Maintaining good mental health can sometimes feel challenging, but it turns out one piece of the puzzle is deceptively simple — what’s on your plate. “Nutrition and mental health is this connection that people have actually been writing about for centuries,” Dr. Mary Scourboutakos, […]
Category: Mental Health
Suppressing negative thoughts may be good for mental health after all, study suggests – Science Daily [2023-09-20]
The commonly-held belief that attempting to suppress negative thoughts is bad for our mental health could be wrong, a new study from scientists at the University of Cambridge suggests. Researchers at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit trained 120 volunteers […]
Forest City Film Festival announces lineup with spotlight on mental health and homelessness – CBC News [2023-09-14]
The lineup has been announced for this year’s Forest City Film Festival (FCFF) in London, Ont., with several films focusing on social issues that hit close to home. The local film festival runs from Oct. 14 to 22, showcasing about 70 films, including features, […]
Healthy lifestyle can help prevent depression – and new research may explain why – Science Daily [2023-09-11]
A healthy lifestyle that involves moderate alcohol consumption, a healthy diet, regular physical activity, healthy sleep and frequent social connection, while avoiding smoking and too much sedentary behaviour, reduces the risk of depression, new research has found. In research published today in Nature Mental […]
Staggering mental health, addiction stats push northern First Nations to call for emergency declaration – CBC News [2023-09-13]
Chiefs of First Nations in northern Ontario are calling for a public emergency and social crisis to be declared, emphasizing the disproportionate mental health and addictions issues facing their communities compared to the rest of the province. The Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority’s […]
Instead of waiting months, this Nova Scotian saw psychiatrist in days under new program – CBC News [2023-09-08]
Some Nova Scotians who need help managing mental health issues are being assessed by psychiatrists within days under a new program introduced by the province’s health authority. The service, launched in April in Nova Scotia Health’s central zone, is focused on early intervention treatment […]
Loneliness is harmful to your health, but solitude is beneficial, expert says – CTV News [2023-09-08]
In a virtually constantly connected world, the notion of solitude seems elusive, even daunting, and being alone is often thought of in a negative context. But solitude is not the same as loneliness, and when people choose to spend time by themselves, it can […]
The Mental Illness-Violence Link: What the research shows about a complicated and uncomfortable connection – Psychology Today [2023-08-30]
The recent shooting in Jacksonville has predictably renewed the public debate on violence and mental illness. The same sequence plays out after every horrible incident: First, there is the accusation, often from right-leaning lawmakers, that mental illness is what is driving our dizzying rate […]
Poor mental health, violence among threats to children in Canada: report – CTV News [2023-08-29]
Unintentional and preventable injuries, poor mental health and violence against children and youth have been identified as some of the top threats to children in Canada, according to a new report from Children First Canada. Released by the national charitable organization Tuesday, the sixth […]
Yale University settles lawsuit alleging it pressured students with mental health issues to withdraw – CTV News [2023-08-26]
Yale University and a student group announced Friday that they’ve reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit that accused the Ivy League school of discriminating against students with mental health disabilities, including pressuring them to withdraw. Under the agreement, Yale will modify its policies […]
Caffeine can’t replace sleep: Research shows caffeine improves attention but not complex thinking after sleep deprivation – PsyPost [2023-08-21]
There is no denying the importance of sleep. Everyone feels better after a good night of sleep, and lack of sleep can have profoundly negative effects on both the body and the brain. So what can be done to substitute for a lack of […]
Why People Don’t Take Your Depression Seriously – Psychology Today [2023-08-21]
Talking about your depression is extremely difficult. Sometimes, even when you’ve finally built up the courage to talk about it, nothing changes. It’s easy to assume that people don’t care about you or they don’t believe you when opening up to them doesn’t change […]
16 Wrong Ideas About Mental Illness – Psychology Today [2023-08-21]
Mental illness may sometimes be difficult to discuss, in part because friends and family may summon the worst images from the TV and movies. But those depictions often aren’t accurate or even likely. So this post might be useful if you’re hearing (or sensing) […]
Autistic people at higher risk of self-harm, psychiatric illness: study – Global News [2023-08-10]
Researchers are calling for improved diagnosis, prevention and treatment of psychiatric illness among autistic people after finding they are at a higher risk of self-harm and suicide than non-autistic people. “We think psychiatric diagnosis plays a very important role in explaining these increased risks,” […]
Local hospital staff frequently deal with violent, aggressive patients, new numbers show – CBC News [2023-08-08]
She’s only been on the job for two years, but London registered nurse Lannie Seddon has already been punched in the head by a patient. She’s one of many hospital workers who face violence and aggression at work on a regular basis — something […]
How Heat Can Affect Your Mental Health – Psychology Today [2023-08-04]
As rising temperatures continue to break records this summer, it is important to remember that extreme heat affects not just our physical health but also our mental health. Elevated cortisol levels, induced by rising temperatures, can trigger stress responses, making individuals feel moody and […]
Suicide Most Common Cause of Death in People With Schizophrenia, Study Finds – Psych News Alert [2023-08-04]
Suicide is the most common cause of death in patients who have schizophrenia spectrum disorders, a study in Schizophrenia Bulletin has found. Marie Stefanie Kejser Starzer, M.D., of Copenhagen University Hospital and colleagues analyzed data from the OPUS I study, a randomized controlled trial […]
Mental health care access, electronic options, surgical backlogs: Report lays out health-care overhaul priorities – CTV News [2023-08-02]
The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) has released a new report, which lays out the key areas that governments need to focus on in order to improve struggling health-care systems. The report is the result of an agreement between the federal, provincial and […]
Half the population to have a mental health disorder by 75 – Science Daily [2023-07-31]
A global study co-led by researchers from The University of Queensland and Harvard Medical School has found one in two people will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime. Professor John McGrath from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, Professor Ronald Kessler from Harvard Medical […]
A new study finds a strong link between depression and dementia – CTV News [2023-07-24]
A diagnosis of depression in adulthood could more than double your risk of developing dementia in older age, according to a new study. The study, published Monday in the journal JAMA Neurology, used data from more than 1.4 million Danish citizens who were followed […]
Kids who go hungry more likely to access care for mental health, substance use: Ontario study – CBC News [2023-07-24]
Toronto resident Rhonda Miller knows how difficult it can be to afford the basic necessities. The 52-year-old lives in an apartment with her daughter and two granddaughters, who are nine and six. Rising rent and food prices mean Miller has to sometimes choose between […]
Volunteering in late life may protect the brain against cognitive decline and dementia – Science Daily [2023-07-20]
Volunteering in late life is associated with better cognitive function — specifically, better executive function and episodic memory. Those are the findings of a new study from UC Davis Health presented today (July 20) at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2023 in Amsterdam. “We […]
Brant County man swimming across Lake Ontario to raise awareness for mental health – CBC News [2023-07-20]
As he swims across Lake Ontario, swinging one arm over the other for 51 kilometres straight, Jason Kloss may seem alone — but he won’t be. His grandfather, Dick Kloss, and friend, Mike Kuipers, both of whom died during the pandemic, will be in […]
Arrest the homeless? London, Ont. councillor promotes controversial plan – Global News [2023-07-18]
A city councillor in London, Ont., is coming under fire after sharing a plan to address homelessness that suggested providing support that people need to get off the streets but arresting anyone who refuses assistance. Ward 4 Coun. Susan Stevenson tweeted “London could be […]
London’s ‘game changer’ mental health-care model inspires revisioned plan in Windsor – CBC News [2023-07-17]
Just two hours up Highway 401 from Windsor, Ont., there’s a mental health and addictions crisis centre that is a “game changer” for the London community. Now, a Windsor hospital is eyeing the same model as it plans to re-submit a proposal to the […]
