mental health

Humans are hardwired to feel good when performing acts of kindness towards others, an imperative trait in any animal that evolves to live and hunt in social groups.

Acts of Kindness Improves Mental Health Symptoms

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Goodnews Network | By Andy Corbley | Aug 15, 2023 | Acts of Kindness | Shield Insurance Blogs

A New Study Finds that Performing Acts of Kindness Improves Mental Health Symptoms

Humans are hardwired to feel good when performing acts of kindness towards others, an imperative trait in any animal that evolves to live and hunt in social groups.

This is such a truism that performing random acts of kindness for other people was more effective in reducing symptoms of depression than specifically planning activities for the sake of enjoyment, a new study found.

Acts of Kindness

The study sought to test methods of cognitive behavioral therapy, a non-pharmaceutical treatment for depression and anxiety that’s proven to work through confronting patterns of thought and behavior that lead to depressive or anxious thoughts, and consciously moving away from them by retraining one’s brain.

The methods included random acts of kindness, such as buying a stranger’s coffee at Starbucks or baking cookies for the mailman, as well as planning fun activities twice a week and “cognitive reappraisal,” which coaches people with depression or anxiety to record triggering thoughts, and actively contemplate what would make the resulting stress diminish.

The participants would record a variety of feelings as measurements before the study, during the study, and five weeks after its conclusion. These included feelings of social isolation, self-consciousness in public, or life satisfaction.

“We did think that, if there was going to be an advantage of one group over another, it might be the thoughts record group, since that’s such a tried-and-true way of addressing depressive [and anxiety] symptoms,” coauthor Jennifer Cheavens of Ohio State University, told the Greater Good Magazine.

“But the kindness group did as well or better, and that group also had increases in social connection that didn’t happen in the other two groups.”

Indeed, all three groups experienced improvements in the measurements. The random acts of kindness group had a much bigger impact on positive cognition and emotions early on which tapered off as the study period advanced. The thoughts records, or cognitive reappraisal group had the opposite effect, where it started off negative, but became stronger and stronger over time.

MORE HOLISTIC HUMAN HEALTH: A New Holistic Patch Is Cutting Anxiety Successfully – Without Drugs

Another surprise was just how easy it was for the random acts of kindness group to perform the kind acts.

“I was surprised it was not a particularly hard sell,” Cheavens continued. “The people in the acts of kindness group had better uptake in some ways than the people in other groups.”

The kindness acts is a particularly important finding because it necessitates a connection with other people. Social isolation is a high-risk factor for survival; the same as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. 

Cheavens felt that as well as being a powerful therapeutic strategy, random acts of kindness can be “add-on therapy” to pretty much most mental health disorders, reasoning that anytime we can get out of our own heads, it seems to be of benefit to our well-being.

ACT On This Finding And Perform A Random Act Of Kindness Towards Others…

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A Mom Posted to Find Friends for 24-yo Son with Down Syndrome–the Flood of Support Shocked Her

A Mom Posted to Find Friends for 24-yo Son with Down Syndrome

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A Mom Posted to Find Friends for 24-yo Son with Down Syndrome –the Flood of Support Shocked Her

GoodNewsNetwork | May 8, 2023 | By Andy Corbley | Down Syndrome | Health Insurance | Start A Quote Today!

Christian Bowers has Down Syndrome but likes to do normal guy stuff like go bowling and play video games.

Making friends was never hard for the young man, now 24, until he finished school and found, as many people without Down Syndrome do for that matter, it’s not as easy and straightforward to maintain a social life.

Bowers’ mother, Donna Herter, watched her son sink further and further into the dumps because he didn’t have any friends to visit him.

Eventually, Herter put up a post on Facebook asking if any local guys near Rochester, Minnesota, would be interested in coming to hang out with Christian for two hours, a service for which she was willing to offer $80,00 in compensation.

A nurse on the night shift put the post up at 4:00 AM before ending her workday and going to sleep. When she woke up, it had amassed 5,000 comments.

“I was freaking out. My hands were shaking, I was sweating. I was just looking for some local guys, I didn’t want to invite like the entire world into our house,” she told CBS News.

Her friends encouraged her to calm down and take a closer look at the comments, in which she found parents offering suggestions and others volunteering to help.

She eventually found 7 fellows from Wentzville, Minnesota, who visit Christian once a week on a rotating schedule. Herter says her son goes to sleep with a smile on his face now, and is excited about life in general, and of the future as well.

Friendships are important for people born with Down Syndrome, and associations urge parents to plan for the eventuality of their child exiting school and needing to take a more precise attitude towards socializing.

Christian occasionally attends gatherings and groups of other special needs men and women his age, but craves friendship with the rest of the population as well.

“And I’ve never asked him, but I assume because it kind of makes him feel normal, just for an hour or two. ‘Hey, somebody who doesn’t have Down syndrome wants to hang out with me,’” she said.

One of the 7 friends, James Hasting, said he felt terrible that Herter had reached the point where she was trying to pay people to visit her son. Hasting, who volunteers with special needs folks, said hanging out just for a few hours to watch a movie or play video games with Christian has changed the way he looks at the world.

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Workplace Stress

Back to Basics: Workplace Stress

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BLR | By Grace Hatfield, EHS Daily Advisor | Jan 9, 2023 | Workplace Stress | Business Insurance

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine workplace stress and OSHA’s recommendations for addressing mental health.

Workplace Stress impacts the health and mental wellbeing of employees in every industry. According to OSHA, mental health challenges can include clinical mental illness, substance use disorders, and emotions like stress, grief, and feeling sad and anxious, even when these feelings are temporary and not part of a diagnosable condition. Even though workplaces can induce stress, they can also provide resources, solutions, and activities to help improve mental wellbeing.

Scope of the Workplace Stress Problem

OSHA says that workplace stress and poor mental health can negatively affect workers through job performance, productivity, work engagement and communication, physical capability, and daily functioning. More than 80% of U.S. workers have reported experiencing workplace stress, and more than 50% believe their work-related stress impacts their life at home. Workplace stressors can include the following:

  • Concerns about job security
  • Lack of access to tools and equipment needed to perform work safely
  • Fear of employer retaliation
  • Facing confrontation from customers, patients, coworkers, supervisors, or employees
  • Adapting to new or different workspaces, schedules, or rules
  • Having to learn new or different tasks or take on more responsibilities
  • Having to work more frequent or extended shifts
  • Being unable to take adequate breaks
  • Physically demanding work
  • Learning new communication tools and dealing with technical difficulties
  • Blurring of work-life boundaries, making it hard to disconnect from the office
  • Finding ways to work while simultaneously caregiving
  • Concerns about work performance and productivity
  • Concerns about the safety of using public transit to commute

These stressors can negatively affect a person’s mental health and sense of well-being, which can potentially contribute to serious problems, like the development or exacerbation of mental health challenges. Stressors can also lead to issues with productivity, happiness, and burnout.

Employer guidance and Workplace Stress

The goal should be to find ways to alleviate or remove stressors in the workplace to the greatest extent possible, says OSHA, and to build coping and resiliency supports, and ensure that people who need help know where to find it. Reducing workplace stress can improve morale and lead to increased productivity, better focus, fewer workplace injuries, fewer sick days, and improved physical health.

There are four key things that employers can do to help their workers manage and reduce stress. The first is to be aware and acknowledge that people can carry an emotional load that is unique to their own circumstances. Some people may experience heightened levels of loneliness, isolation, uncertainty, grief, and stress, while others may have additional responsibilities like caregiving for children or elderly household members. There are also those who already have existing mental health and substance use challenges.

Employers should identify factors that are making it harder for workers to get their jobs done, and determine if adjustments can be made. Leaders must also show empathy, by ensuring their employees that they are not alone, their employer understands the stress they are under, there is no shame in feeling anxious, and that asking for help is important.

The last key factor is providing access to coping and resiliency resources, workplace and leave flexibilities without penalty, or other supportive networks and services. OSHA says that research from the American Psychological Association suggests that 50% of employees find that a lack of paid time off or sick leave has a negative impact on workplace stress levels.

OSHA provides recommendations for senior managers and supervisors on how to get conversations started with employees about mental health. Senior managers should be transparent and avoid using negative or stigmatizing language when discussing mental health and workplace stress. They should stay positive and speak positively around everyone, and listen without judgment if a staff member reaches out.

Managers must be understanding and offer assistance, and model exemplary behaviors by demonstrating self-care behaviors. Lastly, they should adequately train frontline supervisors about mental health issues, so they have the skills and confidence to address these issues and recognize the signs and symptoms of emotional distress.

As for supervisors, they should find out if workers need help, and look for ways to redistribute tasks to minimize stress. They must monitor their own stress levels and make sure that they are taking care of themselves. Supervisors should be compassionate and understanding and look for signs of stress and mental health emergencies.

If there is concern about a worker experiencing a serious mental health or substance use challenge, encourage them to get help. Lastly, supervisors must know the facts, and OSHA recommends that they take training to learn about mental health issues.

Training with Workplace Stress

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10 Practical Science-Backed Ways Leaders Can Support Their Employees’ Mental Health During Challenges

10 Practical Science-Backed Ways Leaders Can Support Their Employees’ Mental Health During Challenges

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Happier.com | BY NATALY KOGAN | Mental Health | Health Insurance

As a leader, your job is not to manage people or projects — it’s to manage mental health, including your own.

During this really challenging time (understatement of the year!) that can be really intense and since we don’t learn about emotional fitness skills in MBA or leadership development programs, you don’t always know what to do.

The first thing you can do is make your and your team’s emotional and mental health your number one priority. You can’t give what you don’t have and your team members can’t give what they don’t have. If everyone is depleted and overwhelmed, it doesn’t matter how many motivating talks you give. As mountains of research show, we can’t do great work unless we fuel our well-being first.

Since the pandemic broke out, I’ve done 100+ virtual sessions on emotional fitness skills for teams and leaders and have led 3 virtual leadership development groups, to help leaders bring their full capacity to the challenges they are facing right now — and help people they lead do the same. 

Here are my 10 favorite science-backed tips to help you strengthen the emotional and mental health of people you lead — starting with your own.

10 Practical Science-Backed Ways Leaders Can Support Their Employees’ Mental Health During Challenges

1. Practice emotional awareness and openness

Whether you like it or not, as a leader, your emotions have an amplified effect on everyone else. So begin by practicing emotional awareness: Check in with yourself by asking “How am I feeling? What is my energy like?” (Do this first thing in the morning and before meetings.)

When your emotions vary from the norm (upset, stressed, more tense than usual) acknowledge them openly by telling people a little bit about why you feel that way. You don’t need to write a novel about your feelings — just share enough so the other person knows what’s up. This reduces stress and wasted energy for people trying to guess why you’re acting differently and gives them permission to share their emotions more openly.

2. Check-in and listen


Be intentional about checking in with your colleagues one on one to ask them how they are doing. This practice has 2 steps: (1) Ask them how they are and then (2) listen, giving them your full attention, without multi-tasking or trying to fix or give advice. During this challenging time when everyone feels more isolated, checking in with others is a powerful way to create moments of genuine human connection. (And no, you don’t always need to do it on Zoom — scheduling a quick check-in call works great!)

3. Practice Gratitude


During challenges and difficulties, the human brain’s natural negativity bias — being more sensitive to what’s wrong or negative — is in overdrive, making it easy to become overwhelmed with negative thoughts and even hopelessness. Practicing gratitude openly is the best way to counter the negativity spiral. 

Add Gratitude Bookends to your meetings: Begin a meeting by sharing something specific you’re grateful for or expressing your gratitude for someone else and at the end of the meeting, ask someone to do the same. This simple practice elevates the importance of gratitude for your team, encourages people to practice it on their own, and makes meetings more productive and collaborative.

4. Create no-meeting days

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Shield Insurance Blog How Long You May Need To Walk Outside To See A Boost In Your Mental Health

See A Boost In Your Mental Health

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A new study underscores just how important it is for your mental health to spend time in nature or green spaces.

HuffPost.com | By Jillian Wilson | Sep 14, 2022, 05:45 AM EDT | Updated Sep 15, 2022

Mental Health

There’s a reason why the sounds of nature — chirping birds, flowing streams, falling rain — are often sound options for white noise machines and meditation apps: They’re calming.

A new small study published in Molecular Psychiatry further underscores this. The study found that a one-hour nature walk reduces mental health stress when compared to a one-hour walk in a bustling city environment.

The study followed 63 people who were randomly assigned a nature walk or an urban walk. The nature walk took place in a forest in Berlin and the urban walk took place on a busy street in the city.

Participants were instructed not to check their phones or stop in stores while on their walk. They were given a bagged lunch and a phone with a 30-minute timer that instructed them to turn around.

Before the walk, participants filled out a questionnaire and then underwent an fMRI scan that measured two tasks.

The first task measured brain activity during a “fearful faces task,” in which participants were shown 15 female and 15 male faces that either had a neutral or scared expression. The second task measured was brain activity during an “Montreal Imaging Stress Task,” which is designed to create a level of stress in participants. During the task, participants had a set amount of time to solve challenging arithmetic problems.

After the walk, participants filled out another questionnaire and underwent another fMRI scan that measured the same tasks they conducted before their walk.

The results showed that nature significantly improved people’s mental health.

The study found that those who took part in the 60-minute nature walk experienced lower stress levels following their time outside.

“The results of our study show that after only [a] one-hour walk in nature, activity in brain regions involved in stress processing decreases,” Sonja Sudimac, the lead author of the study, told Medical News Today.

Particularly, the researchers found the brain’s amygdala activity (which is responsible for our stress and fear response) decreased in those who were in the nature walk group.

This decrease was not seen in people who completed the city walk. According to the study, urban environments can negatively impact one’s mental health, leading to increased rates of anxiety, depression and mood disorders. (Just think about the stress that comes with frequently honking horns, running to catch a bus or dealing with long lines just to get some groceries.)

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Mental Health Care Services Are Covered by Most Health Insurance Plans

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Mental Health | Health Insurance | Start A Quote Today!

DIFS: Mental Health Care Services Are Covered by Most Health Insurance Plans

Media Contact: Laura Hall, (517) 290-3779, DIFS-press@michigan.gov
Consumer Hotline: 877-999-6442, Michigan.gov/DIFScomplaints

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 31, 2022

(LANSING, MICH) As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) is reminding consumers that mental health care services are covered by many health insurance plans, enabling Michiganders to get the help, support, and care they need.

“Mental health care is health care. It is just as important as physical health and should not be neglected. Yet, we know that approximately 40% of Michiganders experiencing mental illness do not seek treatment for these concerns,” said DIFS Director Anita Fox. “Mental health services are covered by many health insurance plans, including all Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans purchased through HealthCare.gov. Review your policy documents to determine if you have this coverage, which will cover the costs of office or virtual visits with a licensed mental health professional, substance abuse disorder treatment, or medications.”

Michiganders are encouraged to check with their health insurer to confirm their coverage for mental health services and to make sure they understand their out-of-pocket expenses before seeking the mental health care they need. Mental health and substance use disorder coverage offered by a health plan must be similar to the coverage provided for medical surgical services. Out-of-Pocket expenses, such as copays, and prior authorization requirements must also be similar to those for medical surgical services.

DIFS stands ready to help Michiganders get the most out of their health insurance and reduce barriers that may discourage them from seeking mental health care. If consumers have concerns about mental health-related insurance claims that cannot be resolved directly with the insurer, contact DIFS by calling 877-999-6442 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by filing a complaint at Michigan.gov/DIFScomplaints.

DIFS can help consumers with health insurance questions and complaints and can provide information about the Special Enrollment Period that is currently open for households with incomes lower than 150% of the federal poverty level. Contact DIFS Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 877-999-6442 or Michigan.gov/HealthInsurance.

The mission of the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services is to ensure access to safe and secure insurance and financial services fundamental for the opportunity, security, and success of Michigan residents while fostering economic growth and sustainability in both industries. In addition, the Department provides consumer protection, outreach, financial literacy, and education services to Michigan residents. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/DIFS or follow the Department on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

You can also call Shield Insurance for additional details on Mental Health Care Coverage at 616.896.4600

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Mental Health and the Benefits of Journaling

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Diabetes.org | Mental Health | Shield Health Insurance

Journaling has been recommended for years as a way to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression—but mood journals are unique.

Unlike regular journals, which are usually meant for chronicling your day-to-day life, mood journals are a place to focus specifically on your feelings and emotions. They’ve become increasingly popular, as apps and online mood trackers have emerged on the Internet. But they are more than just a trend: Research shows they can be effective tools to help people manage chronic health conditions.

A study published in the journal JIMR Mental Health looked at 70 adults with various medical symptoms who also experienced anxiety. Participants were asked to keep a web-based journal for 15 minutes a day, three days a week, for 12 weeks. Those who did so reported less stress and better moods. People with diabetes are often bothered or stressed out by experiences or challenges in our lives, and this can crowd out or displace positive experiences, thoughts and reflection. Journaling allows you to refocus on more positive topics, such as good experiences or strong relationships. That, in turn, can tamp down stress hormones that affect overall health.

A landmark study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology found that people who wrote about past traumatic experiences had lower blood pressure and heart rates, as well as increases in T-cells, which help fight disease, compared with those who wrote about superficial things.

Mental Health Feelings to the Forefront

A mood journal gives you a place to release thoughts and feelings that you may not be acknowledging. For many, the problem with our emotions is not the emotions that we have but the fact that we don’t know how to express them. For example, have you ever been frustrated when you couldn’t find the right blood glucose test strips or another diabetes supply you need at your local pharmacy and noticed your blood glucose go up along with your anxiety?

It’s not surprising. As levels of stress hormones such as epinephrine (adrenaline) rise, more glucose is released from the liver. But at the same time, cortisol levels rise, which causes body tissue (both muscle and fat) to be less sensitive to insulin. The result: more glucose in your bloodstream.

The good news is that lowered stress can lead to other health benefits. When you feel better about yourself, you’re more likely to stick to healthy habits, such as getting enough sleep and regular physical activity.

Writing down your thoughts may also help you break not-so-healthy patterns. Say, for instance, potato chips have become your go-to snack. Jot some notes about how you’re feeling and include what happened right before. You may realize that you got into an argument with someone or were late to a meeting and were so upset from those events that you turned to comfort food. Catching yourself at the time and actually writing down your feelings can give you the information you need to understand your motivation and make a different choice.

How to get started to Improve your mental health

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Mood Disorder: Employers Have Employees Suffering

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RiskAndInsurance.com | By: Raquel Moreno | Mood Disorder | Dec 8, 2021| Shield Blog | Start A Quote

Employers: More Likely Than Not, You Have an Employee Suffering from a Mood Disorder. How You Respond Matters

With the pandemic negatively impacting the mental health of 36% of U.S. adults, according to a recent NAMI study, providing support at work is now a business imperative.

If a silver lining can be found in the collective impact the world has experienced throughout the pandemic, perhaps greater awareness around mental health would be it.

“One of the positive things that came out of the pandemic is the de-stigmatizing of mental health,” Dr. Geralyn Datz, president and clinical director for Southern Behavioral Medicine Associates confirmed.

“It’s become okay to talk about mental health; you’ll even hear people say, ‘I’m anxious today’ or ‘[I’m] down today’ or what have you.”

Having the space to be more open about our moods, especially in the workplace, can even be a step toward prevention, as Dr. Ann Hawkins, founder and chief innovation officer for 24hr Virtual Clinic, noted.

It’s not just a matter of occasionally feeling happy, sad, cranky or upbeat. Moods can be “the precursor for many behavioral or mental health situations,” Hawkins said.

Overwhelmingly, U.S. adults are aware of the impact that one’s mood and mental health has on various facets of life. Eighty-six percent of adults who participated in a recent study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) agreed that “mood disorders can significantly interfere with thoughts, behavior, activity, and physical health.”

Examining the feedback from over 1,500 U.S. adults without a mood disorder, the study aimed at exploring today’s general perceptions on mood disorders, as well as the lived experiences of more than 2,000 U.S. adults diagnosed with a mood disorder and over 500 of their caregivers.

For over two decades, global and domestic studies have steadily confirmed that mood disorders, such as depression, account for the largest disease burden impacting workplace performance and safety.

The NAMI survey added to the body of evidence with 25% of adults with a mood disorder reporting a significant number of lost days at work or a loss of employment.

With 36% of U.S. adults confirming that the pandemic has had a negative impact on their overall mental health, and 25% reporting the pandemic having negatively impacted their productivity at work, helping people navigate their mental health at work is no longer optional for businesses looking to manage health-related costs.

“In this past year, mental health support went from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a business imperative,” Datz confirmed.

Costly Symptoms of Mood Disorders

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4 Symptoms of Stress You Should Never Ignore

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Mental health focus at Tokyo Olympics is a reminder of the role that pressure plays

by Sarah Elizabeth Adler |  AARP | August 2, 2021| Symptoms of Stress | Health Insurance

En español | Wins and medals aren’t the only things grabbing attention at this year’s Olympic games in Tokyo: Mental health awareness is also in the spotlight, after U.S. star gymnast Simone Biles’ decision to withdraw from some events in order to focus on her emotional well-being. 

Olympians or not, we’re all susceptible to stress, whether from job or family pressures or obligations like caregiving. Here are the physical and mental signs that experts say could signal trouble.  

1. Insomnia and difficulty sleeping 

Can’t fall or stay asleep? Insomnia is a classic symptom of stress, says Connecticut-based clinical psychologist Holly Schiff. For example, Biles said she “could barely nap” before the Olympic team gymnastics final. And the consequences of lack of sleep, including fatigue and problems concentrating, can make it even harder to get through the day, creating a stress snowball effect. 

To break the no-slumber cycle, Schiff recommends that you keep a bedside journal to jot down the worries keeping you up at night, whether that’s tomorrow’s to-do list or other preoccupying thoughts. “Getting it down on paper and theoretically out of your mind can be helpful and free up some mental space, so you can focus on getting a restful night’s sleep,” she says. 

2. Changes in mood and thinking 

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8 Lasting Changes Experts Think We’ll See In Kids After This ‘Lost’ Year

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The COVID-19 pandemic changed all of our lives, but for developing kids, its impact may have more long-term effects.

By Caroline Bologna | 07/28/2021 04:52pm EDT | Huffpost.com

“Every kid’s experience of the pandemic is different based on their temperament and their home life,” Jacqueline P. Wight, director of mental health services at DotCom Therapy, told HuffPost. “Many children have experienced mental health challenges, and we anticipate that for some of these children, there will be lasting effects. For others, the challenges were more situational and will subside as life returns to normal.”

There’s no easy way to know which camp your child may fall into, but parents can take note as the situation evolves.

“Children are starting to experience the ripple effects from the collective trauma of the pandemic, and the long-term implications of this ‘lost’ pandemic year may not be fully understood for years to come,” said licensed clinical social worker Nidhi Tewari.

“The good news is that children ― and humans in general ― are resilient beings, and we will begin to recalibrate as the threat of COVID-19 dissipates in the coming months and years,” she added. “If we take steps to attend to our mental health and well-being now, then we can mitigate some of the long-term impact of this pandemic.”

Widening Inequality

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