Tag Archives: Mental Health

Mental Illness and Awareness

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“An overwhelming majority (90%) of people in the United States think the country is experiencing a mental health crisis,” according to a new survey from CNN in partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).

According to the CNN and Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll, about half of adults say they have had a severe mental health crisis in their family, including in-person treatment for family members who were a threat to themselves or others, or family members who engaged in self-harming behaviors.

More than 1 in 5 adults describe their own mental health as only “fair” or “poor,” including extra-large shares of adults under the age of 30, adults who identify as LGBT and those with an annual income of less than $40,000.

A third of all adults said they felt anxious always or often over the course of the past year, including more than half of LGBT adults and those under 30. About 1 in 5 adults said they were often or always depressed or lonely over the past year, too.

Major sources of stress for a third or more of adults include personal finances and current and political events. About 1 in 4 adults also identified personal relationships and work, respectively, as major sources of stress.

Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. And, each year it’s important to fight the stigma, provide support, educate the ourselves and the public, and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families.

It’s imperative to understand that mental health illness and conditions do not discriminate based on socioeconomic status, race, color, gender or identity. Anyone can experience the challenges of mental illness regardless of their background.

However, socioeconomic status, background and identity can make access to mental health treatment much more difficult. Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental health condition and not receiving adequate treatment or care.

Know The Warning Signs

Distinguishing “normal” behaviors from possible signs of a mental illness isn’t always easy. There’s no simple test to label one’s actions and thoughts as mental illness, typical behavior or the result of a physical ailment, according to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Each illness has its own symptoms according to NAMI, but common signs of mental illness in adults and adolescents can include the following:

  • Excessive worrying or fear
  • Feeling excessively sad or low
  • Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning
  • Extreme mood changes,including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria
  • Prolongedorstrongfeelingsofirritability or anger
  • Avoiding friends and social activities
  • Difficulties understanding or relating to other people
  • Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy
  • Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite
  • Changes in sex drive
  • Difficulty perceiving reality (delusions or hallucinations, in which a person experiences and senses things that don’t exist in objective reality)
  • Inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings, behavior or personality (“lack of insight” or anosognosia)
  • Over use of substances like alcohol or drugs
  • Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing “aches and pains”)
  • Thinking about suicide
  • Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress An intense fear of weight gain or concern with appearance

Mental health conditions can also begin to develop in young children, according to NAMI. Because they’re still learning how to identify and talk about thoughts and emotions, children’s most obvious symptoms are behavioral. Symptoms in children may include the following:

  • Changes in school performance
  • Excessive worry or anxiety; for instance, fighting to avoid bed or school
  • Hyperactive behavior
  • Frequent nightmares
  • Frequent disobedience or aggression
  • Frequent temper tantrums

It’s vitally important to promote awareness regarding the mental health challenges facing Americans. Here are a few facts (Source: NAMI):

  • 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
  • 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
  • 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
  • Annual prevalence of mental illness among U.S. adults, by demographic group:
    • Non-Hispanic Asian: 13.9%
    • Non-Hispanic white: 22.6%
    • Non-Hispanic Black or African American: 17.3%
    • Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native: 18.7%
    • Non-Hispanic mixed/multiracial: 35.8%
    • Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 16.6%
    • Hispanic or Latino: 18.4%
    • Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual: 47.4%
  • Annual prevalence among U.S. adults, by condition:
    • Major Depressive Episode: 8.4% (21 million people)
    • Schizophrenia: <1% (estimated 1.5 million people)
    • Bipolar Disorder: 2.8% (estimated 7 million people)
    • Anxiety Disorders: 19.1% (estimated 48 million people)
    • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: 3.6% (estimated 9 million people)
    • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: 1.2% (estimated 3 million people)
    • Borderline Personality Disorder: 1.4% (estimated 3.5 million people)
    • 46.2% of U.S. adults with mental illness received treatment in 2020
    • 64.5% of U.S. adults with serious mental illness received treatment in 2020

Getting Help

When mental illness is present, the potential for crisis is never far from mind. Crisis episodes related to mental illness can feel incredibly overwhelming. There’s the initial shock, followed by a flood of questions — the most prominent of which is: “What can we do?”

Like any other health crisis, it’s important to address a mental health emergency quickly and effectively. With mental health conditions, crises can be difficult to predict because, often, there are no warning signs. Crises can occur even when treatment plans have been followed and mental health professionals are involved. Unfortunately, unpredictability is the nature of mental illness.

There are a variety of treatment options available for people with mental illness and the best combination of treatment and other services will be different for each person. Recommendations are made by health care professionals based on the type of illness, the severity of symptoms and the availability of services. Treatment decisions should be made by the individual in collaboration with the treatment team and their family when possible.

If the situation is life-threatening, call 911 and ask for someone with mental health experience to respond.

References:

  1. https://nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Mental-Health-Awareness-Month
  2. https://nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/PDFs/2022-SPAM-Partner-Guide.pdf
  3. https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/05/health/cnn-kff-mental-health-poll-wellness/index.html

Good Relationships Equate to Happiness

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“Satisfaction with relationships was a better predictor of how people would age more than cholesterol, socioeconomic conditions, or genetics.” ~ Motley Fool contributors Brian Feroldi, Brian Stoffel, & Brian Withers

Positive and strong relationships keep you happier, healthier and living longer, according to the results of a 75+ year experiment started at Harvard during the Great Depression and according to dozens of other studies.

In 2002, two pioneers of Positive Psychology, Ed Diener and Martin Seligman, conducted a study at the University of Illinois on the 10% of students with the highest scores recorded on a survey of personal happiness. They found that the most salient characteristics shared by students who were very happy and showed the fewest signs of depression were “their strong ties to friends and family and commitment to spending time with them.” The New Wallis, 2005).

“Social connections are really good for you; and loneliness kills. “People who are more socially connected to family, to friends, to community are happier; they are physically healthier; and they live longer than people who are less socially connected.”

A relative lack of social connections has been associated with depression and later-life cognitive decline, as well as with increased mortality. One study, found that lack of strong relationships increased the risk of premature death from all causes by 50% — an effect on mortality risk roughly comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and greater than obesity and physical inactivity.

Thus, satisfaction with relationships was a better predictor of how people would age more than cholesterol, socioeconomic conditions, or genetics.

Social connections give you pleasure, they also influence your long-term health in ways every bit as powerful as adequate sleep, a healthy whole real food diet, physical activity and not smoking.

Understanding finance and investing your personal capital are just a means to an end. The whole point of financial freedom is using that time that’s freed up to strengthen your personal relationships.

There’s nothing more important to a long-term mindset than good social relationships. The quality of your personal relations with other people is the number one factor that effects your level of life-satisfaction.

So, make it a priority to take time to foster your most meaningful relationships. Choose activities that are most likely to bring joy to you and the people you have the strongest personal relationships.

“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” ~ John C. Maxwell

References:

  1. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-health-benefits-of-strong-relationships
  2. https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/relationships-and-happiness/

Hope is a Way of Thinking…a Super Power

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Hope is a feeling of expectation, a desire or wish for a certain thing to happen.

According to psychologist and renowned hope researcher Charles R. Snyder et al. (1991) hope is a positive cognitive state based on a sense of successful goal-directed determination and planning to meet these goals.

“Hope is not an emotion; it’s a way of thinking or a cognitive process.” Brené Brown

In other words, hope is like a snap-shot of a person’s current goal-directed thinking, highlighting the motivated pursuit of goals and the expectation that those goals can be achieved.

Hope helps us remain committed to our goals and motivated to take action towards achieving. Hope gives people a reason to continue fighting and believing that their current circumstances will improve, despite the unpredictable nature of human existence.

As psychologist and renowned hope researcher Charles Snyder et al. (2002, p. 269) stated so eloquently:

A rainbow is a prism that sends shards of multicolored light in various directions. It lifts our spirits and makes us think of what is possible. Hope is the same – a personal rainbow of the mind.

While some approaches conceptualize hope in the realm of being, that is acknowledging hope during illness and within palliative care; Snyder et al (1991) emphasized the relevance of hope in the context of doing – that is the capacity to achieve goals.

According to Snyder’s Hope Theory (Snyder, Irving, & Anderson, 1991), hopefulness is a life-sustaining human strength comprised of three distinct but related components:

  1. Goals Thinking – the clear conceptualization of valuable goals.
  2. Pathways Thinking – the capacity to develop specific strategies to reach those goals.
  3. Agency Thinking – the ability to initiate and sustain the motivation for using those strategies.

Hope does not necessarily fade in the face of adversity; in fact hope often endures despite poverty, war and famine. While no one is exempt from experiencing challenging life events, hope fosters an orientation to life that allows a grounded and optimistic outlook even in the most challenging of circumstances.

Practicing optimism has much in common with hope. Both are concerned with a positive future orientation and both assume that good things will generally occur in one’s life.

The difference is that optimism is a positive attitude about a future event that is probable and likely to occur: the optimist expects that life will work out well and as expected (Scheier & Carver, 1993).

On the other hand, being hopeful is regarded as more realistic than optimistism.

The hopeful individual recognizes that life may not always work out as planned, yet maintains positive expectancy directed toward possible outcomes that hold personal significance (Miceli & Castelfranchi, 2002)

Hope is more than just a state of mind; it is an action-oriented strength.

References:

  1. https://positivepsychology.com/hope-therapy/

C.R. Snyder was a fellow of the APA in the divisions of teaching, social and personality, clinical, and health. He worked as the director of the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Kansas and was  the editor of the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. Snyder passed away in 2006.

The biblical definition of hope is “confident expectation.” Hope means “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen” and it is a cognitive processes or way of thinking.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV)

The Next Pandemic: Mental Illness has Arrived

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which is a time to bring awareness to this pervasive issue affecting millions of Americans and people worldwide. 

Within the past couple of years, this country has been facing a crisis that can no longer be ignored, the number of Americans dealing with mental health continues to grow.  

Mental Illness is the emerging post-Covid reality that a building crisis of poorly treated mental illness, anxiety, depression and suicide, writes Daniel Henninger, Opinion Columnist, Wonder Land, The Wall Street Journal.

Depression, self-harm and suicide are rising among young people. Suicide, already the second leading cause of death among people 15 to 34 before the pandemic, has increased.

The 2020 pandemic highlighted the significance of prioritizing mental health yet the number of those walking around untreated continues to grow. At some point, we will have to realize that mental health is a serious crisis for the country. 

America is facing a national mental health crisis that could yield serious health and social consequences for years to come. —American Psychological Association (APA).

According to the Centers for Disease Contro and Prevention (CDC), a study released in August 2020 that showed that over 40 percent of adults in the United States reported dealing with mental health challenges or substance use. 

Additionally, suicidal ideation continues to increase among adults in the U.S. The number of youth struggling with depression has increased, according to Mental Health America.

What’s alarming is that more than 50 percent of of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 20 million adults in the United States who are being untreated. White youth with depression were more likely to receive mental health treatment while Asian-Americans youth were least likely to receive mental health care.

Many Americans spent the 26 months of the pandemic drinking too much alcohol or using drugs. One result: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just reported a record number of deaths from drug overdoses last year, nearly 108,000 and 15% higher than 2020, prominently from fentanyl.

Absent medical treatment, some of the most severely mentally ill individuals self-medicate on the street with alcohol or drugs, turn violent and typically end up in filling the jails and prisons across the country.

The solution to the deinstitutionalization movement of the 1970s emptied the mental hospitals was supposed to be outpatient “community care.” It never happened.

With the incidence of disorders and suicides rising, there will be postmortems on the damage done during the pandemic to young people. With their schools closed, some isolated from friends and disintegrated inside social-media sites like TikTok or the online cauldrons.

It was clear the lockdowns and closings were wrecking mental health, especially among children and teens. Sadly, the National Institute of Mental Health did not have a seat at the decision table at the national level. Political officials ceded complete control of pandemic policy to public-health authorities. Next time, private and personal mental health should get a voice.

Between the social isolation, economic instability, political turmoil, racial violence, death and sickness, and overall uncertainty about the future, it is no wonder that mental health in America is on the decline, that depression and anxiety levels are on the rise, and that the demand for mental health and addiction treatment is skyrocketing.

Mental disorder has become too pervasive to sweep under a rug. The current national solution has been to let families alone pick up the broken pieces. It’s not enough.

Write henninger@wsj.com.

Your mental health matters!

Mental health is just as important as physical health. Good mental health helps you cope with stress and improve your quality of life.

References:

  1. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-next-pandemic-mental-illness-homelessness-buffalo-shooting-online-hospital-11652906894
  2. https://afro.com/mental-health-in-a-pandemic-take-it-seriously/
  3. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/nurturing-self-compassion/202103/is-mental-health-crisis-the-next-pandemic
  4. https://go.usa.gov/xuQPu #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth

The Great Benefits and Joy of Movement

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“Anytime you engage in regular activity, you’re becoming this version of yourself that is more hopeful, more motivated, more energized, and better able to connect with others.” ~Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D.

Knowing only great benefits and happiness will result from movement, why are Americans so resistant to making movement a priority in their day?

While our brains and bodies reward us for moving and exertion, we also are built with an instinct to avoid overexertion, conserve energy, to rest, to avoid discomfort, and avoid failure and embarrassment, says Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., a research psychologist, a lecturer at Stanford University, and an award-winning science writer and author of The Joy of Movement.

To retrain our bodies to encourage movement, we must first start with self-compassion and the practice of gratitude. We must remove the negative connotations from movement and recognize how the practice of movement can be really rewarding on its own.

“Exercise is health-enhancing and life-extending, yet many of us feel it’s a chore.” Kelly McGonigal

Research shows, according to Dr. McGonigal, there are three motivations that keep people moving:

  • Enjoyment – doing something you actually enjoy
  • The activity provides social community or sense of identity (i.e. “I’m a runner”), … positive social connection, and
  • It’s a personal challenge and meaningful to you as you’re making progress toward a goal.

If you can find an activity that gives you all three – you’re hooked for life! Exercise is health-enhancing and life-extending, yet many of us feel it’s a chore and burden.

Movement can be a source of joy and is intertwined with some of the most basic human joys, including self-expression, social connection, and mastery–and why it is a powerful antidote to the modern epidemics of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

Basically, bliss can be found in any sustained physical activity, whether that’s hiking, swimming, cycling, dancing, or yoga. However, the runner’s high emerges only after a significant effort. It seems to be the brain’s way of rewarding you for working hard.

McGonigal tells the stories of people who have found fulfillment and belonging through running, walking, dancing, swimming, weightlifting, and more, with examples that span the globe.

Along the way, Dr. McGonigal paints a portrait of human nature that highlights our capacity for hope, cooperation, and self-transcendence.

Movement is integral to both our happiness and our humanity. By harnessing the power of movement, you can create happiness, meaning, and connection in your life.

The latest theory about the runner’s high claims that: Our ability to experience exercise-induced euphoria is linked to our earliest ancestors’ lives as hunters, scavengers, and foragers.

As biologist Dennis Bramble and paleoanthropologist Daniel Lieberman write, “Today, endurance running is primarily a form of exercise and recreation, but its roots may be as ancient as the origin of the human genus.”

The neurochemical state that makes running gratifying may have originally served as a reward to keep early humans hunting and gathering. What we call the runner’s high may even have encouraged our ancestors to cooperate and share the spoils of a hunt.

In our evolutionary past, humans may have survived in part because physical activity was pleasurable. It takes about six weeks of consistent moderate movement to see structural and neurochemical changes in your brain. And, increase intensity amplifies the benefits. The harder stuff seems to payoff. Exercise gets easier and more pleasurable sooner.

The key to unlocking the runner’s high is not the physical action of running itself, but can be achieved on continuous moderate intensity exercise. And in fact scientists have documented a similar increase in endocannabinoids from cycling, walking on a treadmill at an incline, and outdoor hiking.

If you want the high, you just have to put in the time and effort. 

References:

  1. https://getmadefor.com/blogs/perspective/the-joy-of-movement-how-looking-backwards-moves-us-forward
  2. https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Movement-exercise-happiness-connection/dp/0525534105/ref=nodl

Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., is a research psychologist, a lecturer at Stanford University, and an award-winning science writer and author of The Joy of Movement.

Staying Active Gives You a Longer, Healthier Life

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“Exercise is the most important activity we can do to keep our brains healthy, it’s important to simply move, whether that be casual walking or a workout.” Sanjay Gumpta

It important to understand that you can proactively take steps to avoid, delay, and mitigate dementia and mental decline as you age. Just thirty minutes daily of moderate physical activity, such as walking around the block, can make a significant difference in improving your brain health.

In the process of neurogenesis, creating brain cells does not stop when you age and get older. Neuroscientific research shows that the brain can make new brain cells, and forge new neural connections, at any age.

Additionally, adequate sleep also has a major effect on brain health. Recent research has shown that your brain remains very active while you sleep, because it can make full use of the energy that is diverted elsewhere when you are awake.

When you sleep, the brain turns information into knowledge, consolidates your memories, and cleans itself. This is why everyone needs at least eight hours of sleep, states Gumpta and you shouldn’t convince yourself that you don’t.

“There is a rinse cycle that happens in your brain when you sleep,” says Gumpta. “You are basically clearing out metabolic waste. That happens when you are awake, but the process is close to 60 per cent more efficient when you are asleep.

Key takeaway is that staying physically active, proper diet. adequate sleep and social interaction are all key to longer life.

And you’re never too old to start exercising.

References:

  1. https://amp.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3129163/brain-health-and-how-avoid-dementia-eat-and-sleep-well-be
  2. https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3089731/ageing-well-why-staying-active-key-longer-life-youre

Calculating Net Worth

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Calculating net worth involves adding up all your assets and subtracting all your liabilities.  The resulting sum is your net worth.

The value of your primary residence is not included in your net worth calculation.  In addition, any mortgage or other loan on the residence does not count as a liability up to the fair market value of the residence.  If the loan is for more than the fair market value of the residence (i.e., if your mortgage is underwater), then the loan amount that is over the fair market value counts as a liability under the net worth test.

Further, any increase in the loan amount in the 60 days prior to your purchase of the securities (even if the loan amount does not exceed the value of the residence) will count as a liability as well.  The reason for this is to prevent net worth from being artificially inflated through converting home equity into cash or other assets.

The following table sets forth examples of calculations under the net worth test for being an accredited investor:

Accredited Investor table

References:

 

Avoid 5 Foods that Weaken Memory and Focus

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We are what we eat!

Across America, people are struggling with mental health issues. Nearly one in five Americans are living with a mental health condition, and the number of people seeking help for anxiety and depression is skyrocketing, reports Mental Health America. According to the organization’s 2021 State of Mental Health in America Report, “suicidal thoughts are increasing among both adults and children, and 9.7 percent of youth is experiencing severe major depression compared to 9.2 percent last year”.

Accumulating scientific research shows that a standard American diet rich in refined sugar and highly processed foods may increase the risk of developing or worsening various mental health conditions. But a nutrient-based diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables; omega-3 fatty acids; nuts, seeds and legumes; whole grains, fresh herbs and spices; fish and olive oil, may help to support and enhance mental health.

Source: https://mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america

A Harvard nutritionist and brain expert implores Americans to avoid 5 foods that ‘weaken memory and focus’, and increase the likelihood of depression and mental health issues. Dr. Uma Naidoo, a nutritional psychiatrist, brain expert, and faculty member at Harvard Medical School, studied how gut bacteria can trigger metabolic processes and brain inflammation that impact memory.

In her book “This Is Your Brain on Food”, Dr. Naidoo explains which food contributes to our mental health and “how a sound diet can help treat and prevent a wide range of psychological and cognitive health issues, from ADHD to anxiety, depression, OCD, and others”.

Refined sugar is well known for creating chronic inflammation in the body which can cause dysfunction of the immune system.

Existing studies indicate that you “may be able to reduce the possibility of dementia by avoiding foods that can compromise our gut bacteria and weaken your memory and focus”.

The standard American diet (SAD) foods “to avoid or cut back on to fight inflammation and promote brain health, sharp thinking and good decision-making” are:

  1. Refined sugars – a high-sugar or ‘high fructose corn syrup’ diet can lead to excess glucose in the brain, which studies have linked to memory impairments and less plasticity of the hippocampus — the part of the brain controlling memory. Consuming unhealthy processed foods like baked goods and soda floods the brain with too much glucose. And, be aware that refined sugar is “secretly added” to many popular food items like fast food french fries. Furthermore, sugar consumption triggers a cascade of chemical reactions in the body that promote chronic inflammation, according to Psychology Today. A little inflammation can be a good thing, since it can increase immune activity and blood flow to a wound. But in the long term, inflammation is a big problem. It disrupts the normal functioning of the immune system, and wreaks havoc on the brain.
  2. High-glycemic-load carbohydrates – your body processes high-glycemic-load carbohydrates in much the same way it does with refined or high fructose sugar. That means they can also raise your risk for depression. “Better-quality” carbohydrates were defined as whole grains, foods high in fiber, and those ranked low on the glycemic index (GI). The GI is a measure of how quickly foods convert to glucose when broken down during digestion; the faster a food turns into glucose in the body, the higher its GI ranking. Researchers discovered that people who were eating better-quality carbs, were 30% less likely to develop depression than those who were eating high-GI carbs. Low-GI carbs include green vegetables, most fruits, raw carrots, kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils.
  3. Fried foods – for brain health, it pays to reduce the amount of fried foods you eat. In fact, one study found that a diet high in fried foods was linked to lower scores in learning and memory. The likely reason is that fried foods can cause inflammation, which can damage the blood vessels that supply the brain with blood. Another study found that those who consumed more fried foods were more likely to develop depression in their lifetime. If you’re eating fried foods, try enjoying them just once a month.
  4. Alcohol – Archana Singh-Manoux, a research professor and director at the French Institute of Health and Medical Research, and her colleagues reported in the British Medical Journal that “people who had abstained from alcohol completely or who consumed more than 14 drinks per week had a higher risk of dementia compared to those who drank alcohol in moderation”. Thus, the key is moderation.
  5. Nitrates – nitrates are used as a preservative and to enhance color in deli slices and cured meats like bacon, salami and sausage. Nitrates may be also connected with depression.

What you eat does matter. Thus, by avoiding or eliminating these 5 foods from your diet, and by serving healthier, nutrient-rich food options, you can help to alleviate anxiety and depression, stabilize mood and promote mental health and wellness.

“The gut/brain connection helps us understand the food/mood connection,” explains Dr. Naidoo. “The enteric nervous system—that is, the nerves supplying the gastrointestinal tract—totals over 100 million neurons and communicates directly with the brain, or central nervous system, by way of the vagus nerve, which is responsible for our ‘rest-and-digest’ response. 

“It’s also vital to note that the gut contains the highest number of serotonin receptors, and the gut itself produces all the neurotransmitters that are also made in the brain, including serotonin, often called the happiness hormone. In turn, these neurotransmitters are implicated in sound mental health or potential problems when they are deficient.”

Bottomline, cleaning up your diet and eating healthier, nutrient-rich food, in most cases, will only help your mental health and emotional well-being.

Healthy diet, exercise, mindfulness, gratitude and sleep are all holistically important for your brain and mental health.

  1. https://www.nachicago.com/2021/10/29/372020/eat-well-to-feel-well-thanksgiving-fare-that-boosts-mental-health
  2. https://mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america
  3. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-depression-cure/200907/dietary-sugar-and-mental-illness-surprising-link
  4. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/28/a-harvard-nutritionist-and-brain-expert-avoids-these-5-foods-that-weaken-memory-and-focus.html
  5. https://umanaidoomd.com

Emotional Well-Being

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“Love and meaningful relationships are vital to physical and emotional well-being.” Deepak Chopra

Many people fail to understand that emotional well-being has potential to affect your overall health and well-being. In fact, mental and emotional stress can translate into adverse physical reactions, a weakened immune system, and overall poor health outcomes.

It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry during and after a disaster or pandemic. Everyone reacts differently, and your own feelings will change over time. It’s important to take notice and to accept how you feel.

Taking care of your emotional well-being during an emergency will help you think clearly and react to the urgent needs to protect yourself and your family.

Self-care and being proactive during an emergency will help your long-term healing.

Look out for these common signs of distress:

  • Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration
  • Changes in appetite, energy, and activity levels
  • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
  • Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
  • Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes
  • Worsening of chronic health problems
  • Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

It’s vital for you to learn how to manage your stress and take the action to improve your mental well-being. You can take the following steps to cope:

  • Take care of your body– Try to eat healthy well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Learn more about wellness strategiesexternal icon for mental health.
  • Connect with others– Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Maintain healthy relationships, and build a strong support system.
  • Stay informed– When you feel that you are missing information, you may become more stressed or nervous. Watch, listen to, or read the news for updates from officials. Be aware that there may be rumors and misinformation during a crisis, especially on social media. Always check your sources and turn to reliable sources of information like your local government authorities.
  • Avoid too much exposure to media and news– Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly. Try to do enjoyable activities and return to normal life as much as possible and check for updates between breaks.

References:

  1. https://emergency.cdc.gov/coping/selfcare.asp
  2. https://austinblog.heart.org/october-is-emotional-wellness-month/

Emotional Well-being: College Student Mental Health

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Improving the lives and futures of young adults by strengthening connections and building resilience.

Mental health continues to be a major concern on college campuses around the world, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

The research reveals that the prevalence of depression and anxiety in young people continues to increase, now reaching its highest levels, a sign of the mounting stress factors due to the convergence of the coronavirus pandemic, political unrest, and systemic racism and inequality. 

Additionally, researchers from the World Health Organization found that a staggering 35 percent of first year college freshmen struggled with a mental illness. The most common mental illness observed was major depressive disorder, with 21.2 percent of respondents experiencing lifelong symptoms, followed by general anxiety disorder, which affects 18.6 percent of students.

When it comes to suicide in particular, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry points to data showing that by 2018, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 24.

And, since 2014, anxiety and depression have been college students’ leading mental health issues, according to research conducted by Boston University.

According to the most recent Healthy Minds Study, which surveys tens of thousands of college and university students across the U.S., 41% of all students screened positive for depression over the spring semester, and 34% screened positive for anxiety. They are the highest levels observed by the study. However, this year’s results are part of a steadily increasing trend, and students surveyed said that while the pandemic impacted their mental health, it wasn’t the root cause.

Help is on its way

RADical Hope is a nonprofit committed to improving the lives and futures of young adults by strengthening connections and building resilience. The RADical Hope movement is two-fold: educate all constituents of the college community the warning signs and implore them to take action. And, help to identify students who need help but are not able to ask for it.

RADical Hope wellness program, RADical Health, attempts to empower and equip college students with tools to stay well and stay resilient dealing with the day-to-day challenges of life on college campuses. Their strategy is to utilize proven effective techniques and procedures to counter the accelerating rise in college student anxiety and depression.

RADical Hope is currently partnering with ten colleges and universities to develop, identify and partner with frontline engagement programs that deliver three priorities: Connectivity, Engagement, Empowerment.

And, reaching college-age kids is vital. “64% of kids who drop out of college do so because of mental illness,” says Ken Langone, Co-Founder of Home Depot, who adds, “Our purpose [for RADical Hope] is to identify the kids who aren’t reaching out for help and assure them there is a better future.”

References:

  1. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/04/4-ways-to-be-proactive-about-your-mental-health-in-college.html
  2. https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/depression-anxiety-loneliness-are-peaking-in-college-students/
  3. https://radicalhopefoundation.org
  4. https://www.wuft.org/news/2021/09/22/mental-health-challenges-abound-among-college-students/
  5. https://healthymindsnetwork.org/hms/

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline contact is 1-800-273-8255 (en español: 1-888-628-9454; deaf and hard of hearing: 1-800-799-4889) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.