Traveling and Mental Wellness

Traveling and Mental Wellness

Traveling offers a myriad of benefits for mental health. Stepping out of familiar surroundings and embracing new experiences can be a powerful antidote to stress and monotony. The exposure to different cultures, landscapes, and activities provides a refreshing change that stimulates the mind and ignites a sense of adventure. The break from routine allows individuals…

The Loneliness Epidemic and AI

The Loneliness Epidemic and AI

The loneliness epidemic is the growing societal issue of increased feelings of loneliness and social isolation among individuals. It’s influenced by factors like changing social structures and technology, impacting mental and physical well-being. Artificial intelligence has the potential to impact the loneliness epidemic in a number of ways including by providing a form of companionship…

Imposter Syndrome

Imposter Syndrome

Q: What is imposter syndrome? A: Imposter syndrome, also known as imposter phenomenon, refers to a pattern of thinking where individuals doubt their accomplishments and have a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud” despite evidence of their competence. Q: Why is imposter a syndrome so common? A: Imposter syndrome is extremely common because…

Q&A on Medications for Teen Anxiety

Q&A on Medications for Teen Anxiety

Q: How Is Anxiety Treated in Teens? A: Treatment for teen anxiety often involves therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps identify and manage anxious thoughts. Medications may also be prescribed in more severe cases. A healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and a balanced diet can also contribute to better anxiety management….

Ketamine and It’s Safe Use

Ketamine and It’s Safe Use

Ketamine is an unusual type of psychedelic drug — referred to as a dissociative — that has been used in hospitals and clinics as an anesthetic for decades. It is now approved for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), including for people with suicidal thoughts, but a much lower dose of ketamine is given for depression compared with…

Psilocybin and Depression

Psilocybin and Depression

Research suggests that psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms, may have potential benefits for alleviating treatment resistant depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, including for people with cancer. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that these drugs appear to work by encouraging the growth of new connections between neurons in the…

Q&A: All About Self-Harm

Q&A: All About Self-Harm

How is self-harm defined? What behaviours can constitute self-harm? Self-harm refers to the intentional act of causing harm or injury to oneself. Self-harm can include cutting, burning, biting, hair-pulling, self-punching, head-banging, scratching, and skin-picking. What are some of the reasons patients self-harm? There is no one reason why people self-harm, and it’s not necessarily a…

What is Sleep Hygiene?

What is Sleep Hygiene?

1: What is “sleep hygiene”? The term sleep hygiene refers to the practices that people undertake that affect their sleep experiences. Sleep has been proven to have an outsized impact on the quality of life and therefore the sleep hygiene you practice is very important. 2: What are some behaviors typically associated with poor sleep…

Q&A: All About Toxic Positivity

Q&A: All About Toxic Positivity

What is toxic positivity? Toxic positivity is a term that refers to not only the excessive and insincere encouragement of a positive mindset but also the dismissing or invalidating of negative emotions. It can hinder authentic emotional expression and create pressure to mask true feelings, potentially causing long-term harm to overall mental well-being. Why is…