The Economist quoted a few sentences from the report No Easy Answers, in which 200 victims of various sex crimes were interviewed. It’s 146 pages in total. However, even attwo years old, it’s worth reading properly by itself in order to get the most rounded reaction, even if you might disagree with the report’s eventual conclusions.
Read it or download as a PDF here.
– CBG
I don’t think we are on a path to create that world. I think a world where human beings are valued based on how much money they make and how “strong” they are does not even care if older men are lost. They feel like a burden because society treats them like one. How much could they contribute to our community if we didn’t think that way? If we had a community that involved them instead of isolating them, and a healthcare system that didn’t cause people to go bankrupt because they grew old and became sick, perhaps we’d find out.Â
I think this comment is correct: If you’re finding it hard to cope with the news and social media, you’re not alone. It isn’t easy to know when to stop reading the news. The line between being informed and obsessed with it to the point of impacting our lives and mental health is a fine…
As Renée points out, childhood trauma increases the likelihood of a wide range of physical and mental health issues later in life. To the tune of trillions of dollars. The way to address those outcomes is through early interventions for kids. Often, those are available because of grants and government funding. That costs money, but it’s a better alternative to all of the costs associated with treating the long-term impacts of trauma.
I think that second quote is really the key. We’ve seen studies that are reported as showing that kids who use social media get more depression and anxiety, but those studies do not address the question of whether there’s any proof that the causality is in that direction and not the other. In other words, do teens who use social media a lot develop depression, or do depressed teens use social media more. This study seems to indicate it’s the latter. As we continue with a lot of social distancing, and activities being canceled and in person gatherings are very limited, we know everyone will be relying more on social media to stay connected, so this is an important question, and I think what this study, and others, really shows us is that there are ways to use social media as a positive influence on our mental health, and a way to use it that will not be a positive influence on our mental health.
In the physical world, we have these same choices. Do we interact with people who are toxic? Do we spend all of our time comparing ourselves to others? Do we isolate? Or do we find out tribe, our group of supportive friends/family that can interact socially in ways that help our mental health?
We all make those same choices on social media, but the key difference here is that if we simply don’t choose, and make no effort to make conscious decisions about who we follow and interact with, social network algorithms will make the decision for us. Anyone already struggling with mental health is maybe more likely to not spent much time thinking about these things, and just let the app show them what it wants to show them, and that is not necessarily going to be good for our anxiety. Especially right now.
So, if you find yourself feeling more anxious, angry, irritated, etc. every time you hop on Twitter or Instagram, maybe instead of just being that way, spend some time thinking about who you follow, and what they are bringing in to your life?
For any of my social media using readers, can you share some of your favorite positive accounts that you interact with to HELP your mental health?
Hope Contagion: 13 Reasons Why It’s Time to Change Direction Mental health myth busting My Take on Why Mental Health Awareness Month is Important The Many Faces of Anxiety How to start a mental-health conversation with a colleague Why Rock Bottom in Serious Mental Illness Is Death Why staff wellbeing is mission critical for the…
We talk a lot in the advocate community about not being alone with mental health issues. I try to encourage anyone to see others who are dealing with the same issues around mental health and childhood abuse and recognize that they are not in this alone. There are many of us out here dealing with the same thing. Many in the US and other countries are alone in accessing care. That should shame us all.Â
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i am one of the many thousands of children who were abused in artane,the money paid to us was very short of the realistic value of compensation which we should have received,and for which we had to sign a silence agreement,if they are not going to prosecute the guilty then our compensation should be looked at again with the view of a further payment,otherwise what was all the fuss about,i and thousands like me suffered for years and the idea that these pervs are not being sent to prison is the same as saying it was alwright for them to carry on as they did.we demand justice and nothing less,