Our World 2023: Wellness: Mental and Physical Health

Sometimes asking for help is hard.

However, we do not have to carry our crosses alone.

Here are some ways to seek help.

Top Nami (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline Resources

Help can also be sought out from:

1. Parents

2. Teachers

3. Trusted adult

4. Good friends

MHARI is the Mental Health Association of Rhode Island. MHARI's homepage presents many different articles on topics related to mental health and issues people with mental health issues may face. Their vision is that "all people living with mental health challenges will be treated with dignity and respect and will receive all the support and services needed to live their best lives." Their website even provides Covid-19 resources for anyone who needs them during this time. 

mhari   

Brown University offers "Community Mindfulness Sessions" .  These are free and open to the public and meet via Zoom. Some of the sessions they offer include: guided meditation, mindful pause, guided lovingkindness practice, mindful discussion, and more! These are provided to improve mental health during these times.“It's always so nice to be at the Monday night community sit! What a wonderful experience you provide for the public. Thank you!” - KM 

Brown University's Free Community Mindfulness Programs

1. I am peace, peace is within me, peace is all around me.
2. I am present.
3. I am so grateful to be alive.
4. I love myself
5. My body is amazing
6. My body is powerful
7. I am strong
8. I am resilient
9. I am beautiful 
10. I can have an amazing day

More affirmations:

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/positive-affirmations 

https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/positive-affirmations-morning-routine/

https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/daily-affirmations

Interview with Matt Gugel 23'

ARTICLE: 9 Student Tips to Boost Mental Health and Wellness

Some steps you can take to improve your mental health (especially as a student)

1. Eat Healthy 

•  Research foods that can help strengthen your mind and body

2. Get Plenty of Sleep 

INFOGRAPHIC: (National Sleep Foundation) 2021

3. Be Active

• Circulating your blood can improve your mood and has been proven to reduce depression and anxiety symptoms

4. Build a Good Support Network

• Reach out to friends and family !!! 

5. Find Hobbies

• Read, paint, make something, etc. 

6. Disconnect from Negativity 

• Try thinking about the positives

7. Volunteer/Help Others 

• Find some local service opportunities !!

8. Reward Yourself 

•  Be proud of yourself, even for the little things. 

9. Be Grateful

• Write down a few good things about everyday so you can focus on the positive
•  

“Mental health…is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going.” – Noam Shpancer, PhD

Final Exam Season is slowly coming! Here are some ways for you to cope with exam stress:

• Eat, sleep, and exercise well
  • Although these can be stressful times, pulling all-nighters, eating junk food, and not moving can increase your anxiety. You need 8/9 hours of sleep for your best performance for exams, carbs, more water, and at least half an hour of exercise.
• Set realistic goals
  • Find ways to maximize productivity. 
• Believe in yourself
  • Even though you can be overwhelmed facing these challenges, you need to acknowledge how much you have already achieved this school year. Have confidence that you have prepared well, meaning that there is no reason to be negative. 
• Talk to a teacher if you are struggling
  • Never be ashamed about asking for extra help!

“It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.”  ~ Denis Waitley

Eating disorders affect people from all walks of life. Various factors such as social media, societal pressures, and outdated expectations of physical appearances contribute to extreme misinformation on eating disorders. Read below to clarify some basic facts and statistics of eating disorders. 

• 9% of the U.S. population will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.
• 91% of women admitted to controlling their body weight in a college campus survey.
• Athletes are more likely to have an eating disorder than non-athletes. 
• About 26% of people who have an eating disorder attempt suicide. 
• One death every 52 minutes—eating disorders are among the deadliest mental illnesses. 

Types of Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by a low body weight, fear of gaining weight, and body dysmorphia. People with anorexia often restrict their diet by cutting out entire food groups, and restrict caloric intake. This leads people with anorexia to experience extreme fatigue, dry skin, hair loss, and dizziness, among more symptoms. 

Bulimia Nervosa is a cycle of binging and purging. People with bulimia will often eat until they are full, but feel guilty for eating. They may purge by forceful vomiting, using laxatives, or later restriction of foods. 

Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by repetitive instances of eating large amounts of food, then feeling ashamed, anxious, or depressed after they eat. 

Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED) is the clinical term for a disordered relationship with food and exercise that do not necessarily fall into a specific disorder.  

Orthorexia is an extreme focus on healthy eating and exercise. It often involves cutting out entire food groups. Those with orthorexia do not restrict foods and spend lots of time exercising intending for negative health consequences, yet they may experience mental health issues and malnutrition side effects. 

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is characterized by a wide range of out-of-the-ordinary eating habits, such as the sudden refusal to eat foods previously enjoyed, fears of choking or vomiting, loss of appetite, and reports of stomachaches around mealtimes. People with ARFID do not fear gaining weight, however they may lose a noticeable amount of weight as the disorder develops due to malnutrition. 

Rumination Disorder is usually an involuntary physical disorder in which people regurgitate their food repeatedly for a long period of time. 

Click the link below to learn about eating disorders and read a Q&A from Kristin Francis, MD. 

ARTICLE: University of Utah, 2021: EATING DISORDERS: A COMPLEX YET TREATABLE DISEASE

SMILING

• Dr. Murray Grossan, an ENT-otolaryngologist found that the physical act of smiling can produce a multitude of benefits. 
• Found that the physical act of smiling actually builds immunity, due to the fact that lower stress leads to a higher immunity.

ARTICLE: https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/smiling-can-trick-your-brain-happiness-boost-your-health-ncna822591 

DAILY AFFIRMATIONS

• An MRI suggested that certain neural pathways (ventromedial prefrontal cortex) are are increased when people practice self-affirmation tasks (Cascio et al., 2016)

It can produce these benefits:

• decrease health-deteriorating stress (Sherman et al., 2009; Critcher & Dunning, 2015)
• Make people less likely to dismiss harmful health messages, allowing the person to respond instead with the intention to change for the better (Harris et al., 2007
• Linked positively to academic achievement
• Reduced GPA decline in students who felt left out at college (Layous et al., 2017)

By looking at each day in a positive light, a person can greatly benefit. These affirmations can also help a person to realize that every challenge has the ability to be overcome while realizing their innate worth. 

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