#mental-health

#mental-health

Most people engage, especially when we are idle, in the seemingly harmless reverie of daydreaming. Letting your mind escape from the humdrum of your daily existence to a more pleasant set of circumstances seems not only harmless but, at times, necessary. Perhaps you're stuck in a long checkout line after stocking up at your favorite big box store. You've checked all your texts; your phone provides no relief.

In a span of five years, beginning in 2015, the former National Football League quarterback Erik Kramer tried unsuccessfully to die by suicide, then lost hundreds of thousands of dollars after a woman he secretly married plundered his life's earnings while he struggled to heal. Kramer nonetheless considers himself an extremely lucky man and knows his recovery both mental and physical has been extraordinary by any definition, he said in an essay shared with the Guardian.

My social media algorithms knew I was pregnant before family, friends or my GP. Within 24-hours, they were transforming my feeds. On Instagram and TikTok, I would scroll through videos of women recording themselves as they took pregnancy tests, just as I had done. I liked, saved, and shared the content, feeding the machine, showing it that this is how it could hold my attention, compelling it to send me more.

A treatment plan must be present in every visit note. Diagnoses listed in the chart must exactly match the billing codes. At the same time, patients expect and deserve our undivided attention. But balancing genuine human connection with the ever-growing checklist of documentation requirements is nearly impossible. Add to that the reality that we are people too, with families and demanding lives outside the office, and the strain becomes clear.

When you're Werner Herzog, your autumn might be especially busy; this is certainly the case this year. The acclaimed filmmaker received a lifetime achievement award at this year's Venice International Film Festival, and he's also added to his growing bibliography with a new book, The Future of Truth. As one might expect from the filmmaker who coined the term "ecstatic truth," this new volume - translated by Michael Hofmann - is an inquiry into what "true" means in a world where falsehood is ever-present.

Described as a persistent feeling of workplace unhappiness that leads to disengagement, poor performance, and an increased desire to quit, the signs of "quiet cracking" include: Persistent unhappiness at work. Lack of initiative or enthusiasm. Feeling undervalued or unrecognized. Emotional detachment from colleagues and work tasks. Loss of confidence in one's career path at the company. A general sense of being "stuck" in a role with no visible opportunities.

It's mostly just a shame that we don't connect anymore. I went through my big rough patch and barely made it to the other side. I know why I hesitate to reach out, but I'm still disappointed when my old friends are still silent. I'm just a lame three lagged dog who can't play the same games or something. Life

News has never been more accessible but for some, that's exactly the problem. Flooded with information and relentless updates, more and more people around the world are tuning out. The reasons vary: for some it's the sheer volume of news, for others the emotional toll of negative headlines or a distrust of the media itself. In online forums devoted to mindfulness and mental health, people discuss how to step back, from setting limits to cutting the news out entirely.

"You get into that mindset where nothing comes between what it takes to win," she told BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly podcast. "It's like an engine, you just keep going. "When the season ended, when you finally allow yourself to relax it hits you and I was like, 'I just need to take a minute otherwise I am on the verge of a breakdown'. "For the first time in a long time I figured out where I was at mentally and I couldn't even think about the Euros. That was a big indicator that I needed to back off a little bit and just breathe. For the first time I made a decision for me and not to please other people."

There are common sense solutions, things done to protect children in schools and churches and to the taking away the constitutional rights of American citizens. This isn't a time to politicize these issues. We mourn for the families and community that's affected. I'm sure you guys saw the father's remarks yesterday for that little boy who was lost, Fletcher Merkel. Such a heart wrenching thing for all of us.

Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son Fletcher away from us. Because of their actions, we will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him, and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming. Fletcher loved his family, friends, fishing, and any sport that he was allowed to play.

As Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley heads into Year 2 with the franchise, he's in a better headspace in his life after injuries and a mental health journey, which included a gambling suspension, derailed his career. In a detailed interview with ESPN, he discussed what losing football meant to him, as well as playing through a broken foot in 2020, what he has learned along the way and a detailed look at the gambling situation that led to him missing the 2022 season.

Josh Kornbluth has established himself over the years as one of the Bay Area's best storytellers. His mostly autobiographical comedic solo shows have found him musing on everything from taxes and religion to his once-promising career in math and his powerful connection to Ben Franklin. Now he's back at The Marsh theater in Berkeley with his latest show, What Is to be Done? which has been such a hit it is now on its third extension.

When I started building my team, I didn't imagine we'd be scattered across time zones, working from a home office in San Diego, a café in Greece or from a balcony overlooking Bourbon Street. I didn't set out to build a remote-first company. I just wanted to work with smart, reliable people, and I cared more about their output than their office.

It was, what 18 months ago? And you know, I've suffered with things like depression in the past before, but this time was different. I didn't know if I had it in me to carry on, not that I wanted to die or anything like that, I just didn't know if I had it in me, and that took a while. It took me a long time to be like that, and then the crash put me back again,

I was fortunate enough to have had Dr. Haidt as a lecturer during one of my classes at the University of Pennsylvania. For that class, we had read his book, The Happiness Hypothesis, another great read where Dr. Haidt (2006) shows that lasting happiness comes from balancing love, purpose, and personal growth. In The Anxious Generation, Dr. Haidt (2024) discusses how a shift has occurred in childhood and adolescence since smartphones have become constant companions, and how social media has replaced playdates and real-life friendships.

Despite living in a hyper-connected world, where social media platforms promise constant interaction and hundreds of "friends" at our fingertips, many people report feeling isolated, unseen, and emotionally unfulfilled. [1, 2] This paradox, where the tools meant to bring us together can instead, in some situations, leave us feeling further apart, is driving an important cultural shift. Increasingly, some individuals are turning not to other people, but to artificial intelligence (AI) companions for a sense of connection and belonging. [3]

You should know that in this crazy, often upside-down word, no matter what, AI loves you. You should also know that the love AI offers is 100 percent a marketing strategy. As an inventor of one of the first AI platforms and a heavy user of the current crop, let me kick off this article by recklessly speculating that the makers of some of today's AI platforms want to be - in short - a single solution to all the world's problems.

Luke's story begins with his mother's bipolar disorder and her devastating way of preparing him for what she saw as his inevitable fate. When Kurt Cobain died by suicide in 1994, she showed him a Time article, telling him: "Do you know this guy? This guy's like a hero of yours. He's bipolar, I'm bipolar. You might be bipolar, one out of three bipolar people kill themselves. You might kill yourself. Good luck."

No one needs a Ph.D. in psychology to know that good relationships are important, but there is a ton of research that shows how essential good relationships are to mental health and even to physical health and longevity. Studies show that life feels more meaningful when we are connected and feel we belong. We are hardwired for bonding, yet it can be hard to connect in meaningful ways, which is something many students struggle with in college.

I'm finally feeling over you and the weird bullshit that took over my brain to put me in this position. I'm still struggling to stop drinking but I balance life and haven't let that take me over either. I'm realizing what is important to me and trying to gravitate towards it. It's hard to not feel overwhelmed and sad in this world but I am getting by and I think I'm doing better.

It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment that mental health awareness moved from private conversations in clinicians' offices into the cultural conversation. As people began to look up and pay attention, and acknowledged mental health as an important part of overall health, a familiar truth rose to the surface - mental health cannot be separated from issues of race and equity. I've been a journalist for 18 years.

My sister is struggling with severe mental health issues, and so is her live-in boyfriend of 6 years. She thinks everyone she's ever had contact with was involved in human-trafficking her throughout her childhood. Abby, we grew up safe and privileged on a farm, but my sister had some severe trauma starting in our late teen years. We are now in our mid-40s. She refuses treatment and thinks there is nothing wrong with her.

There's no doubt about it, the world is feeling like a lot lately. From 24/7 news alerts to climate anxiety, financial pressure, and a constant stream of bad takes on the internet, it's no surprise that many of us are looking for the exits. More and more, many of us are seeking ways to escape and break free from the constant barrage of noise.

"Work can be tough. It's meant to be tough," he said. "Sometimes you're meant to find it hard. You're not meant to ace everything or get everything right. When challenges are dealt with in a supportive environment, they can be a constructive process of improvement. But if you feel criticised and unsupported, you may start to feel anxious or stressed - and the default response is too often a sick note."