Mental Health Archive

An active social life is good medicine for the body and brain as it lowers the risk for many chronic diseases and protects against dementia and mild cognitive impairment. However, people who are introverts and enjoy their solitude can struggle with engagement. These individuals can benefit from socializing while maintaining their comfort levels by engaging in activities like joining social clubs and other groups, taking classes, and attending public events.

In a 2025 study of about 2,000 people (average age 80) who were followed for seven years, about a third developed dementia or mild cognitive impairment. Being socially active seemed to delay that diagnosis for about five years.

Acts of kindness do more than make the giver and recipient feel good—they can also bolster psychological and physical health. Research suggests kindness can improve happiness and increase social connectedness as well as reduce anxiety and lower blood pressure. Evidence also suggests concentrating good deeds into shorter time periods enhances well-being more powerfully than spreading actions out. Kind acts can include complimenting people, running errands for a neighbor, making a donation to charity, and signing up to volunteer.

Engaging in prosocial, altruistic behavior that benefits other people—such as doing volunteer work, giving money to charity, or performing small acts of kindness—may be beneficial to cardiovascular health. Possible mechanisms include reductions in stress and blood pressure. Volunteering has also been associated with improvements in heart-related risks, including increased step counts and less depression.

Just as it's wise for people to take a sick day when they have a cough, fever, or nausea, certain signs indicate people need a mental health day. These include feeling burned out at work, overwhelmed by personal issues, unmotivated, exhausted by work or life demands, more anxious or depressed than usual, unable to sleep consistently, or drawn to substance use. While some spend a mental health day on indulgent activities, others run errands or tick items off their to-do list. Not taking a mental health day when needed can trigger flare-ups of depression or anxiety.

Looking after a loved one who has prostate cancer can be overwhelming. Caregivers play crucial roles in supporting a patient's physical and psychological well-being. But what does that entail? Here's what to know about effective communication, day-to-day support, and taking care of yourself.

Communicating with someone with dementia can be tricky, since their ability to understand others and express themselves fluctuates and declines. Certain communication strategies can help smooth interactions between caregivers and dementia patients. They include being an active listener, avoiding confrontation, agreeing with the patient's reality, removing distractions, using shorter sentences and smaller words, asking yes-or-no questions, using written lists and schedules, and incorporating touch.

In a 2024 study, researchers found that the heart rate variability of a dog and its owner mirror each other during interactions, which may reflect the strong emotional connection between humans and their dogs.

Over time, many men experience grief brought on by physical decline where they can no longer perform activities like before, have less endurance, and need more time to recover. Men can manage this grief by accepting these changes as part of normal aging, focusing on what they still can do, adjusting their goals to meet their new abilities, and talking with others going through similar issues.