Can brief text messaging reduce repeat hospital-treated self-harm?
Amelia Mullett considers a trial on the efficacy of a short message service brief contact intervention in reducing repetition of hospital-treated self-harm.
CA
Practical tips if you find yourself doomscrolling ‘doomscrolling’ online news and social media
If you're finding it hard to cope with the news and social media, you’re not alone.
Internet access is linked to higher well-being, new global study reveals
You’ve probably heard about how bad social media and other internet use is, but there is another side to that story. Experts share a more nuanced approach.
Does childhood adversity dilute life's meaning? New research reveals surprising findings.
New research suggests adverse childhood experiences reduce adults' sense of life coherence and significance but do not affect their sense of purpose, which may remain resilient to early traumas.
Wording On Social Media Can Influence Views On Mental Health
The wording of social media posts and messages can be enough to influence how people feel about mental illness and mental health treatment.
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that students in college felt more optimistic about the chances of successfully treating mental health issues after they read social media posts that showed a “growth mindset”.
Screen Time Shenanigans For Your Mental Health
Greetings, fellow readers! Confession time: I might have a bit of a screen addiction. But hey, who can blame me? Screens are my trusty sidekicks, helping me earn a living and experience epic advent…
Positive Childhood Experiences Protect Against Depression in Teens
The study, using data from over 8,800 Grade 11 students, demonstrates that positive childhood experiences significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve life satisfaction.
Giving and Receiving Compliments
Learning to accept and dole out kindness with grace
How to take a good mental health day
We’ve heard of taking a sick day off work or school, but what’s a mental health day? Whether they are official or not, a mental health day is when someone takes a break from their regular responsibilities to rest, recuperate and care for their mental health. Often they will function the same as a sick […]
Boundaries for Healing Childhood Trauma
Boundaries are essential for healing childhood trauma. They provide safety and protect you from ongoing harm from toxic, abusive family.
Suicides make up majority of gun deaths, but remain overlooked in gun violence debate
Suicide is the leading cause of gun-related deaths in the United States. But it's often only an afterthought in the public debate about gun violence.
Touch can reduce pain, depression and anxiety, say researchers
The more I see research like this, the more I become convinced that one of the most significant losses many sexual abuse survivors suffer has to do with how complicated touch becomes for us as adults.
The Importance of What Wasn't Provided
“When we think of trauma or abuse, we often focus on what was done. But what is just as important is what wasn’t done, provided, or allowed for.” This is a quote from my book How to Love Someone Without Losing Your Mind. (Please pre-order it :-) hugs). It’s an important one if we are to ever understand who we’ve become as a result of our trauma.
Are Adult Survivors of Child Abuse Ever Fully Healed?
Personal Perspective: Life events can often bring past issues into the present.
Lifelong Imprints of Childhood
The foundation of adulthood is laid in the early years of life. The ability to learn, sense, and memorize is at its peak in childhood. A memory formed during this time will not only be there for a while but will also be resolved in your subconscious forever.
The foundation of adulthood is laid in the early years of life. The ability to learn, sense, and memorize is at its peak in childhood. A memory formed during this time will not only be there for a while but will also be resolved in your subconscious forever.
Psychologist Explains Why Forgiveness Sometimes Does More Harm Than Good & You Don't Owe It To Anyone
Talking about her own experience, Dr. Ramani explained that she has multiple people in her life that she doesn't speak to anymore and is completely fine with not forgiving them.
"I don't forgive them. I will never forgive them," she said. "I will never forgive them because what they did, it changed my view of myself. I spent years crawling out from under that rubble. I still doubt myself. I still don't feel safe in the world. They took away my safety. How do you forgive that?"
Talking about her own experience, Dr. Ramani explained that she has multiple people in her life that she doesn't speak to anymore and is completely fine with not forgiving them. "I don't forgive them. I will never forgive them," she said. "I will never forgive them because what they did, it changed my view of myself. I spent years crawling out from under that rubble. I still doubt myself. I still don't feel safe in the world. They took away my safety. How do you forgive that?"
How to Develop a Strong Sense of Self
It’s best to develop your sense of self when you’re alone — even if you’re in a relationship, or have lots of family or friends around you, spend some time alone each day to practice knowing yourself.
It’s best to develop your sense of self when you’re alone — even if you’re in a relationship, or have lots of family or friends around you, spend some time alone each day to practice knowing yourself.
How to Be a Real Adult With Childhood Trauma
A real adult has four characteristics: 1) emotional regulation 2) self-compassion 3) clear boundaries with themselves and others 4) sense of self-worth/feeling good enough
Cultivating these characteristics in yourself takes time and patience. Go slow without the expectation of perfection.
Know Your Partner's Trauma
Understanding your partner's trauma is not just a suggestion; it's a crucial aspect of any healthy relationship. Understand their story, their struggles, their healing journey. Know the impact it has had on them, both past and present. Understand the work they've put in to overcome it, and the challenges they still face. Recognize their triggers, and learn how to navigate around them with care and sensitivity.
71% of UK men have experienced some form of sexual victimization by a woman
A UK study found 71% of men experienced sexual victimization by women, which was associated with increased mental health symptoms. The research, emphasizing overlooked male victimization and challenging societal myths, was published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior.
Study leaves little doubt: Depression is linked to high body heat
There may not be a simple solution, like the suggested sauna or hot tub, but what I think this study shows is that there is very clearly something going on physically with depression. This is not a "it's all in your head" situation, and I hope that perhaps information like this, that show a measured physical symptom tied to depression, gets us to consider depression as something similar to other physical ailments.
What the Most Common Advice About Grief Gets So Wrong
I can’t tell you what to do because your grief isn’t my grief and your loss isn’t my loss, and we are two different people with two different experiences of the world, two different relationships with our loved ones, and a million different needs.
How I Misunderstood the Meaning of Rest
In fact, when I think about it, I’m often resting so that, when I’m done, I can immediately go do something else. This doesn’t foster a healthy relationship with rest, and it puts undue pressure on me. My rest needs to be “good” rest, otherwise I won’t be able to do what I want to do. I’m not resting for the sake of it, which can take away the power and benefits of doing it in the first place.
In this era of productivity and life-hacking, I’m concerned that rest often gets misappropriated. Why should I be looking to get the most out of resting my body? What’s the point of rushing through a process that restores my cognitive and physical health? What are we doing here?
More than 50,000 Americans died by suicide in 2023 — more than any year on record
There is a lot to watch from Meet the Press on this topic. The bottom line is whether we care enough to do more. There's a lot of talk about social media and parents, but when half of all people even trying to get help don't get any, we have to asl ourselves how much we care.
Does American society care about mental illness or not? Right now, I would argue that it leans much more towards not caring.