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Daily engagement in political news can have a negative impact on mental health, but disengaging can also have consequences. Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that strategies to manage the negative emotions that come from daily engagement may also reduce an individual’s motivation to act on what they care about politically. [More]

Social media has opened up new ways for us to interact and share our experiences with others. It lets us connect with people around the world and keep up with people through their posts, pictures, and memories. However, it can also be overwhelming when we experience low response rates from those we thought would like our posts. Not getting any likes on our posts can feel like rejection, which makes us feel unappreciated and ignored. [More]

There’s a new animated series (My Life is Worth Living) that hopes to prevent suicide through its story telling. They want to show how important human connection is for prevention. But can such a serious subject be addressed through a cartoon? [More]

As the world grapples to come to terms with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of mask wearing across the United States and around the world is highly variable. Now a study from MIT has found that a public feeling of “collectivism” predicts whether or not mask use is common. [More]

In an earlier post for Theravive, I examined how cartoons and comics might be a useful way to educate people on mental health concerns. This fall, I interviewed Cara Bean to learn about the process behind Vermont’s Center for Cartoon Studies released “Let’s Talk About It: A Graphic Guide To Mental Health” about its use for education. Recently, there was an article in the Open Library of Humanities about the perceived value in using comics to teach mental health professionals. [More]

In a recent study, researchers surveyed 200 movies released between 1977 and 2019 with content about mental illness and found box office returns were higher than average. Those same movies received 15% of Oscar nominations during the time period. While the article still needs peer-review, the findings show that we, as a society, are doing a better job of talking about mental health. [More]

Gen Z are experiencing increased stress levels due to uncertainties in their future. The American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America Report for 2020 found that Gen Z adults aged 18-23 reported the highest stress levels in the month prior at an average of 6.1 out of 10. [More]

We're in a volatile political climate in the United States and are heading into what will be an interesting election. Whether it’s a twitter storm or fake news, there’s plenty of ammunition for social media fights over political beliefs. And recent research found that general social media use has a negative effect on political knowledge, which may only fuel the fire in upcoming months. [More]

Research from experimental psychology researchers at the University of Tennessee Knoxville has found making a game face may actually make a difference to performance, and not just for athletes. [More]

Results from the 2019 Stress in America Survey have found shootings, climate change, politics and health care are some of the issues causing American adults significant stress. [More]