As I cut a slice of lemon for my tea one morning last March, I found that I could not detect the familiar zing of citrus. Nor, it turned out, could I taste the peach jam on my toast. Overnight, my senses of smell and taste seemed to have disappeared. In the days prior to that I’d had body aches and chills, which I ascribed to a late-winter cold — nothing, I thought, an analgesic and some down time couldn’t take care of. But later that day I saw a … [Read more...]
Why is music good for the brain?
Can music really affect your well-being, learning, cognitive function, quality of life, and even happiness? A recent survey on music and brain health conducted by AARP revealed some interesting findings about the impact of music on cognitive and emotional well-being: Music listeners had higher scores for mental well-being and slightly reduced levels of anxiety and depression compared to people overall. Of survey respondents who currently go to … [Read more...]
Cultivating joy as a family
The pandemic has been hard on families. There has been so much loss, so much hardship, so much stress, and so much change. What makes it even harder is that there is so much uncertainty about when and how it will end; our lives, and the lives of our children, are going to be disrupted for the foreseeable future. There is so much we cannot control in all of this that it’s easy to lose sight of what we can control. One thing we absolutely can do is … [Read more...]
As family well-being declines, so does children’s behavior
The COVID-19 pandemic is bad not only for our physical health, but our mental health as well. It has killed thousands of people and disrupted our lives in terrible ways. So it’s not surprising that a recent survey finds that parents in the US are having a hard time. Researchers did a national survey in June of 2020 of more than 1,000 parents with children under the age of 18, asking questions about mental health, insurance coverage, food … [Read more...]
Staying positive during difficult times
To say we’re living through challenging times sounds like both a cliché and an understatement. In recent months, news about the pandemic, economic woes, and bitter political debates have triggered tremendous anxiety and sadness for many Americans. But when people look back on their lives, it is usually the most difficult challenges that gave them a new perspective or caused them to grow the most. Of course, in the midst of a crisis, it doesn’t … [Read more...]
Managing the new normal: Actively help your family weather the pandemic
When the pandemic first began earlier this year, it seemed like if we could just hunker down until perhaps summer, things would get better and we’d be able to get back to life as usual (or at least something similar to life as usual). We were in survival mode: we cut corners and made do, broke some parenting rules, and otherwise made choices we would never usually make. Because that’s what you do when you are in survival mode. It’s now very clear … [Read more...]
How to Prioritize Your Mental Health During COVID-19
As a fitness professional, your job is dedicated to helping others reach their potential. From personal training to facility management and wellness program development, the work you do helps people of all kinds get healthy – mentally and physically. Now, it’s time to turn the tables and prioritize your wellbeing. Between inconsistent direction from local […] SOURCE: Exercise.com - Read entire story here. … [Read more...]
How can you help a loved one suffering from loneliness?
You are worried about your mother. Before the pandemic, you would visit her every week with your young children. They loved playing in her garden and eating homemade cookies together. You would take your mother to medical appointments and on small excursions. However, due to her chronic lung disease, you made the difficult decision in March not to continue in-person family visits. You call her daily, but she sounds increasingly sad and worried. … [Read more...]
Limiting COVID chaos during the school year
Child: “Will I go back to school this fall? Parent: “I’m not sure yet.” Child: “Do you know when we’ll find out?” Parent: “I also don’t know that yet.” Child: “Will school be the same for the whole year?” Parent: “I don’t know that either.” Sound familiar? If the only thing you do know is that plans are in flux, you’re not alone. School plans seem to be changing frequently — before the school year even has started in some places! With so much … [Read more...]
15 Student-Athlete Mental Health Statistics
Did you know that about 1 in 4 Americans will experience a mental disorder in any given year? To put that number into perspective, take a look at just how many American adults are affected by some of the most common mental health concerns today. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): 16.6 millionSocial Anxiety Disorder (SAD): 15 millionPost-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): 7.7 millionGeneralized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): 6.8 millionObsessive … [Read more...]
Children, teens, and the safety of psychotropic medicines
Medicines prescribed for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders — known as psychotropic drugs — have largely been studied in adults. This concerns many parents whose children take these drugs regularly. Studies have most often looked at the effectiveness of these medicines in teens and children. Now a recent systematic review of multiple studies done in children and adolescents offers new … [Read more...]
What should you do during a psychiatric medication shortage?
You have finally found a medication to treat your depression that your body tolerates well. It has taken your psychiatrist months to find the optimal dose (after two failed medication trials). The COVID-19 pandemic hit, but in spite of your new daily stressors, you seem to be doing relatively well. That is, until you hear that your antidepressant medication is now in short supply. What can you do? Mental health treatment during COVID-19 With the … [Read more...]
Brain plasticity in drug addiction: Burden and benefit
The human brain is the most complex organ in our body, and is characterized by a unique ability called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity refers to our brain’s ability to change and adapt in its structural and functional levels in response to experience. Neuroplasticity makes it possible for us to learn new languages, solve complex mathematical problems, acquire technical skills, and perform challenging athletic skills, which are all positive and … [Read more...]
Global mental health in the time of COVID-19
Just months ago, who could have imagined that the world would be looking down the barrel of a spiraling health crisis and economic recession unlike any witnessed in our lifetime? Now, in a world gripped by the fear of a marauding virus, mental health is emerging as a key concern. Diverse pathways to poorer mental health The reaction of the media and governments to the epidemic served to fuel anxiety. The dramatic way the term “pandemic” was … [Read more...]
Easing stress and seeking normalcy in traumatic times
For most Americans, 2020 has already been a rough year — and it’s not even half over. A pandemic, natural disasters, economic decline, and, for many, the loss of a job have taken a toll on their mental health. “Stress is particularly acute when you’re experiencing a situation that is outside of your control,” says Dr. Kerry Ressler, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “You may feel stuck, frozen, or helpless.” After a traumatic … [Read more...]
Can forest therapy enhance health and well-being?
The beauty of the outdoors naturally encourages people to go outside, inhale fresh air, listen to the birds, take a walk, or watch the wind animate the branches of the steadfast neighboring trees. The pull toward the natural world is present even in normal times. Now, as we’re confined indoors by the coronavirus pandemic, often spending hours in front of inanimate screens, the urge to be outside is ever more acute. One way to satisfy these urges … [Read more...]
Collaborative care: Treating mental illnesses in primary care
Like most people, you probably do not enjoy going to the doctor only to be referred to a specialist in a different practice. Unfortunately, fragmented care is often the reality among people suffering from common mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety. Wouldn’t it be nice to have both your behavioral and physical health needs addressed at the same time and in the same place? Comprehensive physical and behavioral health care In medicine, … [Read more...]
If cannabis becomes a problem: How to manage withdrawal
Proponents of cannabis generally dismiss the idea that there is a cannabis withdrawal syndrome. One routinely hears statements such as, “I smoked weed every day for 30 years and then just walked away from it without any problems. It’s not addictive.” Some cannabis researchers, on the other hand, describe serious withdrawal symptoms that can include aggression, anger, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, anorexia, depression, restlessness, headaches, … [Read more...]
Why your sleep and wake cycles affect your mood
It’s no accident that most people tend to sleep at night and are awake during the day. Our sleep-wake cycle is determined by our circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock. Like old-time clocks, this internal clock needs to be reset every day, and is adjusted by first exposure to light in the morning. How does circadian rhythm work? Our circadian rhythms are controlled by multiple genes and are responsible for a variety of important functions, … [Read more...]
COVID-19 and the LGBTQ+ community: Rising to unique challenges
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, new challenges arise each day for people across the world. Some of these challenges particularly affect the LGBTQ+ community. This unique time calls for LGBTQ+-specific resources and new ways to connect and cope. Minority stress in the LGBTQ+ community Unrelated to COVID-19, this community faces minority stress based on anti-LGBTQ+ stigma that is harmful for their health and well-being (see key articles here … [Read more...]
7 tips for going outside safely with your children during the COVID-19 pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, getting outside can be a great idea for both the physical and mental health of you and your family. But as with everything else these days, going outside needs to be done safely. Here are my top seven tips for what you need to think about as you put on your shoes and head outdoors. Be careful about what you touch as you go outside or return home. For those who live in single-family homes this isn’t a big deal, but … [Read more...]