Tag: mental health

CDC Study: Remote Learning Hurt Children’s Mental Health

When schools pivoted to remote learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the first casualty was children’s mental health. A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzed teenagers’ mental health from January 2021 to June 2021. Compared with 2019, the study found that the proportion of mental health-related emergency department visits in…


Lockdowns Found to Double Risk of Mental Health Symptoms

A group of researchers have conducted an overview of 33 mental health studies of 132,000 people during the first year of the pandemic and found that lockdowns doubled people’s odds of experiencing mental health symptoms. Many studies on mental health have been undertaken but the speed with which they were conducted meant that the research…


3 Reasons Why You Feel Stressed When Trying to Relax

Have you ever tried to relax, only to find yourself overwhelmed with feeling stressed and having negative thoughts? Turns out a lot of us experience this—which is why some have coined it “stresslaxing.” Even though stresslaxation is a new term, it describes relaxation-induced anxiety which has been studied for years. This is shown to happen…


Delayed Development? Teens in the Pandemic Era

A high school senior from California described teen COVID-19 mental fallout in a nutshell: “It’s not that I’m mad that I missed the events. I wouldn’t have gone to prom anyway. I just feel bad about all the experiences I missed that never had the chance to happen. I wonder what those years would have…


More Children Are Self-Harming Since the Start of the Pandemic

There has been a reported spike in young people attending emergency departments for self-harm and suicide during the pandemic. In New South Wales, presentations to emergency departments for self-harm and suicidal thoughts are reportedly up by 47% since before the pandemic. In the year to July 29 2021, there were 8,489 presentations to NSW emergency…


Up From Rock Bottom: Recovery From a National Overdose Epidemic

Commentary WILLS, Pennsylvania—Andrew Ayers is busy working on loading and unloading several machines at Guy Chemical—a massive, 30,000-square-foot industrial facility that sits tucked along the border of a tiny unincorporated town in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. People call Ayers one of the lucky ones for surviving his addiction to both heroin and methamphetamine, but he says…


Healing Through Human Connection

Music, poetry, dance, and art have played an important part in our mental and physical well-being throughout history. According to studies commissioned by the UK Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, “Participation in the arts leads to significant improvements in health, that not only boost self-esteem, but also reduce feelings of isolation and exclusion.” Those…


Knowing the Warning Signs of Depression and Anxiety

Do you ever wonder if somebody you know may be struggling with depression and anxiety, but you are not sure? If So, Here Are Some Things to Look for When Someone You Know May Be Having a Difficult Time With Their Mental Health. Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much Feeling sad and depressed on a…


Children and the Impact of COVID Restrictions: Helping Kids Ease Back Into ‘Normal’ Life

COVID-19 restrictions have significantly affected children in their formative years, imposing a secluded form of education and socialization that parents and health professionals say has had a negative impact on kids’ mental health and their learning experience and progression. As COVID rules gradually relax and children ease back into a more “normal” life, parents and…


Victoria Boosts Mental Health Support Following Federal Budget

The state Victorian government has announced a boost to mental health and wellbeing to support for Victorian schools following the 2022 federal budget announcement. “We want all Victorians to have access to the tools they need to be happy and resilient—and that’s why we’re bolstering mental health and wellbeing support at schools right across Victoria,”…