Music does powerful things to our brains, such as reducing our anxiety and changing how we perceive others based on the song we’re listening to. Whatever emotion we’re feeling, there’s music to match. It’s an overwhelmingly positive experience for our mental wellbeing, no matter the emotion of the music.
Father’s Day is great time to celebrate the similarities that make us family, and differences that make us individuals. As kids, we looked to dad for strength and guidance in the face of life’s adversities. But who looked out for them?
For some fathers, stigma and toxic masculinity may have held them back from healing they desperately needed. In the United States, 6 million men suffer from depression. Men die by suicide over 3.5 times more than women. Yet only one in four seek help from a mental health professional.
The conversation is shifting, however, as mental health has been a highly discussed topic in 2018. The hope is that by addressing generational stigma around mental health, we can encourage men to seek the help they need. We asked our male therapists and coworkers how they view mental health differently than their fathers. Here’s what they had to say.
Continue reading How We View Mental Health Differently Than Our Fathers
Since 1999, suicide rates in the US have increased by more than 25%, a harrowing statistic that points to a growing public health emergency. With the loss of two bright stars in a single week — iconic fashion designer Kate Spade, and celebrity chef, author, and television personality Anthony Bourdain — to suicide, we wanted to bring together three Talkspace therapists to discuss and answer questions about one of the most taboo topics in Western Culture.
We remind you that there is no shame in asking for help and if you’re in crisis or know someone who is, don’t wait. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 –– call them: 1-800-273- TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.
Continue reading Speaking Openly About Suicide: A Talkspace Therapist Roundtable
This post is part of our #TherapyHelpedMe series for Mental Health Awareness Month. Talkspace shares stories of how therapy helps people of all backgrounds work through the daily challenges of modern life.
Many of us are aware of therapy and its positive benefits. Maybe you read Freud in college, are familiar with portrayals of therapists from film or TV, or see negative stories about a celebrity’s mental health on tabloid covers in the supermarket checkout aisle. What you hear less often are the stories of therapy’s profound effects on those who try it and the unexpectedly life-changing ways it can improve well-being, regardless of your challenges.
Continue reading Mental Health Awareness Month: Therapy Helped Me
Listening to music can boost our mental health and reduce anxiety, according to a meta analysis of hundreds of studies. We also use songs to reflect on changes in our lives, the world, and even the seasons.
Winter is over, we’ve emerged from hibernation, and spring is here. Though many of us feel invigorated in spring, it can still be a challenging season for our mental health — people start being more active, which is terrific but can also leave some people feeling too manic. To give you something to play and even out your mood as you settle into the season, we compiled this “Spring Sounds” playlist. Enjoy!
If we were to ask pop culture what the ideal relationship looked like, most of us would expect an image of fireworks in the sky with that one and only person who completes us. Romantic comedies may be uplifting, and love songs beautiful, but much of what we learn about relationships early on sets us up for unrealistic expectations.
The result? We never feel like our relationships are good enough, and may doubt if we’re deserving of love.
Holidays like Valentine’s Day can exacerbate these worries. Social media often makes it seem like everyone else is coupled and in an ecstatic state of love. If we’re partnered, we may wonder if our relationship is as good as everyone else’s seems to be. And if we’re single, we may feel even more inadequate.
Continue reading 7 Truths About Love to Remember This Valentine’s Day
Listening to music can improve our mental health and reduce anxiety, according to a meta analysis of hundreds of studies. We also use songs to reflect on changes in our lives, the world, and even the seasons.
The holidays are over, we’re back to work, and winter is here. It can be a challenging season for our mental health — it’s not as easy to exercise, which is vital to our overall well being, and many of us deal with some form of seasonal affective disorder. To give you something to play and boost your mood as you settle into the season, we compiled this “Winter Warmup” playlist. Enjoy!
Talkspace is pleased to continue our advice column, this week with therapist Dr. Samantha Rodman. Send your mental health questions for Samantha to [email protected].
Dating Drama writes,
I’ve been dating my boyfriend for almost three months. In the beginning, everything was perfect, but then it’s like a huge storm came and destroyed our relationship. I am trying to help him deal with his severe anxiety, and we constantly fight all day. He accuses me of doing things wrong when I do nothing. I understand I have flaws and faults from the past (before we were together), but I am not the same person as I was when he first met me. I’m constantly being insulted and being accused of these ridiculous things. He even blamed me for what someone else posted on their social media. Continue reading Ask a Therapist: Anxiety is Tearing My Boyfriend and I Apart
During my first Christmas in Iraq, we were hit by a roadside bomb. It could have been worse. Luckily, no one died in this explosion. Back at the firebase, we were allowed a call on the satellite phone. Some people freely told their parents or loved ones about what had happened. I felt that unbecoming of an infantryman—why scare people back home?—instead I settled on my favorite topic: the weather. Oh stoic me.
Half a year later I was touring Europe with a friend of mine from the same platoon. I wouldn’t say we had seen all that much action, yet there was an anger that was evident in both of us. A hundred and fifty miles per hour seemed too slow. We threw our wrath at anyone in our way. Verbal wrath, but troublesome nonetheless. Whatever I was experiencing I merely concealed by being a stranger in a strange land: the prattle of a foreign language and people going about their way provided a perfect cocoon for me. Continue reading How Being in the Military Changed My Mind Forever
Listening to music can boost our mental health and reduce anxiety, according to a meta analysis of hundreds of studies. We also use songs to reflect on changes in our lives, the world, and even the seasons.
Summer is fading from our minds and forecasts. As we move deeper into the fall, our moods fluctuate and new challenges arise. To give you something to play as you transition to the new season, we compiled this “Feeling Fall” playlist. Enjoy! Continue reading Feeling Fall: A Mental Health Playlist