Even Friends Who Are Bad Influences are Better than Not Having Friends

Even Friends Who Are Bad Influences are Better than Not Having Friends

Connection matters more than small behaviors. Loneliness is more damaging to our mental and physical health than small vices, despite the amount of digital space spent talking about what we should and shouldn’t eat, drink, or do with our time. Yet, so many of us make our friendships one of the lowest priorities.

We’re hurting ourselves and each other.

988 Hotline Struggling with Growing Pains?

988 Hotline Struggling with Growing Pains?

What if the operators on the line do get the necessary training and we make all the improvements we can make as we learn how to do this better, and there is just no system to hand the caller off to? Because I feel like that might be the case for some callers. The call is a door to care, but is the follow-up care available?

Sharing – 22 Types of Childhood Verbal Abuse and Their Recognition

Sharing – 22 Types of Childhood Verbal Abuse and Their Recognition

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…

Shared Links (weekly) Oct. 15, 2023

Shared Links (weekly) Oct. 15, 2023

Two Reviews Elsewhere – Breaking Through Depression; The Balanced Brain

Two Reviews Elsewhere – Breaking Through Depression; The Balanced Brain

It might not seem like much, but the more we learn about depression, the more we might be able to do for more people. That’s why the article linked above gives me some hope. We need more information from research, from professionals, and from those with lived experience if we are going to make a dent in treating depression. Lives are at stake.

Another Possible Reason for the Rise in Youth Mental Health Issues

Another Possible Reason for the Rise in Youth Mental Health Issues

Ben points out that the Child Tax Credit was expanded to assist poor families with pandemic-related economic hardships in 2021. 

The rate of childhood poverty dropped to historic lows.

Then it went away. And, well, what else would you expect?

According to NPR, “…A year ago, child poverty hit a historic low of 5.2%. The latest figures [a year after the child tax credits expired] put it at 12.4%, the same as the overall poverty rate. The surge happened as record inflation was rising and a lot of pandemic relief was running out, but Census officials and other experts say a key was the child tax credit.”