There’s no question that color and light can have a significant effect on how we think, feel, and sometimes behave. But can they change us physically? Absolutely. Even more surprising, we don’t even have to see those colors for them to affect us. Let’s start with blue light. During the day, it’s great stuff. Researchers...Continue reading
Category: Suicide
Why Don’t Men Seek Therapy? Masculinity.
By Dr. Christopher Kilmartin Scene one: an 8 year old child comes home from school and says, “The other kids are picking on me.” The parent responds with, “I’m so sorry, honey. Does it make you feel sad?” Scene two: another 8 year old child comes home from school and says, “The other kids are picking...Continue reading
Depression and the Strength of Asking for Help
Men suffering from depression often struggle to ask for help. Asking for help is widely perceived as a weakness among men, which prevents them from getting the care they need. While vulnerability may hurt a man’s self image, receiving effective treatment could dramatically improve his well-being. “More than 6 million men in the United States...Continue reading
Drug Warnings Can Be a Double-Edged Sword
Back in 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required that a particular class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) carry a “black box” warning that for children and teens, side effects may include an increased risk of suicidal thoughts. Sounds perfectly reasonable, doesn’t it? But then, along comes the Law of...Continue reading
My Father’s Stay at God’s Hotel: A Slow-Medicine Approach to Healing Mental Illness
It’s been a long journey to come to peace with my father’s life and how it has impacted my own. I was born on December 21, 1943 in New York City. My parents had tried to conceive for many years, but had been unsuccessful. They finally were successful when my father was 37 and my...Continue reading
Pay More Attention to Young Men’s Mental Health
A recent report on the mental health of young men (ages 16-25) in Australia, is attracting a lot of attention from mental health professionals, parents, politicians, teachers, and, of course, the guys. One of the study’s key discoveries was that a fifth of young men say that life isn’t worth living and one in 10...Continue reading
The Secret to a Longer Life? Follow Directions
It seems that there’s a new study out every day proving that eating certain foods (like more veggies and less meat) or doing certain things (like getting enough exercise and sleep) can improve and/or extend your life. Reading—and thinking—are a good first step. But they’re not much unless you actually do something to make some...Continue reading
Placing American Indian and Alaska Native Boys and Men’s Health Disparities on the Map
A group of stakeholders dedicated to raising awareness on health disparities among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) males has collaborated with Men’s Health Network (MHN) and the Office of Minority Health to develop a brief report titled A Vision of Wellness and Health Equity for AI/AN Boys and Men. Among American Indians and Alaska...Continue reading
PTSD: Affects Vets’ Spouses Too
According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), about 25 percent of vets returning from the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq are suffering from PTSD. That’s about 500,000 veterans. If we include family members, that number more than doubles. Not surprisingly, returning veterans—particularly those with PTSD—have a higher divorce rate than non-veterans. And...Continue reading
Men and Suicide: Much More Than a Mental-Health Issue
Anyone who’s ever looked at suicide statistics knows that men are 3-4 times more likely to kill themselves than women are (women, however, attempt suicide more). But what a lot of people don’t realize is that men in lower socio-economic groups—especially men in their 30s, 40s, and 50s—are significantly more likely to commit suicide than...Continue reading