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Shared Links (weekly) Oct. 9, 2022
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How to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Grooming, with Feather Berkower
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9 more ways to show your friends you love them, recommended by NPR listeners
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Reducing sexual violence could be key in reducing rates of teenage mental ill-health
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Loneliness and unhappiness may accelerate aging faster than smoking
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Reviews Elsewhere – 10 Mental Health Books For Middle School Kids
Middle School can be a trying time for kids. They are getting older but aren’t teenagers yet. They are going through changes and dealing with big issues without much experience dealing with emotions. Luckily, Sarah Zellner offers up these suggestions for books about mental health targeted at this age range.
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Sharing – I’m a psychologist – and I believe we’ve been told devastating lies about mental health
Of course, he’s right. What he sees in the UK is the same thing I see from my “much less qualified but simply paying attention” seat in the US, and I’m sure many of you see where you live as well. Our current mental health resources are designed to help “fix” something wrong with us. I can’t say they even do that well, but at least that is the plan, and that plan makes sense for many mental health struggles.
It is only part of the picture, though. In all seriousness, how would the 6-8 therapist sessions a good insurance plan covers help someone escaping domestic abuse or trying to feed a family on a minimum wage job? How is the teenager being abused at home, bullied at school, and overwhelmed by the bleakness of what the world might look like when they are an adult supposed to find hope in one crisis text line conversation?
How will we provide hope and connection to people without first understanding their world and how they navigate it every day?
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Sharing – We’re Increasingly Disconnected and That Has Consequences
The rest of the article talks about the detrimental impacts of less connection to the people in our lives, our communities, etc., and some ways to help build those back. Things like reaching out, doing more than doom, scrolling your social media feeds, leaving thoughtful comments, interacting with your friends and family, etc.
It’s worth a read. Connectivity is an essential part of maintaining our physical and mental health.
