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The news isn’t completely terrible: 3 Reasons to be hopeful in our ongoing mental health crisis

I’ve written a lot about just how bad things are in the universe of mental health. Rates of depression and anxiety illness are rising, particularly among our youngest and college students, and suicide rates are hitting highs which haven’t been seen since World War II. This, of course, is terrible.

Still, life could be a lot worse when it comes to the mental health universe. Here are three reasons to be hopeful in the long-run.

Stigma is decreasing

According to multiple articles, the stigma which surrounds mental health is slow decreasing, but particularly for those who are younger. Many in a younger generation view seeking therapy and getting help as normal – as such, they don’t hesitate to do so. All of these articles note – correctly – that will still have a long way to go before we can consider stigma to be truly “defeated,” but it is worth noting and celebrating that significant progress has been made. Furthermore, the slew of celebrities who have openly discussed their own struggles has furthered humanized the issue and made others realize that suffering from mental illness doesn’t have to hold you back.

The Affordable Care Act is Helping People Get Treatment

The ACA – or Obamacare – has been subjected to no shortage of controversy. However, some things about it are indisputable. One such example is that more people are getting the mental health treatment that they need and deserve – and that they are getting better. ObamaCare required that all individual and small coverage plans offer mental health care, and that the coverage of mental health be similar to what it was for physical coverage. This alone has helped to increase the amount of plans which offer mental health care. The percentage of young people without health insurance dropped from roughly 22% (2013) to 13% (2016), and since young people were more likely to first experience a mental health challenge, this meant that more people had access to the care that they needed.

There’s more, of course. States which expanded Medicaid saw sharper decreases in mental illness than states which hadn’t, resulting in more care, more treatment and a lower financial burden.

There is no doubt: ObamaCcare has helped those with mental illness.

Social Media Has Tremendous Potential For Good

Alright, so I’ve been a bit harsh on social media in my time as a blogger in the mental health world. Just a bit. But it really isn’t all bad. Social media has the potential to be very helpful – and indeed, has been very good for mental illness…if used properly.

Social media, even if it’s just digital, can help promote a sense of connectedness. Sufferers of various mental illnesses can connect with more people and find the assistance that they so desperately need. If it’s users are mature enough, they can provide goals to aspire to and help to push creativity. By keeping users abreast of social opportunities and events, it can help maintain social relationships.

Indeed, for all of the negative press which social media has gotten on mental illness, there is at least one study (which examines adults, not just college or high school students) which shows that it can be positive and result in less psychological distress.

All kidding aside, I think social media can be good for metnal health…but requires literal mental training that I don’t think we possess as of yet. People have to use social media to supplement their social life, not supplant it. They need to recognize that it’s a curated form of life, not real life. And they need to remember that they have plenty of things to feel joyful and proud about, and to not feel jealous of what others put on their newsfeeds. That can be a real challenge, to say the least!

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What else has been good news in the world of mental illness? Let us know in the comments below!

 

Means Matters: Why conversations about reducing access is so important – with a very personal example

I came across this very insightful article on three methods of suicide prevention the other day. If this is an area of interest to you, I highly recommend you check it out. Anyway, one of the many things the article discussed was the importance of reducing access to deadly methods (or means) of suicide. The article made some points which I’d barely or never heard. In Sri Lanka, suicide numbers absolutely tanked after common types of pesticides (which were also common suicide methods) were banned. Suicide rates also dropped in England and Wales in the 1960s when domestic gas was switched to a formula with less carbon monoxide, and when more restrictions were placed on sedatives in Australia during the 60s and 70s.

From the article:

Those early observations are backed by a growing body of research that counters the popular misconception that people who attempt suicide once will keep trying, through whatever means necessary. The reality is that those in the grip of a suicidal crisis often can see only one way out—and if that route is barred, they’re unlikely to turn to another, says Jill Harkavy-Friedman, a clinical psychologist and vice president of research at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in New York City.

In my legislative career, I was able to get an amendment passed to a bridge reconstruction bill which required that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation consider adding protecting fencing to suicide hot spots during reconstruction or bridges or other high points. This was done for the exact reasons listed above – means reductions.

It seems as if every community has that place which is known for suicides – in Allentown, my home, it was the 8th Street Bridge. We lost one person every 1-2 months from that location. Then, during reconstruction a few years ago, protective fencing was added – and we haven’t lost a person at that spot since.

This is why there are so many legislative initiatives to reduce gun access for suicidal people via Red Flag laws. I don’t want to get into a debate about gun control, but the science on this issue is clear: Having a gun in a home is more likely to lead to suicides.

For those of you who are lucky enough to not understand, on an emotional level, what it is like to be depressed or suicide, allow me to try to explain. When you’re depressed, you are more than just sad or tired or miserable. Depending on your exact mood or the exact moment, you lose the ability to think clearly. Furthermore, depression isn’t a constant state – like any other emotional feeling, it ebbs and flows. There are moments it is manageable, and then, ten minutes later, you forget your wife, your kids, your loved ones, your career, your successes…you just want to end the pain. And in a bad moment, with the right triggers, yeah, you may grab whatever is easily accessible. If deadly means are available (and guns are the deadliest – 85% of all suicide attempts with a firearm result in a completed suicide), that may be the moment where you end your life.

My worst moment was in college. It was Freshman year, a few weeks back into my 2nd semester. I was a few weeks into anti-depressants for the first time in my life (which can be a moment where suicide risk increases – something I wish I had known then) and had just been rejected by a girl (appropriately on her part, as I wasn’t in a mental state in which I could handle a relationship at the time). The first semester had been a disaster for me – it resulted in an explosion of depression and anxiety attacks, my first time seeing a counselor, and my first experience with anti-depressants.

The night I got rejected by this girl. It was two in the morning or so, and I called my ex-girlfriend (who I was very close with, and in a complicated relationship with), crying. And in my hands, I had a bottle of my new anti-depressants and a glass of water. And I asked her why I shouldn’t end my life then and there.

I feel terrible about that moment. It was such an unfair burden to put on a 16 year old young woman. But she handled it gracefully and like someone with maturity well beyond her years, and she got me to put the pills down, and as I recall, refused to get off the phone with me until I got into bed. I think she actually had the number of our campus safety but couldn’t find it at that moment. And I think I fell asleep with my phone in my bed that night.

The purpose of this story isn’t just to thank my ex (though, as long as I’m on the subject, thanks very much!), but to prove a point. That moment was the worst in my life. That’s the closest I’ve ever come to suicide: Staring at a bottle of polls, and a glass of water, and wondering.

And I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if I’d had a gun. Because getting through that moment – and it was just a moment, a bad one, but not one to be repeated – gave me my life. My wife, my kids, and decades of joy and hope.

Means matter. Access to deadly means matters. And efforts to reduce suicide must incorporate means reduction. Doing so can help get a person through the most difficult moment in their life. And that may save a life.

 

 

Don’t give up: The puppy version

If you’ve read my blog for a few months, you may remember how much I love dogs.

Molly

The above is Molly, who my then-fiance and I adopted in July 2009. She was with us before marriage, kids, numerous jobs, two published books and ten elections. Unfortunately, we lost Molly in April to cancer. It was, thankfully, very sudden, and very quick. She didn’t suffer.

At the time, I wrote about how heartbreaking it was, and how much pain we were all in. I also said that yes, we’d get a dog again, because we loved them and it was worth all the joy they brought.

Fast forward to July, and enter Mack:

Mack.jpg

Mack was a two year old rescue from the Lehigh County Humane Society, a wonderful place where we got our Molly. He was a stray and very good…with adults. With kids, we struggled. Most of the time he was fine. On occasion, he was not, and there were a few incidents of him being more aggressive than he should have been (with, which a dog and kids, is any aggression at all). While he never bit the kids, he came too close with snapping. That, combined with the way he was with other dogs, forced us to end our fostering and return him to the shelter.

We were really broken up about it. He had issues, but the vast majority of the time, he was just a big marshmallow. I was very sad, because he was “my” dog – we totally bonded.

That being said, the house was empty.

Bren and I spoke and nothing seemed right. Now that we felt as if we had moved on from our grieving period with Molly, the house was empty. There was no one to take on walks. No four-legged friend to cuddle with. No water dish to keep filled.

So, back to the drawing board. We looked up a few rescue organizations and planned on spending the weekend checking out the dogs. We get to the first appointment, and…well…..

Meet the puppy called Luna, at least for now.

Why, on a depression blog, am I writing about dead doggos, failed-failed-foster dogggos, and new doggos?

Well, more or less to prove a point.

Losing Molly was, truly, one of the most grief-inducing experiences of my life. It really was. I suppose I should count my blessings at that statement, in a way, but losing Molly was so painful. I didn’t realize just how much I loved her until she was gone. And then losing Mack, even though returning him was unquestionably the right call, compounded the sense of loss and added a sprinkling of failure. I did like that dog – a lot – and I felt terrible to return a dog which was wonderful and trustworthy most of the time. But most of the time isn’t enough when it comes to a big dog and kids.

Here’s my point: We tried again. And we tried again. And we kept trying. And now, because we refuse to give up, we’ve got a really nice puppy. Luna is snuggly and sweet and I can’t imagine caring about a new doggo more. The metaphor here is obvious. Don’t give up.

Alternative Prescriptions and Mental Health

I came across this article in Medical News Today, which discusses how exercise can help with depression. None of that is a surprise, of course, and as I type this entry, I’m still gross from having come back from the gym, so yay!

Here’s the interesting part of the study: Individuals who did “prescribed exercise” showed a rise in endocannabinoid levels in their blood – something typically associated with improved mood. This did not occur with people who selected their own exercise.

Wait, what?

Why would that be? Two potential explanations from the article:

One explanation could be the small number of participants and the variation in intensity levels in the preferred-intensity session. Some participants completed the preferred session at a constant, light intensity, while others varied the intensity.

Another explanation for the difference in results between the preferred and prescribed exercise sessions could be that exercising at a level that someone else prescribes has a psychological as well as a biological effect.

It’s that second explanation I want to focus on. We know that anti-depressants often have a powerful placebo effect. Placebos occur, in part, because someone expects a treatment to work. That being said…we know that exercise does, in fact, help with the treatment of depression and other mental health challenges. So that can’t be a complete explanation.

This got me thinking – what if Doctor’s began to “prescribe” other therapies? Go for a damn walk. Meditate. Eat better. And I don’t mean just give it as advice, I mean take out a little prescription pad, write something down and hand it to the patient. Would the patient be more likely to treat that prescription with more care than they would regular advice? Would they actually spend time reducing their stress levels, or just taking ten minutes out of their day to put headphones on and meditate?

I don’t know. But I think that, when you combine aspects of the placebo effect (expecting a therapy to work) with scientifically proven therapy, you’re increasing your chances of success and recovery (again, not a Doctor here, just speculating).

This entire study and line of thought has made me wonder if we shouldn’t try to get Doctors and other health care professionals to look outside of the realm of traditional prescriptions and more into the world of prescribing lifestyle changes.

As you likely know, depression rates are rising across the Western world. We can’t just rely on therapy and medication to get ourselves out of this mess. Something has to change, and I think one aspect of that chance must be revamping the way we look at therapy. Maybe this idea of “alternative prescriptions” can help?

As always, let us know what you think in the comments below!

Suicide Prevention Hotline appears set to get a three digit number

Some ridiculously good news out of the federal government (yes, really) when it comes to mental health:

The Federal Communications Commission plans to move forward with establishing a three-digit number for the federally-backed hotline.

Thursday’s announcement from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai signals the culmination of one of the final legislative priorities of former Senate President Pro Tempore Orrin G. Hatch of Utah.

Pai said that he intends to follow a staff recommendation for establishing a three-digit dialing code, likely to be 9-8-8, to reach the network of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, currently 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). That program is funded through the Health and Human Services Department.

Why is this so important? Two things.

First is the obvious: It makes it easier for people to get the help that they need. A 1-800 number – even one with “TALK” in it – can be too easy to forget. The Suicide Prevention Hotline is a critical resource for people who are in crisis. Elevating that number, and making it easier for people to call, can help to direct people to the care that they need. This is particularly important for someone who is in a state of mind where suicide seems to be an option. A 1-800 number may be too difficult to dial. A three digit number – one like 911, which has been drilled into our brains since we were kids – is easier.

This is even more important because of the frequent conversations around suicide prevention whenever there is a high-level suicide. In the aftermath of one of these tragedies, there is often an increased effort to make people aware of this number. Think about it. How many times have you heard someone say words to the effect of, “You’re never alone. If you or someone you love is in crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK.”

Let’s keep in mind that this number is a national resource, and the volume of calls it receives is reflective of that. The national hotline will actually route your call to the nearest available center. For information on how many calls your state hotlines received, you can check out this report, which has statistics from July 2018- December 2018. For example, during this period, there were 30,346 calls made from Pennsylvania residents. For added context: In a three month period, .0023% of the state’s 12,810,000 residents called. Folks, that’s not a small number.

Second, and maybe more importantly: This decision elevates the national conversation about suicide prevention. Only important causes get three digit numbers: Emergency services (911), directory assistance (411) and local services (211) are the only ones in Pennsylvania. Making suicide prevention a three digit number will help to push suicide prevention to the top of the public agenda, and this is something we absolutely, desperately need to do. This is a good decision, and I cannot wait to see it finalized.

Any thoughts you want to add? Let us know in the comments below!

 

Five years public: A reflection and a request

It’s Sunday evening as I type this, and it is a beautiful night. And, as Facebook was kind enough to remind me, it’s also a sad anniversary: Today, five years ago, we lost Robin Williams to suicide.

William’s suicide inspired a slew of memorials, sadness and outpourings of grief. It also reinvigorated a conversation about mental illness in American society that desperately needed to happen – and now, needs to continue. Williams had always struggled with mental illness and addiction, and had always been very open about his pain. Now, the extent of his demons were laid bare for all to see.

I was letting my dog out in the backyard when my wife texted me the news of William’s death and suicide. And it hit me hard. As I’ve said repeatedly, if a man like Robin William’s could lose his battle, what hope did I have?

Then, while scrolling through a Facebook status, this comment, from someone I defriended on the spot: “So sad Robin Williams committed suicide. He just needed more faith in Jesus!”

That comment crystallized it for me: People really were this dumb about mental illness.

And that resulted in this Op-Ed in the Allentown Morning Call, by State Representative Mike Schlossberg: Reflections on a Personal Journey with Depression.

From the op-ed, words I had never said publicly before:

It was October 2001 when I began my journey with depression. A freshman at Muhlenberg College, I had been sad before, but never like this. It was a hopelessness that felt like a black cloud smothering everything I did.

It felt like my future was a wall — that there would never be any brighter days. I didn’t know I was suffering from depression at the time, but I do remember I couldn’t see any hope. The words of friends and parents were largely irrelevant, and I didn’t understand how I would ever feel OK again. After suffering through that blackness for many weeks and months, I began to contemplate if suicide wasn’t the better option.

Monday’s tragic suicide of Robin Williams has left millions of Americans baffled. How could a man of such talent, humor and power choose to end his own life? The sad and tragic truth is that mental illness, depression and suicide know no boundaries.

My path to recovery began with Rick at the Muhlenberg College counseling center, who helped teach me how to change my thinking, cope with the stress of a new school and how to deal with a breakup with my girlfriend from New Jersey.

When it became clear words weren’t enough and the anxiety attacks began getting stronger, he recommended me to a psychiatrist, who put me on an anti-depressant and anti-anxiety pill, which I still take to this day. I type these words without any shame. Why would I be ashamed? Are any of you embarrassed to be taking Lipitor for your cholesterol or Prilosec for your heartburn?

My point is this: Millions of Americans suffer from mental illness, and millions recover. There is no shame in saying you are depressed, you are anxious, and you need help.

There are many real tragedies which flowed from Robin Williams’ death. First and foremost is the human one: A husband, father, artist and inspiration left us way too soon. But it can’t be forgotten that William’s death likely caused others to end their lives as well, as a direct result of the suicide contagion effect. One study attributed as many as potentially 2,000 suicides to William’s public suicide. This heaps unmitigated pain on a nightmare.

What studies like this don’t quantify is how many others, like me, chose to go public in the aftermath of William’s suicide. I was one of many, many people to do so – and I can’t imagine the collective, positive impact that all of us combined have made. Nothing occurs in isolation. My struggle and the hope that I hope I was able to inspire only came from William’s suicide.

So today, on this important five year anniversary for me, a request: Share your story, share your pain. It doesn’t require an op-ed or a Facebook status. But relieve yourself of the secret shame which may be surrounding you. It doesn’t have to be bottled up. If my experience as a public official has shown anything to me, it’s that the general public is much more understanding than I ever would have anticipated. Telling my story has improved my life in a million different ways, and many of them deeply personal.

Tell your story. Tell it loudly, proudly and publicly. Be part of the moment which saves someone else.

 

Mental illness and gun violence are barely related – it’s just a convenient scapegoat for cowards

As you know, it was a bloody week in America, with a massacre in El Paso and Dayton leaving 22 and 9 dead, respectably. It’s been another awful year in America when it comes to mass shootings – 255 in 217 days by August 5.

As can be anticipated at moments like these, Democrats and Republicans turned to their expected policy solutions to stop the bloodshed. Democrats argued for stronger gun control laws, including reinstating assault weapons bans and Emergency Protective Orders which could get the guns out of the hands of those who seek to use them to kill people or hurt themselves. Republicans tried to pivot to mental health and argue that the problem is just too dang complex to solve. In a speech after the shootings, President Trump said, “Mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun” (whatever that means).

Other Republicans echoed these comments. Ohio Senator Rob Portman said, “Look at the mental health crisis in our country today, there aren’t enough laws…” South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said:

Here’s the thing – the whole argument that this is a mental health problem, not a gun problem – is rank, stinking bullshit.

I’ll start by quoting those who make the argument far more eloquently than I ever could. In a blistering press release which gained national attention, Dr. Arthur Evans, CEO of the American Psychological Association, blasted the notion that perpetrators of mental illness were behind the spike in mass shootings. Said Dr. Evans:

Blaming mental illness for the gun violence in our country is simplistic and inaccurate and goes against the scientific evidence currently available.

“The United States is a global outlier when it comes to horrific headlines like the ones that consumed us all weekend. Although the United States makes up less than 5% of the world’s population, we are home to 31% of all mass shooters globally, according to a CNN analysis. This difference is not explained by the rate of mental illness in the U.S.

“The one stark difference? Access to guns…

As we psychological scientists have said repeatedly, the overwhelming majority of people with mental illness are not violent. “

Evans went on to say that America desperately needs more gun control.

Former Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also chimed in with a similar comment:

Indeed, experts have repeatedly blasted the notion that mental illness is tied to a rise in mass shootings. According to Adam Lankford, a University of Alabama criminologist who reviewed gun violence in 171 countries, access to guns is a far better predictor of gun violence than mental illness. The Secret Service has said, “Mental illness, alone, is not a risk factor” for predicting violence. The Washington Post notes that, in a 2018 analysis, 25% of active shooters had some sort of mental illness. A 2015 study on the same subject had that number at 22%.

This notion that it’s the mentally ill are the perpetrators of mass shootings is, generally speaking, unmitigated crap. Indeed, multiple studies have shown that the mentally ill are far more likely TO BE VICTIMS of violence, and gun violence – not the perpetrators of it. According to one study, the mentally ill are 3.6 times more likely to carry out an act of violence than the general population, but 23 times more likely to be that victim. The same study said that the vast majority of violent behavior occurs “due to factors other than mental illness.”

But hey, why let a good soundbite get in the way of avoiding a solution to a problem, right?

Oh. And one more thing. Republicans in Congress and at the state level have said that this is a mental health problem. So, naturally, they want to address it by increasing funding and access for people who suffer from mental illness, right?

Hahahaha.

President Trump and his Republican allies spent the first two years of his Presidency trying to eviscerate the Affordable Care Act, which has done a few little things for mental health care, you know, like improve access and reduce costs for people with mental illness…small stuff, I guess….

Let’s stop the bullshit: Trying to blame gun violence on the mentally ill is a convenient excuse for those who don’t want to actually deal with gun control. It’s not based in reality. And the rhetoric certainly isn’t matched up by the actions taken when it comes to improving mental health care.

Be smarter than they think you are. Don’t fall for this lie.

 

How mass shootings affect (everyone else’s) mental health

It’s Sunday morning as I type this, the day after a bloody day in America. Unless you live under a rock, you know why.

20 dead in El Paso, Texas.

9 dead in Dayton, Ohio.

The elected official in me – indeed, the human – is outraged. 29 dead YESTERDAY ALONE in mass shootings because America refuses, collectively, to take the policy steps necessary to deal with these tragedies. To act on responsible violence-protection measures which could stop this bloodshed. To condemn white supremacy as a society and rid ourselves of it, root and branch. To adequately fund mental health initiatives which could save lives.

Our cowardice will condemn us all.

Alright. That’s not even the rage-fueled reason I’m writing today, although Lord knows that I could go on for hours about it, and that people much smarter and eloquent than me can and are doing the same. The reason I’m writing today was inspired by this tweet:

Two thoughts: First, this is beyond awful. Second, yes. How many of us have had similar thoughts? You’re just at the mall with family and friends, having a grand old time, and suddenly brought out of your pleasant state by wondering, “Hey, if there’s a shooting, what do I do?”

These thoughts are disturbing, intrusive, unpleasant, and slightly necessary. While the odds of any of us actual being involved in a mass shooting remain low (despite the rise in recent years), the possibility always exists, and it makes sense for all of us to be prepared and aware of the potential danger.

But society has now evolved to the point where, to an extent, we are all wondering about mass shootings. Every time I drop my kids off at school, I wonder about it. It’s in the back of my head, and depending on world events or my mood, it may be front and center. How many of you feel the same?

I would never claim that the pain of any of us not involved in a shooting like this is anywhere near the trauma of someone who was directly involved, so please don’t misunderstand. But, the elected official in me wants to make sure that we are clear about the damage that guns are doing to ALL OF US in society, and that they have changed the way we live in America to a constant state of fear and, as the tweet above puts it, a “low level anxiety.”

I can think of at least two broad and real examples. First, to those of us who are already prone to anxiety/stress and already likely thinking the worst, it gets your guard upon a near constant, low-level basis. It gives you a very real fear to focus on, and that, in turn, can pull you out of a sense of joy or relaxation you are feeling.

Second, and I’d say more damaging, is the impact these mass shootings has on kids. I was speaking with a group of guidance counselors a few weeks ago, and they were telling me how many students they speak with – on a regular basis – who are terrified that they will become a victim of a mass shooting. Again, as bad as things are in America, the odds of that happening are still low. However, the rise in shootings, the nature of our interconnected world and the ubiquity of technology magnify the odds of this occurring. This is particularly true for children or teenagers who don’t have the skills to know that the odds of this happening are still relatively slim. As a result, kids are scared to go to public, safe places – and this includes schools. What kind of damage will this have on them as they grow? As they attempt to learn or find safety and comfort?

We don’t have to live this way. And if we’re ever going to find the courage to actually not live this way, we have to acknowledge the impacts which gun violence has on every member of society, beyond those who are directly effected. The touches everyone of us.

 

Does hypnosis help – long term – with depression and anxiety?

All of us who suffer are constantly on the lookout for alternative ways to cope with depression and anxiety. As I was putzing around on Facebook the other day, the thought occurred to me: Is hypnosis one of those methods?

I’ve written in the past about the benefits of trying to relax throughout the day. One such way I’ve done so is by listening to ASMR videos, even if they are just running in the background. I’ve also always found guided relaxation videos/tapes to be very calming, and again, that sort of inspired this particular entry for me.

First, let’s review what hypnosis is, and what it isn’t. Hypnosis will not make you cluck like a chicken. It will not train you to become an assassin. It will not make you do anything you don’t want to do.

Hypnosis – true hypnosis, not the exaggerated, movie kind – is defined as heightened concentration, focus and openness to suggestions. While it is often associated with going into a state of deep relaxation, it is not to be confused with going into a coma-like state. Hypnosis patients are fully aware of what is going on, they are just put into a more relaxed state.

I did a little bit of digging about the available research when it comes to depression, anxiety and hypnosis. Healthline refers to hypnosis as a “complimentary therapy” which can be used to treat depression with minimal side effects, but cautions that it shouldn’t be the only type of therapy which a person uses. WebMD does the same, while noting that hypnotherapy can be used for the purposes of suggesting new (and more productive behaviors) or analyzing past traumas. However, both pages noted that hypnotherapy can be associated with the process of implanting false memories – as such, it should be avoided by people who may be sustainable to those, like individuals who suffer from dissociative disorders. Meanwhile, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America goes more in-depth in terms of how hypnosis can compliment cognitive behavioral therapy, describing how hypnosis can be used to generate images about what someone wants or needs.

In terms of specific research, I found a couple of papers. One 2010 study noted that there was a relative “dearth” of actual research on hypnosis’ effect on depression and anxiety, but that it was easy to imagine, conceptually, how hypnosis could be helpful for these disorders. Most interesting is a 2016 study, which made the rather startling claim that hypnotherapy was actually more effective than Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. That’s…interesting. It’s a finding that I’d argue would have to be replicated in order to be believed, but that’s quite the claim!

If nothing else, again – I think hypnotherapy can be deeply relaxing. Guided imagery (a process similar to hypnotherapy) can be effective for relaxing and for stopping anxiety attacks in their tracks. Heck, I remember my therapist once designing a guided imagery recording for me. So yeah, I think hypnotherapy can be useful – when done by a licensed therapist and in conjunction with any other medical professional you may have.

What about you – any experiences with hypnotherapy, positive or negative? Let us know in the comments!

 

What is “depression fog,” and what can you do about it?

If you suffer from depression, you probably read the world “depression fog,” and instantly went, “Yep, I gotcha.” Depression fog is one of the many, many lousy symptoms of depression.

For the unaware, imagine the way a migraine scrambles your brain, or a hangover. It’s basically that: Cognitive dysfunction caused by your mood. Depression fog – or “brain fog” – alters your ability to think and function. It can alter a slew of cognitive and physical functions, including critical thinking, reaction time, memory and more.

You just feel sleepy. Like you just woke up.

As noted by the above Healthline article, depression fog can make it hard for you to pay attention to things. You can’t remember things as well as you normally can. You have trouble concentrating and always feel tired.

I’d add a component of depression fog which I don’t think is adequately covered in the reading that I did on the subject: Guilt. When you can’t function as well as you wish you were, you often berate yourself: “Why aren’t I thinking right? God, why do I suck so badly?!?!” And then you get more depressed…and then the brain fog gets worse…and the spiral continues.

How do you get past the fog? In my experience, this is difficult to do without treating the underlying depression. For me, on the instances when the fog has descended, I’ve felt better as my mood has improved. The two are unquestionably linked. However, there are some treatment options which specifically address brain fog. For example, according to the above Healthline article, a recent study found that the drug Modafinil can be effective at treating cognitive dysfunction.

Other treatments, again, are the same as ones which you use to manage depression and your physical health: Get enough sleep, eat well, get exercise, etc.

I’d add two things: Go easy or go hard.

Again, this is just me talking here, so take everything I am about to say with an entire shaker of salt. But when I’m down, I sometimes just crave my bed. That can be a really good thing, or a really terrible thing. I mean, on one hand, going easy on yourself can be deeply therapeutic, but it can also inspire a ton of guilt and inadequacy. I suppose that part depends on your mood or chemistry. And I have to say – I always get scared when it comes to going easy on myself. I’m always so worried that if I just lie down in bed I will never, ever want to get out of it.

Everyone has their own brain chemistry, wants and needs. So, to that end, I’d make two suggestions. First, if you think that you can chill in bed without hating yourself, do it. Relax. Read a good book. Watch a good movie. Rest up, and then see how your mind is functioning.

Or, if you’re like me, tell your body: “No. I will not surrender to this. I’m going hard” – and then drag your butt to the gym. And fee proud of yourself afterwards.

My two cents, but as always, I’d love to hear yours. How do you fight the brain fog? Let us know in the comments below!