Articles on Mental Health Facts
The Stigma
and Misunderstandings Surrounding Mental Illness
I was alerted to the publication of the article below by a colleague
who has worked in the field of mental illness for over two decades.
It was written by Jaelea Skehan, who is the Director of the Hunter Institute
of Mental Health in Australia. Read her article below and you will see
a clear example of why mental illness remains a problem for sufferers
due to the inability of people in this woman’s position to have
even a modicum of understanding of the pain that sufferers endure on
a daily basis... (Read
more)
Taking the
Stigma out of Mental Illness
All of us are mentally ill. You might find the above statement difficult
to believe, but it's true. We may not all fit into a textbook category
for a particular illness, but whether we are aware of it or not, we
all have our individual quirks- that's what makes us human... (Read
more)
Helping someone
you love with a mental illness (1)
Perhaps you have a friend or a close family member with some form of
mental illness. How can you best help them? While there is much written
about the various types of mental illness, very little attention is
paid to helping friends and family deal with the ongoing nature of many
emotional problems... (Read
more)
Helping someone
you love with a mental illness (2)
By the time Lilly was 15, she had developed an eating disorder and clinical
depression. She came from a household where there was a lot of personal
freedom but little love. Lilly was a seemingly vivacious young girl:
happy, intelligent, and personable, but it was all just a mask... (Read
more)
Gossip can be good for you!
Most people love a good chinwag and research has now shown what we already
suspected: that a regular dose of gossip can be beneficial for your
mental health. We humans will gossip about anything, from friends and
neighbors to Hollywood stars and politicians... (Read
more)
Addicted to Love?
We humans are capable of becoming addicted to just about anything, be
it drugs, food, chocolate, or shopping. The list is endless. If it exists,
it can become an addiction! So it's not surprising to learn that we
can also become addicted to love. And like any addiction, the end result
is pain... (Read more)
Choosing a Therapist
Decided to take the plunge and seek help from a counselor? Congratulations!
This could well be the start of a new, more effective, and successful
phase of your life. Seeking help for personal problems is never easy,
but making significant life changes is permanently rewarding... (Read
more)
Can viruses cause
mental illness?
Spend time in a crowded shopping center or in an air conditioned office
during peak winter virus time and you'd expect that your chances of
picking up a cold or flu virus would be increased... (Read
more)
Childcare, babies
and mental health
Ever wondered whether childcare for babies and infants is beneficial
for a child? Or is spending time with Mom more important for a baby's
emotional development? A new study from Australia sheds some light on
this intriguing issue... (Read
more)
Don't give your
children everything
Hands up all those parents who want their children to have a better
life than they did? This seems to be one of the most universal desires
of parents the world over. It's natural to want your child to have a
better education, better nutrition, indeed better everything... (Read
more)
Does your man
have the "Stupid Gene?"
Ever secretly suspected that women are smarter than men? Ever wondered
why there are whole pages in women's magazines devoted to the silly
things that men do? One man has now lifted the lid on Secret Men's Business:
the fact that some men actually possess The Stupid Gene... (Read
more)
What does IQ really mean?
We've all heard of the term IQ (or Intelligence Quotient). But what
does it really represent and how significant is your or your child's
score is an IQ test? What does it really mean to have a low, moderate,
or high IQ? (Read more)
Psychological
tactics of the media
The death by suicide of American mother Melinda Duckett has highlighted
the increasingly intrusive and abusive nature of some members of the
media... (Read
more)
Music to your ears (and brain)
Would you be interested in increasing your child's literacy skills,
memory function, mathematical ability, and general intelligence level?
Children who take music lessons and who practice regularly have been
shown to demonstrate advanced brain development as compared to those
who did not... (Read more)
The best gift
a father can give his child
I was talking recently to a very dear friend who dropped this pearl
of wisdom into the conversation: "The best thing a man can do for
his children is to love their mother." The friend couldn't remember
where she had heard this saying, but it didn't matter... (Read
more)
Do dreams really mean
anything?
We all have weird dreams from time to time. Some dreams make no sense
at all, others seem to follow recurring themes and visit us at night
on a regular basis. Often we are being threatened in a dream and we
cannot scream. Another common theme is falling, or tripping over...
(Read more)
Disorder of the Day
Illnesses such as depression, ADHD, and anxiety and behavioral disorders
are being diagnosed in increasing numbers throughout First-World countries...
(Read more)
Life isn't black and white.
It's a million shades of grey.
Being human, we often look at others through the tunnel vision of our
own life experience. But it doesn't take an Einstein to realize that
using our own limited vision of life can lead to discrimination, misunderstandings,
even hatred... (Read more)
Are You a Cyberchondriac?
There are hundreds of medical websites online, many offering self-diagnosis.
Aligned with these sites are those selling medications online, often
without a doctor's prescription. The combination of these two facilities
can be harmful to your health... (Read
more)
Mental Illness is REAL
My job as a psychologist is to assist people suffering from emotional
problems to lead happier, more productive lives via a variety of treatments
and techniques... (Read more)
Retail Therapy: Good
or Bad?
Well, neither. Or both! Like any activity, a little can be uplifting
for the spirits, like a good wine after a wonderful meal with friends.
But we all know where too much alcohol can lead us... (Read
more)
The Stigma of being
a Mental Health Patient
As if it isn't bad enough to be besieged by depression, bipolar disorder
or any number of conditions that may land you in a medical facility
for a period of time, there is the added stigma you as a patient may
receive from family members, neighbors, acquaintances, even your work
colleagues... (Read
more)
"I'm a Bad Mother!"
This is a cry that I hear from literally hundreds of mothers, both in
the course of my counseling experience and simply from comments dropped
by friends, acquaintances and even complete strangers... (Read
more)
Hand Holding and
Mental Health
The scientists have finally given us conclusive proof of what we all
pretty much knew. Holding hands reduces stress. Researchers at the University
of Virginia studied couples who described themselves as "happily
married" and found, not surprisingly, that the simply act of touching
is a very potent stress-relieving activity... (Read
more)
Does Your Doctor
Not Understand Mental Illness?
I am often frustrated when one of my clients goes to see their doctor
for a physical ailment and is basically dismissed, or at best, condescended
to, simply because they have a record of mental illness, either past
or present. It seems that once you have suffered from depression or
anxiety, or worse still, one of the major mental illnesses, every little
twinge, whether it be in your stomach or your big toe, is often put
down to a symptom of mental illness. Yes, they will tell you that "It's
all in your mind, dear." ... (Read
more)
Does Your
Doctor Think You Are A Hypochondriac?
There certainly exists a disorder involving the belief that you are
suffering from illnesses that you aren't. It's called hypochondriasis
and there is also an associated illness called somatization disorder.
Fortunately, both conditions are quite rare. Therefore most people who
go to the doctor with a physical ailment that concerns them need either
a positive diagnosis that they can work with or reassurance that there
is nothing to be concerned about... (Read
more)
Men's versus Women's Brains:
We Are Different!
Sick of trying to figure out why the man in your life is so different
to you and your girlfriends? Well, wonder no more. Research into brain
function between males and females provides more and more evidence for
why males think and act so differently to females
(Read
more)
Men in Aprons Get More Sex
Now there's a headline that should be on the front page of every newspaper
from the larger city to the smallest town.
Sociologist Scott Colrane of the University of California reports what
most women have known for decades: The more housework that men chip
in with around the house, the higher the level of marital satisfaction
felt by women
(Read
more)
Weight Loss Surgery
and Mind Games
Changing your beliefs systems about yourself is just as big a part of
losing weight as exercise and diet. The most dramatic example of the
enmeshed mind/body relationship as regards weight loss is the unfortunate
stories that emerge from people who have undergone radical procedures
such as gastric bypass surgery
(Read
more)
Homosexuality:
Inborn or Learned Behavior? (1)
Scientists have long debated whether homosexuals are born or bred. Ongoing
research by neuroscientists at the Karolinska Institutet, one of Europe's
largest medical universities in Stockholm, Sweden, presents more evidence
for the former being the case... (Read
more)
Homosexuality:
Inborn or Learned Behavior? (2)
In our previous article on this topic we saw how researchers at the
Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that testosterone compounds found
in male sweat were attractive to both heterosexual females and homosexual
males... (Read
more)
Everyone's a Winner
at the Olympics
For sports fans the Olympics is the epitome of human achievement. How
exciting is it to watch the gold medal winner for any event step up
onto the podium to receive their 15 minutes of fame. But what about
the athletes who have trained for four years and go home empty-handed?
... (Read more)
Depression and Chemical
Imbalance: Truth or Propaganda?
As a psychologist I am always interested in anything the drug companies
have to offer to assist in the treatment of mental health problems,
ranging from schizophrenia to anxiety. As I have previously written,
my views on the efficacy of antidepressants differ significantly from
the information supplied by the drug companies. The topic came to my
attention again recently while reading a brochure put out by the drug
company Pfizer... (Read
more)
Online Counseling Gaining
Ground Over Face-to Face Counseling
Counseling has been conducted for over a century via the traditional
means of face-to-face interaction, complete with either the traditional
couch or simply a comfy chair and a glass of water and the ubiquitous
box of tissues. While face-to-face counseling will never disappear,
the benefits of online counseling via email is on the upswing. And with
outstanding results...(Read
more)
Does Your Partner
Look Like Your Opposite Sex Parent?
Scientists have now demonstrated a statistically significant link between
the facial appearance of a person's partner and that of their opposite
sex parent. So when Cole Porter penned the song "My Heart Belongs
to Daddy" he was merely presenting in verse what folklore has known
for centuries. And now the scientists have come up to speed by presenting
quantifying evidence for this phenomenon... (Read
More)
Girls to Women: All
Too Soon?
A major British retailer is now selling Pole Dancing kits complete with
an instructional DVD and garter. The catch: the market is aimed at 4
and 5-year olds... (Read
More)
Online Mental Health
Support Groups: Are They Useful?
There are many online support groups for a range of mental disorders
including depression, the anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and panic
disorder to name a few. While the concept of joining a group such as
these is an excellent one, again, as with selecting a therapist, one
needs to be a bit choosy... (Read
More)
I Need Things to Change
So I Can Get Better!
Clients often want a variety of things to change: their husbands to
give them more attention, wives to be more understanding, children to
be more appreciative, people to get well, finances to improve, even
people to die! But the truth is we can’t change other people,
we can really only change ourselves and our attitude to others or the
situation we are in... (Read
More)
Psychological
Implications of Obama Presidency
As a psychologist, I can’t help but look at the impact of having
Barack Obama in the White House from a psychological point of view.
And in particular, on the effect it will have on the black population
of the US... (Read
More)
The Power of the Mind
The following study undertaken by the Californian Institute of Technology
gives us an insight into just how powerful our beliefs really are. So
powerful that they will contravene common sense, and cause us to act
and feel in ways that do not reflect reality... (Read
More)
Consumerism and Mental
Health
Just about every female I know is exhausted at the moment. The reason?
Christmas and its after affects. While nervous exhaustion can be brought
on by having to deal with families over the holiday period, this physical
exhaustion is associated with shopping for gifts, cooking extra meals
and the sheer work involved in organizing that once-a-year present and
food extravaganza that Christmas has become... (Read
More)
Link Between
Premature Babies and Mental Illness
Children born pre-term have been found to experience over twice the
rate of mental illness as compared to full-term, normal weight-for-age
babies... (Read
More)
Psychological
Effects of Trying to Stay Young
As our society often looks to the stars, literally, as role models,
many of us try to emulate their looks, including the stars increasing
pursuit of youth. But how emotionally healthy is it for us to relentlessly
chase the fountain of youth? (Read
More)
“Specialness”
of Easter Ruined by Retailers and Indulgent Parents
Retailers persist in placing Easter eggs out on display almost as soon
as Christmas has departed. Certainly after Valentine’s Day has
come and gone the blitz really begins. Even hot cross buns – the
special staple of Easter – are available weeks before that actual
Easter holiday period... (Read
More)
The Increase in “Brat-Camp”
Style Documentaries
Even a decade ago, there were few signs of reality TV shows dealing
with out-of-control teenagers giving the finger plus a mouthful of verbal
abuse to anyone who came near them, but in particular, their parents.
Now they are popping up on our screens regularly, under a variety of
names but all with the same goal – to tame these overgrown two-year
olds. So, what is happening to our children to turn them into such unpleasant
creatures? (Read More)
Effects of House
Break-ins on Young Children
Have you had your house broken into? If the statistics are to be believed
then there is a pretty good chance that you either have been or you
will be. Although a robbery is a traumatic event for anyone to go through,
the effect on young children is often longer term than that for adults...
(Read More)
Architectural
Housing Design Reflects Increasing Social Isolation
Most people over the age of 35 have some awareness of the changing atmosphere
of suburban life over the last couple of decades. Leaving aside high
rise inner city apartment blocks, most people a mere 20 years ago knew
the names of most of their neighbors. Some even had barbeques and football
nights together. Everyone kept a subtle eye on each others kids and,
more importantly, kids knew their neighbors well enough to be able to
call on them in an emergency... (Read
More)
Selective Mutism
Selective mutism is primarily an anxiety disorder and involves a conscious
decision by the child to not speak. It is classified by a persistent
failure to speak in very specific situations despite the ability to
do so. There is always an underlying psychological reason for the development
of the disorder. Mandy is such an example of this puzzling condition.
Six years old, she was a happy, well-adjusted child until her parents
started having marital difficulties over a protracted time frame...
(Read More)
Does Psychotherapy Work?
This is a question that has plagued psychiatrists and psychologists
for many years but it has been finally addressed by Nobel Laureate Dr.Eric
Kandel. A neurobiologist whose training in psychiatry lead him to an
interest in the efficacy of psychotherapy, Kandel decided to trade his
couch for a lab coat to see if psychotherapy actually works... (Read
More)
Are You Too PC to Hug?
Remember those corny old cards, bookmarks and bumper stickers that proclaimed
“Hugs Are Healing”? Well, no surprises for guessing that
the authors were correct. Researchers at the UK’s Manchester Metropolitan
University in England have concluded what we all suspected: hugs are
healing... (Read More)
Bags of Rags and Mental Health
I’m not big on perusing catalogs, especially those involving work,
but this particular object for sale really popped out of the page for
me. Apparently, for $7.50, I can buy a bag of rags. Marketed as Rags
in Bags I looked at it, astounded that anyone would sell such an item,
much less buy it... (Read More)
Why
Do People Care So Little about People with Mental Illness?
I hear some pretty sad stories in my work as a counselor, but the saddest
ones are when the family and friends of an emotionally unwell person
refuse to help or even try to understand. I know that the sufferer is
not deserving of this treatment yet it is relatively common. Why? Because
people are afraid of the unknown... (Read
More)