Mental Health

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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What the research says. Much of scientific literature seeks to address heritability and genetic links to certain mental health disorders. To start, it is important to understand what is meant by heritable. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the word as meaning “the proportion of observed variation in a particular trait (such as height) that can be attributed to inherited genetic factors in contrast to environmental ones” (2022). A 2017 twin study found schizophrenia to be 79% heritable (aligned with findings of previous research), and when expanding illness outcomes to schizophrenia spectrum disorders, the heritability estimate was 73% (Hilker et al., 2017). A study conducted in 2018 explored the potential multigenerational transference of psychiatric disorders, specifically honing in on bipolar disorder; the study found that out of a sample size of nearly 1,000, the illnesses seen in prior generations were associated with the same type of illness in offspring of a …

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Your diet has a profound impact on both your physical and mental health. Here’s how diet affects mental health.

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