Mental Health & Wellbeing

Harvard Study: Where Does Happiness Really Come From?

“…It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Research proves this advice is scientifically sound. In a recent study from Harvard University, “Prosocial Spending and Happiness: Using Money to Benefit Others Pays Off” researchers looked at the connection between giving and happiness. Their paper clearly establishes a link between spending money on others versus [...]

Does Eating Organic Really Matter?

Eating organic food has gained a lot of attention in recent years. What was once just a small subsection of our food supply has grown into a multi-million dollar business that offers a product most consumers just can’t seem to get enough of. Organic food is everywhere, and most people are willing to pay the [...]

Are Wellbeing Programmes Making Any Difference? 

Last week I came across an interesting article on The Conversation. It was entitled, Wellbeing programmes in schools might be doing children more harm than good by Professor Kathryn Ecclestone from Sheffield University. It’s a counterintuitive statement isn’t it? How could wellbeing programmes do our students harm? Certainly in Australia we’re seeing an increase in [...]

10 Ways to Build Resilience

gettyimages Many people react to life’s challenging experiences with strong emotions and a sense of uncertainty. Yet people generally adapt well over time to changing situations and stressful conditions. Resilience is the process of learning to ‘bounce back’ from adversity, trauma, tragedy and other significant sources of stress. Resilience is not a trait [...]

Man Dies After Three-Day Internet Gaming Binge

A Taiwanese man has died after a three-day gaming binge at an internet cafe in the island's south, the second such case this year.The 32-year-old, identified by his family name Hsieh, was found slumped in his chair in the cafe in Kaohsiung city. Other patrons initially thought he was sleeping, but when an employee realised [...]

Bipolar Disorder: What You Need to Know

Like major depression, bipolar disorder is characterized by sadness, fatigue, a loss of enjoyment in everyday activities and disruptions in appetite and sleep patterns. But individuals with bipolar disorder differ from patients with major depressive disorder in that they experience what’s called mania or hypomania – emotional highs, bursts of extreme energy and severe irritability [...]

Stress Is ‘Barrier To Feeling Empathy For Strangers’

Stress is the reason why we find it hard to empathise with someone we do not know, researchers suggest. In separate tests in mice and people, empathy towards strangers increased when stress hormones were blocked by a drug. Playing a fun video game with a stranger was found to have a similar effect to the drug. [...]

By |2020-10-30T17:57:02+11:00February 2nd, 2015|Categories: Drugs & Alcohol, Mental Health & Wellbeing|Tags: , , , , |0 Comments

Development of Psychosis: Gray Matter Loss and the Inflamed Brain

The thickness of cortical brain tissue progressively reduces as individuals develop psychosis, according to researchers of a large, multi-site study of young adults at clinical high risk. Onset of psychosis typically occurs during the transition from adolescence to early adulthood, a period of time when the brain is also maturing, they note. - Elsevier via Development [...]

How To Talk To Teens Who Don’t Want To Talk

Do you have a teenager who isn’t interested in talking with you? Do you get monosyllable answers to your questions? If so, you – and they – are normal. But don’t give up trying to have a good quality conversation with your teen. Teens don’t have to be having long, deep and meaningful conversations with [...]

Gratitude Might Be The Best Ninja Move Ever

When depression chopped me in the back of the knee and sent me sprawling on the floor – well actually the couch – for a full year, I had to learn some brilliant ninja moves. I learned moves that got me back on my feet and moves that keep sneaky saboteurs from whacking me so [...]

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