Topical: Resources, Treatment, Symptoms, and More

How Neglecting Physical Health impacts Your Mental Health (and How to Improve Both)

By Matthew Mitchell, Contributor
June 1, 2019June 13, 2019

Sunny days, warmer temperatures, barbecues and pool parties are just a few things you might think of when someone mentions the month of June. However, did you know June also happens to be Men’s Health Month? To honor this time and raise awareness of the issues men face, we’re sharing some tips on how to listen to your body when it’s telling you something’s not right. The reason? Failing to care for yourself physically, or not encouraging others to care for themselves, can result in poor mental health outcomes. It’s been estimated that 1/3rd of those with chronic illness suffer from depression. Keep reading for ways in which you can stay physically and mentally healthy and spread this positivity to other men in your life. Continue reading How Neglecting Physical Health impacts Your Mental Health (and How to Improve Both)

Where Am I Now? An Interview with Actor Mara Wilson

By Sami Main, Contributor
May 28, 2019May 28, 2019

You can’t compare the practice of self-care to cats. At least, not according to Mara Wilson.

“Cats are weird, alien creatures, and I’m surrounded by them as we speak,” she said.

Instead, the actor/storyteller/playwright/author/voice-over actor/performer would equate self-care to taking care of dogs — or even small children.

“Self-care isn’t about spoiling yourself,” she said, “It’s about disciplining yourself. It’s like how you need to train dogs. You do it out of love. If they make mistakes, you don’t hate them forever — you love them.” Continue reading Where Am I Now? An Interview with Actor Mara Wilson

The State of Mental Health

By Talkspace
May 14, 2019May 14, 2019

Talking about mental health isn’t easy — but that’s starting to change.

More employers are investing in mental health programs, increasing access to care, and helping to decrease stigma in the process. Governments are beginning to approach mental health as a public health issue. Celebrities like Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Pete Davidson, and Lady Gaga (among many others) are coming forward about their mental health journeys to raise awareness. The tides are turning.

Continue reading The State of Mental Health

How We View Mental Health Differently Than Our Mothers

By Wendy Wisner, Contributor
May 10, 2019May 9, 2019

When I began to develop panic disorder in my late teens, it took me a few years to get help. First, it was difficult to even understand what was going on. I’d heard of panic attacks, but I pictured someone rapidly hyperventilating into a paper bag and acting nervous and twitchy.

My panic attacks were much more private than that: I felt absolutely terrified, my heart would race, and my gut would turn itself inside out. But to all outward appearances, I was just daydreaming or lost in my own little world during a panic attack. Continue reading How We View Mental Health Differently Than Our Mothers

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: An Interview with Author Lori Gottlieb

By Talkspace
May 1, 2019May 14, 2019

May is Mental Health Month — a time to come together to raise awareness about mental health issues, work to expand access to care, and support those who are struggling. This month we’re speaking to experts in the field about their therapeutic work, as well as their own experience and challenges with mental health.

When Lori Gottlieb was a new therapist beginning her practice in Los Angeles, seeing clients dealing with a host of issues, she hadn’t expected this to be the time she experienced a crisis of her own. She began seeing a therapist, a seasoned veteran of the field named Wendell.

Continue reading Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: An Interview with Author Lori Gottlieb

This Mental Health Awareness Month, Share Your Story

By Talkspace
May 1, 2019May 14, 2019

Mental health is highly individualized — your depression may not look exactly like your neighbor’s or coworker’s. You may experience anxiety as a tightness in your chest whereas your ex boyfriend lashes out at the closest target. The same goes for treatment. Whether it be types of psychotherapy or medications, what works for one person isn’t necessarily what will be effective for another. While you may do best in individual therapy, your cousin might prefer group therapy, and your parents may need couple’s counseling.

And, although we’re slowly breaking the stigma around sharing our mental health journeys with one another, most of us still find it difficult to open up about our struggles. Just think about all of those weekly recurring “doctor’s appointments” you see on others’ work calendars. Most of us would go to great lengths to not disclose to our employer that we’re dealing with a mental health issue — sometimes for good reason. We worry that our supervisors will lose faith in our abilities, question our toughness, or otherwise penalize us. Consider also how long it takes most of us to let a new partner know about our mental health challenges — no one wants to be thought of as “abnormal.” Continue reading This Mental Health Awareness Month, Share Your Story

Tidying Up: What Cleanliness Says About Your Mental Health

By Ladan Nikravan Hayes, Contributor
May 1, 2019April 30, 2019

One of the things I’ve always admired about myself is that sometimes my behavior, when overly stressed or anxious, can feel beneficial. A few minutes to whisk the vacuum across the living room floor, and it’s like I meditated; give me a sponge and a grimy bathroom, and I’ll give you shine and calm.

Looking at a spotless and tidy home, whatever’s bothering me feels temporarily paused. Cleanliness translates to lower stress and anxiety for me — and a flawless home for my family growing up, my roommates in college, and my husband now — how lucky are they? Continue reading Tidying Up: What Cleanliness Says About Your Mental Health

7 Ways You Can Help Raise Mental Health Awareness

By Ladan Nikravan Hayes, Contributor
April 8, 2019April 9, 2019

Millions of Americans are affected by mental health conditions every year. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. — 43.8 million, or 18.5 percent — experiences mental illness in a given year; and we know this is increasingly an issue with America’s youth.

While there are effective treatments available, many individuals with known mental health issues never seek help from a professional due to stigma, discrimination, a lack of resources, or a combination of all three. Even if you don’t struggle with mental illness, you have the opportunity to inspire others to raise awareness and take part in the sharing of information, tools, and support for mental health issues. You can make a legitimate difference and help change the narrative from negative to one of positive affirmation. Continue reading 7 Ways You Can Help Raise Mental Health Awareness

Are There Good Reasons for Your Bad Feelings: Interview with Randolph M. Nesse

By Talkspace
March 11, 2019

Our relationship with mental health is typically based on challenges we’re currently experiencing — but what if our current issues are rooted in the distant past? Often overlooked is the fact that our predispositions for conditions like depression and anxiety have existed for millenia. From an evolutionary standpoint, why haven’t these detrimental traits and behaviors been filtered out and how might they affect us now?

Randolph M. Nesse, MD, a founder of the field of evolutionary medicine and author of recently-published Good Reasons for Bad Feelings, helped us understand the gap between human physiology and modern environment, and how we can apply this field for better therapy outcomes. Continue reading Are There Good Reasons for Your Bad Feelings: Interview with Randolph M. Nesse

The Global Mental Healthcare Epidemic Demands an Urgent Paradigm Shift

By Oren Frank, Cofounder & CEO of Talkspace
March 6, 2019March 6, 2019

We are living in the midst of a mental health crisis — in the U.S. and across the globe. According to the World Health Organization, depression affects nearly 15 percent of adults worldwide, and diagnoses have risen 33% since 2013, according to a report from health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield. Researchers Aaron Reuben and Jonathan Schaefer even recently proved that we are all more likely to experience a bout of mental illness in our lives than we are to develop diabetes, heart disease or any kind of cancer.

As a leader of Talkspace, a behavioral health company that has provided 1 million people psychotherapy over the last 6 years, I have been relentlessly exposed to and concerned by the complexity of the problem. Clinical, technological, regulatory, cultural, and above all, human issues are involved, and the current systems designed to deal with it are failing. The rate of failure across different systems is accelerating. Continue reading The Global Mental Healthcare Epidemic Demands an Urgent Paradigm Shift