Many people experience migraines, but not all migraines or headaches are the same. Each type is unique and can feature different symptoms that will affect your daily life. Learning about what type of migraine you are experiencing can help you limit debilitating symptoms and determine when it is time to work with a professional. Below, we have gathered some of the most common types of migraines, their symptoms, and some ways to help reduce those symptoms. 

1- Migraines With Aura

An aura is a visual disturbance or change in your sensations. These disturbances can look like vision spots, zigzags, tingliness or numbness in your face (or body), or distortions in speech and language. These disturbances can indicate an oncoming attack and aura issues can last anywhere from 5 to 60 minutes. 

The frustrating factor about auras is that they don’t always accompany a headache. These disturbances can disrupt your work day or a fun outing in minutes. The best way to limit aura symptoms and prevent a stronger migraine is to limit the use of your eyes or take a nap. You can also place a cool ice pack or cloth over your eyes and forehead.

Many patients with these types of migraines can benefit from Neurotherapy as it helps regulate the brain. Neurotherapy helps balance your brain by retraining it to have better waves and stay calmer. 

2- Menstrual Migraine

Hormonal changes in the body can trigger migraines. Especially in women when they reach the end of their cycle, headaches are more common. Headaches or migraines can occur before, during, or after menstruation. Even if you experience migraines frequently, the symptoms of a menstrual migraine are often heightened. 

To help limit symptoms during their period, many women turn to supplements or prescription medication. Other techniques that can help with monthly migraines include acupuncture, cold therapy, or magnesium treatments. 

3- Vestibular Migraine

This type of migraine is a nervous system problem that is linked to vertigo. This causes dizziness and balance irregularities but may not always be accompanied by a headache. Other symptoms of vestibular migraines include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Extreme motion sensitivity- feeling sick when moving your eyes or head
• Feeling disoriented or confused
• Sensitivity to sound
• Feeling unsteady or unbalanced

There are prescription medications that can be used to lower your dizziness and stabilize your inner ear. These medications can help make these types of migraines less severe or less frequent. Antihistamines or anti-nausea drugs are often prescribed by doctors once you have been diagnosed with vestibular migraines. 

4- Cluster Headaches

These headaches come in groups or attacks called clusters. These are some of the most painful and the most frequent headaches as they can come between 1 to 8 times in a day and last for hours. Cluster headaches can include pain in the eyes, temples, back of the head, puffy eyes, or watery eyes. The pain of these headaches is very debilitating and people often struggle to find a position where they are comfortable.

Since cluster headaches are one of the most extreme types of migraines, there aren’t many simple treatments. Some patients find that breathing in oxygen from a mask helps to provide relief. Others use triptan shots that are given when symptoms start. Getting a proper diagnosis and scans to help determine your unique symptoms will help professionals provide proper treatment. 

5- Retinal Migraine

Another migraine type that affects your vision is a retinal migraine. This is a rare type of migraine, so much so that there are no percentages to show how many individuals experience these types of headaches. Retinal migraines come with temporary vision loss or blindness in one eye. These vision disturbances can either precede the migraine or occur at the same time. 

Painkillers and anti-nausea medication are often prescribed for those with retinal migraines. Using acupuncture can also be helpful in limiting debilitating symptoms. Neurologists are the best professionals to work with when you are experiencing the rarest type of migraine.

6- Sinus Headaches

Sinus headaches include pressure in your face, cheeks, brows, and forehead. Sinus migraines and headaches often have the same symptoms but the migraines are often accompanied by congestion or watery nasal discharge. Most patients who think they are experiencing sinus congestion frequently may be experiencing migraines instead. Treatment for sinus migraines includes anti-inflammatory drugs to help with congestion or swelling.

7- Chronic Migraines

Patients with chronic migraines experience a headache on 15 or more days of a month. Common migraines will limit your ability to work, exercise, play with your children, go out with friends, and much more. Debilitating migraines is something that requires the help of a doctor in order for you to achieve well-rounded health. 

8- Hemiplegic Migraine

Another severe type of headache is a hemiplegic migraine. These migraines can cause paralysis or weakness in one side of the body as well as lead to difficulty speaking. This headache occurs with an aura and can also be accompanied by nausea, fever, confusion, sensitivity to light and sound, and could lead to profound coma.

Some of these symptoms may trigger people to believe they are having a stroke. Getting a proper diagnosis from a doctor is crucial to getting the right care by looking at the blood vessels in your brain. 

Treatment For All Types Of Migraines With OPS

Ogden Psychological Services uses Neurotherapy to treat migraines, anxiety, depression, and more. Neurotherapy doesn’t change your brain but helps it to become more regulated and limit issues like migraines. Some patients want to avoid taking medication or previous medications have not worked for them. No matter the types of migraines patients are experiencing, Neurotherapy can be a better long-term solution that provides almost instant relief.

Reading is a popular hobby for people of all ages. Reading different genres and losing yourself in a story can be a good way to escape the real world. Reading has been proven to reduce stress and is often an outlet for those with anxiety and depression. While reading may not be everyone’s cup of tea, there are many self-help books and fictional stories about characters who learn to navigate their mental health. Below is a short list of some of the best books about mental health and why you should read them. 

Non-Fiction:

1. The Body Keeps The Score

This book by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk talks about trauma and how recent studies have looked at how trauma affects our physical bodies. Trauma can compromise the body’s response to self-control, trust, pleasure, and more. Readers will be able to learn more about the depths of trauma and how certain types of therapy may help in healing. This book is also highly praised by those in the neuroscience and psychological communities.

2. Maybe You Should Talk To Someone

Making the decision to go to therapy can be a tough one but books about mental health may help you to tackle this decision with a new resolve. In Maybe You Should Talk To Someone, Lori Gottlieb discusses her journey as a therapist going to therapy. She discusses how she works with her clients and what she learned from them along the way, as well as how this helped her to seek therapy for herself. The book features honesty and some humor to give a unique perspective of understanding that therapists are human too. 

3. Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking The Stress Cycle

Creating boundaries is something that takes practice and dedication. Burnout is a book dedicated to helping people close the stress cycle loop and prioritize their mental well-being. Emotional exhaustion, often referred to as burnout, can lead to damage to your sense of self and sense of accomplishment. Emily Nagoski, Ph.D., and Amelia Nagoski, DMA, work to help you end burnout and limit stress in this book. The book contains helpful worksheets and research to show how breaking the stress cycle can improve your life. 

4. 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People

Books about mental health often focus on healing for a specific illness, but developing habits and stronger productivity skills can help people whether they have a mental illness or not. This book by Stephen R. Covey is probably one of the most popular ones on the list as many readers have loved the structure of developing habits in their lives. You will learn to look at life in new ways and become a more intentional person when reading 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People. Covey prioritizes the fact that all of us should learn to have more balance in our lives and focus on our goals. 

5. Make Your Bed

Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven is all about simplicity. McRaven shares his experience while in the Navel Seal training program and how ten principles helped him to make it through this rigorous training. He also covers experiences others had during military service and how basic lessons may be able to change our lives and the world at large. 

Fiction:

1. Turtles All The Way Down

Aza Holmes is a teen who struggles with spiraling thoughts and anxiety in John Green’s Turtles All The Way Down. She tries to navigate being a good friend and good person while her thoughts continue to suffocate her. The book also talks about and breaks down aspects of human consciousness and personhood, which can be difficult for those who feel the world looks down on them for their mental illness. Green does a good job of showing that the angsty teen years may not just be for the purpose of attention.

2. Girl In Pieces

Charlotte Davis has a lot of scars, the loss of her father, her best friend, and an absent mother. Kathleen Glasgow writes the story of Charlotte navigating the world after so much heartbreak and betrayal and how she puts herself back together. The book discusses trauma, learning to be gentle with yourself, at suicidal thoughts. Learning to trust yourself and others again may look like digging into the traumatic layers we thought we would never see again.

3. Darius The Great Is Not Ok

Darius Kellner is a teen who has never felt like he fit in his home. Kellner has Persian roots from his mother’s side of the family, but he doesn’t know enough about the culture to feel like he meets his family’s expectations. Darius also struggles with clinical depression and his traditional grandparent don’t understand his need for medication. This book by Adib Khorram shows the struggles of dealing with mental health stigma and how teens can feel alienated from surrounding peers. Khorram shows how friends can make us feel seen and better than enough. 

4. How It Feels To Float

If you are looking for a very accurate portrayal of mental illness and emotional trauma and how that affects the mind, read How It Feels To Float by Helena Fox. The book discusses undiagnosed mental illness and the hereditary effects of trauma. Floating above your problems or maybe all the way away may be the only way main character Biz knows how to exist. How It Feels To Float talks about how to face the idea of “normal” or “ok” and how many people are more fragile than they seem. 

5. Paperweight

Stevie has learned to avoid food and has a plan to get out of the treatment center on the anniversary of her brother’s death. A death she caused. Stevie struggles with a life-threatening eating disorder but also is navigating how the mistakes in our past affect our future. Books about mental health can discuss some heavy topics and Paperweight talks about eating disorders, suicide attempts, and death. Meg Haston tackles these topics for more mental health representation and shows how it feels to feel trapped in a body. 

Why Mental Health Representation Matters

The stigma around mental health has started to lessen in recent years, but having fiction and non-fiction accurate representations will help to increase this awareness. Books about mental health and mental health representation help those who struggle to feel less alone. Mental health healing is possible and navigating everyday life with a mental illness is also possible. 

Therapy, medication, and meditation can help you navigate emotions and become more fulfilled in your life. All types of people are worth it and their presence in the world is needed.

Working to manage stress, anger, burnout, and other mental health issues can be challenging. When life gets hard, it can be easy to give up or revert to unhealthy coping mechanisms. Ogden Psychological Services wants to help individuals have healthy avenues of coping and destressing that improve their mental health. Here is a small list of healthy coping skills to try. 

1- Go On A Walk Or Go To The Gym

Getting physical exercise and moving your body is a great way to cope with stress. Taking a walk or doing a workout to some pump-up music is a good way to clear your head. 

2- Try A New Yoga Routine

Yoga and stretching are other good ways to get your body moving. These can be healthy coping skills because they help refocus your thoughts and help you feel more balanced. 

If you are feeling down or depressed, try including some affirmations during your routine as well. There are also yoga classes that can help you feel connected to peers while also getting some exercise and utilizing one of many healthy coping skills.

3- Call A Friend Or Family Member

This can be a good time to vent, catch up on life events, or just get your mind off of stressful things in your life. Talking to someone helps you feel connected and helps may help them feel better as well. This coping skill is a win-win! 

If calling is not something you feel comfortable doing at the moment, try sending a text or DM, or writing them a letter. 

4- Detox From Social Media

Comparing ourselves to others online can be damaging to our mental health. Scrolling on social media can take time away from other important tasks, leading to us feeling overwhelmed or sluggish. Try detoxing from social media and putting that time into working, developing a hobby, doing housework, or catching up with a friend. 

A detox from social media can also help you feel more present and in the moment. Life is short and should be enjoyed while you can, so unplug and look around you more during your detox. 

5- Sit In The Sunlight

Healthy coping skills don’t always have to be active or last for long periods of time. Going to a park or just sitting in your backyard under the sun can help give you an energy boost. When life gets stressful, we often need more vitamins and endorphins to be released to our brains. Vitamin D from the sun can help lift your mood and set you up for better success during the days ahead. 

6- Take Photos And Edit Them

For those who are looking for a confidence boost, or want something creative to distract them, taking self-portraits or photos of others is a great way to accomplish both! Taking some self-portraits and editing them can boost your self-esteem, or having a fun photo shoot with friends can be a healthy outing. Grab your camera or even just your smartphone and hit the streets. 

Taking it one step further to play around with editing and hype each other up is a great coping skill for when you aren’t feeling confident. 

7- Join A Club Or Rec Sports Team

Human connection helps us to feel better and more well-rounded. Joining a book club or recreational sports team is a good way to fuel a healthy hobby while meeting new people. 

8- Reorganize

When your life feels out of control or overwhelming, organizing a few areas in your home or office can help you have a clearer headspace. Find some clear organizers and put everything it its own place, or go through your closet and get rid of clothes you no longer wear. 

Reorganizing can take some time, which is a great way to put away distractions or your phone and just spend some time with yourself. With so much going on in the world, it is important to have healthy coping skills that allow us to escape for a while. 

9- Practice Gratitude

Make a list of 10 things you are grateful for. If you can do more than 10, try to get to 30 or even 50.

10- Practice Letting Go

Stressful life situations can cause us to lose things we once had. Practice letting go and learning to move forward. This can look like moving on from a breakup, letting go of old clothes, or moving forward after a missed opportunity.

11- Try Something New

The best way to get out of a funk is to try something new! Test out a new coffee shop, learn a new language, take a different route to work, watch a new Netflix show, try a new workout, or buy a new book. 

12- Take A Relaxing Bath

After a long day, taking time to unwind instead of stressing or scrolling through the news can be beneficial to your mental health. Another easy one on this list of healthy coping skills is to take a relaxing bath. Run the hot water, light a candle, and put on some soothing music.

13- Read A Book

Sitting down with a good book not only keeps your brain sharp, but it also is a good way to healthily escape reality for a bit. Pick up a self-help book to improve your well-being or pick up a fantasy to put your mind into another world. 

14- Put Your To-Do List On Pause

As humans, we often feel that we have to be on the go constantly and accomplish everything in one day. If you are feeling in a mental health slump, try taking some things off your to-do list, or throwing the list away entirely. 

When you are in a better headspace or have more time, you can come back to the list. They will still be there (just make sure to do anything timely first). 

15- Schedule A Therapy Appointment

If coping with stress or life changes is becoming more and more difficult, schedule an appointment with your therapist. Therapy can help you see a different perspective and vent to someone who truly listens. Schedule a call with your therapist or book one for the first time to see if it can help your mental health. 

Coping Skills With Ogden Psychological Services

Our therapists focus on meeting your individual goals and helping you develop more healthy coping skills. We want to help you know how to navigate stress, grief, anxiety, anger, and more. Fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment!