Mental Health

With bad pandemic news and endless social distancing, it can feel like the longest winter ever. But keeping up nourishing bonds of human connection is possible with a little ingenuity.

Health & Safety

Don't Let The Pandemic Winter Get You Down: 9 Creative Ways To Socialize Safely

8:56am January 01, 2021

by Rhitu Chatterjee

With bad pandemic news and endless social distancing, it can already feel like the longest winter ever. But keeping up nourishing bonds of human connection is possible with a little ingenuity.

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In late 2019, the patient's choice to move to an assisted living facility seemed like a good idea — a chance for more social interaction and help with meals and medical care.

Health & Safety

Choices, Chance And Living While You Can: Bookends To The Year Of COVID-19

7:58pm December 31, 2020

by John Henning Schumann

One of my patients in this devastating year stands out — a veteran who'd survived PTSD, cancer and family estrangement. Assisted living raised his COVID-19 risk, but also brought him community.

"You may be grateful that you have your health and still very disappointed about the losses of this year," says Thema Bryant-Davis, a psychologist. "And one doesn't cancel out the other."

Missed Milestones To Faded Friendships: The Unacknowledged Grief Of 2020

10:13am December 31, 2020

by Lauren Hodges

For people who are generally OK — healthy, employed — there's pressure to stay grateful. But those feeling so-called smaller losses also need to grieve and "stop pretending" they're not hurting.

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Vibe Tribe Adventures is one of many groups nationwide seeking to address barriers that often keep Black women from exploring outdoor activities.

Health & Safety

Black Women's Groups Find Health And Healing On Hikes, But Sometimes Racism, Too

11:16am December 30, 2020

by Chandra Thomas Whitfield

A Black sisterhood of hikers in Colorado now has chapters across the U.S. and Canada, and includes other sports. "Being around nature, it's like grounding yourself," a founder says. "That is vital."

JayaShri Maathaa speaks at TEDWomen 2020. November 12, 2020. Photo courtesy of TED.

JayaShri Maathaa: How Can Saying "Thank You" Transform Your Life?

9:52am December 18, 2020

by NPR/TED STAFF

During the coronavirus pandemic, monk JayaShri Maathaa continually turned to one powerful mantra: "thank you," a statement of genuine gratitude to provide solace and strength in troubled times.

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Jonny Sun: You're Not Alone In Feeling Lonely

9:52am December 18, 2020

by NPR/TED STAFF

For Jonny Sun, loneliness felt like being an alien on a distant planet, alone in the universe. But when he shared those feelings online, he found a community of people who felt precisely the same way.

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Suicide prevention experts and survivors of suicide attempts say the best way to help someone at risk is to start a conversation about suicide and help the person find the right kind of help.

Health & Safety

How To Help Someone At Risk Of Suicide

5:30pm December 15, 2020

by Rhitu Chatterjee

What can you do when you fear someone you know may be considering suicide? It can feel daunting, but suicide prevention experts say we all can help someone at risk by reaching out and showing we care.

Takahiro Shiraishi said he targeted those with suicidal thoughts: "It was easier for me to convince people with worries and other issues and manipulate them to my way of thinking."

Japan's 'Twitter Killer' Sentenced To Death In Killing Of 9

9:41am December 15, 2020

by Jaclyn Diaz

Takahiro Shiraishi murdered and dismembered eight women and one man in his apartment near Tokyo. He used Twitter to lure most of his victims, promising he could help them kill themselves.

Health & Safety

Black Teenagers With Mental Health Issues May Be Reluctant To Seek Help

8:18am December 15, 2020

by Alisa Roth

The CDC reports suicide rates went down in 2019. But one group has been having an especially hard time: young Black people. And nobody is sure why.

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Psychologist Christy Denckla says funerals and related rituals are "fundamental to how we mourn, to how we grieve, to how we reinforce social ties."

Health & Safety

Psychologist On Why Funerals Are Fundamental To Processing Grief

8:09pm December 14, 2020

People being unable to gather or see the bodies of people who died of COVID-19 is having profound psychological effects that will last for years, says psychologist Christy Denckla of Harvard.

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