Healthy Minds, Happy Lives
This behavior-- which you may experience more at a comedy show-- has been scientifically shown to reduce stress and increase positive mood.
What is laughter or laughing?
When providing care for individuals with mental health conditions, this is a key empathy skill that involves listening without judgment and validating the person's emotions.
What is active listening?
This technique involves focusing on the present moment without judgment, which can help reduce rumination and negative thinking patterns, often used in CBT and DBT.
What is mindfulness?
This class of medication works by increasing the amount of serotonin available in the brain and is commonly used to treat depression.
What are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)?
This brain region is often referred to as the “emotional center” and is involved in regulating fear and anxiety.
What is the amygdala?
This term describes the ability to bounce back from adversity, and is a key factor to long-term happiness and mental well-being.
What is resilience?
This term describes a healthcare approach that considers the whole person—not just their physical symptoms—but also their emotional, social, and psychological needs, with empathy being a key driver.
What is holistic care?
Cutting down on this type of consumption, which may involve negative news or media, can improve mental health and prevent burnout.
What is screen time or social media consumption?
This class of medications works by blocking dopamine receptors and is used primarily to treat schizophrenia.
What are antipsychotics?
This part of the brain, responsible for higher cognitive functions like decision-making and impulse control.
What is the prefrontal cortex?
This activity, often associated with improving mental health, involves regular physical movement and has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
What is exercise?
This concept involves trying to understand someone's emotional state viewpoint, often by asking questions like, “How are you feeling right now?” or “What can I do to support you?”
What is perspective-taking?
This technique focuses on having a optimistic self-dialogue and reframing negative thoughts into more realistic or empowering perspectives, which can improve self-esteem and coping skills.
What is positive self talk?
This type of medication helps regulate mood and is commonly prescribed for patients with bipolar disorder.
What are mood stabilizers?
This brain structure, part of the reward system, is involved in processing pleasure and is often associated with the development of addiction.
What is the nucleus accumbens?
This therapeutic approach focuses on identifying and changing negative thinking patterns and behaviors, and is often used to treat depression and anxiety.
What is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)?
This empathetic approach involves acknowledging someone's feelings, which is especially helpful in de-escalating tense situations in psychiatric care.
What is emotional validation?
This self-care strategy involves surrounding yourself with supportive friends and family, and engaging in meaningful social interactions, which can help combat feelings of isolation and depression.
What is social support/connection?
This medication works by enhancing the effects of GABA, a neurotransmitter that has a calming effect, and is often used for short-term relief of anxiety.
What are benzodiazepines?
Damage to this area of the brain, which is essential for forming new long-term memories, is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and can also affect learning in amnesia.
What is the hippocampus?
Some studies (most famously at Harvard) have shown that strengthening these can lead to longer life expectancies and lower rates of depression.
What are social bonds or relationships?
According to Brene Brown, empathy requires this-- which she defines as being open to “uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure”.
What is vulnerability?
This strategy involves systematically tensing and relaxing different muscle groups to prevent anxiety and promote relaxation.
What is progressive muscle relaxation?
This class of medication is commonly used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by increasing the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.
What are stimulants?
This part of the brain is involved in regulating sleep-wake cycles and is connected to circadian rhythms. Disruption in this system can lead to insomnia, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and bipolar disorder.
What is the hypothalamus?