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Celebrity Quotes about Mental Health

November 14, 2016 in Be Positive

Photo Credit: Glyn Lowe Photoworks. Flickr via Compfight cc

Photo Credit: Glyn Lowe Photoworks. Flickr via Compfight cc

A very effective way to get rid of the stigma surrounding mental illness is to simply talk about it. Because our culture puts a big emphasis on pop culture, when celebrities open up about mental health it goes a long way. Buzzfeed recently posted an article compiling celebrity mental health quotes. While there is still a ways to go in normalizing mental illness, these celebrities are helping to take steps in the right direction by opening up and sharing personal experiences. It’s great that some celebrities are helping to get the conversation started about the importance of mental health. Read through the list and let us know what you think!

 

Does one quote stand out to you as particularly powerful? Why?

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Mental Health Resources

November 11, 2016 in LINKS

Photo Credit: keepps via Compfight cc

Photo Credit: keepps via Compfight cc

Big changes can happen during adolescence and young adulthood. NAMI recently stated that one in four college-aged students have a diagnosable mental illness, but less than half seek professional help. This gap happens for a number of reasons including stigma, fear of being labeled, and not being aware of the help that’s out there.

An organization called Best Colleges recently provided some great mental health resources to SOVA that might be of some help, even if you’re not in college. The first resource outlines suicide prevention. They also have a page that describes some important mental health challenges that many people face- including anxiety and depression. There are some great tips in there for recognizing the signs and symptoms of these mental health problems. Finally, here is their general resources page. Check out the links and let us know what you think!

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Being and Becoming

November 7, 2016 in Be Positive

“Life is not a having and a getting, but a being and a becoming.”

-Matthew Arnold

Photo Credit: Brian Digital via Compfight cc

Photo Credit: Brian Digital via Compfight cc

What does this quote mean to you?

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Active Minds

November 4, 2016 in LINKS

Photo Credit: A Health Blog via Compfight cc

Active Minds is an organization dedicated to raising awareness about mental illness. There are over 400 chapters located  at many colleges in most states of the US, and Canada and Puerto Rico. If you are in or off to college, click here to find a chapter near you.

Here is a video about how active minds started:

 

Let us know if you checked out the site and what you thought.

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What Is CBT? Here’s Comic Example

November 1, 2016 in Educate Yourself

When you feel depressed or anxious, it can feel like you are just lost in your thoughts. A type of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps to teach you how to change your thoughts. The idea is that by changing your thoughts, you can change your mood and how you deal with day-to-day events. CBT is one of the most effective therapies for depression and anxiety in young people.

  • CBT describes a cycle starting with an Event.
  • A person responds to the Event with a Thought.
  • This Thought leads to an Emotion.
  • Then that Emotion leads to further Action.

Out of all of these responses, the easiest to change in the cycle are the Thoughts, because they can come from an underlying belief system: one example of such an underlying belief system is, “I’m not good at anything.” This belief system is overly negative. CBT helps train you to think more rationally by using evidence, rather than feelings or beliefs.

Like in this comic strip:

comic01 comic02 comic03

 

After reading this, imagine that Jude talks to his doctor and realizes he has been feeling depressed. He starts seeing a therapist who teaches him about CBT. Jude realizes there is evidence that some people do like him and there are some people he doesn’t get along with as well.

After CBT, the same scenario might happen a little like this:

 

comic04 comic05 comic06

How did Jude manage to change his thinking? What are the differences between the two comic strips? Let us know your thoughts below!

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Taking a break

October 28, 2016 in LINKS

You might have heard that taking a pause in the day to recenter yourself and let yourself just be without judgment can be a way to de-stress. There is a website that can turn your computer or phone into a relaxation zone. Check out this beautiful website: calm.com or download the app. 

If you tried it, let us know what you thought about it below!

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Giving your Profile an Update

October 27, 2016 in Social Media Guide

Maybe you’ve already noticed that some folks have images beside their nicknames here on the SOVA website. We want everyone to be able to have a photo there! Remember something that will not identify who you are because of the continental nature of our study!

On the left hand side of this page there is a box that says:

penguin“UPDATE YOUR PROFILE AND CHECK OUT OTHER MEMBERS HERE!”

Below that it says: Update Your Profile (or you can just click this link!)

Now you can just upload a picture to the avatar section!

Having a personalized space is great on social media, because you can craft an image of yourself. Sometimes people make their life seem perfect on facebook, twitter, or instagram, but it’s important to remember that…

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” – Wendy Mass

What do you think about the way people portray themselves on social media? Tell us about it in the comments!

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I know what it’s like down here.

October 26, 2016 in Educate Yourself

Sometimes we share with folks our struggles and pain.  In response, sometimes we get the shoulder we need to cry on, sometimes we get the understanding nod, sometimes we get the dreaded statements that start with “At least…”

Having feelings downplayed or dismissed can be a crushing feeling.  Oftentimes, people don’t even realize that they’re doing it or grasp the impact it can have.

Here is a short and sweet animation about the difference between “sympathy” and “empathy.”  It can serve as a playful yet sincere reminder for those in your social circles on how to interact with others who are sharing tough stuff.

Have you ever opened up to someone only to have them “find the silver lining?”  How did you handle this situation?  Did this video hit home with you?

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Draw a nebula

October 21, 2016 in LINKS

If you are having a rough day, try distracting yourself by focusing your attention on something else.

Click on this link to draw a nebula like the one here:

BRDNcfY

Drawing is a tool you can use to focus your attention on something relaxing and enjoyable.

Did you try it? How did you feel before and after? Attach the image to your profile page.

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Why Getting Treatment Can Improve Your Overall Health

October 19, 2016 in Educate Yourself

While you may know that getting treatment for depression and anxiety can help with emotional regulation, did you know that it can also greatly benefit your physical health?

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The info.

In a recent research report released on August 10th, 2015, The American Heart Association says that teens with depression and anxiety are at a higher risk for heart diseases. The reason for this relationship is that teens who are suffering from depression and anxiety also suffer from other disruptions in their lives as a consequence, such as problems with sleep, appetite, and stress. Therefore, they are often more prone to obesity, high blood pressure, and unhealthy cholesterol levels. The reality is that when our minds and emotions are out of whack, our bodies also follow suit.

What can you do?

This information may be unsettling, but it is also another way to view the benefits of treatment. Seeing a therapist for depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses can not only help you feel better, it can help you become physically healthier. When considering whether or not to seek treatment, think about your overall health now and in the long run. Another good idea is to always let your primary doctor know if you have depression or anxiety so that they can be more alert to screenings for heart related problems.

Source: Reuters Health

How do you feel about this information? Does it surprise you? Let us know below.

 

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