Tabla de contenidos para The 2024 Mental Health Edition en The Goodnewspaper

EDITOR’S NOTE: This issue includes stories about difficult topics such as suicide, trauma, and mental illness. We believe these stories will help you feel hopeful about these topics, but if reading this issue might be difficult for you — please take care of yourself. To read a different issue of the Goodnewspaper, log into your account at goodgoodgood.co and revisit some of our past issues centered around other topics. You can also find a list of mental health resources, call centers, and more at ggg.news/articles/mental-health-resources. Please do not hesitate to seek help. Your story matters. Hope is real. And good news is ahead. When I was in high school, I began having debilitating panic attacks. They were so bad that I couldn’t go to school, and when I finally made…

In May 2023, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed a bill into law that will provide the state’s 911 operators with unlimited access to mental health services. This bill gives dispatchers the same benefits as police officers and firefighters and allows them to use services without the fear of running out of sessions or having to pay for more support out of pocket. “To say the least, our 911 dispatchers have the grave responsibility of keeping our neighbors and communities safe,” Gov. Hobbs said in a press release. “During those phone calls, they can experience extremely traumatic situations that they take home with them.” Although dispatchers are not physically present during a traumatic incident, researchers have reported the development of PTSD symptoms due to various peritraumatic responses and traumatic situations, according…

With the ubiquity of resources and information on the internet, it’s easy to forget just how much knowledge we all have at the tips of our fingers. Not only can you access infinite Wikipedia pages or meme libraries, but you can also use the internet to be connected to life-saving resources in an instant. One such resource is findhelp.org, America’s largest social care network. The website is exactly what it sounds like: a place to find help. With a simple input of one’s zip code, anyone in the country can find free or reduced-cost resources among categories like food, education, transit, housing, financial and legal assistance, mental and primary health care, and more. The program is set up for over 536,000 distinct locations, helping millions of people across the country.…

From emotional support dogs to equine therapy, it seems like there are plenty of ways to connect to the natural world in the name of mental wellness. But have you heard of sheep therapy? Among the Chiltern Hills of Northwest London, Emma Redman and Pippa Ashton are especially familiar with sheep therapy. Well, probably because they’re the masterminds behind Ewe Talk, a nonprofit that connects humans to sheep for mental health support. The duo started with just one sheep but now have a flock of seven sheep (and two goats) who assist in personal therapy sessions through the grassy hills and cherished family farm. These aren’t just any sheep, either. The unique breed — Valias Blacknose sheep — are known for their dog-like temperament, making them perfect for emotional support.…

GOOD Learn more about the benefits of animal-assisted therapy. Watch the documentary “Silent Comrade,” which follows three soldiers diagnosed with PTSD through their journeys with equine therapy. BETTER Donate to organizations making animal therapy more accessible to people who need it most. Check out Horses for Mental Health (horsesformentalhealth.org) and Cultivate Care Farms (cultivatefarms.org). BEST Do you have a well-behaved dog and want to make a difference? Volunteer with Love On A Leash to train your dog and become a handler that visits those in need in your community. Visit loveonaleash.org.…

For two years, TikTok Creator Kiley Castañeda has been lovingly cataloging her experiences taking care of her mother, who has a type of a type of frontotemporal dementia called primary progressive aphasia. Castañeda — a night shift nurse — uses her videos to capture the highs and lows of taking care of a loved one with dementia, which impacts speech, motor skills, memory, and mood. “Rough mornings are not what I look forward to, but we have to get through them,” Castañeda wrote in a caption beneath a video of her helping her mother get dressed for the day. “Controlling my own emotions first so I can care for her is the main thing.” Beneath each one of Casteñeda’s videos, there is a flood of comments praising her and her…

The Anti-Burnout Club app provides hundreds of free resources to help you feel less stressed and more supported. With free workshops, expert guides, recipes, digital downloads, and more, this is the toolkit to make your life just that much easier. How We Feel is a feelings tracker app created by scientists, designers, engineers, and psychologists that helps you spot patterns over time, learn words to describe how you feel, and practice simple strategies to regulate your emotions for when you need it most. Voda is a mental health app designed especially for LGBTQ+ users. Learn self-care, cultivate gratitude, manage stress & anxiety, and learn to manage queer-spe cific issues like coming out, internalized shame, and gender dysphoria.…

When Michael Washington first moved to Los Angeles, he immediately wanted to immerse himself in nature. But when he began wading into the existing fitness and wellness communities, he had a hard time connecting with people on the trails and at conventions. “I walked in and it was all white people over 50. When I tried to ask questions, I got such a cold shoulder,” he told the LA Times. “It was so uninviting.” Washington realized he could spearhead the movement he was looking for and created the Usal Project out of Usal Beach, camping, hiking, and surfing his way up the west coast as he made new friends. Today, Usal Project has expanded into a full-fledged community, as Washington works with experts to host 20 to 25 events a…

GOOD Be proactive and offer specific ways you could help, such as running errands, shopping for groceries, babysitting, cooking, scheduling appointments, or taking something off their plate. BETTER Read “Reaching Out after Suicide: What’s Helpful and What’s Not” by Linda H. Kilburn and “Touched by Suicide: Hope and Healing after Loss” by Michael F. Myers and Carla Fine to better understand their experiences. BEST Grief has no time limit. No matter how many weeks or years have passed, continue checking in with them and reminding them that you are there for them, even if it's just to talk, go for a walk, or simply sit together. WHAT'S THIS? THIS IS THE GOOD BAR. We believe in celebrating good and then joining in to make a difference. The Good Bar is…

A new study from researchers at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine found that AI could change the way we predict and diagnose mental distress in the health care industry. Using data gathered during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a computer algorithm used natural language processing to analyze teletherapy transcripts. When patients — who retained anonymity throughout the study — spoke about burnout, insomnia, and mood changes, they were more likely to get an anxiety and depression diagnosis later in therapy. “Our findings show that those working on the hospital floor during the most intense moment of the pandemic faced unique challenges on top of their regular job-related stressors, which put them at high risk for serious mental health concerns,” lead author, Matteo Malgaroli, told NYU Langone…

Contrary to the stereotypical use of psychedelics as “party drugs” in the 1960s and ’70s, “magic mushrooms” have become the new frontier of mental health treatment. In fact, the FDA has already approved the use of ketamine, psilocybin, and MDMA for depression treatment. “The data look really promising in terms of treating depression, treating PTSD, treating addictions, and also for palliative care settings,” Albert Garcia-Romeu, a psychopharmacology researcher at Johns Hopkins University, told Politico. As more funds are poured into the research of these treatments, and stigmas of their use slowly peel away, patients are accessing a type of relief they’ve never experienced before. Still, researchers hope that regulators aren’t putting the cart before the horse — or the hype before the results. Plus, it’s important that these treatments are…

TikTok user Gwen Pendragon started her account with the following claim: “I am building Yelp for neurodivergent people.” “I got tired of not going to places or doing things because I didn’t know what the expectations were,” she continued, reflecting on her experience as an autistic woman. “Google doesn’t always have the answers, unfortunately.” Her goal is to create a crowd-sourced website — and hopefully, an app — by neurodivergent people, for neurodivergent people, to help people with ADHD, autism, social anxiety, or other conditions find the information they’re looking for before visiting a new place. Whether it’s the amount of wall outlets in a coffee shop, how comfortable the chairs are in a restaurant, or general procedures for, say, a bowling alley, she wants to eliminate the barriers to…

GOOD Check in on your older neighbors who live alone. Isolation can lead to stress, mental health struggles, and a higher risk of dementia. Reach out to your neighbors, and let them know you’re there for them. BETTER Offer to teach a class at a senior center in your area. Community organizers are often on the lookout for instructors who can lead knitting classes, dancing lessons, yoga basics, computer literacy, and more! BEST Volunteer with Meals on Wheels, a nationwide network of nonprofits that help coordinate meal deliveries across the country. A regular food drop off and friendly chat can be life-changing for seniors.…

“The Invisible Ache: Black Men Identifying Their Pain & Reclaiming Their Power” by Courtney B. Vance and Dr. Robin L. Smith is a moving combination of memoir, psychology, and practical tools that speak to the Black male experience. “What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma” by Stephanie Foo is a brave and beautiful narrative that explores the author’s experience with complex PTSD and its connection to both her mind and body. “The Politics of Trauma,” by author, activist, and somatic therapist Staci K. Haines explores the intersections between trauma, healing, and social justice, positing that trauma is not just an individual prob lem — but a societal one.…

Grace Go is one of many marginalized people who has a complicated relationship with food. The daughter of Korean immigrants, Go was diagnosed with an eating disorder in 2021, and in a student podcast for NPR, shared her story of turning away from her favorite culturally significant dishes, such as budae jjigae, and returning to them during recovery. The podcast piece, called “Discomfort Food,” explored the nuances of recovering from an eating disorder while also attempting to navigate stigma and cultural standards. "Many of us who grew up in an immigrant household know that our parents especially value food," Go explained in her podcast. “But paradoxically, another aspect of our culture contradicts this idea, and prevents many Asian Americans from having a healthy relationship with food.” In a field of…

BREAKING THE CYCLE Trauma comes in many forms. Survivors who have experienced the horrors of war, slavery, and genocide often emerge with heightened fear and anxiety, their body and mind braced for whatever comes next. But doctors and psychologists are rapidly learning more about generational trauma, the stressors that survivors pass down to their children over dinner table conversations and subconscious behaviors. In a 2023 TedTalk, Palestinian creator and activist Adnan Barq referred to generational trauma as a “butterfly effect passed down through the generations.” “We don’t just inherit money and genes from our ancestors. We also inherit their sorrows, fears, emo tions, successes, and failures,” said Barq. “I know that intergenerational trauma is not an individual case; it is a collective shock.” But generational trauma is not just born…

In 2023, Harvard, UC Berkeley, and 15 other universities came together to orchestrate the world’s largest-ever citizen science project on happiness. With over 85,000 participants — and counting! — the Big JOY Project encourages users to take seven minutes out of their day to complete “micro-acts” of joy. Micro-acts include making lists, watching videos, and doing activities outside of the house. The project allows users to track their progress by taking small surveys about their mental health and happiness over the course of a week. “The reason we have embarked upon the Big JOY project is to give each person the knowledge and techniques they can use in their own right to strengthen their journey toward greater happiness in life,” Emiliana Simon-Thomas, the science director of the Greater Good Science…

About 70% of people don’t see a therapist after an emergency mental health hospitalization, according to the Colorado Sun. Colorado’s Follow-Up Project aims to change that. Here’s how it works: The Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners, which services the state’s crisis hotlines and the nationwide 988 hotline, has a team of 25 people dedicated to the Follow-Up Project. After a patient has been discharged from a hospital, they’ll get a call from one of these team members within 24 hours — and a few more over the course of the next month. They can ask questions, learn about finding the right therapist, and more. This is based on the “caring contacts” model, which has shown that people are less likely to die by suicide when they have someone checking in on…

GOOD If you personally know someone experiencing a mental health crisis, there is help! Consider directing them to resources like findhelp.org, Crisis Text Line, or the 988 national mental health crisis hotline. BETTER Donate to suicide prevention organizations like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, so they can have the resources to best help those in need. BEST Become a volunteer crisis counselor. Organizations like Crisis Text Line (crisistextline.org/beome-a-volunteer) or Trans Lifeline (translifeline.org/volunteer) are great options for doing this important work.…

Schizophrenia treatment has long been riddled with solutions that reduce hallucinations at the cost of the patient’s physical health, but a new approach is on the horizon. For the past century, drugs — like haloperidol, promazine, clozapine, and olanzapine — have been used to diminish delusions and hallucinations. Unfortunately, those drugs were directly linked to causing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and tremors in patients. In an interview with The Guardian, associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Joshua Kantrowitz said that he and many other doctors have struggled with the compromise of aiding their patients’ mental health at the detriment to their quality of life. “It’s the hallucinations and delusional thinking which see patients hospitalized, but the chronic illness they’re struggling with when trying to live their lives at home…

Let’s be real: Many of us have probably stalked the “self-help” selections at our local bookstore, angling for a cut-and-dry answer to our personal mental health questions. Some books have certainly helped, while others maybe actually made us feel worse about ourselves. This is the pickle so many of us find ourselves in these days, where mental health resources are increasingly popular in the larger zeitgeist. It’s awesome to see the de-stigmatization of these topics, but it does make it that much harder to dig through all of the information and find what you really need to uncover. First, you might want to consult your therapist for their suggestions. But if you’re not quite there, or you’ve already gone through your recommended reading list, we’re here to make it a…

“Mental Illness Happy Hour” with Paul Gilmartin approaches mental health with refreshing candor and humor. With over 600 episodes, you’re sure to find a topic or two (codependency, grief, bipolar disorder, and more) that speaks to you. “We Can Do Hard Things” is a podcast hosted by Abby Wambach, Glennon Doyle, and Amanda Doyle that provides a thoughtful exploration through many of life’s difficulties and how we deal with them, featuring interviews with various experts. “Ten Percent Happier” with journalist Dan Harris is the product of a panic attack live on-air, which led to his foray into meditation, and now, his conversations with mental health experts, and even the odd celebrity.…

OCD IRL There's a trend online lately where people talk about “letting intrusive thoughts win.” They romanticize intrusive thoughts as secret desires, like asking out the girl of your dreams or pushing your friend into the deep end of the pool. Some influencers even encourage them in a “chase your bliss” kind of mantra. But for people with obsessive compulsive disorder, intrusive thoughts are not romantic. They feel like life and death. Which is why it’s more important than ever to share the reality of living with OCD and how harmful intrusive thoughts can actually be. The stereotype of OCD might conjure the idea of people with alphabetized, color-coded lives devoted to keeping things neat and tidy. But OCD has range. Sometimes it looks like someone who has to step…

Somatic therapy is a healing practice that focuses on the connection of mind and body, using tools like movement and touch to help people through mental health conditions and trauma. Animals are a great indicator of the science behind somatic healing. Many animals are known to tremble and quiver to discharge stress, acting as a sort of “biological palate cleanser” to help the nervous system return to “normal” during times of distress, according to the New York Times. Humans, on the other hand, tend to hold in our feelings until they bubble to the surface. But 81-year-old dancer and choreographer Wendy Osserman is interested in dancing her way through distress. And her daughter, performance artist Liz Magic Laser, has carried the torch of her mother’s passion for the bodily expression…