A Link Between Sugar and Depression?

SugarIn the past we have written about the potential impact a person’s diet can have on a mood disorder. Then, recently, we came across an article that suggests there’s a strong relationship between higher levels of sugar in men and depression.  The study in the article reports that men who’s diet included a higher amount of added sugar ran the increased risk of depression. Here’s a summary of the findings from the study:

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A fresh start

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“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.” – J. B. Priestly

We hope you had a pleasant and enjoyable holiday weekend.  Now that summer is slowly ending, it might be the perfect time to start something new (research shows it’s hard to start new things in the winter).  Is there anything you want to start?  We’d love to hear from you.    

10 Great Social Media Accounts to Follow

Photo Credit: Visual Content Flickr via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: Visual Content Flickr via Compfight cc

If you are looking for some great mental health organizations to connect with, look no further! The following ten twitter accounts tweet great mental health material related to wellness, awareness, and eliminating stigma. Even if you don’t have twitter and you’re looking to see what these organizations are all about, you can view their tweets without having to sign up. Also most of them have other social media accounts and their own websites.

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Suicide Awareness at VMAs

National Suicide Prevention Month begins on September 1st.  MTV got an early start to awareness month with a VMA performance by Logic of his song “1-800-273-8255.”  The song’s title is the same number to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.  The performance also included Alessia Cara and Khalid, as well as a group of suicide attempt survivors who wore t-shirts up on stage with the number to the suicide helpline.
MTV - VMAs 2017
MTV – VMAs 2017

The opening lines of song are from the perspective of someone in the need of help.  As the song continues, the next lyrics are sung from a place of support, specifically the perspective of a suicide hotline crisis worker.  The song calls attention to the importance of suicide and mental health.

According to an article written by Deona Harper, MSW:

recent study which included 32 children’s hospital across the United States revealed an alarming increase in self-harm and suicidality in children and teens ranges from ages 5 to 17 over the past decade. When someone expresses suicidal thoughts, it is critical to not dismiss their feelings or minimize the weight of the issues preventing them from wanting to live. The Center for Disease control list death by suicide as the number 1 cause of death in the 15-19 age group. According to the National Data on Campus Suicides, ‘1 in 12 college students have written down a suicide plan as a result of stresses related to school, work, relationships, social life, and still developing as a young adult.’ The trend for suicide deaths is on an upward climb. A 2015 study by the Center for Disease Control state there were twice as many suicides than homicides in the United States. It’s time we end the stigma and myths surrounding suicide attempt survivors “doing it for the attention.” Suicidal thoughts may be an ongoing struggle instead of a one-off event to prevent. In this case, we need to arm loved ones and at risk individuals with information as well as tools and resource to manage their mental health status.

After his performance, Logic made the following statement on stage:

“I just want to take a moment to thank you for giving me a platform to talk about something that mainstream media doesn’t want to talk about: mental health, anxiety, suicide, depression and so much more.  From racism, discrimination, sexism, domestic violence, sexual assault, and so much more; I don’t [care] if you are black, white, or any color in between. I don’t care if you’re Christian, you’re Muslim, you’re gay, you’re straight, I am here to fight for your equality because I believe that we are all born equal, but we are not treated equally and that is why we must fight. We must fight for the equality of every man, woman, and child regardless of race, religion, color, creed, and sexual orientation. So I say here and now if you believe in this message of peace, love, positivity, and equality for all, then I demand that you rise to your feet and applaud not only for yourselves, but for the foundation we are laying for our children.”

Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, John Draper, said in an interview that the impact the song is having is quite extraordinary.  Draper was reported as saying “On the day the song was released, we had the second-highest call volume in the history of our service. Overall, calls to the hotline are up roughly 33% from this time last year.”

Suicide Warning Signs

SAMSHA - Twitter 2017
SAMSHA – Twitter 2017

In addition to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, another useful resource is the Crisis Text Line in which individuals can text a trained mental health professional and typically receive a response back within 5 minutes., You can begin by texting “START to 741741”.

If you have not seen this powerful VMA performance, you can watch it below.

What do you or your child think of Logic’s musical performance?  Have you both seen it?  What do you think about his message?

We would love to hear from you in the comment section below!

Also, if you or someone you know is at risk for harming themselves, please let someone know.  Please visit our Crisis Support Resources page for more information.

 

Self-Stigma

Stigma is often talked about with mental health. However, do you know there are different kinds of stigma such as self-stigma?  Self-stigma happens when an individual suffering from mental illness accepts the negative and inaccurate views of others about themselves and their mental health. Stigma

Self-stigma influences how people feel about themselves.  It also has a significant impact on their behavior and actions.  Self-stigma frequently leads those suffering from mental illness to not come forward or seek help for their illness because they don’t want the label that comes with it. Even worse, stigma becomes another obstacle and can leave individuals feeling isolated.  This can all lead to low self-esteem and can work against successful treatment, support, and recovery.

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Photos of Depression?

Christian Hopkins Depression Photo Series. Retrieved 23 Aug 2017 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com
Christian Hopkins Depression Photo Series. Retrieved 23 Aug 2017 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com

We previously wrote an article that featured “12 Breathtaking Photos Show What It’s Really Like To Have General Anxiety Disorder.”  Now, we recently found an interesting article about whether Instagram photos can offer clues about depression.  According to the article:

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What do your emojis say about you

Communication is a big part of our lives and effective communication allows us Smiley Faceto have successful relationships.  Verbal communication is the sounds and words (or speech) we use when talking with another person or group.  There is also non-verbal communication.  You may be aware of the importance of non-verbal communication – the expressions of our face, hand movements, eye contact, how we stand, tone of our voice.

However, since the internet and rise of social networking, a lot of our conversations have moved online.  This shift can make it difficult to accurately express ourselves when communicating with someone through our smartphone or computer.  However, the creation of emojis has helped us show our emotions and feelings when we are not having a face-to-face conversation with someone. According to a study, nearly 80% of study participants used emojis when texting and 76% used them when on Facebook. Continue reading What do your emojis say about you

Off to University … How to Manage your Mental Health

We recently posted about the back-to-school transition that is upon us.  We also wrote an article a little while ago about the transition year.  However, as this is such an important topic, we wanted to expand on it slightly.  One of our favorite YouTubers, Kati Morton, recently posted a video about going off to college and how to manage your mental health.  And while her tips are about leaving for university, we think a lot of them are adaptable.  For example, Kati recommends having your child contact their school ahead of time (before the start of the school year) so they (and you) can get to know their teachers or professors, guidance counselor, adviser, etc.

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