Mental Health

International Boost Self-Esteem Month 2023

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The International Boost Self-Esteem Month is annually observed in February. It is a period set aside in the year to help us believe in and appreciate ourselves more, despite whatever we may be facing. With high self-esteem, one can prevent many problems, like mental health disorders, and enjoy good overall health and a state of well-being. One is also able to be of valuable help and support to others. Our mental health is as important as our physical health, so we should use this month of observation to take care and learn to love ourselves.

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More information: International Boost Self Esteem Month – February 2023

Mental Health and Social Media

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When people ask me if I have social media, I often provide my handles with a caveat.

I don’t post often.

It’s an understatement, really because I hardly post at all. Why? Well, like the video states, I was using it as an escape and it often took all my time and I’d feel terrible after. Instagram in particular has me feeling anxious and nervous so I limit my time on it.

One thing that has always caught my interest is society’s reliance on social media. How often do people wake up and scroll through their Twitter or Facebook feeds? Or during a spare minute, you’re casually on Instagram seeing what your friends are up to. It may seem simple and benign, almost, but we are all taking in this information and processing it whether we are aware or not.

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People expend tremendous energy trying to be normal

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Winter can be a difficult time for those with mental health issues, and also for people who have what is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Here is a list covering a range of suicide hotlines and crisis lines worldwide for those who are struggling.

For those in the UK, here are some services available.

Samaritans UK & Ireland

Samaritans UK & Ireland offer 24-hour emotional support to anyone in distress or at risk of suicide throughout the UK & Ireland. They have 201 branches open 365 days a year, where people can also talk in person.
Tel: 116 123

Connect Counselling

Connect offers a free telephone counselling and support service for any adult who has experienced abuse, trauma or neglect in childhood. Their service is available from 6-10 pm, Wednesday to Sunday.

Tel: 1800 477 477 (Ireland)

Tel: 00800 477 477 77 ( UK and Northern Ireland)

Tel: 00353 (0) 1 865 7495 ( Outside ROI and UK)

Calm

Campaign Against Living Miserably Help and support for young men aged 15-35 on issues which include depression and suicide.
Tel: 0800 585858

Stay safe,

Purplexed Science

The mind is not isolated from the world it lives in.

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The mind is not isolated from the world it lives in.

While writing one of my last posts, ‘The Effect of Coronavirus on Mental Health‘ – I wondered how things would improve. Before the pandemic began, many of us were already struggling. We were already dealing with poor mental health – the virus just put it in a vacuum. Life seemingly ground to a halt, pushing mental health issues to the forefront.

There has been an increase in mental health awareness, with governments and organisations providing guides and online support – but it feels temporary. With the focus on returning to normal as soon as possible, it’s easy to feel like the help won’t be available when that happens.

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Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash

The above quote is from an article in Nature by Rochelle Burgess titled: ‘COVID-19 mental-health responses neglect social realities‘. It discusses how the spotlight on mental health during the coronavirus pandemic. Burgess argues that these measures don’t take into account what people’s lives were like before and what’s been the main factor in their condition.

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the effect of COVID-19 on mental health

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I wish it would just go away. 

That is a common sentiment everyone’s heard at least once this year thanks to the coronavirus, COVID-19, the global pandemic that’s taken the world by storm since early February. COVID-19 has left a huge and unprecedented impact on modern society.

An article in Brain, Behavior and Immunity states COVID-19 ‘threatens our basic need for connection’ which could have severe impacts on mental health. This is shown by a study carried out in Spain during the lockdown on 3480 people. Of the people who took part, 18% were depressive, 21.6% suffered from anxiety and 15.8% were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Additionally, many people have lost loved ones or been devastated in other ways.

This is an unsettling and unpredictable time. Life as we know it has changed and shows no signs of going back to normal soon. Continue reading →

Writing your way through your new normal

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Journaling or keeping a diary (and more recently, blogging) has always been a useful tool in our daily lives. Journaling helps maintain control of our moods, thoughts and feelings by allowing us to focus on our concerns, problems and fears while providing us with a creative outlet. 

It has been shown to improve mental health, with the University of Rochester Medical Center stating that journaling can help people with:

  • Anxiety 
  • Depression
  • Stress

Currently, the Coronavirus 2019 Pandemic is causing a lot of change around the world and with constant updates every ten minutes, it’s normal for people to feel a bit anxious and stressed out. With a large number of people in the world stuck at home, it’s easy to feel bored and shut off from the rest of the world. This is where journaling comes in. By keeping a regular journal, you will be able to process your thoughts and emotions with regards to the virus, as well as focus on other areas of your life such as gratitude and self-discovery. Continue reading →

the impact of social media on young people

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These days, anyone with a mobile phone can access almost anything on the internet. Particularly social media, which has fast become an effective tool for business and advertising. Everywhere we go, social media follows.

For the current generations who have been born into this era, social media is all they know. It’s easy to find scores of articles purely based on social media exchanges. This highlights how much social media determines the conversation of today.

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