mental health

A new study correlates increased numbers of street trees to reduced antidepressant prescriptions, emphasizing the positive role even the smallest and simplest amounts of urban greenspace can play in our mental health. Experts from Germany’s Leipzig University and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research analyzed health data from almost…

Learn do’s and don’ts to help those affected The roar of the racetrack, the roll of the dice, or the ring of the slot machine can be exciting, but they also can be concerning and even damaging for millions of Americans struggling with gambling addiction. According to the National Council…

The newest tagline on the television news is “[fill in the blank] is going to look different this year…” Well, guess what: Everything looks different this year, thanks to the pandemic. In the fall issue of DCA’s Consumer Connection magazine, the writers take a look at what’s become different in…

Study: Engaging with surroundings while out and about makes a positive difference A just-published study by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), finds that engaging with surroundings while on walks, instead of focusing on thoughts, made a positive difference in study participants’ well-being. As outlined in the journal Emotion,…

Contact a licensed mental health professional for assistance Feeling anxious or depressed these days? You are far from alone, according to a new study from San Diego State and Florida State universities. As published in the journal Depression & Anxiety, researchers compared nationally representative samples of U.S. adults from the…

Being an educator is not a teacher’s sole job, because teachers have the privilege of wearing many hats.  From early education through high school, these instructors act as referees, counselors, coaches, cheerleaders, mentors, role models, and, at times, a trusted confidante to their students. During the school year, teachers spend…

Imagine having a tooth ache but waiting six to eight years before going to a dentist to stop the pain. That’s how some therapists describe mental illnesses that fester for years while left untreated. Every year, tens of thousands of Californians struggle to find the proper mental health services or…

Words like “grandma” and “aggression” don’t seem to go together. But when grandma reaches out and pinches your cheek so hard it brings tears to your eyes, it can make you think they may not be so far apart after all. Plus, why does she always do that? These days, psychologists…

‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.’  Adults of a certain age may have used this adage to deflect verbal taunts and teasing from a bully during their childhood. Bullies as antagonists have remained the same but some of their tactics have changed. The…