December 25, 2017
by Tracey Block
The last week of December rushes past in a whirlwind of remembering gifts, managing party schedules, and recalling recipe ingredients. Sometimes in the haste of it all, we forget what is most important--our mental health. Professionals suggest managing mental health issues as well in the last week of December as in the other 51 weeks of the year. How can you prevent one week of festivities from undoing all your hard work?
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December 21, 2017
by Tracey Block
Would you go to a mental health professional who publicly admits a personal struggle with mental illness? Researchers are finding that as long as the professional is stable, patients are buoyed by a therapist's example of success. Do counsellors with first-hand knowledge of mental illness elicit better results in their patients?
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December 19, 2017
by Tracey Block
We are well aware of how important exercise is for our bodies. But how can we keep our psyches in shape? Researchers are finding there really is a connection between mind and body. Exercise may not only improve mood and reduce anxiety, but it just may help prevent and treat some mental illnesses.
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December 13, 2017
by Julia Travers
Several researchers have found that volunteering and other acts of altruism can benefit a person’s mental and physical well-being.
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December 10, 2017
by Tracey Block
Nomophobia is becoming more widespread in this 21st century era of smartphone technology. Do you suffer from it? Answer yes or no to the following:
I obsessively check my smartphone for missed texts, emails or social media updates.
I constantly top up my cell phone’s battery charge.
I cannot leave a room without my smartphone.
Using these kinds of questions and more, researchers believe it’s time to start taking the condition more seriously.
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December 8, 2017
by Tracey Block
More than any other generation before them, Millennials are stressed out and anxious. According to researchers, they are the generation at the highest risk for mental illness. How did this happen? And can the results be reversed?
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December 6, 2017
by Julia Travers
The concept that spending time in nature can be therapeutic is not new, but is gaining greater traction in contemporary scientific research and medical treatment.
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December 4, 2017
by Tracey Block
How young can your child be to receive a professional diagnosis, and treatment, for a mental illness? From birth to age 6, children develop very quickly, both mentally and physically. As a result, it is hard to tell if a new or questionable behavior is fleeting and nothing to worry about—or something that will become problematic for life. Specialists and researchers are finally starting to recognize the importance of the early years in mental health intervention and support.
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November 27, 2017
by Tracey Block
Mental health therapy. The words conjure images of a patient lying on a couch while a Freudian-looking therapist sits in an adjacent chair, notebook and pen poised to write. But in the 21st century, there are powerful new mental health options: digital tools. What are they and which ones would you trust with your mental health?
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November 25, 2017
by Tracey Block
Are we paying the price for Black Friday sales? Rather than a day to relax after the Thanksgiving holiday, Black Friday has, for many, become a day of stress and anxiety. Some see it as a challenge to find the best bargain. Others see it challenging their mental health and well being. How about you?
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