Survivors News and Reviews

Book Reviews

Insights from While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence.
ByMikeM October 26, 2023October 25, 2023 Reading Time: 2 minutes

As I read the rest of her insights, I realized this is where it all starts. We don’t have a mental health care system. If we had some semblance of a system the other four insights would go without saying. We’d see mental health patients as human beings, we would listen to them about their lived experiences, we’d have support systems for families, and we’d understand that despite all the effort and love put in, some people would still lose the battle, just like we do with cancer and every other illness.

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Links

Sharing – 22 Types of Childhood Verbal Abuse and Their Recognition
ByMikeM October 19, 2023October 18, 2023 Reading Time: 2 minutes

I’m willing to bet the reason this is true is that we’ve struggled to define verbal abuse: “Currently, four subtypes are used to categorize child maltreatment: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Verbal abuse is noticeably absent. Of those four, a June 2023 study of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among U.S. adults found…

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Links

John Stamos is 60 and Just Now Revealing his Sexual Abuse
ByMikeM October 18, 2023October 18, 2023 Reading Time: 2 minutes

I know that I’ve talked before about survivors not coming forward for years, and how this is especially true for men, who typically don’t disclose to anyone until their 50s. In a recent interview with People, John Stamos briefly talks about his own experience with child abuse, and I want you to pay close attention to the reasons he didn’t tell anyone until now:

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Recommendations

Happiness Lab on How to Make Friends and Compliment People
ByMikeM October 16, 2023October 15, 2023 Reading Time: 1 minute

Over the weekend I listened to this episode of the Happiness Lab podcast and I wanted to share it because I think Dr. Santos and her guests hit on some pretty interesting topics. Specifically, I felt like this was some more scientific evidence for how small actions, like compliments, can create a connection between people and make both the giver and the receiver, happier.

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In the News

Have You Used a Mental Health App Successfully?
ByMikeM October 11, 2023August 28, 2025 Reading Time: 1 minute

So, dear readers. rather than assuming mental health apps don’t work because I haven’t done a good job of using them and letting them help me, let’s have a conversation about what mental health apps have, or haven’t, worked for you, and why. I’m curious to know what the crowd has to say, and what advice you would give others.

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Links | Recommendations

Asking for Help Can Create Connection – So Does the Thank You
ByMikeM October 10, 2023October 10, 2023 Reading Time: 1 minute

We’ve talked a lot about the importance of connection when it comes to mental health. Being connected to others is a great tool in suicide prevention, and we see study after study reporting on the negative effects of loneliness. One great way to create a connection among your friends is to ask for help when you need it. People, generally, like to help. The little bit of vulnerability it takes to ask for help can create a huge improvement in the connection between two people.

Unless, of course, you don’t bother to acknowledge the help with a thank you.

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