Journaling as a way to cope with and recover from difficulties such as mental illness isn't exactly new. People have been journaling to cope with their struggles for centuries. As the internet sprung up, a new medium was created, blogging. Blogging can have the same introspective benefits of journaling, but the whole world can see and comment. So is blogging about your mental health experience a good way to cope and recover?
Many mental health professionals recommend blogging, but others are hesitant. Blogs have the advantage of connecting users to other people going through the same thing. With a blog, you can reach out to others and others can reach out to you -- this sense of community and common struggle can be really powerful. Not all online connections can be beneficial though, some commenters can be negative or encourage unhealthy behaviors. In addition, for teens with mental illness blogging also holds all the dangers any teen would have with a blog. Do you blog or vlog about your PMDD? Do you follow any mental health blogs? Would you let your teen blog about their experience with PMDD? Read more: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/06/blogging.aspx This is the beginning of our post series on talking about PMDD.
Talking about PMDD with your loved ones can be scary and challenging but it doesn't have to be. If you have a loved one with PMDD check out our new page, Talking about PMDD If you have PMDD what do you wish your friends and family would say or do? For some people, PMDD comes with thoughts of suicide. Suicide is never the answer. If you are thinking about suicide right now call:
U.S. & Canada - 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Australia - 13 11 14 UK - 08457 90 90 90 ROI - 116 123 Remember that with PMDD you'll be feeling a lot better in a couple hours, days or weeks. Hold on and get help! If you're worried that someone you know may be thinking about suicide then ask and check out our list of warning signs. Asking isn't putting an idea in someone's head, it's making sure they are safe. For more on how you can help check out The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's list of Five Ways You Can Help. If your country isn't covered in the list of hotline numbers or we got the number wrong please let us know in a comment and we'll fix it as soon as we can. TeenPMDD is now on Facebook! Check out our page for more PMDD information and resources.
Could you prevent suicide or explain something about mental health in 60 seconds? More than 1000 teens in CA took up the challenge in a contest run by Each Mind Matters. Read more at http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article22813374.html Or watch some of the videos for yourself:
Environmental stressors on top of PMDD are no fun and with finals approaching (or over!) there's plenty of stress to go around. Coping with test stress: How do you cope with test stress?
Apps have been created for games and for managing weight and physical health problems, but mental health apps are on the rise too. Mental health apps range from diagnostics to management and treatment. Many apps even allow patients to share their information with their doctors and mental health professionals via the interface. They have the potential to bridge gaps in treatment (almost half of teens with mental illness aren't getting the treatment they need), but also the potential to do harm. Getting help from an app is more convenient, less expensive and avoids potential exposure to stigma, meaning more people might seek some kind of treatment. At the same time, could the ability to just use one of these apps steer people away from getting the in-person diagnosis and treatment they really need? And with no medically established system for judging these apps, how do we know if they are effective?
Do you use an app to help you manage your PMDD? Would you? What would you want to see in an app for PMDD? Would you let your teen use an app to manage their PMDD? Read more: http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/5/15/cell-phone-therapy-new-apps-help-track-and-treat-mental-illness.html http://www.techrepublic.com/article/6-ways-tech-is-changing-how-we-help-people-with-mental-illness/ http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/5/5765732/talkspace-smartphone-therapy-apps We're starting a blog to help keep this site up to date with the latest information like news articles and to highlight new content on the site.
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