Mental Health

  • New Research on Social Media and Teen Mental Health

    ByMikeM Reading Time: 3 minutes

    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?

  • Sharing – Researchers Doubt That Certain Mental Disorders Are Disorders At All

    ByMikeM Reading Time: 2 minutes

    On one hand, I think we could eliminate a lot of the stigma around depression, anxiety, PTSD and ADHD if we understood them to be fairly common, and normal responses to abnormal events.

    On the other though, I’m concerned that trying to explain away something that can be as debilitating as depression can be could lead to an increase in people not taking it seriously. Which could lead to people not getting help as needed for it, and being blamed for not just dealing with it, etc.

    I also worry that if we define mental health conditions very strictly, we’ll be increasing the stigma of those with other disorders like bipolar, or schizophrenia.

  • Sharing – ‘Blood Is Thicker Than Water’ Disrupting Your Peace?

    ByMikeM Reading Time: 2 minutes

    One of the lessons that should be required learning for many of us, is that even with family, we get to set boundaries. We get to decide how much, or how little, we interact with other human beings. Also, what I decide is the way I want to set my boundaries, doesn’t mean yours need to be the same. As Carly lays out in the article below, there are quite a few things to consider, but it is your decision, and you should always put your own mental health first.

  • Links I’m Sharing (weekly) Aug 9, 2020

    ByMikeM Reading Time: 1 minute

    10 Simple Ways to Love Yourself a Little More Each Day

    Can Childhood Trauma Make the Body and Brain Age Faster?

    6 Ways to Survive Survivor Guilt |

    Mental Health in the Digital Realm

    Childhood Trauma: Types, Causes, Signs, and Treatments

    Self-Care Sounds Simple, So Why Is It So Hard to Practice?

    Study Confirms Asking Directly About Suicide Doesn’t Cause More Harm

    What People Want to Hear When They’re Struggling

    Stopping the Cycle of Trauma: Parents Need Help for Trauma Too

    Mental health website for people with intellectual disability created with help of those with lived experience – ABC News

    – Good, it’s not often that we think about how our sites work for those with disabilities, I’m glad there are folks working to be more inclusive.

    How to Ask if Everything Is OK When It’s Clearly Not

    4 Reasons Taking Things Personally Prevents Healing

  • Links I’m Sharing (weekly) Aug 2, 2020

    ByMikeM Reading Time: 1 minute

    ntal Health Is Often A Privilege For BIPOC. Here’s Why That Needs To Change.

    African American teens face mental health crisis but are less likely than whites to get treatment

    Managing your mental health – why staying connected is so important

    Don’t Put Off Taking Care of Yourself

    For black men, higher education and incomes don’t lower risks of depression, researchers say

    ‘No more pictures of someone clutching their head’: The photo competition reimagining images of mental health

    Thoughts Of Suicide, Other Mental Health Struggles Still High For LGBTQ Youth

    Tiffany and Frank King Talk Suicide Prevention

  • Sharing – Text messaging: The next gen of therapy in mental health

    ByMikeM Reading Time: 1 minute

    Interesting findings, and maybe something that shines more light around some things we’ve seen going back years about how much staying in contact with patients helps them stay connected. “In the first randomized controlled trial of its kind, a research team investigated the impact of a texting intervention as an add-on to a mental health…