This is Hide Seek. I didn’t want to take this trip to Depression and I’m not particularly fond of being here. But reading this book is like being able to go there with my friend who makes me laugh…[continue reading]
Mental Health Best of the Day
Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
Hide Seek – Book Review
Friday, October 3rd, 2008How Do You Manage Your Stress and Stress Triggers?
Friday, October 3rd, 2008Instead of freaking out when I’m faced with a situation that once caused me aggravation, despair, loss of income, feelings of hopelessness, etc., I should assess the situation as a new situation – rather than a continuation of a previous situation – and tackle it from there…[continue reading]
Mental Health Best of the Day
13 Ways to Make Friends
Friday, October 3rd, 2008by Beyond Blue
They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it also takes a village–at best a supportive community, and at the least a few very good friends–to keep a person sane and happy. All of us need companionship, which is exactly why teenagers are texting their friends in the middle of dinner (TMI, BFF, OMG …), and why people who didn’t own a personal computer last year now have profiles on Facebook, My Space, and other social-networking sites…[continue reading]
Mental Health Best of the Day
Are Search Engines Healthy?
Wednesday, February 6th, 2008Searching for health information is the third most popular internet activity. We find so much information online. And there is so much of it out there, that we’re in danger of missing the good stuff amongst the garbage. Some health information is great, but most is ordinary or even dodgy. And much of it is purely product marketing dressed up as something more.
Most people head for a search engine to look for information, which is the first obstacle in finding what you need. Search engines are generally good at giving relevant results, but there is always rubbish in there as well. Search engines aren’t perfect.
Google is the most popular engine by far, because its results are normally good and it’s fast. In ranking websites Google places emphasis on links between same or similar industry websites. A blog about depression that has been linked to by large, reputable mental illness organzations will outrank a similar blog that is popular with large gambling sites. This makes sense for ranking sites by credibility.
I’ll write about Google here because it has such a large share of the market, but the same issues apply to other search engines.
When you type the search term “depression” into Google, you receive a lot of results for reliable sources. The first 10, 20 or 50 appear mostly good. But what about the other 120 million results? Click a few pages forward and the odd website looks a bit dubious, and it goes slowly downhill from there.
But the biggest roadblocks to finding reliable information are at the tops and sides of Google pages. In these positions there are 10 or so results under the subtle gray titles “Sponsored Links”. These are paid advertisements. If you look at the sponsored listings you can see that they are generally sales based. On the front page of my search one of the results is “Depression Free in 3 Minutes”. (LOL). For such a high rank this site will be paying at least $2 a click. It wouldn’t be advertising if it wasn’t making more than $2 per visitor for whatever it is selling.
Call me a fool but it took me years to realize that “Sponsored Links” can be anything, with no implication about reputation or credibility. There will be many others, especially new users, who like me lack this same knowledge. They click and find themselves on a site looking for the promised information, while the seller is taking them by the arm and guiding them towards the transaction tunnel.
Ads like these are now everywhere. They are on newspaper sites, blogs, portals, health sites, anywhere that the site owner wants to make a bit of extra money delivering Google ads to his or her visitors. Web designers blend them into their websites, so the distinction between content and advertising is blurred, even with the subtle “Sponsored Links” displayed somewhere close by. Blah!
Thanks to Dawn at the Experience Project for providing the idea and much of the information for this post.
Greenspan Reads McHarg
Tuesday, December 11th, 2007
The Environment and Mental Health
Monday, October 15th, 2007Today is Blog Action Day, with over 7,500 bloggers committed to writing about the same topic – the environment. For my contribution I’ve collected some articles that discuss different links between the environment and mental health. These articles are a timely reminder to me that every aspect of my environment impacts my state of mind – with powerful implications. I hope you also find some helpful food for thought.
A Little Therapy from Nature
“It’s not just about creating an aesthetically beautiful, productive, harmonic space…we all must face ourselves in this environment and that is definitely therapeutic. My dream is not only for a sustainable planet … it’s for a happy population.”
How Gardening Could Cure Depression
“Getting dirty might help lift our spirits, according to a new study which reveals that common soil bacteria could act like antidepressant drugs.”
Green Peace of Mind
“The outdoors as a cure has been overlooked…because “psychologists, like everyone else, have been stuck in their offices.”
What on Earth is Ecotherapy?
(Previous Post)
“Mind sees ecotherapy as an important part of the future for mental health. It’s a credible, clinically-valid treatment option and needs to be prescribed by GPs, especially when for many people access to treatments other than antidepressants is extremely limited.”
Creating Healthy Communities, Healthy Homes, Healthy People
“Mounting evidence suggests physical and mental health problems relate to the built environment, including human-modified places such as homes, schools, workplaces, parks, industrial areas, farms, roads and highways…the sparse research on sustainable communities suggests that diligent planning is needed to create an environment that is conducive to the mental and physical well-being of humans as well as the natural environment.”
The Healing Qualities of Nature
“Nature can become a place of refuge for difficult times. When life stresses start closing in, one can escape to the wilderness physically or mentally. Being in nature helps to clear one’s head of life’s demands and disruptive thoughts. This clarity of thought may lead to finding answers to life’s questions and discovering insights to life problems.”
blog action day, environment, Mental Health, Reviews
Free, Helpful Depression Survey
Wednesday, October 10th, 2007I recently came across a personality survey hiding in the backwoods of the Black Dog Institute website.
It seems intuitive that personality plays a part in whether a person develops depression. There is a huge gap between someone who is optimistic and active in making their situation better, and another who feels helpless and passive about their circumstances.
It follows that analysis of your personality may give you a better understanding of the causes of your depression, to the extent that it is caused by personality factors. And understanding these causes will help you to more effectively treat your illness.
The Black Dog survey examines 8 personality categories relevant to depression – anxious worrying, irritability, social avoidance, personal reserve, self-criticism, perfectionism, interpersonal sensitivity and self-focus.
My score on irritability was high, which I expected. Thankfully there were no other areas of concern, but admittedly when I took the survey I had been stable for a while. As a check I asked Anna to repeat the survey based on how she sees me. The scores were very close, which gives me comfort. It seems that I view myself in a similar way to others, which surprises me.
The survey would suit anyone willing to look in the mirror and make changes for the better. It was designed as a depression tool, but I think anyone could make good use of it.
For more background information about the survey download the news release or go directly to the start page.
CBT, Depression, Healthy Mind, Mental Health, Reviews
505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend
Tuesday, October 2nd, 2007I recently found a wonderful book called “505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend” by Lisa J. Copen. Since we are two-thirds of the way through Anna’s series on “Being the Carer” a quick overview of the book fits in well.
The best thing about the book is the practical ideas for helping an ill person. They are not platitudes like “If there is anything I can do…” but ways to be proactive with providing your support.
The book is focused on the chronically ill, and applies to the whole range of mental illnesses, but it would also be relevant to helping friends in any kind of need.
With the author’s permission I’m listing my favorite twenty.
3. Put meals into disposable containers and attach a note saying “This doesn’t need to be returned.”
5. Arrange for your friend’s kids to have a night with your children.
15. Treat her to a gift of movie rentals via postal mail through a service ($7-15 a month).
18. Mop the floors.
21. Ask, “Do you have an errand I can run for you before coming over?”
42. Don’t say, “Let me know if there is anything I can do.” People rarely feel comfortable saying, “Yes, my laundry”. Instead pick something you are willing to do and then ask her permission.
44. Buy a magazine subscription for her on her favorite topic.
59. Say, “I’d like to bring you dinner next week. Would Monday or Tuesday night be better?”
81. Ask her if she wants to house-sit when you are on vacation. New surroundings may feel like a mini-vacation.
116. Take her kids for a movie and ice cream.
152. Watch your friend’s children so she and her spouse can have a night out.
180. Ask her if she’d like you to help rearrange her furniture for a fresh feeling in her house.
197. If a massage would feel good (it doesn’t always), give her a gift certificate for one.
199. Help her with her children’s birthday parties – but don’t take over; let her make all the decisions.
304. Clip cartoons that will make her smile.
316. When you leave ask, “Do you have mail I could drop off for you?”
406. Talk about normal everyday things, not just the illness.
424. Help her children pick out gifts for her on special occasions like Mother’s Day.
462. Go with her to the doctor and then go get coffee or lunch afterward. Medical visits get lonely and depressing.
468. Teach her how to use the Internet so she can learn more about her illness from medical websites.
The book is available by direct purchase from the Rest Ministries website.
Bipolar, carer, Carers, Depression, Reviews
Positive Thinking Day
Thursday, September 13th, 2007Did you know that today, September 13, is Positive Thinking Day?
It (being the Day) has its own website, which says that its purpose is simply to celebrate the benefits of positive thinking. Not a bad idea.
The first thing to do is to focus on the following Positive Thinking Day affirmation: “I choose to create a great day!”
Based on my understanding of affirmations, for it to have an impact you need to repeat it about 20 times with lots of concentration and emotional energy. Then, full of enthusiasm, skip over to the Day’s website to see how else you can make a positive difference.
On another subject, I’ve discovered a couple of fantastic blogs in the last few days.
This is written by Shiny Happy Person, a “dissatisfied and stroppy junior psychiatrist” working in the UK’s National Health System. If blogs were given classified ratings then this one would be Adults Only, but if you don’t mind the colorful language then the dry English wit is wonderful.
I love the name of this blog. The “Evolving Blueprint” is about the changing foundation of your life, as you adjust and grow towards the person you aspire to be.
If you know the zen habits blog then this is in a similar space (nobody shoot me). It is firmly focused on health and personal development but without the common “life hacks” feel. Topics include motivation, living simply, goal setting, relationships, and maintaining core values.
Please share your own favorites in the Comments!
blogs, Healthy Mind, Mind Exercise, Reviews
Revolution Online Mental Health Fair
Wednesday, September 12th, 2007There is a helpful, educational “Mental Health Fair” currently being hosted at Revolution Health.
The Fair showcases a dozen non-profit organizations operating in the mental health space. They include the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Active Minds, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Mental Health Research Association.
Apart from the resources being offered, an excellent reason to visit is a 25c donation from Revolution Health to each organization whose booth you enter.
The presentation of the Fair is also quite novel, and worth a look if only for that reason.
Thanks to my friend Therese at Beliefnet for pointing us to this resource.
inforrmation, Mental Health, mental illness, research, resources, Reviews