New Study Suggests Magic Mushrooms Are Key to Treating Depression by Taylor Bennett | Jan 18, 2018 | Mental Health Topics, Research In a recent study, the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial College London explored the potential of using psychedelics to treat certain mental illnesses such as depression. The research team argued that this may be a more effective treatment, as it relieves symptoms by activating serotonin 2A, as opposed to 1A—the…
New Study Says Violent Video Games Do Not Make Players More Aggressive by Taylor Bennett | Jan 18, 2018 | Media Use, Mental Health Topics, Research A popular topic of conversation (at least in the world of psychology) is whether or not video games make people more aggressive. For years, the bulk of research said yes, they certainly do; even the American Psychological Association declared violent video games—such as Halo and Call of Duty—a danger to…
Study Shows Creative Individuals May Be “Wired” Differently by Taylor Bennett | Jan 18, 2018 | Mental Health Awareness, Mental Health Topics, Research Everybody is creative in their own way: one may utilize creative thinking to make an acceptable meal out of their very few supplies; another may display creativity in planning a fun outing with friends; and another may demonstrate their creative abilities in their drawings or writing. These tasks and those…
Humblebragging Isn’t Doing You Any Favors, According to New Research by Taylor Bennett | Jan 17, 2018 | Mental Health Topics, Research We all have pet peeves: loud chewing, incessant complaining, nail biting… the list goes on and it really never ends. Certain habits prove to annoy us, and they drastically affect the perpetrator’s likeability. Take, for example, the humblebraggers: these are the people that try to mask their boasting with a…
New Vision and Motor Testing May Predict the Best Baseball Players by Taylor Bennett | Jan 10, 2018 | Health & Exercise, Mental Health Topics, Research When I was in grade school, the idea of being athletic and smart was inconceivable. You were either good at sports or you were a book nerd who aced all their tests—at least, in the minds of my fellow classmates. I, however, played varsity soccer for four years and still…
Low-Income and Minority Populations Experience Greater Stress, Which May Result in Health Disparities by Taylor Bennett | Jan 10, 2018 | Mental Health Topics, Race & Identity, Research We all understand stress to be harmful, but to what degree? Many of us suffer from the exhaustion that comes with stress, as well as its negative effect on our mood, but it doesn’t end there. Stress can also lead to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and mental illnesses like depression…
Sleeping less than 8 hours a night may increase your chances of developing depression and anxiety by Taylor Bennett | Jan 9, 2018 | Mental Health Topics, Research, Sleep Some people are cranky before they’ve had their morning coffee. Others can’t function until they’ve stepped into a scolding hot shower. Me? I’m rocking and rolling from the get-go—as long as I’ve gotten my 8 hours of sleep. Every night of the work week, I make sure I’m in bed…
Unpleasant Emotions May Be Essential to Happiness, Study Finds by Taylor Bennett | Jan 9, 2018 | Feelings & Emotions, Mental Health Topics, Research When something has upset me, I like to listen to sad music, watch sad movies, and read sad books. I have no desire to “cheer myself up,” with happy tunes or inspiring plots—instead I like to completely engulf myself in the gloom. Plain and simple. This may sound counterproductive or…
Study Finds Simple Key to Thriving: Feeling Good About Your Life by Taylor Bennett | Jan 8, 2018 | Mental Health Topics, Research Here at Thriveworks, we believe that there’s so much more to life than merely surviving—that everybody can make extraordinary advances, or better yet, thrive. You can thrive in your career, relationships, and even in extracurriculars like exercise or art classes, despite setbacks or hiccups along the way. The key, according…
Study Finds People with Less Money Find Greater Pleasure in Relationships, Connectedness by Taylor Bennett | Jan 4, 2018 | Mental Health Topics, Relationships, Research Just this past weekend, I was playing the classic game of “Would You Rather” with a few close friends when an ever-popular question was proposed: would you rather have a low-paying job that you love or a high-paying job that you hate? Some of us declared our answers immediately, while…
Your Genes May Explain Why You Need More or Less Sleep Than Others by Taylor Bennett | Dec 19, 2017 | Mental Health Topics, Research, Sleep The National Sleep Foundation makes very clear sleep recommendations, depending on an individual’s age: toddlers (1-2 years) should get 11 to 14 hours of sleep each night; preschoolers (3-5 years) should get 10 to 13 hours of sleep; school-aged children (6-13), 9 to 11 hours; teens (14-17 years), 8 to…
Contrary to Popular Belief, Social Media Can Have Positive Effects on Our Mental Health by Taylor Bennett | Dec 13, 2017 | Media Use, Mental Health Topics, Research Social media has gotten a bad rap lately: it’s been blamed for growing feelings of low self-esteem, loneliness, and bouts of depression. And not without warrant. Not only have users of the platforms reported these negative effects, but studies have shown that social media is, indeed, a likely culprit of…