By Sheila O’Shea There’s a New Yorker cartoon from a long time ago that depicts a sculptor at work. The statue is the stylized figure of a woman with her gaze fixed upward, and it is large enough that the sculptor needs a ladder to work on it. Just below where he holds his hammer…
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As part of the 2022 Dorothy C. Fuqua Lecture, mental health experts discuss the teen mental health crisis and what people, schools, and systems can do to protect youth mental health.
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By Sheila O’Shea [Trigger warning: suicidal ideation] I knew it wasn’t Attention Deficit Disorder. I went through a battery of tests for ADD—pointing at pictures of aliens and reciting their names, holding a metal rod steady so it wouldn’t touch the inside of a metal ring, filling out questionnaires—and the doctor concluded that I didn’t…
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By Gordon Corsetti, Skyland Trail adult programs graduate It seems the holidays are annual events that conspire to derail any progress made against my depression. Shorter days mean I get less sunlight. Colder mornings mean it is that much more difficult to extricate myself from the warm sheets. Worst of all though, is the forced…
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By Gordon Corsetti, Skyland Trail Graduate The numbness caused by depression is rarely discussed because that degree of isolation is deeply unnerving. It is telling that one of the worst things we can do to a human is to lock them in a room with minimal interaction for an indeterminate amount of time. The effects…
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In order to fully understand how to best treat mental illness, we must first understand the factors that can cause mental illness, specifically the balance between nature and nurture. It’s important to remember that psychiatric conditions are medical problems that deserve the same kind of attention, research, and treatment as any physical ailment. What Causes…
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Original post date December 12, 2017 Holidays don’t have to feel lonely. Skyland Trail Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Primary Counselor, Luke Smith, LMSW, shares tips on ways to stay socially connected over the holidays. Plan in advance and get a few things on the calendar so you have something to look forward to. 1. Plan ahead and…
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Evidence-based psychiatric treatment relies on trust between physicians and their clients to find the best solutions possible for dealing with mental illness. Clients should be receptive to medications that can improve mood and quality of life while their doctors make a medication choice based on the client’s personal history, diagnosis, and lifestyle that has the…
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By: Raymond J. Kotwicki, MD, MPH, Charles B. West Chief Medical Officer We all struggle through times when sleep is in short supply: when college exams, a new baby, or a financial worry prevent us from getting a peaceful night’s rest. But research continues to uncover the consequences of regularly missing out on healthy sleep and…
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For decades, youth sports in the United States has been an avenue for kids of all ages to make friends, be physically active, challenge themselves, and learn skills such as teamwork, sportsmanship, and the value of hard work—all of which can provide great stepping stones towards personal growth and achievement later in life. When it…
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