Mental Health Archive

Going for a brisk walk with one or more friends has many health benefits. It's a form of socializing, which is good for thinking skills and helps stave off loneliness, isolation, and many chronic diseases. Walking with others helps people stay accountable and stick to an exercise regimen, and motivates and challenges them to work harder. Plus, it's safer to walk with buddies, who can all watch for hazards and call for help in an emergency.

Optimism and other positive emotions may guard against serious heart-related events and death. Simple exercises such as expressing gratitude and performing acts of kindness can counter depression and improve well-being. These interventions may encourage people—including those with heart-related conditions such as heart attacks and heart failure—to exercise more and take their medications more consistently. Having a more positive outlook may help reinforce other positive behaviors, or what psychologists refer to as the "upward spiral." This momentum can help people start healthy habits like exercise, which then becomes self-reinforcing.

Adopting a dog is one of the best ways for older adults to combat many common health issues. Research has shown that dog owners have lower risks of cardiovascular disease and take more daily steps compared with non-owners. Having a dog also can lower stress levels and help people become more social.

The health risks of using tobacco and overusing alcohol begin to drop within days after a person stops using them. However, how past usage may affect a person's longevity is difficult to predict.

A 2023 study suggests that certain social challenges, such as isolation, may be useful to help predict older adults' risk of earlier death.

Survivor's guilt includes strong, persistent feelings of sadness and remorse. Advances in cancer treatment have led to an unprecedented 18 million Americans who are cancer survivors, making survivor's guilt a possible psychological outcome for greater numbers. Survivor's guilt may be more common among people who have survived cancers with high death rates. Strategies to cope include taking time to grieve, seeking support from fellow survivors, and getting counseling to explore underlying contributors to feelings of guilt.

Many factors can increase heart rate from the normal pace of 60 to 100 beats per minute. Lifestyle choices and certain medications can raise heart rate, as can serious conditions. When an elevated heart rate is joined by urgent symptoms, seek immediate care.

About one in three Americans engages in gardening, and the activity became even more popular during the COVID pandemic. Research suggests gardening provides many physical and mental health benefits. It can boost movement, improve diet, fight illness, smooth mood, sharpen brain function, and strengthen social bonds. Gardeners should wear a hat and apply sunscreen to protect against sun exposure. They should also wear gloves to create a barrier against skin allergens on plants and bacteria or fungi in potting soil mixes.

Two studies found that managing stress and eating a plant-based diet with at least seven servings of leafy green vegetables per week can help improve cognitive function and protect against Alzheimer's disease, respectively.

What drives forms of self-harm like cutting that some teens engage in? Gaining an understanding of why some children harm themselves by cutting their skin, what signs to be aware of, and how to approach the subject can help parents respond if this occurs.