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Tag: Mental Health

Heart rate variability: What it is and how it relates to mental health

Posted December 10, 2022 by Eric Larson

[Two red heartbeat waves extend from a black-and-white outline of a brain.]

A healthy heart is not a metronome. Even though most of us can follow our heartbeat with ease, in between each heartbeat is a period of time that varies in duration from one beat to the next. This difference in time between any consecutive heartbeat is known as heart rate variability (HRV), and researchers are increasingly using it as a tool to understand mental health…

Finding a therapist: Frequently asked questions

Posted December 11, 2021 by Lindy Howe

[Photograph of a man gesturing with his left hand. He is speaking to a woman sitting across from him, who is writing notes on a clipboard.

Thinking about starting therapy but overwhelmed by the process of finding a therapist? You’re not alone. There are a lot of reasons that people don’t seek treatment. This post will discuss how to find a therapist and things to consider during your search. “Should I go to therapy? How do I know when it’s ‘time?’” The shortest answer is therapy can be appropriate at any time, as long as you want to be there. It is extremely common to seek therapy when we’re struggling with severe or minor difficulties…

Infographic: Dog therapy

Posted June 12, 2021 by ScIU Editorial Team

[infographic about recreational stimulants. to read the original post go to http://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/2018/10/02/recreational-stimulants/]

Five ways to reduce anxiety naturally

Posted June 5, 2021 by Guest Contributor

[Scrabble tiles spell the word anxiety.]

According to the NASPA, 4 out of 5 college students felt overwhelmed at least once in the past year by the amount of anxiety that they have experienced. The usual stresses of school, life, and work were met with even more challenges due to COVID-19. Students had to switch their learning style, were kicked out of their dorms on campus, lost on-campus jobs, and some even lost family members. To top it off, quarantine has amplified feelings of isolation and loneliness. As quarantining persists, it’s important for everyone to take personal measures in order to reduce stress and anxiety as much as possible. Here are 5 everyday practices that have been proven by recent studies to reduce anxiety…

Five ways to stay positive during a pandemic

Posted May 22, 2021 by Guest Contributor

[A photograph of a young woman looking in the mirror. Her reflection shows that she is smiling, with her hands cupping her face.]

It’s been over a year since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and staying positive this past year has not been the easiest. Despite what your greatest instincts say, going on your phone could be the cause of your blues. After a year of foregoing family and friends, we crave connection now more than ever. While social media may initially seem like a good way to engage with others when we’re apart, research has shown that social media can negatively impact our mental health and lead to a more sedentary lifestyle. Like social media, a sedentary lifestyle often harms your mental health. Luckily, researchers have discovered small hacks that you can do everyday to increase your levels of serotonin (the mood and happiness hormone)…

Building Wakanda: a graduate student’s journey into sports psychology

Posted February 20, 2021 by ScIU Editorial Team

[DJ Purnell is captured from the side, smiling. He is sitting at a panel on advice for applying to graduate school]

This week on the blog, we tackle sports and performance from the perspective of mental health, talking with IU’s DeJon Purnell. Purnell is a Ph.D. student in the Counseling Psychology program in IU’s School of Education, and his specific focus is Sport and Performance Psychology. While much of sports psychology translates directly into counseling the athletes themselves, DJ focuses on bigger-picture issues in sports and performance mental health, such as coaching behaviors and pathways to licensure for practicing sports counselors…

Dog Therapy

Posted January 2, 2021 by Guest Contributor

[A service dog, with yellow lab features, stands at the side of a pool with it's harness on while sniffing the forehead of it's handler who is in the pool.]

Mental health awareness in the United States has become less taboo throughout the decade, as people young and old, become more comfortable talking about their mental health. Since 40 million adults in the US are diagnosed with anxiety disorder and 18 million adults suffer from depression, those who are dealing with their diagnosis are trying new approaches for coping with their disorders. While the traditional route of therapy and prescription medication to manage a mental health disorder works for many, the use of therapy dogs has proven as an effective method to improve mental health…

Can Animal Crossing make you happier?

Posted October 31, 2020 by Kelsey Guenther

[image showing three animal crossing characters in the town square.]

“Animal Crossing: New Horizons” was released on March 20th, 2020 and has since become a cultural phenomenon. Although the game itself has been praised by critics, some suggest that its success is partially attributable to its being released during the COVID-19 pandemic. During these trying times, many people have been affected by anxiety and  loneliness stemming from, for example, social isolation and/or loss of work.

4 Go-To Skills to Support Your Mental Health During COVID–19 (and Beyond)

Posted May 23, 2020 by Alexandra Moussa-Tooks

[calm-woman-in-lotus-pose-meditating-after-awakening-at-home]

We’re living in a very stressful time due to the sweeping, global effects of the COVID–19 pandemic. Although much of the focus has been on physical health, mental health is equally important during these times. Broad feelings of uncertainty, job loss, fear, and drastic changes to our normal schedules and activities take a toll on our mental well-being. Below are four of the skills that I have relied on to maintain and support my mental health during COVID–19, though their utility extends to any time I’m experiencing stress in my life…

Building Wakanda: a graduate student’s journey into sports psychology

Posted February 22, 2020 by Lana Ruck

A profile of DeJon Purnell in celebration of Black History Month In the USA, sports are important, period. But many of us are aware that America’s cultural obsession with sports is not without its downsides. Still, I know people who are fine with 2020’s Super Bowl mascots (among other things; see The Onion’s recent Tweet),… Read more »

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