Category: RESOURCES

Bringing Some Color In

There are many outlets to take advantage of if you need a distraction that go beyond procrastination purposes. These kinds of situations can include  sitting on public transit, waiting for a doctor’s appointment, or those times when anxiety can feel so overwhelming that you it can seem like you’re frozen, itching to do something to make the feeling go away. One of the most simplest and convenience ways to waste a little bit of time and keep yourself busy is through the infinite number of games available through the app stores on your smartphone. Continue reading Bringing Some Color In

Tackling Stigma

 

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The topic about how stigma can affect how we view mental illness is not new. The way that people talk about mental illness can not only impact how we view those with mental illness, but how we can view our own. We’ve talked about stigma several times before, because it’s important to change this mindset and the harmful effects that it can have.

There have been many efforts and attempts to change the conversation, especially online. One such way is through the government: MentalHealth.gov provides content from other government organizations such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and NAMI and uses the site as a resource for information about mental health. One of their primary goals is to tackle the conversation (or lack of) about mental health and create a new one within communities to help normalize it.

One of their pages focuses specifically on stigma, and even more specifically, presents it as a fact sheet. Here, they present a common “myth” about mental health that can contribute to the stigma and a more negative way about how people can handle their mental illnesses. Not only do they cover the myths that people believe in about those who have a mental illness, but they also debunk ones about to help others. These include how thinking that there’s no use in helping others because they’re a “lost cause” and that it’s impossible to prevent. The site also links to external resources with some of their facts to provide more information.

You can check it out here.

What are other myths you can think of about mental health? How do you think people can change the way they talk about mental health? Let us know below in the comments!

Giving Back

There are going to be a lot of chances to reflect and give back now that the holiday season is in full swing. This doesn’t only include Thanksgiving during November, but other holidays such as Veterans’ Day here and Remembrance Day in places like Great Britain, Canada, and Australia. While reflecting and giving back can be done on a very personal level, such as evaluating how the past year has gone and what can change in the upcoming new year, or participating in local food and gift drives at school or work.

Continue reading Giving Back

New Places to Write

Those interested in writing have probably heard of National Novel Writing Month, also known as Nanowrimo. Here, writers of all kinds attempt the intense challenge of writing 50,000 words over the 30 days of November, an average of 1,667 words a day, and a total of about a 200 page novel. Some authors have even been published with the books they started during Nanowrimo, such as The Night Circus, Fangirl, and some of the books in The Lunar Chronicle series.  

Continue reading New Places to Write

Taking a Break

Though people are constantly on their computers, sometimes they need to have a brief distraction from whatever task that they’re currently focusing on, whether to jump start their motivation or calm any stress that the assignment is causing. The reasons we’re working or need a distraction may vary, and just like needing distractions for different reasons, the things people seek out to relax and ease their anxiety differ from person to person.

Continue reading Taking a Break

New Music Friday

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Music can help people in many ways. As several posts here have discussed, it can be particularly helpful when it comes to calming anxiety, providing an escape, or even helping people feel justified in moments when emotions can feel too overwhelming. Music players allow people to create their own playlists depending on their mood, or create ones for them depending on what we like. YouTube allows people to get creative, featuring not just songs, but remixes, mashups, and strange combinations that you can’t find anywhere else.

Continue reading New Music Friday

Do You Hold a Stigma on Mental Health?

The stigma that people can hold isn’t a new topic by any means when discussing mental health, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the stigma is still harmful. Though the conversation about mental health has become more open, whether it be from celebrities opening up about their experiences or the variety of apps to use as an outlet, it can still be terrifying for people to be honest about their own mental health. Continue reading Do You Hold a Stigma on Mental Health?