Giving your Profile an Update

Maybe you’ve already noticed that some folks have images beside their nicknames here on the wiseSOVA website. We want everyone to be able to have a photo there! Remember something that will not identify who you are because of the continental nature of our study!

On the left hand side of this page there is a box that says:

penguin“UPDATE YOUR PROFILE AND CHECK OUT OTHER MEMBERS HERE!”

Below that it says: Update Your Profile (or you can just click this link!)

Now you can just upload a picture to the avatar section!

Having a personalized space is great on social media, because you can craft an image of yourself. Sometimes people make their life seem perfect on facebook, twitter, or instagram, but it’s important to remember that…

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” – Wendy Mass

Sometimes our children may have issues with what they see on social media versus what may be happening in real life. How do you talk to your adolescent about social media and how people portray themselves?

Confidentiality during Mental Health Treatment

The biggest worry that patients most often carry leading up to and/or during their first sessions of mental health treatment is how their privacy will be maintained throughout. Will my friends know I am seeking help? Is this safe for me?

There are actually state and federal laws that define confidentiality both from a medical standpoint and a psychological standpoint to keep you safe and your thoughts and emotions private.


Photo Credit: University of Nevada School of Medicine magazine via Compfight cc

Continue reading Confidentiality during Mental Health Treatment

Finding a Mental health Professional

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Photo Credit: 小查 via Compfight cc

Starting to look for a mental health professional for yourself or an adolescent can seem overwhelming at first.  First, the basics – a great resource that can help you search for a therapist based on what insurance you have, where you live, whether they see adolescents, what kinds of symptoms they treat or therapies they practice is the find a therapist link at psychologytoday.com. A doctor or your insurance may refer or suggest someone to you, but it is important to know that you or your adolescent have rights in this process, and should be able to ask questions and feel comfortable with the professional who will be working with you.

Continue reading Finding a Mental health Professional

Numbers, Data, and Statistics

 

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Photo Credit: Daniel Pascoal via Compfight cc

 

If you’re looking for basic public health information about mental health, look no further than the Center For Disease Control’s (CDC) Mental Health page.  This website provides users with a good starting point for learning about mental health.
This page gives:

  • a definition of mental health
  • indicators of mental health
  • data and statistics on depression
  • data on surveillance of mental illnesses
  • information on psychological distress
  • data on the stigma of mental illnesses
  • information on well-being.

Viewers also have access to published papers for additional, more in-depth research.  Additional links to other organization’s websites are included.

Did any fact, number, or statistic on this site surprise you?
Featured image: Fe_Lima via Compfight cc

Social Media and Distraction

Time management is not easy. It is even more tough to teach your child how to manage their time. Kids are so busy these days – AND can easily get distracted by their technology.

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Photo Credit: Celestine Chua via Compfight cc

 

You can help them set limits in a couple of ways.

Access Times

Help your child think through what times of the day they could limit using social media. Is it right after school? Is there an hour when they have to put away their phone and only focus on homework? A good time to put away technology is dinner time. Having a regular family meal is a great way to say healthy. It can promote communication between the family, and be a way families can spend quality time together, including thinking about what you are eating instead of mindlessly scarfing something down. This can be tough for busy families – but try it at least a couple of times per week.

Computer Websites/Apps

If you or your child need some help limiting your use, there are some great online apps available to help.  There are different apps with slightly different abilities, so here’s a guide that will help you pick your best option:

  • Leechblock- a free online app that allows you to block certain websites for a desired amount of time.  Learn more and download Leechblock here. (Only supported by Firefox web browser)
  • KeepMeOut- also free, this app helps you create customized bookmarks to use instead of standard links, and will alert you when you visit a site a certain number of times in a set amount of time. Get started here.
  • StayFocusd- an easily modifiable app for Chrome users, this free tool allows you to modify which sites you are allowed to visit and when.  Learn more and start staying focused here. (Only available to Chrome users)
  • Cold Turkey- another great tool to block distracting websites.  Basic functions are available for free, and you can upgrade for higher functioning.  Go cold turkey using this link. (Only supported by Windows)
  • SelfControl- similar to Cold Turkey, this site allows you to block sites for a set amount of time on a Mac.  Click here to learn more and download the app.
  • Tomato Timer- if you aren’t quite ready to go cold turkey and you think maybe you can control yourself and stay focused with just a little help and a few breaks, this is the right tool for you.  It uses something called the Pomodoro Technique to help keep you productive.  Click here to start!

Phone Apps

You can stop yourself from accidentally logging onto Facebook on your computer, but what happens when your friend posts a photo and you get a notification on your phone?  It’s not easy to ignore, and phone providers make it difficult to limit access to certain sites from your smart phone.  Because of this, there aren’t as many tools for your phone to limit distractions.  However, there is an app called Forest that works really well to encourage you not to be on your phone, instead focused on the task at hand.  You enter the app and can “plant a seed,” which takes 30 minutes to grow into a tree.  If you leave the app at any time to check another app (*cough* like social media) the tree will die, and you’ll have to start over.  Eventually, your hard work will grow into your own personal forest in your phone.  Interested?  Click here to learn more.

Do you have any tips or tricks for limiting your own or your child’s social media use?  Let us know in the comments below!

Writing Away the Stigma

I recently found out about this book Writing Away the Stigma: Ten Courageous Writers Tell True Stories About Depression, Bipolar Disorder, ADHD, OCD, PTSD & more

mental health priorityOne in four American adults will endure the trials of a mental health condition this year, and more than half will experience one in their lifetime. Yet the stigma of mental illness remains, leading many to face their difficulties in shame and silence. In this collection, ten writers confront the stigma of mental illness head-on, bravely telling stories of devastating depressions, persistent traumas, overwhelming compulsions, and more.

I thought it was very cool that so many people contributed to the book to write about their experiences with mental illness. Being receptive to talking about mental illness makes it easier for our adolescents to talk to us about what is happening with them.

E-book and paperback versions are available now through Amazon.

What do you think of sharing your story? Does it help you to be open about your struggles?