Depression and anxiety are common mental illnesses that affect most people around the world. In 2019, The World Health Organization (WHO) reported approximately 280 million people around the world have depression and approximately 301 million people were living with an anxiety disorder. In my blog “Top Reasons Why People Don’t Seek Treatment”, stigma and lack of income are a couple of factors that hinder many people from getting the help they need. That's why I think it is important for us to know the best way to be there for friends and family when they're mentally ill. First, we must recognize the symptoms of depression. The signs we have to look out for are changes in the person’s communication, sleep pattern, and hygiene. A couple of other signs are if they aren't enjoying activities like they used to and being easily angered or always sad. The Mental Health First Aid provides five tips that can help us provide the support our loved ones need. First, treat the person with respect. This means to “…respect the person’s independence while considering the extent to which the person can make their own personal decisions” (MHFA, 2020). The second tip is for us to offer compassion, empathy, and patience and remind them not to worry about us abandoning them. We can run errands for them, such as buying groceries. However, we have to make sure they don’t become too dependent on us. Also, we can reassure them that there is hope, and they will get better. Lastly, ask them if they would like information about their mental illness and if they say yes, we give them the appropriate resources. Tips to help someone who has anxiety disorder are similar. Some psychological signs of anxiety include mood swings, feeling tense, difficulty focusing, and low-self esteem. It can also cause physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea, muscle tension, increased heart beat and light-headedness. A Very Well Mind article, written by William Meek, gives us tips on how we can help someone who has anxiety disorder. Be respectful while being supportive by setting boundaries and allowing them to make their decisions. Knowledge is power, so researching and learning more about anxiety disorder can be beneficial to us during this process. “Once you become more knowledgeable, it will be easier to avoid becoming frustrated and disillusioned” (Meek, 2021). Encourage them to seek professional help. However, it's important for us not to get too wrapped up in getting them to seek treatment if they strongly refuse to do so. We have to take care of ourselves while taking care of someone else. Meek says, “Talking to a therapist, advisor, or close friend to get support is important, but make sure not to jeopardize the confidence your friend with anxiety has in you.” Last, but certainly not least, do enjoyable activities. A few that I can think of are playing a game, watching funny videos online, and cooking delicious food. I think these tips can be extremely useful and help our loved ones recover better. If you or a loved one is having suicidal thoughts or attempting to commit suicide, please dial 988 for the Suicide Hotline or 911 for Emergency Services. For anyone living outside the U.S. click here for a list of international numbers.
0 Comments
It’s no secret. The news can be tough to watch when you are struggling with mental health issues. I remember when the Black Lives Matter protests were taking place all over the world, it was extremely distressing for me to watch news coverage of protestors being brutalized on social media, especially being an African-American woman. Scrolling through Twitter for hours on end for updates into the protests increased my anxiety and depression. In late July 2020, I decided to limit my consumption of distressing news and to only do so when I’m mentally fit. Even today, I still use this strategy to keep my peace of mind.
One study showed the 86 percent of adults in the U.S. get their news online via smartphone, tablet, or computer and 68 percent of adults get their news from television. Living in a digital age, means we can search for information about any topic we want and see what is happening in real time. It can be great for wanting to know what the weather will be, writing a paper for college, or wanting to know if you should invest in a stock. The dark side of this is we can come across news that can increase our stress. A BBC article explaining a study done by University of California, Irving’s Alison Holman and her colleagues provides insight into the impact of news and our mental and physical health. They interviewed some people who had seen at least six hours of news coverage of the Boston Marathon Bombing weeks after the incident and found they were just as negatively effected as the people who witnessed it in-person. Holman and her colleagues found it can increase the risk of developing anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as an increased risk of having a heart attack or health problems in the future. Good news (no pun intended)! There are ways to protect our health while still being informed citizens. In October 2020, an article was published by McLean Hospital providing helpful tips to staying mentally fit while watching distressful news. Dr. Jacqueline Bullis, who is a clinical psychologist in McLean Hospital’s Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, says accepting what is beyond our control and focusing on what we can manage is a good coping strategy. Eating healthy, getting enough sleep, exercising and connecting with friends and family can be beneficial for coping with anxiety as well. Limiting the amount of time you watch the news and deciding what information is helpful or unhelpful is another great way to protect your mental health while watching the news, according to Dr. Bullis. In the article, an example of information that is helpful is learning how to wear a mask properly, and an example of information that isn’t helpful is the number of new Covid-19 cases. Also, being selective about where you get your information from is important. A couple of examples of trusted sources, are the World Health Organization and the Center of Disease Control and Prevention. She suggests bookmarking trusted sites and only checking for news updates once or twice a day. Additionally, if you use social media, it's best to mute or block people who follow you who are constantly posting anxiety-provoking information, according to Dr. Bullis. The past couple of years have been especially tough with news about inflation, the pandemic, politics, racism, climate change and just about every bad thing you can think of. However, it's important to remember there is always something good happening in the world. One of my favorite websites to visit is Good News Network, where uplifting news is posted daily. If you are interested in reading about social media addiction, check out Lanier Law Firm’s article on the topic. The article discusses the negative impacts of social media addiction on children and adolescents and provides statistics from various sources. Also, if mental health issues are disrupting your daily routine, please speak to a mental health professional. I consider myself a bit of a music junkie. I don’t really have a favorite genre of music as I can listen to almost anything even Japanese pop. People have said music can make them feel many emotions and I’m one of those people. Since the beginning of the lockdown, I have found myself listening to more lofi hip hop beats. This led me to wonder what are the effects of sounds on the brain and if music is effective for treating mental disorders. Music has been known to have powerful effects on the brain. According to the University of Florida, neuroscientist Kiminobu Sugaya and violinist Ayako Yonetani teach a class called Music and the Brain at the Burnett Honors College. It was believed that classical music is the best music to increase intelligence which is known as the Mozart Effect. However, it is found that any music genre will do that and it just depends on the person’s background. People with Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease have a positive response to music. Some health benefits include increase in strength and intelligence, boost immune system, help repair brain damage, and reduce seizures. This can also be considered as music therapy which, according to a source, “...incorporates techniques such as listening to, reflecting on, and creating music to improve a client’s health and well-being.” Research has found music therapy can ease pain and depression in cancer patients and it can reduce side effects of cancer therapy. Music therapy can be used to aid in pain relief and lower anxiety levels before a surgical procedure and ease discomfort during the procedure. There are some stories from people on the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) website that share their experiences with this type of therapy. The pandemic has caused a lot of us to be anxious. The economy is plummeting, people are losing their jobs, food and necessary supplies seem to be disappearing from store shelves day by day. The truth is no one knows what the future will hold. However, I believe we will adapt and make the most out of our situation. I think the best thing is for us to be aware of what is going on but to take time to turn on the music and relax every once in a while. Remember to speak to a mental health professional to see what type of therapies will be best for you. |
AuthorHello, My name is Ashley Downes, I'm a graduate student who has an interest in mental health, film/TV, and music and wants to share that with others. I'm NOT a mental health professional and my blogs AREN'T meant to be a replacement for mental health services such as therapy. Archives
October 2022
Categories |