7 ways to practice emotional first aid You put a bandage on a cut or take antibiotics to treat an infection, right? No questions asked. In fact, questions would be asked if you didn’t apply first aid when necessary. So why isn’t the same true of our mental health? We are expected to just “get over” psychological wounds — when as anyone who’s ever ruminated over rejection or agonized over a failure knows only too well, emotional injuries can be just as crippling as physical ones. We need to learn how to practice emotional first aid. Pay attention to emotional pain — recognize it when it happens and work to treat it before it feels all-encompassing. Yes, practicing emotional hygiene takes a little time and effort, but it will seriously elevate your entire quality of life. See Guy Winch’s TED Talk, Why we all need to practice emotional first aid.
What does depression feel like? Trust me – you really don’t want to know | Tim Lott | Opinion This is Depression Awareness Week, so it must be hoped that during this seven-day period more people will become more aware of a condition that a minority experience, and which most others grasp only remotely – confusing it with more familiar feelings, such as unhappiness or misery. This perception is to some extent shared by the medical community, which can’t quite make its mind up whether depression is a physical “illness”, rooted in neurochemistry, or a negative habit of thought that can be addressed by talking or behavioural therapies. I’m not concerned about which of these two models is the more accurate. I’m still not sure myself. From the outside it may look like malingering, bad temper and ugly behaviour – and who can empathise with such unattractive traits? So how is this misleadingly named curse different from recognisable grief? There is a heavy, leaden feeling in your chest, rather as when someone you love dearly has died; but no one has – except, perhaps, you.
When Maurice Shanahan needed help with his mental health, the GAA was there Maurice Shanahan picked up a hurling All Star a couple of weekends ago, and by revealing his struggle on the evening of the event, he hoped to encourage others to seek help, just as he did, writes Michael Moynihan The lunchtime crowd was emptying out of the Dungarvan pub when a middle-aged couple broke away to approach two big men putting away BLTs in the corner. The couple shook hands with the two men and congratulated the younger one in particular. “And not just on the All Star, either. After a few more pleasantries about Lismore’s chances of returning to the senior ranks next season, they were gone out and along the quayside, and Maurice and Dan Shanahan returned to their sandwiches. Ever since the younger of the Shanahan brothers spoke frankly and bravely about his battle with depression, such encounters have been occurring regularly. “I’m overwhelmed by the reaction to what I said, to be honest. “But I didn’t talk about it for that reason. No-one was prouder than his big brother.
Tips for Keeping a Gratitude Journal Psychology researchers aren’t necessarily Thanksgiving experts—they may not know how to make fluffy stuffing, say, or beat the traffic to your in-laws’ house—but they have become a fount of wisdom on thanksgiving (with a small “t”). Over the past decade, they’ve not only identified the great social, psychological, and physical health benefits that come from giving thanks; they’ve zeroed in on some concrete practices that help us reap those benefits. And perhaps the most popular practice is to keep a “gratitude journal.” As we’ve reported many times over the years, studies have traced a range of impressive benefits to the simple act of writing down the things for which we’re grateful—benefits including better sleep, fewer symptoms of illness, and more happiness among adults and kids alike. We’ve even launched our own digital gratitude journal, Thnx4.org, here on Greater Good. The basic practice is straightforward. esolla Don’t just go through the motions.
Teenage depression - Family Lives If your teenager is showing signs of depression, you may find yourself wondering whether it's 'just a phase' or something more serious. On average, three young people in every classroom are affected by mental health problems like depression. Many go undiagnosed and never get the help they need. Mental health problems cause more early deaths than either heart disease or cancer. “It’s not always obvious with teenagers if they are depressed,” says Dr Arthur Cassidy, psychologist at the Belfast Institute, who works with children with depression. Signs of teenage depression: persistent sadnessloss of interest in lifetiredness/low energy. But without snooping round your child’s bedroom or reading their Facebook page, how are you going to know how they’re feeling? If your teenager starts sending out negative statements about themselves, give lots of positive messages back. Acknowledging your child is upset by listening and talking is really important too.
Jack Green: GB hurdler on depression & the American dream By Tom Reynolds BBC Sport "I am a runner. I have depression. I still believe I can be the best in the world." Jack Green has never wanted for talent or self-belief. Green finished less than two-tenths of a second away from an Olympic medal in the 4x400m relay at London 2012. But he is not a man anxious to cast his mind back. "Yeah, it's horrible to look back," he told BBC Sport from America, where he began a new life as a full-time athlete this week. "Being a professional sportsman we don't really believe in any weaknesses for a start, yet alone mental weaknesses because it's not the done thing is it? "It's an interesting part of my journey and if I ever did need to write an autobiography it'll be a long old chapter." It is a story that Green believes can end with an Olympic gold, but actually began several years earlier when he became European Under-23 champion, aged 19. "I was a 19-year-old and I was 10th in the world," he said. "It definitely had an impact on my illness.
untitled Mental health: 10 charts on the scale of the problem Image copyright Other At any one time, a sixth of the population in England aged 16 to 64 have a mental health problem, according to statistics body NHS Digital. Whether it is family or friends, neighbours or work colleagues, the chances are we all know someone who is affected. And bearing in mind the figure leaves out less common conditions and is a snapshot in time, you could easily argue it is even more prevalent than that. Indeed many do. With Prime Minister Theresa May expected to announce plans to improve care next week, these 10 charts show the extent of the challenge. 1. It seems to be getting more common - or at least among those with severe symptoms. Evidence from the NHS Digital study in England shows the rise has been driven by an increase in women with illness. Why is this? Experts point to the way self-harm in particular is recognised in a way it was not 20 or 30 years ago. But it is also clear 21st Century life is taking its toll on some people. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
untitled Our mental health is fracturing. Here’s what I wish I’d done... | Society We are fighting the wrong war. People are suffering from mental distress on a scale perhaps never seen before. They wait months for cursory medical intervention, and have to travel hundreds of miles for a rare inpatient bed. Our mental health is fracturing, here and now. That said, we will definitely lose this struggle if we just see it in terms of beds and billions of pounds. There is no shortage of daily advice for enhancing physical health. Because we don’t really know what causes mental illness, it is hard to know what advice to give people. I have come up with an alternative list – things I wish I’d done before depression picked me out from the crowd with a flick of a bony finger. 1. The mental illness epidemic among our young people can hardly come as a surprise. The message from schools, parents, peers seems to be: get top grades or your life is ruined. So stop promising to give 110%. 2. What folly. 3. Perfectionism is a close cousin of mental unease. Fail. 4. Since you’re here…