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Are You a Tulip, Orchid, or Dandelion?

January 23, 2019 in Educate Yourself

jessica-knowlden-589517-unsplashYou’ve probably heard of flower language before, where each plant and flower represents something. Some are pretty popular, like roses meaning love, some are obvious, like forget-me-nots, and others can be negative, like marigolds meaning grief.

Most of the time, these symbols give meaning in things like stories and tattoos, giving the image of the flowers a meaning behind it and giving it importance. While it doesn’t meet the artsy approach that flower language typically has, scientists and psychologists have created a bit of flower language of their own, comparing three types of flowers to each other and associating them with a type of behavior and reactions to situations.

This is known as the “orchid hypothesis,” and is used with children in particular. The hypothesis categorizes people into three categories based on how sensitive they are:

  • If someone is an orchid, they’re highly sensitive and have to be in the right environment, otherwise they’ll “wither.” Those who receive proper care and attention “thrive.”
  • Those who are dandelions are considered to be “tough” and can adapt to any situation, no matter where they areStockSnap_AE651BHJBY
  • Tulips fall somewhere in the middle, not “delicate” like orchids, but aren’t as “strong” as dandelions

Assigning someone to one of the flowers is not a diagnosis, but it is simply a way to describe and put someone in a category based on how they react to their environment based on their genetic makeup. There have been studies conducted to see where this link is established, such as one focusing on the CHRM2 gene specifically. CHRM2 is involved with brain functions like memory and learning, and is already associated with alcohol dependency, something that is put in the same group as childhood conduct disorders.

Another study looked to see if there was a relationship between sensitivity and other genes like DAT1, DRD2, and DRD4 (which control dopamine, or how we process reward and emotions and physical movements), MAOA (known as the “Warrior Gene” because of its link to aggression, and helps regulate serotonin and dopamine) , and 5-HTTLPR (this controls serotonin and has associations with mental illnesses like anxiety and depression).

rob-potter-408301-unsplashBeing an orchid, tulip, or dandelion isn’t all just about the biology and if there is a genetic reason for these behaviors. Scientists and psychologists also use these classifications to predict if the child’s environment and upbringing can protect them from the barriers they may face if they were an orchid. For example, if an orchid child grew up in a home with a supportive family, they are less likely to show the more extreme signs of sensitivity. An orchid child growing up in a more negative environment, however, would be more vulnerable to having negative reactions when bad things happen. A dandelion child in a similar negative environment would be genetically “stronger” enough to handle bad situations, and therefore wouldn’t have those negative reactions, or their negative reactions wouldn’t be as extreme.

If there’s anything to take away from this hypothesis, however, is that being an orchid isn’t a bad thing, and does not mean that orchids have poor reactions to negative changes around them. The hypothesis assumes that these flower titles aren’t something that we can control and are based in our biology, but shows that our environment plays a huge difference in whether those qualities show or not.

Do you think you’re an orchid, dandelion, or tulip? Do you think that the flower you are can predict things like anxiety and depression?

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Linking with a Buddy

January 18, 2019 in LINKS

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It’s not uncommon for those with mental illnesses to experience loneliness. Sometimes, it’s the brain tricking you into thinking you’re alone despite being around people close to you, or it can be self-inflicted and isolating yourself from others, unable to bring yourself to be social in any way.

Gabby Frost, a college student at Drexel, recognized this, and started a non-profit called The Buddy Project. The program pairs teens and young adults who feel are going through a difficult time, such as poor mental health or thoughts of suicide, matching them up based off of interest. As the sign-up process describes, the users need to sign up through either their Instagram or Twitter accounts, and once they’re eventually paired with their buddy, are allowed to talk about whatever they want. This isn’t just exclusive to the U.S. and is available for youths around the world, aiming to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and introducing compassionate and empathetic concepts at an early age before mental illness symptoms could possibly worsen.

Gabby first began the program in 2013 at 14 years old, and in the almost six years since it’s started, has paired up more than 230,000 teens and young adults! Another part of The Buddy Project is through its own Instagram: the posts are pastel, aesthetically pleasing, and short, featuring facts, reminders, and even short poems submitted by users.

Check out more about The Buddy Project here!  

What do you think about the program? Do you know any other adolescents who are also creating a platform to talk about mental health?

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Why has JUUL Attracted so Many Adolescents?

January 17, 2019 in Social Media Guide

Chances are, you’ve heard of JUUL. Like any phenomenon and trend, the word itself may cause an immediate response: recognition, mocking, maybe even confusion. But like any phenomenon or trends, especially one that’s mostly popular with teenagers and young adults, everyone has an opinion on them.

For those who don’t know, JUUL is a kind of e-cigarette. First created in 2015, JUULs look like flashdrives and are skinnier than standard vapes, providing the tobacco through flavored pods. Each JUUL pod contains about 200 puffs, with the same amount of nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. Though they were initially created to help adult smokers on their journey to quit, they captured the attention of adolescents, and their popularity boomed.

vaping-3677963_1920Statistics have shown that up until recently, the rates of tobacco and drug use among adolescents has been decreasing. This has started to change in the past couple of years, where teenagers are actually starting to increase their tobacco use. Naturally, the most popular product for tobacco is through e-cigarettes: 1 in 5 high schoolers reported using an e-cigarette in the past 30 days, as well as 1 in 20 middle schoolers. Both of these are higher than the statistics reported in 2011. There’s a connection between the rise of e-cigarette use and general smoking habits as well: tobacco use in middle and high schoolers started to increase again in 2017, at the same time that e-cigarette use specifically started to spike.

JUUL has a strong social media presence, which may explain the reason that it attracted so many adolescents. For example, JUUL used to pay social media influencers to advertise their product on their pages. Although this has been discontinued and only involved a few influencers, the power of social media can have a giant impact on many with just one account. If one popular person posts about a product, word of mouth and reshares can immediately reach thousands of people. Teens will also share posts of themselves vaping in an effort to feel accepted by their peers.

Another way that JUUL has attracted adolescents is because of the way they advertise their flavored pods, which makes adolescents think that the product is less dangerous. Because JUUL advertises that their product will help people stop smoking cigarettes (which also has teens think the product isn’t as harmful), studies show that vaping can actually lead to cigarette use.

rawpixel-1054659-unsplashStatistics also show that there is a connection between those with mental health issues and tobacco use: nearly half of those who consume cigarettes have a form of mental illness. This is also true for adolescents (especially since most adult smokers tried smoking for the first time when they were teens): Interviews with adolescents with mental illnesses have mentioned that they also turn to smoking when they are experiencing stress or anxiety, feeling that it will calm them down.

Given the frequent use of social media by adolescents, the increase of mental illness diagnoses in adolescents, and the connection between drug use and mental health in youth, it isn’t a surprise that e-cigarettes are causing tobacco use in adolescents to start increasing again. Many have noted this: the FDA has threatened to ban JUUL and is investigating their marketing tactics, referring to it as an epidemic. The effects of nicotine are still there, which are significantly more harmful for adolescents, whose brains are still developing. This includes being more vulnerable to addiction, so those who start at a young age are likely to continue smoking into adulthood.

While the message is getting out that JUULs and other e-cigarettes are just as harmful as “regular” smoking, it’s much easier said than done to stop a harmful trend, especially for youths, and especially for those who think that it helps them cope with issues like mental health.

Do you smoke, or know anyone who smokes? Why do you think JUULs and e-cigarettes are popular with adolescents? What’s your opinion on them? What do you think can be done to help adolescents stop smoking?

 

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Addressing Boys and Mental Health

January 16, 2019 in Educate Yourself

anna-vander-stel-60342-unsplashWith the recent rising rates of depression in the US, mental health is being recognized as a crisis in American youth. While mental illness is commonly thought to be associated with girls, statistics tell us that boys are just as vulnerable.

Teen girls attempt suicide more than teen boys do, but boys are more likely to die from their attempts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,537 boys 15-19 years old died because of suicide in 2015, versus 524 girls. Boys are also found to be less likely to seek treatment. According to Dennis Barbour, president of the Partnership for Male Youth, some boys see doing so as a sign of weakness. Even if they don’t see it this way, boys are less likely to be spotted by a physician. Unlike girls, who may regularly see a gynecologist as they grow out of their pediatrician, boys tend to see their doctors less frequently, especially if they don’t see their pediatrician anymore.

Societal pressures also play a significant factor. A national poll in 2018 showed that one-third of boys between the ages of 10-19 years old felt that society expects them to “be a man” and “suck it up” when they feel sad or scared. Another third felt they need to suppress their feelings, and half wanted to know more about having the right to feel the way they feel, despite pressures from society.

Major protective factors against depression and other mental health issues are friendships and relationships with others. 6 in 10 American teens say that most of their daily interactions with friends are online rather than in-person, and their reason for the lack of face-to-face time is having “too many other obligations,” according to the Pew Research Center. Some experts blame this friendship-1081843_1920increasing use of social media for the rising rate of depression among teens, which in 2016 increased by 63% from the previous year. Niobe Way, an NYU professor of applied psychology, found that while 85% of teen boys wanted close friendships with other boys, they stop forming these relationships because valuing relationships is to “not be a man.”

Little has been done toward addressing mental health issues in boys and men. The Partnership for Male Youth is working towards educating clinicians, parents, and other educators by creating a toolkit for adolescent and young adult males that informs health providers of their unique needs around mental health. Way has developed “The Listening Project,” a program in New York City that trains seventh-graders to connect with their peers and form relationships.

While these programs are a start, much more needs to be done to remove both the stigma of mental health as something that only affects girls and the concept that “being a man” means not showing emotions or asking for help. Both men and women have the right to express our feelings and reach out for support, and to recognize our need to be real to the core of who we are.

Are you or do you know of a boy struggling with mental health issues? Do you have any thoughts on mental health stigma among boys? Share your thoughts and experiences below!

This SOVA blog post was based off of Julie Compton’s article from NBC News, “Boys need better access to mental health care. Why aren’t they getting it?” To access the original post, check it out here.

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Staying Warm

January 14, 2019 in Be Positive

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Even though it’s the fresh start to the year, January can feel exactly the opposite. There are no festive holidays – where it’s too late for stores to continue their Christmas and winter holiday promotions but far too early for the pinks and reds of Valentine’s Day – and it’s deep in the middle of winter. The weather can feel unpredictable lately, but generally, January is a time where winds are biting, it starts getting dark as early as 4:30 in the afternoon, and it’s just cold.

You may have heard of SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder. While this can happen during any time of the year, it’s commonly associated and tends to be more likely during the winter. The “winter blues” can make everything feel so much worse, and between the more negative feelings and the less-than-ideal weather, it can be difficult to want to leave your bed during the season.

Very few people list winter as their favorite season, and have consistently had this opinion for decades. If you are someone who doesn’t particularly care for this time of year, whether it be because of the effect on their mental health, the reduced desire to go outside because of the cold, a combination of the two, or any other reason, you can be well assured that you are not alone. That doesn’t mean that you have to resign yourself to hibernate until the weather starts to turn around, however. Many sites provide all sorts of tips to battle the “winter blues,” including some of the few below:

bryan-minear-316499-unsplashLight Boxes These lamps are specifically designed to mimic outdoor light, so if you’re inside all day, or even in the afternoons when it gets dark earlier, small bursts of exposure to these lamps can help your inner clock and give some sort of Vitamin D boost to your body. There are tons you can find online, though the prices can vary.

rawpixel-1087145-unsplashExercise It can be hard wanting to move around, much less exercise, when leaving a warm blanket nest does not seem tempting in the slightest. Working out can be more than running outdoors – which can be both difficult and painful during this time of year. It can also be more than going to a gym, which requires going outside in order to get there. There are ways to move around inside though: YouTube provides tons of workouts that you can follow along with, especially yoga, and there are guides that provide short workouts that don’t require equipment. If you can’t do more than a few minutes, that’s okay, because even getting up and moving around just a little can help boost your mood and body temperature.

kelly-sikkema-72695-unsplashBundle Up If anything, the cold weather gives us a reason to wear as many fashionable clothes as possible, because when it’s in the 20s outside, there’s no such thing as too many layers. This could mean doing a little bit of retail therapy, especially online, and taking advantage of “end-of-season” sales as stores try to focus more on their spring and summer clothes. It could also mean going through your closet and coordinating outfits and accessories and seeing what kinds of combinations you can come up with.

Do you think that wintertime has an extreme effect on your mood and mental health? What tips do you have to help boost your mood and productivity?

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Finding a Therapist for Minorities

January 11, 2019 in LINKS

StockSnap_SKBXLJOILIWhen someone imagines a therapist, the typical image that comes up is that of an older white man or a young white woman. Unfortunately, this is more often accurate than not. A recent study from the American Psychological Association on the demographics of the U.S. psychology workforce between 2005 and 2013 showed that 83.6% of the workforce were white, followed by 5.3% blacks/African Americans, 5.0% Hispanics, and 4.3% Asians, which is considerably less diverse than the overall U.S. workforce. This can be a problem – a diverse pool of therapists is especially important to a diverse client population. Studies have shown that clients whose therapists match their racial and ethnic identity have a greater sense of trust toward their therapist as well as a greater perceived benefit of therapy than those who don’t have similarly matched therapists. While it is important that we all have some degree of cultural competence, there naomi-hebert-188183-unsplashis a special connection and understanding among those from similar communities that simply cannot be replaced.

In order to optimize mental health outcomes with therapy, it is important to find a good fit when it comes to working with a therapist. Jeff Baker, a black therapist from the LGBTQ community and mental health activist, recognizes that his strongest relationships are with some of his black clients, some of his queer clients, and all of his black queer clients. In his post on TeenVogue, he discusses how much one’s identity shapes one’s therapeutic experience, and he has compiled a list of directories of therapists and organizations from minority populations so that clients can find the resources to best meet their needs.

Here are a few directories from his list:

This SOVA blog post was inspired by Jeff Baker’s post on TeenVogue, “52 Mental Health Resources for Disabled People, POC, LGBTQ Folks, and More.” To see the original post and access his full list of culturally specific and general directories, check out his post here.

Do you have a therapist? Are they the same identity as you? If not, do you wish you had a therapist from your same community or culture? How much does identity matter to you when finding a good therapist? Please share your experiences or thoughts below!

 

 

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Apps Monitoring Mental Health

January 10, 2019 in Social Media Guide

girl-518517_1920These researchers explain that the way we use smartphones and if we change habits can indicate if something is happening, such as typing speed and word choice, and the number of ways can be as high as 1,000. As the article states, those with mental illnesses are more likely to only get treatment when it seems like that there is no other option, so having the one device we’re on all the time pick up on symptoms and changes in habits can be beneficial. If successful, these apps can also offer help in real-time like automated text messages or digital alerts to doctors.

analytics-1925495_1920Researchers have been recording and noting teen habits and symptoms of depression through the development of an app: one study at Stanford University has 200 teenage participants download an app that asks them three times a day about their mood over the course of two weeks. By combining this with trackers about how the teenager uses their phone, researchers hope to be able to predict if the teenager should be diagnosed with depression.

Another study at the University of Illinois in Chicago is also testing an app for mental health, though it is currently only being tested on adults over the age of 18. Here, items like typing speed, spellcheck use, and the number of keystrokes are monitored and the data is reviewed by the researchers to see if there are any trends that can predict or signal the onset of mood problems.

Meanwhile, UCLA is testing an app for students on campus, where personal sensing data – or the digital traces left behind from phone use – is collected to see if it correlates with any changes in depression symptoms on participants who show signs of the illness on a screening test.

Companies like Google and Mindstrong are also testing apps to see if they can predict someone’s mental health state and help if there are any warning signs of mental illness symptoms.

Those who are currently using these apps have varying feelings: one participant mentions that so many apps are tracking your activity already, so another one is not a big deal, but another said that the monitoring can feel a little bit like “Big Brother.”

How do you feel about apps monitoring your smartphone and social media use and habits for your mental health condition? Would this be something you would try?

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Queer Adolescents of Color

January 9, 2019 in Educate Yourself

QPOC, an acronym standing for “queer people of color,” are minorities in several ways. Not only are they racial minorities, but they are also members of the LGBTQ+ community. This intersectionality – the ways that things like discrimination and disadvantages overlap if you belong to more than one marginalized group – can be difficult, especially during adolescence.jiroe-526478-unsplash

Not only are these adolescents figuring out where they belong in their community and how much they want to show of their race and culture (think of code-switching, for example), but they are also trying to figure out their sexuality. The way they view sexuality and queerness can also be affected by their culture’s views on the topic, which may make it harder for them to come to terms with. One recent example of this is the controversy associated with Kevin Hart and the Oscars: he lost the hosting job because of his homophobic tweets, and while Ellen DeGeneres, a white lesbian, interviewed him about the topic, black queer people responded about how the situation is much different for them.

Because the rates of mental illness in racial minorities, LGBTQ+ people, and adolescents are alarmingly high, it’s almost not surprising to see that that QPOC youth have a high risk of being diagnosed with a mental illness as well. Unfortunately, because of the issues that come with intersectionality, it can be even more difficult to access treatment for reasons such as the potential higher stigma against mental illness and therapy, and the process of deciding who they would feel comfortable coming out to. As a whole, QPOC are also at high risk for items such as substance abuse, trauma, suicidal intention, and poor relationships with adults, as well as the threat of rejection, discrimination, and violence.

michele-de-paola-722838-unsplashFortunately, people are beginning to pay more attention to the needs of queer adolescents of color. Articles are discussing ways that clinicians from privileged spaces (i.e. white, cisgender, and straight) can keep their patients’ identities in mind and how to be mindful of a potentially drastic power dynamic, while others are giving attention to minority therapists and giving advice on how to find one. Groups and popular websites are creating spaces where queer youth of color can share their experiences and stories in order to let others know that they are not alone, as well as the forgotten histories of other QPOC. And of course, queer youths of color are making their voices known through social media.

Representation is also key in helping QPOC. Reports come out annually about how much minorities, such as women, POC, and LGBTQ+ people, are shown on TV shows and movies throughout that year. Most of these generally have an optimistic tone, but there doesn’t seem to be much reported about the overlap, such as lesbians of color. This is especially true for shows meant for tweens and teens, like the CW, where queer characters, especially women, are almost always white. Adolescents who identify as QPOC and watch shows that appeal to them are not likely to see themselves on screen, therefore making them feel even more invisible, as they may already have trouble fitting in with what is considered to be “normal” development patterns at adolescence.

If you are a QPOC, know someone who is one, or want to find out more resources, the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network provides more information, including a directory of therapists who are QPOC, where you can learn more about how intersectionality affects them. 

Are you a QPOC? If you are one, how does your race, sexuality, and/or gender affect you? How do you think intersectionality, or belonging to more than one marginalized group, can affect one’s identity and mental health?

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Little Reminders

January 7, 2019 in Be Positive

brandon-wong-420588-unsplashNostalgia can be a powerful tool. Advertisers and Hollywood have taken note of this: a lot of TV shows and movies today are reboots and commercials tap into that childhood nostalgia in order to make the viewer associate the product with a simpler time. Positive memories and remembering happier times is comforting, a warm sort of feeling that can remind you that things can be good, because they have been that way before.

There’s a reason why tapping into these memories and creating these warm, fuzzy feelings is so successful beyond marketing. Studies have shown that looking back on happier memories can have a positive impact on mental health, to the point that it can be used as a way to aid with depression. Nostalgia and happy memories, particularly those that have happened to you, can have an almost instant effect on mood and can promote generally increased well-being.

kate-trysh-485779-unsplashOne popular way to spark that positive feeling that comes with remembering a good memory is through a Happiness Jar. The instructions are simple: once a day, take a slip of paper, write down something good that happened to you that day, and place it in the designated jar. Happiness jars are there to remind you that there are good things that can happen each day, no matter how small. When there are moments or days that you’re not feeling your best, if your mental health isn’t at its strongest or you’ve just had a bad day in general, you can use the happiness jar to read about the good things that you’ve logged before. Reading these can recall these positive memories, and lead to the positive emotion associated with nostalgia, including reduced feelings of threat.

glass-3229209_1920Happiness jars can also boost creativity. You can always keep it simple and use whatever container you have on hand with a few pieces of cut up paper next to it. You can also use it as an opportunity to have some fun: you can paint or decorate a mason jar with stickers or ribbon, or you can buy nice stationary to write down your memories for the day. Whatever approach you take, happiness jars are there not only for you to have a source of instant joy when you need a pick-me-up, but they’re reminders that good things can happen every day, no matter how small.

Would you consider keeping a happiness jar? Have you kept one before? Do you think writing down small, but good, things can affect your mental health?

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Ways to Get Organized

January 4, 2019 in LINKS

Having a clean space and putting things in order have been proven to be calming, even to the point that they can help with anxiety. Sometimes, the most nerve-wracking part about getting organized is figuring out where to start, especially if your things, schedules, and thoughts can best be described as being in a state of chaos. There are different ways to approach organizing, and the list below offers several ways to start.christian-wiediger-598840-unsplash

Video Media Netflix very conveniently released the first season of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on New Year’s Day, a day of new starts. For some, that can mean deep cleaning their homes and closets, providing a fresh and clean beginning to the year. The show follows titular host Marie Kondo, the founder of the KonMari method, as she goes to different homes and helps people organize their spaces using her system. Not only is it calming to watch, but it helps give tips on how to apply it to your own lifestyle. Home organization and design is also its own niche on YouTube as well, and there is no shortage of videos that feature home tours and organization tips that you can use for inspiration adapt for yourself as well.

Apps Smartphones are already equipped with calendars, notepads, and reminder apps where you can list your to-do lists at your own convenience. If you use the calendars associated with your email, you can sync them to the calendar on your phone, which can then give you alerts for when those events are about to begin. If you want more variety however, apps like My Study Life, Habit List, and Awesome Note are other alternatives to consider. They’re color coded, easy on the eyes, and there to help you find ways to develop any new habits you may want to begin.

Notebooks and Planners Writing things down has been proven to be more effective than typing down notes. There are fewer distractions, and the information written down processes stronger in your memory, for example. The styles and types of notebooks you can use are infinite, and it shouldn’t take long to find one that works for you and matches your style. You can bullet journal if you want to get more creative, plan in a regular calendar planner, or simply take a ruled notebook and write your tasks there.

Do you use anything to make sure you stay organized? Do you like to use anything for inspiration? What tips or recommendations do you have?

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