Mental Health

Impact. One of the populations that the pandemic has impacted the most is adolescents ages 10 to 19, as their experience in the last couple years has shifted dramatically in terms of school and social development. The pandemic has resulted in school behind screens, less opportunity to interact with friends, and perhaps a general sense of isolation. While teens may have been connected to wifi, that doesn’t mean that they felt connected mentally or emotionally. Many adolescents report missing out on opportunities they would have otherwise gained from being in person, feeling isolated, feeling depressed, and many also report experiencing anxiety pertaining to returning to in-person school. According to the CDC, “more than 1 in 3 high school students had experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2019, a 40 percent increase since 2009” (CDC, 2021). This percentage is expected to have increased in light of the challenges in …

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What is geriatric healthcare? Geriatric healthcare describes the attentive medical care given to those over the age of 65 who are also referred to as seniors. Many individuals don’t seek geriatric healthcare until well into their 70s, 80s, or even 90s. A subspecialty in geriatric healthcare is geriatric psychiatry. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) describes geriatric psychiatry as addressing the “biological and psychological aspects of normal aging, the psychiatric effect of acute and chronic physical illness, and the biological and psychosocial aspects of the pathology of primary psychiatric disturbances of older age” (APA, 2021). Main focal points in geriatric psychiatry pertain to the “prevention, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders in the elderly and improvement of psychiatric care for healthy and ill elderly patients” (APA, 2021). Some of the most common psychiatric concerns that present in this population entail mood disorders such as depression and neurocognitive disorders …

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Carol Dweck, a renowned psychologist, researcher, and professor at Stanford University, uses the term “mindset” to describe how people view their abilities and talents. Dweck describes two mindsets that exist on a continuum, the fixed mindset and the growth mindset.  Fixed mindset. A fixed mindset is inflexible in that it assumes one already possesses the talent and knowledge to succeed. Thus, people who have fixed mindsets are not as open to learning new perspectives and skills. Someone with a fixed mindset believes that their abilities are innate and unchangeable. Those working from this mindset also tend to believe that failure is permanent and that any form of feedback is a personal attack. are likely to give up when faced with challenges. Those with fixed mindsets are likely to give up when faced with obstacles, choosing easier tasks that they know they can accomplish with ease. A fixed mindset focuses on …

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The power of positive thoughts. The dialogue we allow in our minds has a profound impact on our mindset and success. Like a growing plant, our mental growth is dependent on the energy and intention we put into ourselves. Proper sunlight, water, and nutrients are much alike positive thoughts that we foster. According to Psychology Today, “People who are more optimistic have better pain management, improved immune and cardiovascular function, and greater physical functioning. Optimism helps buffer the negative effects of physical illness and is associated with better health outcomes in general” (2022). This is why it is crucial to pour into our minds positive and empowering thoughts. Having a daily affirmation helps us focus our thoughts on our goals. You can choose which affirmations to feed your brain, encouraging positivity and optimism. Here are some examples of daily affirmations to consider and start out with: I dream. I believe. …

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War-related Trauma and Anxiety. In light of the current events unfolding with Russia and Ukraine, we see it as being critically important to highlight the mental health ramifications associated with war-related trauma and anxiety. To start, a traumatic event is one marked with feelings of helplessness, horror, serious injury, or the threat of serious injury of death; a traumatic event can cause physical, emotional, spiritual, and/or psychological harm. Examples of traumatic events include: serious illness, witnessing a death, domestic abuse, rape, incarceration within the criminal justice system, terrorism, and of course, war. Trauma describes the response to a traumatic event and can be marked by impairing anxiety, hypervigilance, and flashbacks.  Many but not all people who experience traumatic events can go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, women are more likely to experience sexual assault and child sexual abuse while men …

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