Monthly Archives: October 2015

PAS9: Let’s Talk About Mental Health

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As with all types of personal health, mental health plays a big role in affecting your day to day life and happiness. This will be a fairly serious and explanatory post, so if you’re looking for my usual Parks and Rec Gifs, check last week’s post on sleep deprivation.

For many reasons, people have a difficult time acknowledging that they need to rehabilitate themselves and give themselves time to heal.

There is definitely a stigma around mental health that just doesn’t exist around all other types of personal health; you can tell people with ease that you can’t go for a run because you have a hurt ankle, but you find it harder to say you couldn’t complete an assignment because you had an anxiety attack the night before. Physical therapy as well as regular therapy are both helping you help yourself get better, yet one is viewed as someone enduring through pain and the other is viewed as for crazy people. If you want to take part in a movement to help stop the stigma, sign the StigmaFree Pledge here.

Before we can fix this stigma, I think we need to a better job of teaching about mental health to kids so that they grow up with a better understanding of what having a good mental health means, and can help recognize signs of when others potentially need help.

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Being able to identify the characteristics of good mental health is a great way to start. The Mental Health Foundation states the following on their official website:

“Good mental health is characterized by a person’s ability to fulfill a number of key functions and activities, including:

  • The ability to learn
  • The ability to feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions
  • The ability to form and maintain good relationships with others
  • The ability to cope with and manage change and uncertainty

Your mental health doesn’t always stay the same. It can change as circumstances change and as you move through different stages of your life.”

It goes without saying that having a healthy body can lead to a healthy mind, and that by eating good foods and working out every once in a while you create positive endorphins (as I’ve talked before and all that jazz), but there are also steps you can take for mental health as well. You can begin to improve your mental health today by trying some of these “connecting” habits, which work on establishing better relationships with friends and family. Psychology Today’s author Nancy S. Buck Ph.D. lists the following as “connecting” habits to try:  Caring, Listening, Supporting, Encouraging, Respecting, Befriending, Trusting and Accepting. You should attempt to stop yourself if you find yourself constantly doing disconnecting habits:  Nagging, Withdrawing, Blaming, Punishing and Complaining.

I know they seem cheesy, but focusing on a goal can be really helpful for those struggling to make meaningful relationships with those around them. If these steps helping you connect with others don’t work for you, there are many other things you can try. College can be very lonely, and if you’re not a fan of yourself, it won’t be a fun time for you.

People are afraid to admit they need help, but I’m far more afraid of what will happen if they don’t go out and actively get the help they need. Your mind can get sick just like your body can, and it needs time to rehabilitate. At Penn State we are lucky to have many programs in place that are available, such as CAPS: Counseling and Psychological Services, but many people won’t use these services because they’re scared of what others will think.

If you need help and don’t have anyone to turn to, please consider therapy because it can be super beneficial to just talk to someone and have someone actively listen! Needing help is completely normal and getting help is brave.

Sources

Mental Health and Happiness: Start today practice a connecting habit and eliminate a disconnecting habit.

Mental Health: How can we help ourselves?

Extra Links:

10 Quick Easy Ways To Improve Your Mental Health

PAS8: More Sleep, Less Stress = Happier

For many people, sleep is an escape from the real world. I know I adore my mid morning, afternoon, or late evening naps. They help me regenerate, and I am much more energized and focused after I take one.

parks and recreation animated GIF

Your body does a very good job at letting you know it needs rest, whether it be the drooping eyes, the unstoppable yawns, or maybe it’s the bags under your eyes. Hey, if you sleep more, you’ll be naturally prettier, which will probably enhance your happiness because who doesn’t want to be attractive?

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Unfortunately for some, sleep doesn’t come so easy. If you are stressed, you tend to sleep less because things are constantly on your mind. “Too must stress, be it regarding financial concerns, health problems or relationships, makes it harder to sleep. A lack of sleep, however, only increases the amount of stress that you feel because your sleep-deprived body churns out more stress hormones” says Molly Edmunds, researcher in sleep and health. Because of this, there is a terrible cycle between stress and lack of sleep. There is also a clear connection between insomnia and depression.

Another issue with lack of sleep is that it can cause a dramatic change in behavior. Many people become extremely cranky and annoyed by the littlest things. This can cause problems with friendships, relationships and potentially jobs. All of these things have daily impacts on your personal happiness, and being cranky can definitely negatively affect each one of them. Forbes also has done some research on how sleep deprivation can “fry your brain”. Apparently, those who are sleep deprived cannot stop overthinking things, causing them to not answer questions correctly or to the best of their abilities. It has even been found that lack of sleep can begin to falter your attention, memory and other cognitive functions.

Sleep is one of the most important things to keep you healthy. When you’re sick, you need rest to get better. Not just your physical body benefits from sleep, but also your brain benefits because it needs breaks and time to relax and not think! Lack of sleep can lead to confusion, disorientation and feeling just absolutely miserable.

In a study, it was found that the average well-being score for people who reported getting 8 hours of sleep a night was 65.7 out of 100, compared with 64.2 for those who got 7 hours of sleep and 59.4 for those who got 6 hours of sleep. This shows that well-being is really affected by the amount of sleep you get, and the more you get, the better off you are!

At the end of the day, your health impacts happiness far more than anything else, and sleep is critical in your daily health.  “Making $60,000 more in annual income has less of an effect on your daily happiness than getting one extra hour of sleep a night,” says  Norbert Schwarz, Ph.D., a professor of psychology.  Someone tell that to Leslie Knope.

 

goodnight animated GIF  I sign this post off sick and exhausted. Hope everyone gets a great night’s sleep tonight!!

 

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-sleep-disorder

http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/31/brain-psychology-behavior-technology-breakthroughs-sleep-deprivation.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/sleep-challenge-2010-slee_b_436341.html

http://www.livescience.com/50005-happiness-well-being-poll.html

RCL 5: Powerful Picture

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“Jose Palazon, who works for migrant rights group Pro.De.In Melilla, took this picture of one golfer in mid-swing, while another gazes at a group of men (and one policeman) perched on the fence. ‘It seemed like a good moment to take a photo that was a bit more symbolic,’ he told the El Pais newspaper” (10 moving photos of Europe’s migrant crisis).

This photos visuals are strong because there are only really three colors in the picture: green, shades of black, and shades of white. It’s interesting that the colors that the golfers are wearing are white, almost implying cleanliness, purity, and they are surrounded by green fields almost symbolizing wealth and privilege. The people trying to climb over the fence are mainly shadowed from afar, looked as though they are dressed in all black, which reminds me of a robber or someone who is aware they are doing something illegal. The image argues that the people  dressed in white deserve to be there and the people shadowed in black do not, all due to circumstance. It argues this through its usage of colors and also the actions occurring by the people in the photo.

Those dressed in white are encompassed by green waves of grass, making their actions seem calm and effortless as they swiftly hit golf balls into their emerald abyss. On the contrary, those seen in the shadows are in a pretty compromising position. It is clear that they are doing something dangerous to their own lives — jumping a fence probably twenty feet high. One person in particular is almost horizontal, looking like they are holding on for their life. The juxtaposition of these actions makes them stronger and gives the photo a clearer message, that one group of people is in the right and one is in the wrong.

This photo is relying on both ethos and pathos. Through ethos the photo makes you question whether or not it is moral to allow the people to climb over a fence, clearly intended to keep people out. On the other hand, should we allow people to struggle just from being on the other side of a fence while others are able to live in such leisure? Pathos is the emotions we feel for the people who are trying to overcome their situations by taking action and going somewhere else, though we know all the problems they will face once on the other side.

 

Works Cited

“10 Moving Photos of Europe’s Migrant Crisis – BBC News.” BBC News. BBC, 4 Sept. 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.

PAS7: Does Praying for Happiness Actually Work?

“A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology by researchers at the London School of Economics and Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands found that the secret to sustained happiness lies in participation in religion”

What this actually means is that the study found that people who practice religion also happen to be statistically less depressed.

Originally I was going to cite many more places where I’ve read about how being religious can lead to being happier in general, but my better judgement decided against it. I don’t want to make a long controversial post full of “facts” and “statistics”, but I will continue with what I would consider to be less controversial: my opinion on the “religion” and happiness.

I do not think it’s possible for us to determine whether or not being religious can lead to people being “happier.” I think this for a lot of reasons. How exactly can you judge how religious someone is? How often they go to church, or how often they pray? Or how many sins they’ve committed? Or if they incorporate the Ten Commandments into their daily lives?

There are far far too many potential gray areas, and this goes with “happiness” as well. Both are so subjective and have so many different levels, determining a correlation between the two seems nearly impossible to me.

However!

I do think that people who are more SPIRITUAL (note: not specifically RELIGIOUS) are more likely to be happier. People who consider themselves spiritual typically use this as a way to find meaning in their life and feel like they have a purpose. The main difference to me between someone who considers their self to be spiritual normally has chosen this way of life, rather than religion which is usually instilled since birth or felt forced. I am not generalizing, you can most definitely chose your religion or totally connect with it and all that jazz! Spirituality has more to do with a personal connection with the world around you as well as yourself, where as religion usually insinuates there being a specific service and deity that the religion revolves around.

Spirituality does not have to be organized. It can be a different form for everyone; whether it be practiced in a group or personally, something you are learning about through readings or simply teaching yourself through living and experiencing the world around you. Being spiritual does not mean that you aren’t religious, you can definitely be both spiritual and religious.

It has also been written about that when a person’s mental health is poor, some doctors suggest becoming more spiritual. By turning inward and focusing on yourself, encouraging spirituality can help some depressed patients become more self aware and recognize their place in the world. The doctors often suggest “deep reflection… meditation.. [and] prayer,” all of which are very spiritual practices, not deriving from one specific religion. They even consider “maintaining stable family relationships and friendships” as a part of becoming more spiritual, which I would say definitely can contribute to becoming a happier person, just by following that one simple guideline.

This is sort of a food for thought kind of post. I didn’t want to delve too deep because I’m trying to keep my posts more light and airy than heavy and serious. Thanks for reading, hope you have a great week!

Works Cited:

Click to access Healing%20From%20within.pdf

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/08/14/want-sustained-happiness-get-religion-study-suggests/

My Essay PSAs

No More PSA

#WhoWillYouHelp PSA

PAS6: Can Money Buy Happiness?

According to both PBS.org and Time.com, yes.

But not in the Tom Haverford kind of way. Things may “be forever,” but buying lots of things has not been scientifically proven to make a person happier.

05 P&R

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both organizations have agreed that having more money can lead to happiness if spent wisely. And by wisely, they actually mean on other people.

It’s simple really. John Grohol, author of PBS Article states, “Money can buy you happiness, as long as you give some of the money away, or use it for an experience rather than buying a product.”

I once went to a class on Happiness, and the professor told me nearly the same thing. We get more pleasure out of PLANNING the event rather than actually going to the event that may have cost a lot of money, specifically with vacations. Experiences definitely are more worth your money, in terms of happiness, than things. According to the Times article, 57% of respondents reported greater happiness from an experiential purchase where as only 34% said the same about a material purchase.

The following is a study taken from the PBS Article: “Finally, in a third study of 46 people, researchers discovered that participants who were directed to spend a small amount of money on others (either $5 or $20) reported greater feelings of happiness than those who were directed to spend the same amounts on themselves. Again, the dollar amount didn’t matter.”

This actually suggests that we have no choice but to feel happier when we are giving to others. This would explain why many people volunteer for no reason other than the fact that they love volunteering.

A Huffington Post titled “Here Is The Income Level At Which Money Won’t Make You Any Happier In Each State” acknowledges that once you hit a certain income level, the more bonuses you have afterward are meaningless in regards to your happiness. The article analyzes each state’s average income levels and determines the amount of income you need to be happy averages in our country at $75,000. This means that if you make over $75,000 (on average) the higher your income raises, your happiness will not be affected. I think it’s important to note here that while the article doesn’t mention this, if your income is BELOW this number it is more likely that you will be less likely because it would mean you are not making enough money to pay the average bills and have any money left over. If you do not have enough money to have anything left over or even to cover the bills, then obviously this will cause more stress on your life and most likely lead to unhappiness.

 

http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/blogs/can-money-really-buy-happiness

http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/blogs/can-money-really-buy-happiness

http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/blogs/can-money-really-buy-happiness

http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/blogs/can-money-really-buy-happiness

http://time.com/3545709/money-can-buy-happiness/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/17/map-happiness-benchmark_n_5592194.html

RCL: Ted Talk Analysis, Music Therapy

“When Meds Fail: A Case For Music Therapy”

1.The main theme of the speech is that music therapy is important in all phases of life and can help everyone in some way. He does a good job at explaining how he thought that music and medicines were a “fork” in the road instead of an intersection.

He made some great points, such as pointing out that we are all rhythmic, through our heart beats, breathing patterns, and sleeping cycles. Using these examples, he really connected with the audience to show how connected people are to music. After this, he talks about how music is a connecting bond, and it works because he had already established how we can all connect to music.

The main focus towards the end of his speech is that music effects people from the beginning of a person’s life. His desire to have the crowd sing a song at the end was ineffective because they not only didn’t know the song, but now also know that it’s the song he sang to his daughter as she died.  I see where he was going with the usage of song, but it was more uncomfortable and sad than a good ending.

2. He starts the presentation by singing — no explanation, no words said before he begins singing a song that no one knows the story behind or the meaning to. Then he explains the story behind the song and his usage of song as an introduction becomes much more effective almost immediately. I am fairly sure that during a speech, you would absolutely never start off by singing, especially for the lengthy amount of time (around a minute) that he does in this Ted Talk. However, for a presentation, you can really do anything to catch the audience’s attention, and the singing feels more appropriate than it would if used in a speech. This shows that a speech is a bit more formal than a presentation. Because he used more pictures and personal stories, I would say that this learns more towards presentation.