Suicide Prevention Day 2025 – Changing the Narrative
One of my own experiences with encountering suicide was the death of a close family friend at the age of 20. All of his life had been marked by mental health challenges, with the concern that he wouldn’t be long for this world, spoken about in whispers. Since then, I’ve had to deal with other […]
Caring for the Ones Who Cared for Us
Caring for a parent with multiple health problems can be time-consuming, physically and emotionally challenging, yet deeply fulfilling. National Parents’ Day, celebrated on the fourth Sunday of July, reminds us to honor parents, which can be done by helping to care for them as they age. The United Nations recognized the importance of honoring aging […]
Why Your Mental Health Matters
Throughout six articles, we dug into the broad subject of how your mental health matters. Mental health is vital to everyone’s overall well-being, but too often it’s misunderstood, which means it is ignored, minimized, or suppressed. Whether it causes a few sleepless nights, waves of anxiety, or a feeling of quiet desperation, these struggles touch […]
The Power of Community for Mental Health and Wellbeing
As an expat living thousands of miles from my family, I’ve learned how important it is to build a sense of community. Being away from loved ones can feel isolating, and if you’re navigating any kind of mental health issue, that isolation can feel even heavier. That’s why creating connections with others can make a […]
New Hope for Lowering the Risk of Dementia
Just this week, I was asked by a colleague to comment on a fairly technical article, and I was struck by the exact wording used in its opening question: Are cardioprotective glucose-lowering agents associated with reduced risk of dementia? I spend a fair bit of time reviewing and replying to questions and requests from our […]
What I Wish People Knew About Mental Health Conditions
This May, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s time to take action, raise awareness, and change how we talk about mental health. Since 1949, this month has been dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by millions living with mental health conditions while working to break the stigma surrounding them. The theme, “In Every […]
Safer Alternatives to Klonopin for Sleep and Anxiety
Clonazepam, commonly known by its brand name Klonopin, is a benzodiazepine prescribed for conditions such as anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and certain seizure disorders. While clonazepam is effective for these and other conditions, the fact that it is a controlled substance highlights its potential for dependence and withdrawal symptoms. For many people, this makes it […]
Can Drugs and Alcohol Change The Teenage Brain?
People naturally want to keep doing things that deliver a reward. For example, when a hungry person eats, the brain’s reward system reacts positively with a flood of dopamine, the pleasure hormone. In the same way, a game of Candy Crush on a smartphone helps people relax after a long day. However, the brain’s reward […]
Digging into Prescribed Antidepressant Options
A friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with depression. His doctor has suggested that alongside therapy sessions, he consider medication as well. Unfortunately, the stigma around taking prescribed antidepressants has caused him to resist this course of treatment out of fear of some of the common side effects of antidepressants. He thinks that feeling […]
Bipolar Disorder: Highs, Lows, And In Between
“Bipolar disorder” is a term that people can often misunderstand. You might hear someone casually say, “I’m so bipolar today,” just because they experienced some highs and lows in their moods. But bipolar disorder is far more complex than feeling happy one moment and sad the next. It’s a lifelong mental health condition that involves […]
