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The Winter Blues

December 6, 2016 in Educate Yourself

Now that we are in the midst of the winter season, it is important to think of ways to deal with the stress surrounding this time of year. For those in school, the semester is wrapping up meaning there’s finals and papers to think about before break. Stress can also be brought on by the various commitments many people have during the winter months. Sometimes, this season can be hard on the wallet as well. This time of year can also bring on feelings of loneliness and depression for some. Other factors like Seasonal Affective Disorder can lead some to feel stressed and depressed during the shorter, winter days. All of these things can add up to create what some refer to as the “winter blues.” By planning ahead, it is easier to prevent and lessen the stress and negative emotions that comes during this season for many. Here are some tips to do just that:

1)      Be in tune with your feelings- it’s important to be aware of your feelings and use self-care as much as possible

2)      Reach out for support- Because this time of year can be stressful and lonely for some, it’s important to depend on the people you trust to help. Or if school is overwhelming you, it’s worth it to ask for an extension on that final paper.

3)      Take a breather- Be sure to make some you-time. It might be difficult to fit it in to a busy schedule, but taking time to yourself can help by reducing stress and clearing your mind.

 

 

Find some more helpful tips at Mayo Clinic’s website or Time Magazine’s post about the winter blues.

Do you have ways to reduce stress during this time of year? Let us know in the comments below!

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“Like No One’s Watching You”

December 5, 2016 in Be Positive

This is a great song that captures the ups and downs in life and the importance of not giving up! Check it out!

What are your thoughts on the song?

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Healthy Peer Relationships

December 2, 2016 in LINKS

Relationships with peers are an important part of life. There are many different kinds of relationships young people can have with their peers –including friendships, dating relationships. But as 5436183836_192024e4ffwith all human relationships, issues can come up. We found a great resource page at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Adolescent Health to help with some serious issues connected to peer relationships including dating violence and bullying. This page also provides information for LGBT adolescents as well as ways to maintain healthy friendships. Check out the website, and let us know what you think.

 

 

Can you think of some other issues you’ve come across as part of your peer relationships? How did you work through the problem?

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Mindfulness

November 30, 2016 in Educate Yourself

Mindfulness is defined by PsychologyToday as a state of active, open attention to the present moment. When one is practicing mindfulness, there is a focus on present thoughts and feelings, but without judging them as good or bad. Mindfulness is a type of meditation that promotes living in the moment, rather than letting life pass by. A study found evidence that supports the use of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) to ease symptoms of depression and anxiety and to prevent these disorders in healthy adults and children. Check out this video of young people talking about mindfulness and the ways its benefited them.

If you’re interested in learning more about mindfulness, check out our SOVA post about mindfulness. We also posted about how mindfulness can be empowering and the ways mindfulness can be used in our every day lives.

Have you ever tried mindfulness? What is your opinion on it?

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The Mental Health Reform Act of 2016

November 29, 2016 in Educate Yourself

The Mental Health Reform Act of 2016 is a bill recently created by United States Senate that makes great strides to strengthen the mental health system. The bill has not yet been voted on by Senate, but will hopefully get the chance to go to vote in fall 2016.

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (PRNewsFoto/National Alliance on Mental Illness)

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (PRNewsFoto/National Alliance on Mental Illness)

Here are some of the key changes the bill would make to benefit the mental health field:

  1. The bill helps combat suicide in schools and communities by authorizing the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program and extending the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act that provides suicide prevention for all ages and creates a national suicide technical assistance center.
  2. The bill increases the mental health workforce so more trained professionals are available.
  3. The bill strengthens community crisis response systems so that individuals going through a psychiatric crisis can get help before their situation worsens.

Because the bill is sitting in Senate awaiting vote, many mental health organizations are making a push to get people to contact their Senators to ask them to bring the bill to Senate floor and to vote in favor of the bill. If you’re interested in taking action, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has created a page on their website that breaks down how to email, tweet, and call your Senator to express support in the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016.

For more information on this bill, NAMI also has more available on their website.

Do you think the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016 would benefit you? If so, in what ways?

 

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For What It’s Worth

November 28, 2016 in Be Positive

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Tips for Dealing with Depression

November 25, 2016 in LINKS

Recently, we introduced Dr. Erika Forbes, a professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. Now that you know a little bit more about her and the studies she conducts, we wanted to share some of the pointers she had for adolescents and young adults coping with depression.

Here are some tips to help deal with depression from Dr. Erika Forbes, Ph.D: Read the rest of this entry →

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Discuss Amongst Yourselves

November 23, 2016 in Educate Yourself

Coffee Talk Lady!

Did you know we have a forum? We are working hard to build a community that is safe and moderated but where you can discuss your questions, advice, and share positive or negative stories. Currently the forum we have is ‘What is a stressful situation that made you learn something new? What advice do you have for others based on what you went through?’

But if you have other suggestions for forum topics, please just message the moderator (when you’re logged in, go to your profile and hit message) or comment below! 

 

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Situational Depression

November 22, 2016 in Educate Yourself

16224073802_d4ebd5eeaf_oSituational depression is a type of depression brought on by a stressful event or change. When this event is hard to cope with or when change is really hard to get used to, one might develop situational depression. While situational depression is a type of depression, there are differences between situational depression and clinical depression.

 

Clinical depression is also known as major depression or major depressive disorder . Clinical depression often lasts over a longer period of time than situational depression, but the symptoms are very similar (SOVA post describing symptoms of depression). Even though there are differences between situational and clinical depression, it’s important to consider that sometimes one might have underlying clinical depression that is brought on by a difficult situation or change. Whether one is experiencing situational or clinical depression, it is important to seek treatment before things become overwhelming. Depression might be temporary or it may be long-lasting, but the benefits of treatment go a long way, whichever the case may be.

 

For more information on situational depression, visit elements behavioral health website.

Have you experienced situational depression? We’d love to hear your story in the comments below.

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Happiness in the Moment

November 21, 2016 in Be Positive

Photo Credit: blavandmaster Flickr via Compfight cc

Photo Credit: blavandmaster Flickr via Compfight cc

“Happy people know that regardless of what happened yesterday, last month, years ago—or what might happen later today, tomorrow, or next year—now is the only place where happiness can actually be found and experienced.”

-Dr. Richard Carlson

 

How do you find ways to be present and happy in the moment?

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