#mental-health-harms
#mental-health-harms

Mental health

What Does Mental Well-Being Look Like?

When a Diagnosis Becomes Your Entire Identity

Diagnosis can aid understanding and community, but over-identifying with it can harm personal growth and self-identity.

Mental health

You Budget Your Money. Why Not Your Mental Health?

Mental health and financial health share foundational habits that lead to freedom and self-determination, emphasizing the importance of a diversified mental health plan.

Mental health

The Link Between Medicine and Psychology

Mental health significantly impacts heart and brain health, necessitating integration of mental health care into traditional medical practices.

What Does Mental Well-Being Look Like?

Mental health should be viewed positively, focusing on well-being rather than just the absence of illness.

When a Diagnosis Becomes Your Entire Identity

Diagnosis can aid understanding and community, but over-identifying with it can harm personal growth and self-identity.

You Budget Your Money. Why Not Your Mental Health?

Mental health and financial health share foundational habits that lead to freedom and self-determination, emphasizing the importance of a diversified mental health plan.

The Link Between Medicine and Psychology

Mental health significantly impacts heart and brain health, necessitating integration of mental health care into traditional medical practices.

Psychology says the most important life lesson isn't learning to make better decisions - it's learning to live peacefully with the ones you can't undo - Silicon Canals

Irreversible choices shape our lives and learning to coexist with them is crucial for mental well-being.

21 hours ago

Why Is Eradicating Adverse Childhood Experiences Critical?

Nearly 90 percent of suicide attempts among high school students are attributable to ACEs, as are 80 percent of adult suicides, translating to 109 suicides per day.

Public health

Digital life

14 hours ago

Press 1 to Accept the Future

The only choice left regarding technology is whether to embrace it or be left behind.

fromInside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs

17 hours ago

Can Listening Move You to Love?

High-quality listening evokes Kama Muta, a powerful emotion of feeling moved by love, fostering emotional closeness in both listeners and speakers.

Higher education

What to Know About AI and Campus Mental Health (opinion)

Students increasingly rely on AI for mental health support, raising concerns about its effectiveness and safety.

Retirement

I'm 66 and I spent forty years trying to stay positive through everything - and what I actually created was a life where nobody knew me well enough to notice when I was drowning - Silicon Canals

Staying positive can lead to hidden struggles and emotional isolation, as individuals often mask their true feelings to appear strong.

Medicine

Building Wisdom With BDNF-and Ketamine

BDNF is crucial for brain health, and can be boosted through healthy habits and ketamine, aiding neuroplasticity and cognitive function.

Healing From Our Trauma Helps Shape Future Generations

Healing breaks generational trauma patterns and transforms relational dynamics and biology.

Why Shame Is Central in Trauma

Shame is a central emotion in trauma, particularly interpersonal trauma, affecting healing and self-worth.

Parenting

Healing From Our Trauma Helps Shape Future Generations

Healing breaks generational trauma patterns and transforms relational dynamics and biology.

Why Shame Is Central in Trauma

Shame is a central emotion in trauma, particularly interpersonal trauma, affecting healing and self-worth.

Building Confidence Through Small Victories

Naming tasks and completing small actions can rebuild confidence after significant loss.

Wellness

When "I'm Trying to Be Good" Isn't So Innocent

Diet talk reinforces harmful beliefs about body image, health, and worth, impacting body dissatisfaction and promoting negative comparisons.

Philosophy

Respect Is a Gift, Never a Demand

Respect is a response to ethical behavior, not an entitlement that can be demanded or claimed.

7 Lessons for When Your Attempts to Control Outcomes Fail

Many situations contain irreducible uncertainty. No matter how many variables we try to control, we can't reduce uncertainty to zero. It's inherent in the messiness of life.

Productivity

15 hours ago

Start Strong But Never Finish? 4 Causes and 4 Solutions

Starting strong and quitting is common due to tedium, poor planning, and discouragement; recognizing patterns and seeking support can help overcome this.

22 hours ago

The Pitfalls of Being a People-Pleaser

Voicing opinions is essential; people-pleasing can lead to neglecting personal needs and preferences.

Mental Time Travel Is Our Ticket for a Healthier Society

Short-term thinking can lead to regrets; mental time travel enhances decision-making and benefits organizations through Future Design.

Slow Down for Love

Slowing down enhances relationships and personal well-being by improving the quality of experiences over the quantity of tasks.

Medicine

When Nothing Is Wrong, but Something Still Isn't Right

Consistency in daily habits can lead to significant improvements in health symptoms.

Healthcare

The Value of Everyday Healthcare and Mental Healthcare

Everyday kindness and professionalism are essential for effective healthcare and mental healthcare.

Yoga

fromYoga Journal

Overwhelmed by Tough Emotions? This Advice Can Help You Navigate Them.

Exclusive playlists for O+ members offer yoga insights to cope with life's challenges through mindful consumption.

Psychology says the loneliest people in life aren't the ones nobody likes - they're the kind, helpful people everyone appreciates but nobody thinks to check on because they seem so self-sufficient - Silicon Canals

Highly capable, helpful individuals often feel lonely because their strength creates an illusion that they do not need support.

Psychology says the people who actually escape loneliness don't do it by finding more people - they do it by finally dropping the version of themselves that made real connection impossible in the first place - Silicon Canals

Loneliness stems from a lack of genuine connection, not merely from being alone or having many acquaintances.

14 hours ago

Psychology says the loneliest people in life aren't the ones nobody likes - they're the kind, helpful people everyone appreciates but nobody thinks to check on because they seem so self-sufficient - Silicon Canals

Highly capable, helpful individuals often feel lonely because their strength creates an illusion that they do not need support.

Psychology says the people who actually escape loneliness don't do it by finding more people - they do it by finally dropping the version of themselves that made real connection impossible in the first place - Silicon Canals

Loneliness stems from a lack of genuine connection, not merely from being alone or having many acquaintances.

Productivity

Reclaiming Hope in a Time of Uncertainty

Mental health

What Is Hope in Mental Health Treatment?

Productivity

Reclaiming Hope in a Time of Uncertainty

Mental health

What Is Hope in Mental Health Treatment?

You know a woman has lost her joy in life when she describes her days accurately and without feeling - when the words are all correct and the tone is completely flat and the account of her own life sounds like something being reported rather than lived, and she doesn't notice the flatness because she has been inside it long enough that it just sounds like how things are - Silicon Canals

Emotional flatness can creep in, making life feel like a series of tasks rather than meaningful experiences.

#emotional-regulation

How to Get Chummy With Your Discomfort

Regulating emotions and reactions is essential for managing life's challenges effectively.

7 hours ago

People who grew up being told they were too sensitive didn't become less sensitive. They became editors. Every reaction now passes through a filter that decides whether the feeling is proportionate enough to be allowed out, and that filtering process is so automatic they genuinely believe they're calm when they're actually curating. - Silicon Canals

Sensitive children often suppress their emotions, leading to automated behaviors that mask true feelings.

How to Get Chummy With Your Discomfort

Regulating emotions and reactions is essential for managing life's challenges effectively.

more#emotional-regulation

7 hours ago

People who grew up being told they were too sensitive didn't become less sensitive. They became editors. Every reaction now passes through a filter that decides whether the feeling is proportionate enough to be allowed out, and that filtering process is so automatic they genuinely believe they're calm when they're actually curating. - Silicon Canals

Sensitive children often suppress their emotions, leading to automated behaviors that mask true feelings.

When Your Partner Doesn't Share Your Spiritual Path

Partners need common values and autonomy, while exploring codependency mindfully.

Not everyone who chooses a partner with visible problems is making bad decisions. Some of them are choosing people whose damage is louder than their own, because as long as they're fixing someone else, nobody turns the spotlight around and asks what broke them. - Silicon Canals

People often choose partners with visible problems to avoid confronting their own internal issues.

When Your Partner Doesn't Share Your Spiritual Path

Partners need common values and autonomy, while exploring codependency mindfully.

Not everyone who chooses a partner with visible problems is making bad decisions. Some of them are choosing people whose damage is louder than their own, because as long as they're fixing someone else, nobody turns the spotlight around and asks what broke them. - Silicon Canals

People often choose partners with visible problems to avoid confronting their own internal issues.

more#relationships

fromApaonline

How to Walk Away

Breakups can make you depressed and even damage your heart and immune system. Being the one who says 'it's over' can be torturous, especially if you're hurting someone you still care deeply about.

Philosophy

How to Help Someone Have an Empathy Makeover

Empathy can be developed through structured reflection and practice, enhancing mental health and relationship dynamics.

3 Signs You're Carrying Someone Else's Anxiety

Empathy can lead to emotional overload for highly empathic individuals, causing them to absorb and internalize others' emotions.

21 hours ago

How to Help Someone Have an Empathy Makeover

Empathy can be developed through structured reflection and practice, enhancing mental health and relationship dynamics.

3 Signs You're Carrying Someone Else's Anxiety

Empathy can lead to emotional overload for highly empathic individuals, causing them to absorb and internalize others' emotions.

This Theory Explains Why Neurodivergents Are Burning Out

Neurodivergent individuals experience higher burnout rates, necessitating accommodations to balance job demands and resources.

23 hours ago

How to Embrace Being "More" Spiritual

Awareness of the transcendent reveals depth and meaning in life, fostering spiritual growth and a sense of oneness with the world.

4 hours ago

Psychology says people who grew up poor and became successful often can't fully enjoy it - not because they're ungrateful, but because some part of them never stopped waiting for it to disappear - Silicon Canals

Successful individuals often struggle with feelings of scarcity and anxiety about their financial stability, despite their achievements.

fromIndependent

8 hours ago

Asking for a friend: 'My son has just been diagnosed with autism and ADHD. My husband also got tested and has ADHD. How will all this affect our relationship?'

Navigating the challenges of neurodiversity in a family can be overwhelming, especially with multiple diagnoses affecting communication and relationships.

Why Breathing Matters for Emotional Regulation

Slow, smooth breathing can calm the nervous system, regulate emotions, and improve health with just five minutes of practice daily.

Psychology says people who apologize constantly without realizing it are more damaged than they appear - because they internalize blame and absorb conflict, a survival response from childhood, which never switches off even when they're safe - Silicon Canals

Excessive apologizing often stems from childhood experiences of mistreatment and can lead to chronic self-blame in adulthood.

When Parts Begin to Merge: Inside Integration

Integration is a complex, lived experience involving reorganization of the self, requiring safety and support systems for healing from complex trauma.

#emotional-intelligence

Psychology suggests people who stay calm during conflict aren't less emotional - they learned early that the person who controls the temperature of the room controls the outcome, and they stopped reacting and started choosing - Silicon Canals

Controlling emotional responses during conflict can significantly influence the outcome of the situation.

The Hidden Power of Naming What You Feel

Avoiding emotions strengthens them; naming feelings fosters thoughtful responses and self-awareness.

People who go quiet when they're hurt instead of raising their voice learned somewhere very early that their anger wasn't received as information. It was received as an inconvenience. So they stopped sending the signal and started absorbing the damage, and they've been doing it so long they sometimes mistake silence for calm - Silicon Canals

Silence during conflict often indicates deeper emotional pain rather than composure or passive aggression.

Psychology suggests people who stay calm during conflict aren't less emotional - they learned early that the person who controls the temperature of the room controls the outcome, and they stopped reacting and started choosing - Silicon Canals

Controlling emotional responses during conflict can significantly influence the outcome of the situation.

The Hidden Power of Naming What You Feel

Avoiding emotions strengthens them; naming feelings fosters thoughtful responses and self-awareness.

more#emotional-intelligence

People who go quiet when they're hurt instead of raising their voice learned somewhere very early that their anger wasn't received as information. It was received as an inconvenience. So they stopped sending the signal and started absorbing the damage, and they've been doing it so long they sometimes mistake silence for calm - Silicon Canals

Silence during conflict often indicates deeper emotional pain rather than composure or passive aggression.

6 hours ago

Psychology says adults who struggle with procrastination aren't avoiding the task - they're avoiding the version of themselves who might fail at it - Silicon Canals

Procrastination often stems from a fear of failure rather than laziness or poor time management.

All Out Anxiety

Anxiety disorders affect 11% of children in the USA, impacting daily functioning and often leading to overestimation of danger.

The Emotional Cost of Masking Anxiety in Our Daily Life

Hiding anxiety through competence leads to exhaustion, loneliness, and limits genuine connection.

All Out Anxiety

Anxiety disorders affect 11% of children in the USA, impacting daily functioning and often leading to overestimation of danger.

The Emotional Cost of Masking Anxiety in Our Daily Life

Hiding anxiety through competence leads to exhaustion, loneliness, and limits genuine connection.

Take a Secret 2-Minute Mental Vacation from Stress

Change and transition lead to anxiety, but guided imagery can effectively reduce stress and promote relaxation.

What Makes Painful Memories Stick

Painful memories linger because they signal threats to core psychological needs, making them psychologically urgent and demanding more cognitive processing.

Psychology

I became calm the day I realized that 90% of what I worried about was just rehearsing conversations that would never happen with people who weren't even thinking about me - Silicon Canals

Imagined interactions are a common psychological phenomenon where individuals simulate conversations with others, often leading to unnecessary emotional distress.

14 hours ago

What Makes Painful Memories Stick

Painful memories linger because they signal threats to core psychological needs, making them psychologically urgent and demanding more cognitive processing.

I became calm the day I realized that 90% of what I worried about was just rehearsing conversations that would never happen with people who weren't even thinking about me - Silicon Canals

Imagined interactions are a common psychological phenomenon where individuals simulate conversations with others, often leading to unnecessary emotional distress.

Cognitive Impairment After Psychosis

Recovery from cognitive impairment is possible, and new opportunities can arise despite challenges.

A Meditation to Allow Genuine Happiness, Even In Hard Times

Accessing genuine happiness during difficult times is essential for recovery and well-being.

Shake Off Winter Blues: Brain-Healthy Habits for This Spring

Tracking happiness too closely can reduce enjoyment; supporting gut health and replacing bad habits with healthier ones can enhance overall well-being.

fromMindful

A Meditation to Allow Genuine Happiness, Even In Hard Times

Accessing genuine happiness during difficult times is essential for recovery and well-being.

Shake Off Winter Blues: Brain-Healthy Habits for This Spring

Tracking happiness too closely can reduce enjoyment; supporting gut health and replacing bad habits with healthier ones can enhance overall well-being.

Dangerous Social Trends Do Not Advance Your Potential

You have control over your own thoughts and actions, but not over others' choices or behaviors.

Caring for the Part of You That Wants to Die

Suicide ideation affects 15.6% of U.S. adults, with significant risk factors including mental disorders, trauma, and social circumstances.

Just One Thing: Be Kind to Yourself by Being Kind to Others

Recognizing the importance of kindness to others leads to personal peace and fulfillment.

I'm 37 and I realized I wasn't actually a good person the day my wife said "you're kind to strangers and cruel to the people closest to you" - and the worst part wasn't the accusation, it was that I couldn't argue because I'd been using up all my patience on people who didn't matter and coming home empty - Silicon Canals

Kindness should be abundant at home, not rationed for public interactions, to foster authentic connections with loved ones.

fromMindful

Just One Thing: Be Kind to Yourself by Being Kind to Others

Recognizing the importance of kindness to others leads to personal peace and fulfillment.

I'm 37 and I realized I wasn't actually a good person the day my wife said "you're kind to strangers and cruel to the people closest to you" - and the worst part wasn't the accusation, it was that I couldn't argue because I'd been using up all my patience on people who didn't matter and coming home empty - Silicon Canals

Kindness should be abundant at home, not rationed for public interactions, to foster authentic connections with loved ones.

Finding Calm Amid the Chaos of Modern Life

Heightened anxiety among Americans can be managed by grounding in values and setting clear boundaries.

Philosophy

When the Well Is Poisoned

Poisoning the well is an ad hominem attack that preemptively discredits someone by introducing negative information before they speak, contaminating audience perception and trust.

fromwww.theguardian.com

Stop the brain rot! 12 ways to stay sharp in a mind-frazzling world

Brain rot, characterized by cognitive decline from easy information, is rising due to social media and shortform videos, leading to exhaustion.

Why a Loved One Might Not Engage in Mental Health Treatment

Treatment engagement improves when it aligns with a person's life goals and identity.

People who were labeled 'too sensitive' often became adults who read rooms before anyone speaks, and the difference between those two things is about 20 years of misunderstanding - Silicon Canals

Sensitivity can evolve from a perceived weakness into a valuable skill for understanding emotional dynamics in various situations.

Some people don't fear failure. They fear succeeding and then being expected to sustain it, because the version of them that achieved it was running on adrenaline and desperation, and the person who shows up on Monday is someone quieter who doesn't know how to replicate what the emergency produced. - Silicon Canals

The fear of success stems from the pressure to replicate high performance, not from a desire to avoid good outcomes.

A Symbolic Action Technique for Managing Anger

Unmanaged anger can lead to destructive outcomes, but a new study suggests that symbolic actions may effectively manage it.

Remembering an Angel With a Traumatic Brain Injury

Laura, despite severe brain damage, radiated joy and built meaningful connections with caregivers, enriching their lives through her infectious spirit.

How to Stop Taking Things Personally When You Have ADHD

ADHD can intensify the tendency to take things personally due to emotional processing and past experiences.

2 weeks ago

Mental health

When It's Not Just Anxiety

Women often misdiagnosed with anxiety may actually have ADHD, leading to a lack of effective treatment.

How to Stop Taking Things Personally When You Have ADHD

ADHD can intensify the tendency to take things personally due to emotional processing and past experiences.

2 weeks ago

When It's Not Just Anxiety

Women often misdiagnosed with anxiety may actually have ADHD, leading to a lack of effective treatment.

Feeling Like a Fraud in Your Own Mindfulness Practice

Surrounding oneself with experienced meditation practitioners can raise personal expectations and feelings of inadequacy during difficult times.

fromwww.theguardian.com

Overthinking is rarely an advantage | Letter

Overthinkers can find relief and joy through proper diagnosis and treatment for anxiety, leading to a more fulfilling life.

People With Bipolar and BPD Struggle in Mental Healthcare

There is a unique kind of pain in losing your mind, not just once, but over and over. Losing your perception of reality, of your emotions, of your closest relationships-both across months and multiple times a day. Knowing deep down that something is wrong but being unable to stop it.

Mental health

How Are You? There's a Good Chance You Might Not Even Know

Emotional awareness and proactive self-management are essential for breaking outdated behavioral patterns.

The Negativity Bias Impacts Everything in Our Lives

Humans are evolutionarily predisposed to focus on negativity for survival, but this can lead to harmful cognitive patterns.

How Systemic Therapists Can Improve Sleep

Sleep issues are often relational problems, not just individual disorders, highlighting the need for systemic therapy in sleep medicine.

6 days ago

Grief, Loss, Abundance, Joy: Finding Refuge in Harsh Times

Acceptance of loss is essential for emotional balance and finding solace in nature can help mitigate distress.

Why Behavior Change Alone Won't Fix Your Relationship

Behavioral therapy changes observable actions, while emotionally focused therapy emphasizes emotional engagement for lasting relational change.

fromNature

Struggling to focus on research when the world is 'on fire'? Some ways to cope

Global news events are causing burnout and mental exhaustion among researchers, impacting their work and personal lives.

When Therapy Doesn't Work

Therapy can lead to negative experiences, with clients reporting issues such as therapists' misbehavior and perceived incompetence.

Outsmarting Depression: A 6-Step Roadmap to Personal Renewal

Depressive symptoms, often dismissed as everyday blues, can escalate quickly and disrupt life, highlighting the importance of recognizing and addressing mental health issues.

Why We Don't Change-Even When We Know What's Wrong

Insight alone is insufficient for change; real experiences are necessary to challenge ingrained beliefs and expectations.

When the World Feels Scary, These 2 Questions Can Help

Grounding techniques effectively manage anxiety and enhance personal agency by focusing on the present and what can be controlled.

Stop Telling Anxious People to Be Resilient

Resilience frameworks wrongly attribute anxiety to individual weakness rather than systemic issues, leading to harmful consequences for those affected.

6 days ago

Psychology

Psychology says the loneliest form of resilience isn't surviving hardship - it's being so good at handling everything alone that people stop checking if you need support and eventually you stop believing you deserve it - Silicon Canals

Stop Telling Anxious People to Be Resilient

Resilience frameworks wrongly attribute anxiety to individual weakness rather than systemic issues, leading to harmful consequences for those affected.

6 days ago

Psychology says the loneliest form of resilience isn't surviving hardship - it's being so good at handling everything alone that people stop checking if you need support and eventually you stop believing you deserve it - Silicon Canals

Resilience can appear strong externally while internally leading to isolation and a lack of perceived support.

What to Do When You Hit Life's Low Point

External crises trigger deep self-reflection, especially during midlife, leading to questions about fulfillment and the meaning of life.

I used to be unhappy and I blamed everything around me - until I realized I'd built an entire life around avoiding the one conversation I needed to have with myself - Silicon Canals

Unhappiness often stems from avoiding self-reflection and attributing life issues to external factors rather than personal choices.

Your Most Horrifying Thoughts May Not Mean What You Think

Intrusive sexual thoughts are a common form of OCD, often misidentified and not indicative of actual desire.

fromwww.theguardian.com

I'm seeing more people in therapy struggling with war-related anxiety. Here's what helps | Ahona Guha

Global events have led to widespread feelings of doom and a sense of globalized trauma affecting societal perceptions of safety and predictability.

2 weeks ago

Beyond Positive Thinking: Glimmers for Restoration

Glimmers are small, intentional daily moments that help the nervous system shift toward calm and safety, serving as micro-pivots during stress.

Medicine

Who Does It Help? It's a Good Question in Mental Health Care

Subgroup and biomarker-guided analyses reveal that antidepressants can produce faster, stronger responses in specific genetic or biological subgroups, reducing trial-and-error prescribing.

Still Waiting to Hear "You Were Right"?

The desire for validation stems from past neglect and devaluation, creating a painful emotional wound that seeks recognition and worth.

Why You Struggle with Follow-Through (Even When You Care)

Difficulty with follow-through is linked to personality patterns rather than a lack of motivation.

Emotion Beliefs and Well-being

Beliefs about managing emotions significantly impact individual well-being and emotional struggles.

3 weeks ago

You Don't Have to Think or Feel Positive for Good Mental Health

Labeling thoughts and emotions as positive or negative creates false associations with goodness and badness, hindering genuine emotional regulation and mental health.

3 weeks ago

Why Mental Health Language Is Everywhere Now

Mental health terminology has migrated from clinical settings into everyday conversation, reducing stigma and increasing awareness, but clinical meanings shift in common speech, requiring precision for effective care and public discourse.

A Better Way to Respond to Mental Health Crises

Most mental health crises do not justify deadly force; specialized mental-health crisis teams reduce violence and produce safer, better outcomes.

2 months ago

Living Well With Psychosis: Is It Possible?

Recovery-oriented cognitive therapy combines CBT principles with recovery-focused goals to help people with psychosis regain hope, pursue meaningful life goals, and improve functioning.