Is Music Helping You Get Through?

Is Music Helping You Get Through?

ByMikeM Reading Time: 2 minutes

Speaking, again, for myself, when I get frustrated with world events, work, or whatever might be irritating me beyond belief at the moment, a good bit of loud music can help me express that and just get it out of my system so that I can then continue on with my life. I find myself getting more and more irritable if I haven’t found a way to express the frustration that I may be feeling at any particular time until it eventually shows up in maybe ways I would rather it doesn’t. So, when I find myself getting more and more frustrated, out come the headphones, and a little punk rock, until I feel better. 

And, really, there is a lot to be frustrated about in the world right now, let alone our individual lives. If some loud music helps me deal with that, so be it. So, let’s at least fill our lives with some music. It certainly can’t hurt. 

What impact does music have on your own emotional well-being? Have you thought about the role it could play in self-care?

Sharing – 5 Amazing Benefits of Blogging about Mental Health

Sharing – 5 Amazing Benefits of Blogging about Mental Health

ByMikeM Reading Time: 2 minutes

I’ve had people refer to me as someone who is surprisingly self-aware. I don’t really think of myself that way, but what I do know is that reading and writing about mental health topics, as well as my own experience in therapy, provides me with constant reminders about the importance of mental health, and how that information either resonates with me, or doesn’t, and why.

I don’t think our current culture really encourages that kind of behavior. We are encouraged to be busy, productive, constantly hustling and then showing it off on social media. Self-reflection? Ha! No time for that.

But there should be time for that. Without knowing ourselves, how can we even start to care for our own mental health?

Sharing – Small Talk With A Stranger Can Still Save Lives, Says Samaritans

Sharing – Small Talk With A Stranger Can Still Save Lives, Says Samaritans

ByMikeM Reading Time: 2 minutes

I’ve talked about this a little bit, but maybe not in detail. When I was really struggling, I can’t necessarily say that someone starting a conversation with me made the difference that day. I don’t think I was self-aware enough to know that. What I do know, however, is that being seen makes a huge difference. In my depression, I did not want to be seen. I wanted to fade away. That was the driver behind my desire, to simply not be here. To disconnect from everything in order to disconnect from the pain I was in. Small connections helped me understand what I was giving up, and why I might want to rethink that.

Shared Links (weekly) July 11, 2021

Shared Links (weekly) July 11, 2021

ByMikeM Reading Time: 1 minute
Have We Overlooked Men When Talking About Body Shaming?

Have We Overlooked Men When Talking About Body Shaming?

ByMikeM Reading Time: 2 minutes

I’ve been lucky enough to see a couple of men talk about eating disorders, and body image, but I’ll be the first to admit, if you asked me, based on what I see and hear, if these were mostly women’s issues, I’d probably say yes. But that’s wrong. These are very much men’s issues and trans issues as well. We make jokes about dad bods and assume it’s no big deal because it’s men, and they don’t have the same problems, and hang ups, but we do. There are far more people in the world struggling with their body, and disordered eating, who aren’t included in the conversation because we assume it’s a young women’s issue. 

Sharing – Is it really OK to not be OK?

Sharing – Is it really OK to not be OK?

ByMikeM Reading Time: 1 minute

The article below is about the UK, where NHS funding determines how much mental health treatment is available, and when too many people need it, someone has to decide who does, and doesn’t. Usually that means people who aren’t “sick enough”, get nothing, and continue to get worse.

Can we say the same isn’t true in other countries? In the US, we have a severe shortage of mental health resources and funding too. Maybe there’s not a government agency determining who is “sick enough”, but there are plenty of obstacles to getting care that leave you with similar results. You’re not sick enough to be a priority, you’re not insured enough to get treatment, you’re not wealthy enough to get private care, and on and on.

Sharing – Half of men have had unwanted sexual experiences, UK study finds

Sharing – Half of men have had unwanted sexual experiences, UK study finds

ByMikeM Reading Time: 1 minute

We have always kind of known that the estimates for all survivors is low because of underreporting, especially for men, where reporting is actually pretty uncommon. What this study is suggesting is that the numbers we typically rely on, are significantly lower than the reality.