Mental Health & Wellness Featured News

14 TIPS TO REDUCE HOLIDAY STRESS

By Tanya Edwards, CNN Underscored, December 2021

“The holidays are here, whether you like it or not, and for a lot of people that means a lot of stress from family obligations, financial concerns and much more.”

“Fortunately, there are some ways to mitigate holiday stress, and we spoke with wellness and organization experts about ways to keep it all together even when you’d like to run away from it all.”

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KIDS ARE VOCALIZING THEIR MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES. HERE’S HOW ADULTS CAN RESPOND

By Tonya Mosley and Serena McMahon, WBUR, September 2021

“Christine French Cully, editor-in-chief for Highlights, says the top concerns she’s seen from kids’ letters during the pandemic are boredom, disappointments, school and the health of others.”

“When a Highlights staff member responds to a letter, they make sure the child’s feelings are validated and encourage the child to talk with a trusted adult, Cully says. Kids don’t expect adults to have the answers right away, she says. Rather, young people mostly want to feel heard and supported.”

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SCHOOL-BASED ONLINE PROGRAMS INSTRUCT PUPILS ABOUT GOOD MENTAL HEALTH

By Shekhar Saxena and Anisha Padukone, Scientific American, September 2021

“Roughly 50 percent of all mental health conditions begin before people are in their mid-teens even though most go undetected and untreated. Adding to this, suicide is one of the top causes of death in young adults. The unprecedented disruptions of the pandemic has aggravated such problems, especially for younger age groups. All of these factors mean there is no better time to support and strengthen mental health education among teenagers.”

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SUPPORTING ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH DURING A PANDEMIC AND BACK TO SCHOOL

By Tracy R. G. Gladstone, National Alliance On Mental Illness, September 2021

“As our kids return to school this fall, it is important for parents, family members, teachers, guidance counselors and other school staff to be prepared to support them. This transition, though hopefully positive for many, is likely to present its own challenges.”

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UNDERSTANDING DEPRESSION: YOUNG ADULTS

Publication by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

This fact sheet offers young adults information on living with depression. It discusses causes of depression, and approaches to treatment.

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BACK TO SCHOOL MENTAL WELLNESS: TIPS FOR PARENTS/CAREGIVERS OF TEENS

By Allison T. Brill, MPH, , Mass Dept. of Public Health, August, 2021

“School is back in session, which can be a stressful time for teens and parents alike. The transition from a more relaxed summer schedule to a new school year, filled with new faces, homework and more scheduled activities, can bring about a mix of anxiety, anticipation and excitement. The good news is that there are some simple strategies that you and your family can use to help ease back into the school routine.”

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COHASSET POLICE AWARDED $5000 MENTAL HEALTH GRANT

By Cohasset Police, June 2021

“The grant funding will allow the department to contract with a licensed social worker, who will provide assessment and referral services for people in or approaching crisis. The social worker will also provide guidance to town departments, including police, fire, public health and elder affairs. The remaining funding will go toward providing field training for officers, who are often the first ones in contact with people in crisis.”

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PANDEMIC STRESS IS CONTRIBUTING TO DISORDER EATING

By Lauren Manaker MS, RDN, LD, CLEC, Very Well Health, April 2021

“In a new study, researchers found that stress, stress management, depressive symptoms, and extreme financial difficulties increasingly led people to eat as a form of coping during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Of the stressors, money problems seemed to be the biggest impetus to using food as a coping mechanism. The March study was published in The International Journal of Eating Disorders.“

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ANXIETY & SCHOOL

By Delaney Ruston, MD, Screenagers, April 2021

“These are tough times for lots of kids and teens, and high on the list is anxiety concerning school. You might be dealing with a teen opting to continue to do remote learning because of anxious feelings. To help kids and teens, here are some ideas from me and two incredible psychologists…”

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HOW TO HELP A TEEN WITH DEPRESSION: 9 DO’S & DON’TS

Medically reviewed by Akilah Reynolds, PhD , Written by Crystal Raypole, Healthline, April 2021

“If you have a teenager in the house, you’re probably familiar with silence or vague responses when you attempt conversation, a tendency to sleep the day away unless you intervene, and a preference for phones and computers over face-to-face time with loved ones.”

“These behaviors are pretty characteristic of most teens, but they can also be signs of depression. Abrupt changes in their mood can lead you to wonder whether they’re struggling with mental health symptoms or just, well, being a teenager.”

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JC MONAHAN: BREAKING MY SILENCE

By JC Monahan for Boston Magazine, April, 2021

“For many years, NBC Boston anchor JC Monahan had a secret—and keeping it nearly cost her everything.”

“I had been suffering in silence for more than a year, first from depression and then from debilitating anxiety. Yet I told almost no one—not my family, not even the people I consider my best friends. The one person in Boston who was aware that something was up didn’t know the half of it until he found me that morning unconscious in my living room.”

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PANDEMIC BURNOUT IS RAMPANT IN ACADEMIA

By Virginia Gewin, Nature Journal, March 2021

“Remote working, research delays and childcare obligations are taking their toll on scientists, causing stress and anxiety.”

“A year into the coronavirus pandemic, many in the academic scientific workforce are experiencing a state of chronic exhaustion known as burnout.  “

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MORE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DYING BY SUICIDE. HERE’S HOW TO HELP

By Nancy Rappaport & Meredith Gansner, WBUR, March 2021

“The early days of the pandemic were a welcome respite for some youth, with later wake-up times and decreased academic expectations. But few teenagers envisioned endless Zoom classes and being trapped inside their homes for most of each day.”

“COVID-19 has appeared to spawn a synergistic epidemic, where multiple epidemics (suicide, the virus, systemic racism) have fed off each other in a disturbing fashion.”

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COLLEGE TUITION SPARKED A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. THEN THE HEFTY HOSPITAL BILL ARRIVED

By Jordan Rau, NPR, February 2021

“Hofstra University student Divya Singh found herself beset by a double whammy of bills from two of the costliest kinds of institutions in America — colleges and hospitals. After experiencing anxiety when her family had trouble coming up with the money for her tuition, she sought counseling and ended up with a weeklong stay in a psychiatric hospital — and a resulting $3,413 bill.”

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KEEP PAYING ATTENTION TO YOUR KID’S MENTAL HEALTH IN THIS PANDEMIC

By Lisa Selin Davis, CNN, February 2021

“While Covid-19 itself has largely been sparing of children’s physical health, studies have shown it has taken a toll on their mental health, associated with an increase in suicide-related behaviors, experts say.”

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WHO EXECUTIVE BOARD STRESSES NEED FOR IMPROVED RESPONSE TO MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES

By World Health Organization (WHO), February 2021

“The importance of integrating mental health into preparedness and response plans for public health emergencies was emphasized by WHO Member States at the WHO Executive Board meeting held in January 2021. “

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HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF DURING STRESSFUL TIMES

By Voices of Youth, January 2021

“Here are some tips to take care of yourself, learn to navigate through tough times at home while you spend more time with family, and become problem solvers to overcome the challenges, big and small, that we all face in our lives.”

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21 BEST HEALTHY NEW YEAR ACTIVITIES FOR 2021

By Kaitlyn Pirie, Prevention, December 2020

“You’ve heard the advice: Lose 25 pounds. Improve your relationship with your mother. Give up sugar and wrap your ankle behind your head in yoga class. While these are all laudable goals, they’re pretty ambitious. Reaching too high (especially in a pandemic!) can set you up for disappointment, ensuring that any resolutions will be toast. Let’s not go there. There are lots of small, simple things you can do to make a big impact on your overall health and preserve your peace of mind no matter what 2021 looks like.”

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4 POST PANDEMIC MENTAL HEALTH TRENDS AND PREDICTIONS FOR 2021

By Bryan Robinson, Ph.D., Forbes, December 2020

“In the new year, company leaders cite a number of trends and predictions that will be essential for businesses to survive. Making discussions of mental health a standard practice and de-stigmatizing mental health issues are at the top of the list along with prioritizing self-care and workplace wellness.”

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SUICIDE AMONG TEEN ATHLETES RAISE MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS

By Roman Stubbs, The Washington Post, December 2020

“For many teens who have been restricted from playing sports, the pandemic not only has stripped away the opportunity for exercise, competition and potential college scholarships but also has deprived those young athletes of the identity and social circles provided by sports. The mental health benefits that athletics can give students have been a driving force for thousands of parents who have protested the shutdown of sports in their communities across the country, with many often fearing the worst if their kids aren’t able to play.”

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HOW TO TALK TO LOVED ONES ABOUT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

By Allyson Chiu, The Washington Post, December 2020

“The year 2020 has exacted a psychological toll on Americans. Levels of anxiety and depression have skyrocketed alongside increases in drug overdoses and alcohol consumption. Meanwhile, a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contained an alarming statistic: When young adults were asked if they had seriously considered suicide in the past 30 days, about 25 percent said they had.”

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MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE IN YOUNG ADULTS

By Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

“Entering adulthood can be an emotional time, but sometimes the ups and downs can mean something more.”

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CLIMATE ANXIETY AND MENTAL ILLNESS

By Brian Barnett and Amit Anand, Scientific American, October 2020

“As younger people embrace with growing certainty the likelihood they could be inheriting a dying planet, many are so concerned they’re considering not having children in order to reduce their carbon footprint. Their worries are especially alarming in light of growing suicide rates among adolescents and young adults, with a tripling of the rate among people aged 10–14 during 2007–2017.” 

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HOW TO FIND MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN BOSTON

Guide by Boston Magazine

“We’re all suffering from some level of stress, says psychologist Jonathan Jenkins, of Brookline-based Mental Fitness & Psychotherapy, but if you’re losing excitement for things that once gave you pleasure, or your social connections are no longer providing the relief you need, you may be having trouble coping. Jenkins also suggests considering your eating and exercising habits. Are you doing more or less of either? If so, you may benefit from working with a professional to develop new strategies for dealing with today’s stressors.”

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THE PANDEMIC’S OUTSIZED EFFECT ON WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH AROUND THE WORLD

By Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, September 2020

“In a new study conducted by CARE, a non-profit international aid organization, investigators have found that while almost nobody is spared from the anxiety, worry and overall emotional fatigue of the coronavirus pandemic, women are almost three times as likely as men to report suffering from significant mental health consequences (27% compared to 10%), including anxiety, loss of appetite, inability to sleep and trouble completing everyday tasks.”

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INSIDE BOSTON’S LOOMING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

By Rachel Slade, Boston Magazine, September 2020

“Depressed. Anxious. Stressed. We were all of these things even before the pandemic hit. Now, facing a long winter of isolation and uncertainty, Bostonians are increasingly finding themselves at their breaking point. A special report on the area’s looming mental health crisis—and how to find help if you need it.”

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YOUR ‘SURGE CAPACITY’ IS DEPLETED-IT’S WHY YOU FEEL AWFUL

By Tara Haelle, Medium, September 2020

“Surge capacity is a collection of adaptive systems — mental and physical — that humans draw on for short-term survival in acutely stressful situations, such as natural disasters.”

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COLLEGE STUDENTS BRACE FOR THE ‘SECOND CURVE’ OF COVID-19-ITS MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT

By Suzanne Ciechalski, Shamar Walters and Sarah Kaufman, NBC News, August 2020

“After five months of being home, Danielle Cahue was looking forward to returning to campus — that is, until she got there. When the 19-year-old sophomore arrived at Illinois State University, she saw her peers gathering in large groups without masks, disregarding the university’s COVID-19 guidelines.”

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ONLINE CLASSES CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH

By Ana Pietrewicz, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, August 2020

“If there’s one thing college students nationwide can agree on, it’s that Zoom classes suck. Necessary as it may be in the age of COVID-19, staring at your screen for nine hours a day while your professor tries to explain the difference between judicial activism and judicial restraint is draining to say the least.”

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6 SIGNS THAT YOUR TEEN MAY BENEFIT FROM THERAPY

By Zee Krstic and Kaitlyn Pirie, Good Housekeeping, August 2020

“Supporting Teens’ mental health right now starts with kickstarting hard conversations. Don’t skirt around pressing issues or ‘bend the truth’ for their benefit — experts say this doesn’t work in addressing four major stressors in 2020.”

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YOUNG PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH FINDING MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC

By Elinor Aspergren, USA Today, August 2020

“Mental health among young people has been worsening for years. A 2019 analysis of teens reported 13% of U.S. teens ages 12 to 17 (or 3.2 million) said in 2017 that they had experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year, up from 8% (or 2 million) in 2007.”

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CREATE A MENTAL HEALTH SHELF-AND 8 OTHER TIPS TO CALM ANXIOUS KIDS

By Amy Packham, Huffington Post UK, July 2020

“Keep feel-good movies, motivational quote books, treasured photos, stress toys and soft blankets all together somewhere your child can access them whenever they need a boost. If a shelf isn’t practical, you could use a box, drawer or suitcase.”

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REFUSAL SKILLS

3min Video By The Prevention Connection, June 2020

“Lack of refusal skills are considered a risk factor for substance use. Refusal skills provide individuals, particularly youth, with the ability to effectively say no to risky behavior like the consumption of alcohol and other drugs. In this video we go over why refusal skills are important, some examples of why individuals use drugs, and finally provide examples of refusal skills that you can use.”

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VIRTUAL TRAINING SERIES: STRESS & COPING SKILLS 101

By Plymouth Youth Development Collaborative & Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative, May 2020

his virtual training is brought to you by the Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative and the Plymouth Youth Development Collaborative. The training includes information on stress, coping skills and resiliency.

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CORONAVIRUS IS CAUSING A HISTORIC RISE IN MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, EXPERTS WARN

By William Wan, The Washington Post, May 2020

“Federal agencies and experts warn that a historic wave of mental health problems is approaching: depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide.”

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CORONAVIRUS IS CAUSING A HISTORIC RISE IN MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, EXPERTS WARN

By William Wan, The Washington Post, May 2020

“Federal agencies and experts warn that a historic wave of mental health problems is approaching: depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide.”

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5 THINGS ABOUT STAYING MENTALLY HEALTHY DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK

2 Minute Video-By U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, April 2020

“In the midst of the battle against the novel #coronavirus (#COVID19), it’s understandable that many Americans may experience heightened distress or anxiety, affecting our thoughts and emotions. Dr. Joshua Gordon, Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, offers five steps you can follow to maintain your mental health and well-being during the novel coronavirus outbreak.”

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