship in which one or more partners have sex or relationships with other people. Both people agree to have sex with other people in an open relationship but may have certain conditions or limitations.

Open relationships can take place in any type of romantic relationship, whether casual, dating, or married. 

The likelihood of engaging in an open relationship also depends on gender and sexual orientation. Men reported having higher numbers of open relationships compared to women; people who identify as gay, lesbian, and bisexual were more likely to report previous engagement in open relationships compared to those who identify as heterosexual.

Such relationships can have benefits, including increased sexual freedom, and pitfalls, such as jealousy and emotional pain. Open relationships are more successful when couples establish personal, emotional, and sexual boundaries and clearly communicate their feelings and needs.

6. Toxic Relationships

A toxic relationship is any type of interpersonal relationship where your emotional, physical, or psychological well-being is undermined or threatened in some way. Such relationships often leave you feeling ashamed, humiliated, misunderstood, or unsupported.

Any type of relationship can be toxic, including friendships, family relationships, romantic relationships, or workplace relationships.

Sometimes all people in a relationship play a role in creating this toxicity. For example, you may be contributing to toxicity if you are all consistently unkind, critical, insecure, and negative.

In other cases, one person in a relationship may behave in ways that create toxic feelings. This may be intentional, but in other cases, people may not fully understand how they are affecting other people. Because of their past experiences with relationships, often in their home growing up, they may not know any other way of acting and communicating.

This doesn’t just create discontentment—toxic relationships can take a serious toll on your health.

For example, according to one study, stress caused by negative relationships has a direct impact on cardiovascular health. Feeling isolated and misunderstood in a relationship can also lead to loneliness, which has been shown to have detrimental effects on both physical and mental health.

Toxic relationships can be stressful, harmful, and even abusive. If you are in a toxic relationship with someone in your life, work on creating strong boundaries to protect yourself. Talk to a mental health professional or consider terminating the relationship if it is causing you harm.

How to Identify Types of Relationships in Your Life

How you define your relationship depends on various factors, including what matters to you and how the other person feels. To define your relationship, it can be helpful to ask a few questions:

• Do you have romantic feelings for one another?
• What does each person hope to get out of the relationship?
• How much time do you want to spend together?
• Where do you see the relationship going?
• Are you currently involved with or want to be involved with other people?

Figuring out what matters to you and your partner is an important step in defining the type of relationships you are interested in having. You might find that you are both on the same page or discover that you want different things out of your relationship. 

Tips for Keeping Every Type of Relationship Healthy

No matter what type of relationship you have with another person(s), it is important for it to be a healthy one. Healthy relationships are characterized by trust, mutual respect, openness, honesty, and affection. Good communication is also a key factor.

Strategies that can help include:

• Showing appreciation and gratitude
• Communicating openly and honestly
• Being affectionate and showing that you care 
• Mutual respect 
• Actively listening
• Showing interest in each other
• Being supportive and encouraging
• Feeling empathy for each other
• Spending time together
• Having healthy boundaries
• Being trustworthy

Communication is often the single most important thing in a relationship. Good relationships are also marked by honesty, trust, and reciprocity. This doesn’t mean that the relationship is purely transactional; it indicates that you naturally engage in a give-and-take that provides mutually beneficial support.

But if a relationship is causing stress or shows signs of being toxic, look for ways to establish clear boundaries, talk to a therapist, or even consider ending the relationship if it is taking too much of a toll on your well-being.

People often look for good character in others, whether they are employees, students, friends, or potential dating partners. According to positive psychology, good character is exemplified by 24 widely valued character strengths.

Learn how the idea of these character strengths came about, how they are organized, and how to assess which strengths a person may possess. We also share ways to maximize one’s character strengths, enabling a person to live to their fullest potential.

History of the 24 Character Strengths

The notion of character strengths was first introduced by psychologists Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson. Seligman and Neal Mayerson, another psychologist, created the Values In Action (VIA) Institute on Character, which uses the VIA Inventory of Strengths developed by Peterson to identify people’s positive character strengths.

A character strength inventory can identify both a person’s strengths and ways they can use those strengths in their life. Building on one’s positive character strengths can help them improve their life and emotional well-being, as well as address the challenges and difficulties they are facing.

It’s also important to note that the 24 character strengths that these tools identify have been studied across cultures. These strengths are important components of individual and social well-being globally, with different strengths predicting different outcomes.

For instance, intellectual, emotional, and interpersonal character strengths can help a person better cope with work-related stressors, ultimately impacting their level of job satisfaction. Interventions that help build character strengths can also improve the psychological well-being of people with chronic illnesses.

Classification of Character Strengths

The 24 character strengths are divided into six classes of virtues: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Here is a closer look at the six virtues and the positive character strengths that are grouped with each of them.

Wisdom

Those who score high in the area of wisdom tend to have character strengths that lead them to acquire knowledge and use it in creative and useful ways. The core wisdom character strengths are:

• Creativity: Thinking of new ways to do things
• Curiosity: Taking an interest in a wide variety of topics
• Open-mindedness: Examining things from all sides; thinking things through
• Love of learning: Mastering new topics, skills, and bodies of research
• Perspective: Being able to provide wise counsel to others; looking at the world in a way that makes sense

Courage

People who score high in courage have emotional character strengths that allow them to accomplish goals despite any opposition they face—whether internal or external. The character strengths associated with courage are:

• Honesty: Speaking the truth; being authentic and genuine
• Bravery: Embracing challenges, difficulties, or pain; not shrinking from threat
• Persistence: Finishing things once they are started
• Zest: Approaching all things in life with energy and excitement

Humanity

Those who score high in humanity have a range of interpersonal character strengths that involve caring for and befriending others. These core character strengths are:

• Kindness: Doing favors and good deeds
• Love: Valuing close relations with others
• Social intelligence: Being aware of other people’s motives and feelings

Justice

People who are strong in justice tend to possess civic strengths that underscore the importance of a healthy community. The character strengths in the justice group are:

• Fairness: Treating all people the same
• Leadership: Organizing group activities and making sure they happen
• Teamwork: Working well with others as a group or a team

Temperance

Those who score high in temperance tend to have strengths that protect against the excesses in life. These strengths are:

• Forgiveness: Forgiving others who have wronged them
• Modesty: Letting one’s successes and accomplishments stand on their own
• Prudence: Avoiding doing things they might regret; making good choices
• Self-regulation: Being disciplined; controlling one’s appetites and emotions

Transcendence

People who are strong in transcendence tend to forge connections with God, the universe, or religions that provide meaning, purpose, and understanding. The core positive character strengths associated with transcendence are:

• Appreciation of beauty: Noticing and appreciating beauty and excellence in everything
• Gratitude: Being thankful for the good things; taking time to express thanks
• Hope: Expecting the best; working to make it happen; believing good things are possible
• Humor: Making other people smile or laugh; enjoying jokes
• Religiousness: Having a solid belief about a higher purpose and meaning of life

How Character Strengths Are Assessed

A person’s character strengths can be determined using one of two inventories. The VIA Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) is for people aged 18 and older, while the VIA Inventory of Strengths—Youth Version (VIA-Youth) is designed for kids and teens aged 10 to 17.

The goal behind the classification of strengths is to focus on what is right about people rather than pathologize what is wrong with them. It’s important to point out that people typically have varying degrees of each positive character strength. In other words, they will be high in some strengths, average in some, and low in others.

The VIA Institute on Character stresses that the traits not included as signature strengths are not necessarily weaknesses, but rather lesser strengths in comparison to the others. Likewise, the top five strengths should not be rigidly interpreted because there are usually no meaningful differences in their magnitudes.

Uses for Character Strengths

One of the main reasons for assessing positive character strengths is to use this information to better understand, identify, and build on these strengths. For example, identifying and harnessing character strengths can help young people experience greater academic success. It can also help people increase feelings of happiness.

Knowing a person’s character strengths provides a lens through which psychologists, educators, and even parents can look. It helps them see not only what makes a person unique but also enables them to better understand how to help that person build on those strengths to improve their situations or outcomes.

For example, one strategy involves encouraging people to use their signature strengths in a new way each week. Studies have found that taking this approach can lead to increases in happiness and decreases in depression. Another approach involves focusing on a person’s lowest-rated character strengths in an attempt to enhance those areas of their lives.

Parenting styles are constructs used to describe the different strategies parents tend to utilize when raising children. These styles encompass parents’ behaviors and attitudes and the emotional environment in which they raise their children.

Developmental psychologists have long been interested in how parents affect child development. However, finding actual cause-and-effect links between specific actions of parents and the later behavior of children is very difficult.

Some children raised in dramatically different environments can grow up to have remarkably similar personalities. Conversely, children who share a home and are raised in the same environment can grow up to have very different personalities.

Despite these challenges, researchers have posited that there are links between parenting styles and the effects these styles have on children. And some suggest these effects carry over into adult behavior.

The Four Parenting Styles

In the 1960s, psychologist Diana Baumrind conducted a study on more than 100 preschool-age children. Using naturalistic observation, parental interviews, and other research methods, she identified important dimensions of parenting.

These dimensions include disciplinary strategies, warmth and nurturing, communication styles, and expectations of maturity and control. Based on these dimensions, Baumrind suggested that the majority of parents display one of three different parenting styles. Later research by Maccoby and Martin suggested adding a fourth parenting style. Each of these has different effects on children’s behavior.

The four parenting styles identified by Baumrind and other researchers are:

• Authoritarian parenting style
• Authoritative parenting style
• Permissive parenting style
• Uninvolved parenting style

Authoritarian Parenting

In this style of parenting, children are expected to follow strict rules established by the parents. Failure to do so usually results in punishment. Authoritarian parents don’t explain the reasoning behind these rules, either. If asked to explain, the parent might simply reply, “Because I said so.”

Other common characteristics include:

• While these parents have high demands, they are not very responsive to their children.
• They expect their children to behave exceptionally and not make errors, yet they provide little direction about what they should do or avoid in the future.
• Mistakes are punished, often quite harshly, yet their children are often left wondering exactly what they did wrong.

Baumrind says these parents “are obedience- and status-oriented, and expect their orders to be obeyed without explanation.” They are often described as domineering and dictatorial. Their approach is “spare the rod, spoil the child.” They expect children to obey without question.

Authoritative Parenting

Like authoritarian parents, those with an authoritative parenting style establish rules and guidelines that their children are expected to follow. However, this parenting style is much more democratic.

Here are a few common characteristics of the authoritative parenting style:

• Authoritative parents are responsive to their children and willing to listen to questions.
• These parents expect a lot of their children but also provide warmth, feedback, and adequate support.
• When children fail to meet expectations, these parents are more nurturing and forgiving than punishing.

According to Baumrind, authoritative parents are good at setting standards and monitoring their children’s behavior. Their disciplinary methods are assertive and supportive rather than intrusive, restrictive, or punitive.

For authoritative parents, the goal is to raise children who are socially responsible, cooperative, and self-regulated. The combination of expectation and support helps children of authoritative parents develop skills such as independence, self-control, and self-regulation. 

Permissive Parenting

Permissive parents, sometimes referred to as indulgent parents, make very few demands of their children. These parents rarely discipline their children because they have relatively low expectations of maturity and self-control.​

Other common characteristics of permissive parenting are:

• Permissive parents prioritize being their child’s friend rather than being a parent.
• They are warm and attentive but tend to set few rules, rarely enforce rules, and have few expectations.
• They allow their children to make their own decisions. 

According to Baumrind, permissive parents are responsive to their children but not demanding. Because they do not expect mature behavior from their children, kids may struggle to set limits for themselves.

Permissive parents are generally nurturing and communicative with their children, often taking on the status of a friend more than a parent. On the positive side, this can help kids become more self-sufficient and independent. On the downside, it can contribute to poor self-regulation.

Uninvolved Parenting

In addition to the three major styles introduced by Baumrind, psychologists Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin proposed a fourth style: uninvolved or neglectful parenting. An uninvolved parenting style is characterized by few demands, low responsiveness, and very little communication.

Other characteristics of the uninvolved parenting style include:

• While these parents fulfill the child’s basic needs, they are generally detached from their child’s life.
• They might ensure that their kids are fed and have shelter but offer little to nothing in the way of guidance, structure, rules, or even support.
• These parents may seem indifferent, unresponsive, and dismissive.
• In some cases, these parents may reject or neglect the needs of their children. They may also be physically or emotionally abusive.

A 2019 study found that children raised by neglectful parents tend to struggle in school, experience more depression, have worse social relationships, have difficulty controlling their emotions, and experience more anxiety.

What’s Your Parenting Style?

This fast and free parenting style quiz can help you analyze the methods you’re using to parent your kids and whether or not it may be a good idea to learn some new parenting behaviors:

This parenting style quiz was reviewed by Ivy Kwong, LMFT.

The Impact of Parenting Styles

Research suggests that parenting styles can have a range of effects on children. Some areas of a child’s life that may be affected, whether in the present or the future, include:

• Academics: Parenting styles can play a part in academic achievement and motivation.
• Mental health: Parenting styles can also influence children’s mental well-being. Kids raised by authoritarian, permissive, or uninvolved parents tend to experience more anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems.
• Self-esteem: Kids raised by parents with an authoritative style tend to have stronger self-esteem than kids raised by parents with other styles.
• Social relationships: Parenting styles can impact how kids relate to other people. For example, kids raised by permissive parents are more likely to be bullied, while kids raised by authoritarian parents are more likely to bully others.
• Adult relationships: Researchers have also found that kids raised by strict, authoritarian parents may be more likely to experience emotional abuse in adult romantic relationships.

Advantages of Authoritative Parenting

Because authoritative parents are more likely to be viewed as reasonable, fair, and just, their children are more likely to comply with their parents’ requests. Also, because these parents provide rules as well as explanations for these rules, children are much more likely to internalize these lessons.

Rather than simply following the rules because they fear punishment (as they might with authoritarian parents), the children of authoritative parents are able to see why the rules exist, understand that they are fair and acceptable, and strive to follow these rules to meet their own internalized sense of what is right and wrong.

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Can You Change Your Parenting Style?

If you notice that you tend to be more authoritarian, permissive, or uninvolved, there are steps you can take to adopt a more authoritative parenting style. Strategies that may help include:

• Listen: Spend time listening to what your child has to say. Let them share their opinions, ideas, and worries with you. 
• Establish rules: Create a clear set of rules for your household and communicate your expectations to your child. In addition to telling your child what the rules are, explain why these rules exist.
• Consider your child’s input: Authoritative parents set the rules but are also willing to listen to their child’s feelings and consider them when making decisions.
• Be consistent: Enforce rules consistently, but be sure to provide consequences that are fair, proportionate, and educational. 

Developing a more authoritative parenting style takes time. With practice and consistent effort, however, you will find that your approach to parenting gradually shifts to a more supportive, involved approach that can lead to better developmental outcomes.

Limitations of Parenting Style Research

Links between parenting styles and behavior are based on correlational research, which is helpful for finding relationships between variables. However, such research cannot establish definitive cause-and-effect relationships.

Children May Affect Their Parents’ Styles

There is also evidence that a child’s behavior can impact parenting styles. One study found that when a child misbehaves, a parent’s response tends to be more variable. An interpretation of this result is that kids might misbehave not because their parents were too permissive but because parents of difficult or aggressive children gave up on trying to control their kids.

Outcomes Vary

The correlations between parenting styles and behaviors are sometimes weak, so the expected child outcomes do not materialize. For example, parents with authoritative styles may have children who are defiant or engage in delinquent behavior. Parents with permissive styles may also ave self-confident and academically successful children.

Cultural Factors Play a Role

Cultural factors also play a significant role in parenting styles and child outcomes. There isn’t a universal style of parenting that is always best. For example, while authoritarian parenting is associated with poorer academic achievement, this effect is less pronounced in Hispanic families.

When you stop drinking, various things happen to your mind and body. However, the nature and intensity of these effects can vary depending on how much and how frequently you drink. While occasional social drinking may not result in significant changes when you decide to quit, you may experience more significant effects if you have been drinking heavily for an extended time.

If you have decided that it is time to stop or reduce your alcohol consumption, knowing what happens to your body when you stop drinking can give you a better idea of what to expect.

Timeline: What Happens When You Quit Drinking?

If you’re ready to give up alcohol, and you are drinking every day, here is a timeline of what you can expect in regards to your mental and physical health when you stop drinking. If you have alcohol use disorder but only drink on weekends, know that you will also get benefits from stopping:

After One Day

The first day is always the hardest, but it’s also an important milestone. After 24 hours without alcohol, your body will start to detoxify and you may experience withdrawal symptoms.

It’s important to remember that they are only temporary and will usually subside within a few days. For individuals with severe alcohol dependence, however, withdrawal symptoms can be more severe and may require medical attention.

After Three Days

After three days, you will likely start to feel more like yourself. However, individuals who have been drinking heavily for long periods of time may still experience some symptoms of withdrawal and may even have hallucinations or delirium tremens (DTs) and seizures.

After One Week

After one week without alcohol, your risk of seizures is much less. Also, your risk of developing cardiovascular disease will start to decrease. Alcohol can increase your blood pressure and make your heart work harder. In the coming weeks, your liver will also begin to repair itself.

After One Month

A month alcohol-free is a big accomplishment. This is usually when people start to feel their best after giving up alcohol. By this point, most physical withdrawal symptoms should have subsided and you should start to feel less anxious and more positive.

The brain also begins to repair some of the damage and shrinkage you may have experienced while drinking. One study showed that after 6 weeks of abstinence from alcohol, brain volume increases by an average of 2%.

After Six Months

After half a year without drinking, you will really start to reap the rewards. Your risk of developing cancer will decrease, and your liver function will have greatly improved.

You may also begin to notice a number of improvements in your physical health. You’ll have more energy and stamina, and you may notice that your skin looks healthier.

After One Year

At this point, your risk of developing all types of disease will be reduced and your bone density will start to increase. Keep in mind that everyone is different and will experience different things when they stop drinking.

Mental Health Effects When You Stop Drinking

The mental health changes you experience when you stop drinking can include symptoms of withdrawal, difficulty sleeping, irritability, mood swings, and clearer thinking. While some of these changes can be uncomfortable for some time, they will eventually begin to improve the longer you abstain from alcohol use.

Your Body Starts to Detox

When you first stop drinking, your body will begin to detoxify itself. This can lead to withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, tremors, sweating, and nausea. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can range from mild to severe.

While not everyone who quits drinking will experience withdrawal, you are more likely to have symptoms if you have been drinking for a long time, if you drink heavily, and/or if you drink frequently. 

Some people who stop drinking may experience delirium tremens (DT). This condition is serious and may lead to symptoms such as high blood pressure, tremors, and seizures.

You May Have Trouble Sleeping

One of the most common side effects of giving up alcohol is insomnia.This is because alcohol acts as a sedative, so when it’s no longer in your system, you may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.

This may be more pronounced if you often use alcohol as a way to manage existing sleep problems. Unfortunately, while alcohol may make it seem like you are falling asleep quicker, it can also lead to worse sleep quality.

“Using alcohol to sleep can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, but during the sleep cycle the quality of sleep is poor. As the night goes on there are more awakenings and reduced amounts of REM sleep,” says Joseph Volpicelli, MD, PhD, founder and medical director of the Volpicelli Center and executive director of the Institute of Addiction Medicine. “Furthermore, consistent use of alcohol to induce sleep only increases the need to use alcohol in the future to get to sleep,” he explains.

Fortunately, reducing your alcohol use can help improve your sleep over time, although you might experience more sleep disturbances for some time after you quit.

You May Feel Irritable, Anxious, or Moody

Feeling anxious or irritable is common when you first give up alcohol. This is because alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, so when it’s no longer in your system, your body has to adjust to the change.

Along with anxiety and irritability, you may also experience mood swings when you give up alcohol.

You might notice this effect more if you were drinking to manage your mood, such as drinking to temporarily relieve negative emotions or boost positive ones.

Like other symptoms, the impact on mood depends on the amount and duration of your alcohol use. For light or moderate drinking, you might experience a more temporary, mild effect on mood. If you’ve been drinking heavily or for long periods, the impact will be more pronounced, and it will take longer for your neurotransmitter systems to restore their balance in your body.

You May Think More Clearly

Another benefit of giving up alcohol is that your mind may be clearer. This is because alcohol can cause changes in brain chemistry, which can lead to cognitive problems.

Drinking alcohol can contribute to a variety of cognitive issues, including poor memory, slow reaction time, impaired impulse control, and poor concentration. Over time, drinking can also damage nerve cells and contribute to a loss of brain volume.

“Research shows that it takes about two to four weeks for cognitive function to improve. People find themselves better able to concentrate and remember events. People are less impulsive and better able to plan and organize tasks,” Dr. Volpicelli says.

You May Feel Happier

One of the best things about giving up alcohol is that you may find yourself feeling happier overall. This is because alcohol can cause depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.

Alcohol use disorder frequently occurs alongside other mental health conditions. Pre-existing mental health conditions can sometimes lead people to turn to alcohol to cope with their symptoms. In other cases, long-term alcohol exposure can increase a person’s risk of developing a psychiatric illness.

This does not mean that a mental health condition will necessarily go aware when you stop drinking but abstaining from alcohol use can improve your symptoms and lead to better treatment outcomes.

Physical Effects When You Stop Drinking

In addition to the mental benefits you’ll experience when you stop drinking, there are also many physical benefits as well. Some of the ways that quitting drinking can improve your physical health and well-being include:

Your Liver Will Start to Repair Itself

Alcohol is a toxin that can damage your liver. However, when you stop drinking, your liver will begin to repair itself and the damage will start to reverse.

Your Appetite May Change

When you drink alcohol, even in moderate amounts, it can result in obesity. So, when you stop drinking, you may find that you have fewer cravings for food.

Your Risk of Certain Diseases Will Decrease

If you’re a heavy drinker, you’re at an increased risk of developing certain diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke. However, when you stop drinking, your risk of developing these diseases decreases.

Your Skin May Improve

One of the surprising side effects of giving up alcohol is that your skin may start to look better. This is because alcohol can cause dehydration, which can lead to dry, dull skin. So, giving up alcohol can help your skin to look more hydrated and glowing.

You May Have More Energy

Once the initial symptoms of withdrawal have subsided, you may find that you have more energy than you did before you stopped drinking. This is because alcohol is a depressant, so when it’s no longer in your system, your body has more energy to work with.

Other Benefits When You Stop Drinking

Quitting drinking can have many important benefits for your physical and mental health, but there are many other types of benefits you may experience as well.

You May Have More Money

One of the financial benefits of giving up alcohol is that you’ll likely have more money to spend. This is because alcohol is a costly habit, so giving it up can free up some extra cash.

You May Live Longer

One of the most significant benefits of giving up alcohol is that you may increase your lifespan. Alcohol misuse can lead to serious health problems like liver disease and cancer. So, giving up alcohol can help you to avoid these potentially deadly diseases.

While it has been suggested that one or two drinks per day may have health benefits, one meta-analysis found that even moderate intake has serious health risks. Women who had two or more drinks per day and men who had four or more drinks per day had significantly increased mortality.

Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction have determined that there is not safe amount of alcohol.

You May Feel More Productive

One of the unexpected benefits of giving up alcohol is that you may find yourself more productive than before. This is because alcohol can cause fatigue and decreased motivation, so when you stop drinking, you may find it easier to get things done.

You May have Better Relationships

Alcohol can cause problems in relationships, such as conflicts, communication problems, and trust issues. So, giving up alcohol may help you to improve your relationships with friends and family.

How to Get Help

There are many benefits to giving up alcohol, both short-term and long-term. If you’re considering quitting drinking, these benefits may be just what you need to help you decide. Of course, giving up alcohol is not always easy, and there may be some challenges along the way. But if you’re committed to sobriety, it’s possible to achieve your goal.

If you want to quit drinking, start by talking to your doctor. They can recommend treatment options that can help, including therapy and medications. Psychotherapy options such as cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) and motivation enhancement therapy (MET) can help change unhelpful thinking patterns, teach valuable coping skills, and improve the motivation to quit.

Your doctor may also prescribe medications that can reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Vivitrol (naltrexone), Campral (acamprosate), and Antabuse (disulfiram) have been FDA-approved to treat alcohol use disorder. If you have been drinking heavily and chronically, it is also a good idea to have your detox medically supervised to minimize your risk of potentially dangerous withdrawal complications.