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Why Do We Like Getting Scared?

November 8, 2022 in Educate Yourself

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Whether it’s celebrating on the first day of Autumn, the entire month of October, or just on Halloween, it’s not just the time for posting photos of changing leaf colors and apple picking, but for pumpkin carving, costumes, and yes, spooky activities.

Everyone has different feelings about whether they like to get frightened or not, and all are completely justified. While some refuse to watch a show with just the slightest hint of a jump scare, others will jump at the opportunity to enter a pitch black maze, excited to see what the unknown has in store for them.

But why do some of us like that feeling? Why do we like to be startled, and for the briefest of moments, feel unsafe and have our world shaken up? Margee Kerr, a sociologist at Pitt, explored this, explaining how voluntarily engaging in high arousal negative experiences (known as VANEs), like going on a roller coaster or watching a scare movie, can be positive. This is especially true when the activity comes across as dangerous, but is almost always in a safe environment.

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For the study, the researchers went to ScareHouse (be warned, the website itself can be a little terrifying for some), advertised as Pittsburgh’s “scariest haunted house.” She not only talked with those who worked and designed the haunted house to see how it worked, but gave surveys to those who had already purchased tickets to get information about their feelings before and after. The majority of the participants, about half, said that their mood had improved, especially those who were tired or stressed. Some of the participants wore sensors and had less brain activity when completing tasks after, which was described as being similar to a “zen state,” the kind of calm feeling that happens during mediation, for example. Think of it like ripping off a Band-Aid: you’re afraid of the pain before it happens, once it does, it hurts for the briefest of seconds, but afterwards, you feel better and almost relaxed.

The article goes on to explain on how getting scared and the positive feelings that come afterwards are similar to the goals in exposure therapy, a kind of treatment for different types of mental illnesses where the person is shown the things they don’t like, but in a safe environment. This is done in order to reduce that fear. Kerr suggests that for those with social anxiety, for example, going to a haunted house with a ridiculous situation like a subway car full of zombies makes an everyday, packed subway, less terrifying.

This isn’t the only way to help anxiety, so if you don’t like getting scared, don’t think that it’s the only solution. However, if you do, a scary movie playing in the background as you work on a paper may make that assignment slightly less scary.

Do you like getting scared? If so, how do you think you can adapt it so you can use it when you’re feeling anxious or stressed? What are your favorite Halloween activities?

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Celebrate Halloween in a Respectful Way!

October 31, 2022 in Be Positive

`When the leaves start changing and the air feels crisp, you know Halloween is right around the corner! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and what I like most about it is that everyone is free to dress up as whomever or whatever they please and have a blast with friends! Ghosts, witches, zombies, and vampires are Halloween classics, but you know what’s scarier than all those combined? Using the holiday as a means to perpetuate mental health stigmas.

Depictions in popular media like scary movies oftentimes show stereotyped and exaggerated characters. While these characters are fictionalized, we often see a surge in costumes that perpetuate problematic tropes during Halloween. Costumes such as straight jackets, “mental patient”, “psycho”, and “asylum” are all hurtful caricatures of people who suffer from mental illness.

Mental health is commonly stigmatized topic and many people refuse to seek help because they are afraid of what people may think of them. Not only is it cruel to label a group of individuals as violent or dangerous, it’s incredibly inaccurate. People who have mental illness can be high functioning individuals with thriving social and professional lives!

Having a mental illness can be very scary. By wearing costumes that perpetuate these stigmas, individuals who are already afraid of a diagnosis may choose to hide their illness and refuse to seek the help they need. Mental illness is not violent, frightening, or funny and should be taken seriously.

It’s good to remind ourselves around Halloween time that depictions of psychological disorders in movies or shows is often not realistic and to encourage others around us to speak up if they see costumes that may be hurtful! Ultimately, mental health diagnoses are not costumes, and while Halloween costumes may be removable, those who suffer from mental illness cannot remove their diagnoses.

Feel free to share your respectful Halloween costume ideas below and let us know what you’re most excited about this fall!

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Sounds (and fury)

October 27, 2022 in Educate Yourself

Note: this post has nothing to do with William Faulkner or Shakespeare, though if you’re adding to your collection of facts for trivia night, check out the above links.

This post considers sounds — how we react to them, how they could be harming us, and how they might help us.

You might be a fan of music and its healing qualities. What about the sounds of someone chewing? How about the sounds of someone typing on a laptop? Does it even phase you? Even if you’re unaware, there’s most likely someone near you who has taken notice of these sounds.

Are you familiar with ASMR? It stands for autonomous sensory meridian response. A mouthful, right? ASMR might be considered sounds that help for relaxation, though (limited) research focuses on tingling sensations at the back of the neck. Think of a fish tank and the sounds of the bubbling water; or clicks and brush sounds (see: Bob Ross painting). It’s important to note that experiencing ASMR can come from a variety of auditory and visual stimulation.

Have you ever considered that sounds might be affecting you in unseen ways? Perhaps you already know this. Much like musical tastes, ASMR affects us in different ways and doesn’t affect some people at all.

On a future post, we’ll look at how sounds might be harming us.

Read more: Vox article and Mayo Clinic group comments

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Trick or Treat

October 25, 2022 in Be Positive

Chances are, we’re well into your favorite time of year. Most people say that autumn is their favorite season (though other sources say people prefer spring, but both seasons are very popular), and included that, comes Halloween. There are tons of reasons to enjoy the holiday, no matter who you are. It could be all the candy, getting the chance to be creative and making costumes, or binging scary movies and finding out which ones genuinely frighten you. Even if you no longer trick-or-treat, you may also find joy in seeing kids dress up and helping give out candy.

And if we’re going to get really (candy) corn-y, your brain also does its own version of trick-or-treating. You may have heard that your mind can play “tricks” on you. This is usually done in the context of negative thinking: your brain focuses on just the bad, and makes you believe that that’s all there is. Those with symptoms of mental illnesses are likely to experience this a lot more often, and all of that negative feeling and thinking can lead to depressive episodes or anxiety attacks. It’s like your brain has created this filter that blocks out any good and only sees the bad, and usually blames you for it.

But it’s not like your brain can’t treat itself. Practicing small things like gratitude, being nostalgic, or coming up with things to look forward to can all be ways to add more positive thinking in your life. They’re reminders that good has happened before, or that you are in some control of good that can happen in the future.

Now, you can’t knock on your brain’s door and have a choice between “trick” or “treat.” It’s even more difficult to get the “treat,” or positive thought, as a result, either, especially when your brain’s tricks can be more effective. There are still ways to get that treat though. Let’s use Halloween itself as an example:

Obviously, 2020 has ruined any chances of a typical Halloween this upcoming weekend. Your brain might be making you believe that there’s nothing you can do, and you’re doomed to just being alone in your room and wondering about what could have been. Your brain might also blame itself for being in this position, making you feel guilty for any time you’ve gone out or visited someone and thinking that’s the main reason that quarantine has continued. In an effort to avoid these tricks, you can treat yourself to coming up with a new tradition for Halloween, or come up with ways to recreate old traditions indoors. You can do a photoshoot where you recreate one of your favorite childhood costumes, or challenge yourself to find the scariest movies possible. You can try baking something using your favorite Halloween candy, or put on old Halloween episodes of your favorite shows.

We hope that your brain gives you more treats than tricks, especially this week!

Do you like Halloween? What ways are you “treating” yourself for the holiday this year?

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Multiple Selves, LGBTQ+ Youths, and Social Media

October 21, 2022 in Social Media Guide

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The variety of social media platforms, the kind of content they show, and who uses them allows people to wear different “masks” depending on what site or app they go on. Facebook has become more family-dominated, so many teenagers feel like they need to filter themselves so their parents, grandparents, and other extended family don’t see everything. Meanwhile, teens may use Instagram to present a seemingly perfect and aesthetic lifestyle to their peers (finstas, on the other hand, make teens feel like they can show their “true selves”).

There have been a lot of reports and articles about filtering and the different “selves” that people present online. Usually, it’s about the conflict between our “real selves” and who we want to be (A.K.A., the type of person we try to be online). However, LGBTQ+ youth can use social media and the presentation of different “selves” as a positive thing. Because they already feel like they have to filter their true selves offline and with the people they know in real life, going online gives them the opportunity to be as authentic as possible. Of course, this can still depend on the social media outlet: some can be out on Facebook, but may not talk about it as much and their experiences compared to other sites like Twitter or Snapchat.

A survey of LGBTQ+ youths looked at how they chose to present themselves, specifically on Facebook. Their results were clustered into categories that measured how out LGBTQ+ people were on the site, and how out they were within certain groups. Just like the various types of social media outlets, LGBTQ+ youths can be out in different circles even within Facebook itself.

In short, the survey found the results to be complex. While the largest groups that people interacted with were with school peers and LGBTQ+ groups – where people were more likely to be out and personal – people were still relatively out to their family members. Results also varied depending on how they used Facebook. For example, some had different pages (one person had a separate Facebook page for their drag persona), and these separate accounts allowed them to choose what information they wanted to reveal went where.

Ultimately, especially for those who identify as LGBTQ+, safety comes first when talking about personal matters online. Social media gives people the chance to connect with others who are like them, especially when it can be difficult to find that offline, but sites that are also used by those they are not comfortable may make filtering necessary.

Do you think you put on different masks depending on the types of social media that you use? Do you have separate accounts for the same social media site? If you are LGBTQ+, how do you think social media affects how out you want to be online?

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Difficulty with Diagnoses

October 17, 2022 in Educate Yourself

If your doctor tells you that you may be depressed, what does that really mean?

Maybe some of the “symptoms” you have could be from something else like:

  • trouble adjusting to a new situation at school or home
  • a bad break-up, a friend who let you down, or you didn’t make the football or basketball team and its just been a tough month for you
  • there is a lot of bullying at school and you feel like if you went to a new school or graduated, everything would start looking up
  • a medical problem where you have belly pain or headaches all the time – if that got better, you’d feel much better
  • you have too much homework to do plus have to wake up super early to get to school and you are just tired all the time
  • another mental health or physical problem like ADHD, anxiety, or a low blood count

Don’t some people even have thoughts of harming themselves but in the end they don’t end up having depression?

The fact is you are right – it can be hard to diagnose depression. And sometimes you might have depression AND something else that is bringing it on or making it worse like a low blood count. That’s why health professionals might have to see you for several visits – like 3 or 4 times – before they can really get an idea of what is going on.

Even so, if you do have some of the symptoms – there are two important reasons why if they tell you to see a therapist or start a medication it might be a good idea to consider:

  • If you do have depression and you wait to treat it, it can get worse. It can affect your grades, put you at risk for getting involved in harmful behaviors or situations, affect your relationships, and keep you away from achieving your goals.
  • Seeing a therapist can help you learn new skills which can help you a lot even if you don’t have depression. One of the major treatments that can help with sleep issues and anxiety and problems with pain or headaches is the same type of therapy which is recommended for depression: cognitive behavioral therapy.

Tell us what you think below. If you have had depression for a while, do you think it took some time to really understand what was going on with you?

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“When I Came Out”

October 12, 2022 in LINKS

It kind of makes sense that National Coming Out Day (10/11) is the day after World Mental Health Day (10/10). Mental health and mental illness are almost always tied to marginalized groups, with those who identify as LGBT being no exception. You’re probably somewhat aware of the staggering differences in statistics between queer people and those who are cisgender and/or heterosexual (if you want to check out the specifics, you can do so here), especially in queer youth as they try to navigate these identities.

There aren’t that many statistics about queer mental health after coming out. Naturally, they can differ from person to person. Some find being out to be liberating, while others use it as a platform for LGBT advocacy. Others have talked about how negative school environments have impacted them, but support systems to those they trust make the biggest difference. 

We wanted to highlight one specific website: When I Came Out. Here, people write anonymous, quick stories about an instance where they came out and how it affected them. The stories differ not just in reactions but how people came out (one person did so through a spoken word poem in class, another did so with a pun to their best friend). While not every story has a happy ending, it’s a safe place where queer people can open up and talk through their feelings. 

When I Came Out

Most of the stories are by teenagers, but there are some as young as 10 leaving stories and some in their late 20s (there’s even a story from a 67 year old!). There’s a search button, and with almost 2,000 stories, you can likely find something that’s specific to you and remind you that you’re not alone.

Of course, coming out isn’t a one-time only event. Queer people are continuously coming to new people they meet, or may be opening up to one person at a time. Everyone has their own journey and steps that they have to take, but learning and seeing that things do get better and that someone who shares your sexuality and/or gender identity have a positive experience after coming out can make a huge difference.

(Also, if you’re questioning or want to feel as safe as possible if the conditions for you aren’t the greatest, simply hit the “escape” button on your keyboard and the site immediately takes you to both Google and weather.com so no one can see that you were ever on)

If you identify as LGBTQ2IA+, what advice do you have to share if you came out? What are your experiences with people – both with strangers and with those who you’re close with?

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Indigenous Peoples Day 2022

October 11, 2022 in Educate Yourself

October 10th was Indigenous Peoples Day 2022. Here some links to find mental health resources for indigenous communities and read/watch stories from indigenous youth

  • IndigiLOVE Campaign – We R Native This resource is created by native youth for native youth. They cover a variety of topics, including mental health, and feature poems and visual art created by native youth.
  • Love is Respect is a project dedicated to providing resources on navigating relationships and ending dating violence. This site includes the StrongHearts Native Helpline  

Have you heard of these resources before? Feel free to share your favorite Indigenous authors, creators, and advocates below

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Practicing Radical Self-Care

October 7, 2022 in LINKS

Self-care has become a term that always pops up when talking about mental health and wellness. The most common image is that of meditating, taking a bath, or doing a face mask. And while this is great, self-care is so much more than that. While these moments of nurture are helpful, self-care is a radical act for many as they learn to put their needs, emotions, and well-being first.

You may have heard the name Angela Davis pop up over the past years. As an activist for Black lives and education for decades, she well knows the toll that not just activism, but living as a Black woman can have mentally and physically. We wanted to include the video below where she talks about radical self-care and why it’s so important to be able to prioritize ourselves and do what we need to do to make sure that we’re okay. She specifically talks about this is important for those who participate in activism (and can be prone to burnout because of how heavy the content can be as well as taking care of others) and those from marginalized groups who have historically been told that they do not matter.

Check it out below!

How do you practice self-care? Is self-care something that’s important to you? What do you think of radical self-care?

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Getting Better Sleep without FOMO

October 6, 2022 in Social Media Guide

Quite often, the first piece of advice we receive when trying to change our sleeping habits and to get a better night’s sleep is to put our phone (and all other types of screens and technology) away. Experts recommend that adolescents get at least 8-10 hours of sleep a night, and to ensure staying asleep, to avoid screen time at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before you plan to call it a night.

There are plenty of reasons to explain why you should avoid your phone, computer, tablets, and TVs before bed: the bright light keeps you alert and makes you less tired (but more tired in the morning), REM sleep (where memories are processed and has ties to problem-solving skills) is decreased, and of course, using screens delays sleep as a whole because you’re engaging with content in some way.

But like all habits, distancing yourself from your phone before bed is easier said than done. For a generation of youths that communicate online as much as, if not more, communicating face-to-face, putting phones away, along with the conversations, social media platforms, and friends that come with it, can be nerve wracking. 

We’ve talked about FOMO and social media breaks before. Because technology and social media is so crucial to how many youths communicate today, it’s easy to feel like anything could happen and that you can miss something important without your phone for just a few seconds, an hour before sleeping, and even longer than that. Not having your phone charging next to you means that you might miss a conversation in a group chat, an email, or even a notification about something you don’t care about at all. The excitement of social media, regardless of what the content is, and just the fact that there is always content to see, makes us want to stay on and makes us afraid that we’ll miss something important, even if it’s most likely not.

If you’re trying to get a better night’s sleep but are having a hard time parting from your phone to do so, just know that all that content will also be there in the morning. Most of the time, there isn’t anything groundbreaking that requires us to stay up expecting an alert at 1AM. Putting your phone away right before bed can also be the first step to take if you want to distance yourself from how much you use and rely on social media as a whole.

If anything, keeping your phone away may make it easier to get out of bed! If you use your phone for your alarm and have it far away from you, you have to get out of it to turn it off, instead of pressing snooze a bunch of times and/or staying in bed scrolling aimlessly on your phone, just like you did the night before, giving you a less groggy and grumpy start to the day.

Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Where do you keep your phone when you’re getting ready for bed? Have you ever considered keeping your phone away before bed? If you have, or do keep it away, has it made any difference in your sleep?

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