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Medically reviewed and written by Dr. Sanjai Thankachen, MD — Medical Director, board-certified psychiatrist

SummaryA mental health leave of absence is protected time away from your job to focus on treatment and recovery. Under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) — and, in California, the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) — eligible employe...

SummaryDissociative identity disorder (DID) is a trauma-related mental health condition in which a person’s sense of identity is divided across two or more distinct personality states, alongside recurring gaps in memory that go beyond ordinary forgetfulness. In adults, the most common signs include feeling as though more than one “self” is present, losing time or finding evi...

Medically reviewed and written by Dr. Sanjai Thankachen, MD — Medical Director, board-certified psychiatrist

Estimated read: 9 minutes

Trauma blocking is the use of constant distraction — overworking, endless scrolling, staying relentlessly busy, substances, or other numbing habits — to avoid feeling the emotions tied...

Summary

Anxiety is more than a feeling—it’s a full-body experience. When you’re anxious, your nervous system triggers a cascade of physical responses: racing heart, shortness of breath, muscle tension, trembling, dizziness, and digestive distress. These symptoms feel real because they are real. Your mind and body are tightly connected, and anxiety acti...

Schizophrenia most often emerges between the late teens and early thirties, frequently preceded by a “prodromal” phase of subtle changes — social withdrawal, slipping grades or work performance, disrupted sleep, flat or unusual emotions, and growing suspicion — that can appear months or even years before clearer psychotic symptoms. For families, the signs that matter ...