“The whole process…has really gotten me thinking about the process of managing information, and what that means for mental health. If you’re like me, there are a thousand things going through your brain at any given time. I run around putting out fires, trying to stay one step ahead of disaster in all of the spheres or realms that I operate. Church, home, school, opera, DOXOLOGY, Higher Things, and who knows what else.”
Mental Health Best of the Web
From the executive director of USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion: “People tend to use food to maintain a good mood, or to regain a good mood if they’re in a bad mood. They use different foods to do this…Now what we’ve found is if they’re in a positive mood, they’ll tend to eat things that are more meal-related, and there’s generally more nutrient depth…but in negative moods, they tend to be more caloric and convenient snack foods.”
Mental Health Best of the Web
from Psych Central
“We thought we’d acknowledge some examples of outstanding online mental health and psychiatry journalism in 2008. You might argue with our broad interpretation of “journalism,” but we believe that writers or producers who can bring new insight, analysis or understanding about mental health concerns or significant issues in the fields of psychology and psychiatry are worthy of inclusion.”
Mental Health Best of the Web
No sooner did I link to the New Scientist article yesterday than Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, posted his own hypothesis on the benefits of pet ownership. Scott Adams is my favorite “thinker”, even though I rarely agree with his viewpoint. But this article is an interesting, probably valid, partly tongue in cheek, take on the relative benefits of cats and dogs and the relevance of age.
From Scott Adams:
“One of my mental hobbies is concocting hypotheses that I hope someone else will test. Today’s hypothesis involves the health benefits of pet ownership.
It is common wisdom that owning a pet makes you healthier. Interestingly, the group that does NOT get health benefits from pet ownership is older people “in a community”, according to one study.”
Mental Health Best of the Web
“Who needs children when a puppy can provide a similar emotional experience? After playing with their pets, dog owners experience a burst in a hormone linked to infant care, not to mention romantic love and friendship, new research finds.
Nicknamed the “cuddle chemical” and the “love drug”, oxytocin has been found to dampen stress, combat depression, and breed trust in humans.”
Mental Health Best of the Web
The Finding Optimism blog is written by a sufferer of mental illness, not a medical practitioner. Information in the blog is of a general nature and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The advice of a qualified health professional should be sought for any questions regarding a medical condition.
© 2009 Finding Optimism. All Rights Reserved.
Rev. Todd Peperkorn 27 Jun 2009 @ 3:07 am
Thanks for the cross-post!
Todd Peperkorn