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Mental Health America Blog
Mental Health America Blog - Chiming In
By Paul Gionfriddo, MHA President and CEO
It was a gloomy, rainy day yesterday as I flew into Ft. Lauderdale. Fitting for the week, as today marks a year since the horrifying massacre in Parkland, Florida. It is my first time back to Broward County since the shooting, which happened just 35 miles from my home in Lake Worth.
A lot has happened to me during the past year – some good, some tragic. My wife retired after nine years as...
By Paul Gionfriddo, MHA President and CEO, and Madeline Reinert, MHA Policy and Programs Associate
A little more than a month ago, a picture of a brown egg found its way to Instagram. Its original purpose was both straightforward and tongue-in-cheek – to set a record for the greatest number of “likes” of an Instagram post, using an everyday image that had no earthly reason to attract a following of its own. The old record was 18 million.
The Instagram...
By Catherine Reynolds, MHA Communications Associate
When we think about cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, we don’t wait years to treat them. We work to address these conditions before Stage 4. We begin with prevention. And when people are in the first stage of those diseases, and have a persistent cough, high blood pressure, or high blood sugar, we try immediately to reverse these symptoms....
By Itzhak Brook, MD, MSc, Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Georgetown University School of Medicine
I had been practicing pediatrics and infectious diseases for over 40 years when I was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2008. Unfortunately, my larynx had to be removed to eradicate the cancer. Becoming a laryngectomee (someone without vocal cords) was difficult and challenging. I had to learn to speak again and cope with many medical, dental, psychological and...
By eM Life Instructor Andrea Lieberstein, MPH, RDN, RYT
Small Steps to Big Change, All It Takes is One Percent
14 minutes a day of mindfulness practice (just one percent of your day) lays a strong foundation for experiencing the benefits of practicing mindfulness in your own life. Not only that, but by participating in eM Life’s One Percent Challenge, you have the chance to...
By Michele Hellebuyck, MHA Policy and Programs Manager
Throughout a typical work week, employees will interact more with their colleagues than loved ones. Positive interactions between employees not only makes for a better work environment but can foster higher levels of job satisfaction and productivity. Negative or toxic relationships in the workplace can increase stress levels among employees, as well as feelings of isolation. Both stress and isolation...
By LoveKnitting
For many, activities like meditation or yoga have become life-changing habits that help to bring calm both to mind and body in times of stress, anxiety or pain. But did you know that knitting can also help you cope with mental health challenges? At LoveKnitting, the home of knitting yarns, patterns and a global community of makers, we’re...
By Samorn Selim
After I had my baby, I fell into deep depression again.
My depression was so bad that I didn’t want to get out of bed. Small things like brushing my teeth or taking a shower seemed so overwhelming. I feared that if I took my baby outside of the house, something tragic would happen. I had a deep sense of anxiety, fear, and hopelessness that seemed insurmountable to overcome. I felt so hopeless that I started to wonder if it would be...
By Brie Weiler Reynolds, FlexJobs Senior Career Specialist
Mental health and work are intertwined. Work can cause and exacerbate mental health issues, but it can also act as a support mechanism. Flexible work options, in particular, have a lot to offer in supporting mental health at work and in life.
In fact, the impact that work flexibility (things like remote work, flexible hours, and reduced schedules) can have is so great that 97% of people...
By Kelly Davis, MHA Director of Peer Advocacy, Supports, and Services
For college students, winter break is a great time to relax, spend time with friends and family, and of course try to catch up on sleep. After the stress of the semester and finals, it’s an important chance to celebrate all the work you’ve done and check in on your mental health and wellbeing.
If you’re a campus mental health advocate, winter break can also be...
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