The Face of Mental Illness

Hi Everyone!

Which of the following, if any, would you guess is mentally ill?

The Answer?

Could be any one, all of the above or even none of the above and that is the point!

Glenn Close has an article "Mental Illness: The Stigma of Silence" in which she discusses this very point. She discusses from personal experience from having family members who are mentally ill and compares the perception society has from distorted views from media, in particular roles she has even played in Fatal Attraction and other movies. We tend to have an image that someone who is mentally ill is suppose to look like the following picture when this is rarely the case. We think of them as different, a monster or NOT LIKE YOU or your loved ones. Hmmm!

Glenn Close & others are now trying to change this image through an organization called Bring Change 2 Mind. Watch the video below & then there are more on the site!

The Happiest Place on Earth!

Hi Everyone!

When is the last time you were so happy you actually jumped for Joy?! :-)

In Intro we discuss what the research finds makes people happy and what people think will make them happy but really doesn't.

Where do you think the Happiest place on earth is? Nope not Disney! :-)

Oprah's show today looks at Happiness around the world. The show highlights Denmark, which is found as the happiest place on earth. Are you wondering why they were chosen? What is so special about them? Well what if we didn't have poverty, homeless and unemployment? What if we lost our job & the government paid 90% of our salary for four years? What if we got 12 months PAID maternity leave? Free college? Yes, I'm also thinking I could be happy there! :-) Take a look at the link & read more about Denmark & some other countries who are higher than America. Where are we? 23rd! Hmmm...

Come On, Get Happy!

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist! :-) I can still remember my friend saying she could not stay out to play anymore because The Partridge Family was going to be on tv. I had not heard of it. I went inside myself to watch & instantly fell in love with David Cassidy. Well, he was the Zac Efron of the time! :-) I was 5 years old when the show began.

Scientific American Mind has an article by Melinda Wenner entitled, "Smile! It Could Make You Happier". This article basically discusses the Facial Feedback Hypothesis we discuss in Intro Psych. It discusses how those who can't frown, due to Botox treatments, are on average happier and those who do frown experience pain more intensely. They may try to inhibit frowning for those in pain to see if it helps relieve a person's pain. Some researchers have shown though if we do not express our negative feelings, they actually "leak" into other areas. Take a look at the article & SMILE! :-)

APA: Changing Sexual Orientation

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to update you on the recent APA vote stating mental health professionals should not tell homosexual clients that they can change their sexual orientation through treatment. The vote was 125-4. A task force did not find any evidence that it is possible after looking at 83 studies conducted from 1960 on. This was of particular concern when adolescents were being forced into therapy. You can read about this in more detail if you like at the links below:

Psychologists Repudiate Gay-To-Straight Therapy by David Crary Aug. 5th

Insufficient Evidence That Sexual Orientation Change Efforts Work, Says APA

How Many Zzzz Do You Need?

Are you getting enough sleep lately? Many people do not. Wouldn't you like to be able to function effectively on less hours of sleep? There are a few people who can. Scientific American has an article "Rare Genetic Mutation Lets Some People Function With Less Sleep" by Katharine Harmon. In this article they describe the mutation of the DEC2 gene which allows one function perfectly healthy with only 6 hours of sleep.

Preventing Alzheimers

Hi Everyone!

In class we talk about a number of variables concerning Wellness & Stress - nutrition, exercise, blood pressure etc. In Scientific American Mind Jonah Lehrer interviews Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy in "Can Alzheimer's Be Cured?" and interestingly enough these variables are precisely the ones we all need to keep in check to keep our brains healthy prevent Alzheimers & slow its progression.

Take 2 Laughs & Call Me In The Morning!

Hi Everyone!

Do you like to laugh? Like making people laugh? Well keep on laughing! An article in Scientific American Mind called "How Humor Makes You Friendlier, Sexier" by Steve Ayan, describes the benefits on well-being from laughter & humor. It also states that women find men who have a sense of humor sexier!