Researchers are emphasizing how mindset can affect physical health

09/15/2020

Photo (c) BernardaSv - Getty ImagesWhile many consumers think of changing their diet or exercise habits in an effort to promote better heart health, a new study is exploring how a persons attitude plays a bigger role in health outcomes than they might realize.

According to researchers from the European Society of Cardiology, having a hostile attitude could make recovering from a heart attack more complicated. Their study revealed that a good attitude is key for heart attack patients because being more irritable could increase the risk of death in the event of a second heart attack.

Hostility is a personality trait that includes being sarcastic, cynical, resentful, impatient, or irritable, said researcher Dr. Tracey Vitori. Its not just a one-off occurrence but characterises how a person interacts with people. We know that taking control of lifestyle habits improves the outlook for heart attack patients and our study suggests that improving hostile behaviours could also be a positive move.

To understand how hostility could affect future health outcomes, the researchers assessed over 2,300 heart attack patients attitudes and behaviors over the course of two years. Ultimately, they found that having a more hostile attitude was associated with poorer health outcomes.

The researchers explained that hostility wasnt necessarily an indicator of future health concerns, as nearly 60 percent of the participants were categorized as having hostile attitudes. However, over the long-term, being angry and aggressive appeared to increase the likelihood that patients wouldnt survive a subsequent heart attack.

There is much cardiac patients can do to take control of their own health, said Dr. Vitori. From a physical side -- smoking cessation, increase physical activity, and eat a balanced diet. Our study also indicates that managing hostile behaviours could be important.

Several recent studies have explored the ways mental health can have an effect on heart health -- especially for young people. Because of this, the researchers hope that these findings inspire further research that can help medical professionals better understand why hostility is such an important component in heart attack recovery.

Hostility has been linked with cardiovascular disease since the 1950s, but we still dont fully understand why, Dr. Vitori said. Our study shows that hostility is a common trait in heart attack survivors and is associated with poor outcomes. More research is needed on how this characteristic affects the body.

Kristen Dalli is a New York native and recent graduate of Marist College. She has worked as a writer and editor for several different companies and publications, including Thought Catalog, The Oddysey, Thomas Greco Publishing, and several travel blogs.

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Heart attack patients with hostile attitudes have poorer health outcomes, study finds - ConsumerAffairs

MANSFIELD Worldwide, life as we know it has vastly changed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, causing us to adapt and change how we operate in our everyday lives. For aircrew members at the 179th Airlift Wing, adaptability has been key in continuing training to ensure mission readiness while following the necessary safety precautions and protocols during combat survival training.

Master Sgt. William Hamilton, lead trainer for continuation training in the aircrew flight equipment shop at the 179th AW, recently conducted combat survival training for aircrew personnel and said it was a perfect example of the adaptability the National Guard exemplifies.

The training consisted of a cradle to grave experience for anything the aircrew might encounter during a combat evasion situation in hostile territory, Hamilton said.

During the training, the aircrew personnel perfected their skills in preparing for evasion, concealment, land navigation, evasive movement techniques, sustenance and water procurement, shelter building, formation evasion maneuvers, fire craft class and many more skills needed in an evasion situation.

One of the key points Hamilton said he hopes that personnel gain from the training is confidence.

Keeping a positive mental attitude in a combat evasion situation is key, and conducting this type of training fosters confidence, which will contribute to maintaining a positive mental attitude no matter what the aircrew personnel are faced with, he said. This years training had to be altered to ensure the safety of the aircrew personnel due to the risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We had to change up the classroom setting, we had a smaller group than usual and had fewer group activities, Hamilton said. This time the training was more individually based, and we made sure to maintain our distance and wear proper personal protective equipment if that distance was unable to be met.

For Hamilton, although the circumstances the world is facing right now are unlike anything anyone has experienced in their lifetime, he believes the National Guard has done an amazing job at adapting.

The r in Guard stands for resilience, Hamilton quipped. I have been doing this for 18 years, and each year we are doing something different. Whether its regulations being changed or adapting to socially distancing, we have always been great at adapting and overcoming whatever comes our way. This is just another example of the great resiliency the Guard has.

https://www.galioninquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2020/09/web1_20200825-179th-training-6212584.jpg

Adaptability key to 179th Airlift Wings continued training

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Staying ready amid COVID-19 - Galion Inquirer

"I am a Goddess," and "I am Gleaming" and "I am Beautiful"... repeat these daily as you slather on your moisturizer or face wash or vitamin C serum created by champion surfer Tia Blanco and her sister Aja, each item in their new vegan beauty line named with an affirmation, to remind you and me and all women tofeel beautiful, confident and self-assured.

The sisters, Tia, 23, and Aja Blanco, 27, launched the first fewproducts of their natural, vegan, and cruelty-free skincare line, Dear Self two years ago, a passion project thatthey are now expanding to include every possible skincare productyou might need for beautiful skinincluding moisturizers to vitamin C serum, and makeup removerand eachoneis made from chemical-free, all-natural ingredients, assembled in the USA. All the packagingfor Dear Self will be earth-friendly as well, from the biodegradable boxesto the recyclable glass jars that allow you to be your most beautiful without filling the world's oceans with more discarded plastic.

Tia first won fame as atalented surfer on the International Women's Circuit, then expanded her following on Instagram as a dedicated vegan, since age 16. She gave up meat and dairy afterwatching Glass Walls, the short documentary narrated by Sir Paul McCartney.Tia won first place five years ago at the InternationalSurfingAssociation (ISA) Open Women's WorldSurfingChampionship in Popoyo, Nicaragua, then successfully defended the title bywinninggold again atPlaya Jac, Costa Rica. This year the competitive surf season was cut short by the pandemic but Tia is about to unveil a new project, a surf show on a major TV network, but the details are too secret to talk about yet.

Tia and Aja will be launching Dear Self as a full line (rather than just a few products) later this year and the sisters are eager to share their approach and inspiration, and how hard the journey has been. So much of it has to do with confidence and helping other women build themselves up. It's surprising to hear of a world-class athlete talk about how she has to self-script and envision success before every major surf competition. Yet it's also reassuring which is the point of Dear Self: We all need a little reminding, and boosting, in the mirror each day.

Here, Tia and Aja sat down with The Beet to talk about what inspired them and the journey from athlete (Tia) and software engineer (Aja), to entrepreneurs.

Tia: There have been a lot of ups and downs, and it's been quite a rollercoaster, but we are so passionate about beauty and the skincare and beauty industry. We had to learn about the beauty and skincare industry as we went. We had to start from square one, since we had no real mentor for learning, like learning about the FDA regulations and all of that.

Tia: Surfing is my number one priority. I train and surf every single day, but my sister and I have always wanted to launch a skincare linecentered aroundself-love. We are pretty busy with our careers, Aja is a software engineer, but one day we let go of all the excuses holding us back, and it was just time for us to go for it.

Aja: We are really working on creating a complete skincare line. We don't have a face wash available for our customers, yet. Tia and I both have super sensitive skin types, so we are working on one that works for both of us. We found a vegan collagen serum, an eye serum and moisturizer that we love. The moisturizer, "I am Gleaming" is a fan favorite. And we will also be introducing bath bombs that we are really excited about.

Tia: We are starting with e-commerce plus a few smaller boutiques and spas but we are also working on getting into major retail stores like Sephora, Ulta and Whole Foods.We've approved the samples, so as soon as the line is complete with our manufacturer, in the US, specifically California, which we are really excited about.

Aja: As a software engineer I am working on our website. So we're getting close.

Tia: There are a lot of layers that go with your self, and the motives behind the brand, but one of them being a natural skincare line. Being in the water all the time since I was basically three years old has shown me how the sun can damage your skin, and ever since I can remember I have been interested in skincare, and I could go to Whole Foods and spend hours in their beauty aisle, and geek out on it.

Aja: Since I have sensitive skin I have tried everything out there.We both have sensitive skin and our customers say they also have sensitive skin. I have more of a combination skin type and Tia has dry skin. but we both get reactions from fragrances and products

The Beet: So you decided to make it vegan, natural and do no animal testing?

Tia: You'd be surprised how many lines appear to be natural but still test on animals. A lot of companies sell their products in China and they require testing on animals there, so we want to be vegan and cruelty-free which is what sets Dear Self apart. The vegan collagen is made in a lab and it has no animal collagen.

Another motive behind our skincare is we do our best to be as eco-friendly as possible. The mailer boxes are made out of recycled material and arebiodegradable. The skincare bottles are made out of glass instead of plastic, but shipping glass can be scary so we found plastic-free bubble wrap that looks like beehives.

Tia: Self-love and self-care are both essential to women. The whole idea behind it is that our skincare routine every day is supposed to be a time you dedicate to yourself and self-love. Aja and I found that we can be critical and critique yourself whether its acne, wrinkles or whateverwesee in the mirror, so we wanted to make a line that encourages people to see themselves in a new light

Aja: The names are: I am beautiful, I am glowing, I am a goddess and we encourage our clients to feel that affirmation and feel inner beauty and self beauty.

Our mission is toencourage our customers to practice self-love and we wanted to redirect their thinking patterns when they look in the mirror and that's how we came up with affirmations.Social media can make us doubt ourselves.

Tia: I've been competing for a long time since I was 13 years old and there are so many ups and downs that come with competitive surfing. I can't tell you how many times I've gone home to my family and said 'I want to quit. I'm over this.' Luckily I have such a supportive family who lifts me up.

When I look back I realize how much your outlook and mental attitude lifts you up and allows you to succeed, I tap into myself and tap into that mindset. You have to back yourself and have a positive mental attitude you can do it.

Your attitude makes a difference. That's true in skincare or at work or in school.

I have a sports psychologist I work with before my events. We do a lot of visualization for everything that is going to happen during my day. putting on my jersey attaching my leash and sitting out on my first wave, visualizing success.

It's a big problem. Miley Cyrus.

Tia: Initially, I went vegan when I was 16 years old after I saw Glass Walls. I remember baling my eyes out that night and feeling helpless, frustrated at the world and thinking I couldn't save every animal in those slaughterhouses. I watched Forks of Knives and Earthlings and I initially went vegan because of the animals. For me, it's about the animals, and its a lifestyle, not a diet.

Once I made the connection that the food on my plate didn't come from a happy farm or a happy cow I made the switch. Both our parents raised us vegetarian and my mom was raised in Philipines and she was vegetarian and we have never had red meat in our entire lives. But first I had to make sure I could be an athlete on this diet.

Aja: I went vegan seven years ago and I did it for health reasons. I had asthma, and I don't have it anymore. So it worked.

Tia: Our full season for the year has been called off but I have a TV show that is launching highlights my competitive career. I was able to compete and I could forget about life in quarantine. filmed already. Waiting on a premiere date. It's a networkshow, coming soon. But I can't talk about it. It's so gnarley. But I can'tsay anything about it yet. But I'll let you know when I can!

Until then, repeat every morning in the mirror: I am a Goddess. Because you are one.

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Tia Blanco the Champion Surfer is Launching her Vegan Beauty Line - The Beet

My career came to fruition through persistence. I love to perform more than anything in the world. At every opportunity to be seen by a new audience or to meet new people who were linked to the industry, I made sure I was there even from the age of eight.

Williams hopes to take her career to the next level with directing and producing (Photography: Craig McDean/Cartier)

As a young woman in the film industry, what challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge I faced as a young woman in the film industry would be my body image. Theres immense pressure on young women to look a particular way. We need to be striking but in a soft, appealing way. To be curvy but with a slim waist and skinny arms. At a certain level the decisions stop focusing around talent and they purely come down to aesthetics.

What does time mean to you?

I used to feel like I was running out of time, but that was because I used to fill my time with pointless things. Now I see time as being precious and I dont want to waste it.

Whats more challenging, being an actress or an entrepreneur?

Being an entrepreneur is pretty stressful. Business brings out the worst in people and having to compete with personalities like that is draining.

Whats your message to young women like yourself?

Never let the people who dont care for the real you distract you from loving who you are. Dont waste time being anyone other than yourself.

Whos your favourite actor from the 80s?

Linda Hamilton or Sigourney Weaver.

What was your reaction when Cartier approached you?

I was extremely flattered. Its such an honour to be approached by a brand as famous asCartier.

Princess Diana and her athleisure.

My phone represents chaos every five seconds its a notification or an email or a text. My watch literally gives me more time in my day, its magic.

Its a subtle reminder of how far Ive come without being flashy or insensitive.

The distinct design of the Pasha watch challenges the predominance of round shapes in watchmaking and amplifies its presence, originality and singularity. How do you relate with the watch and the spirit of Pasha de Cartier?

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Maisie Williams talks Success and her role in this Empowered Generation - Prestige Online

TV presenter Aidy Smith explains how his vocal and physical tics have helped rather than hindered him.

It was Christmas eve and I was eight years old. As I finished my letter for Santa, my wish wasnt for presents. The envelope contained a note of desperation from a little boy who didnt understand what hed done to deserve being like this.

Please dont give me presents, Santa. All I need is to be normal.

Three weeks earlier, I had been on the train when a burst of anger exploded across the carriage. Will someone shut that child up!

My mother began to scribble a note to explain I wasnt being difficult and that the little noises I made were tics caused by a neurological condition that resulted in involuntary movements and vocalisation Tourette syndrome.

The man raged down the carriage with the paper in his hand: Is this meant to embarrass me? My daughter is a psychiatrist and knows all about these problems!

Problems, I remember thinking. Thats all I was, a problem. When youre eight and the root of so much embarrassment, anger and hurt your family are made to go through on a daily basis, life isnt very happy.

Little did I know back then that my Tourettes isnt a weakness. Now, aged 29, as a drinks journalist and presenter of an award-winning series, The Three Drinkers, I realise its my superpower. Because when I focus on my passions, tics all but vanish. Watching me, youd have no idea I even had Tourettes.

Most peoples first interaction with TS was likely someone shouting a profanity on a comedy sketch or video. This is called coprolalia, but affects only around 6% of those with Tourettes. For the rest, they take the form of any movement or sound. Mine, which began at seven, took the form of a cough, loud whooping and neck jerk.

From then until 13, school was tough. Name calling was frequent.

I have memories of getting to school early and hiding in the canteen until lessons began. A group of sixth-form students noticed my tics and took me under their wing. That act of kindness has never left me.

While some teachers were amazing and went out of their way to research my condition, others were oblivious and there were occasions where I was made to be a complete laughing stock.

Aged 12, a substitute teacher shouted mid-class: What is wrong with you, boy? Once shed been filled in by staff, she pulled me up midway through the next lesson. Why didnt you tell me you had something wrong with you? Youve embarrassed me in front of everyone, she scathed.

The humiliation of these situations was unbearable. I wanted to disappear.

I remember my neighbours hosting a birthday party for their child. After an hour I was told it was an adults-only event and asked to leave.

I spent the rest of the day by my bedroom window listening to kids having fun playing on the bouncy castle.

Not enough understanding has led to those with TS hiding away due to the fear of being judged in public.

So at 13, on my first day of senior school, I asked the headmaster to announce in assembly, to more than 800 kids and staff, that I had Tourette syndrome and explain it. This was going to go one of two ways dramatically worse or significantly better.

Thank god I made this decision, because it was the second. But as I listened to my teacher that day, what I didnt realise was that he wasnt telling them about my problem, he was telling them about my superpower.

It wasnt until I turned 15 that I began to understand that when I channelled my energy into what I loved theatre studies, DJing online and acting my tics slowed and, in some cases, disappeared. And this allowed me to excel.

I began teaching myself cognitive behavioural therapies. Meditation, sensory stimulation and a positive mental attitude allowed me to begin to control my urges and rechannel my energy into what I loved.

By 18, Id got accepted into Lancaster University where I began learning how to disguise my tics. Now I present my own series on Amazon Prime, write a drinks column and travel the world to host events.

My tics have changed over time (my cycles last around eight months) and are at their worst when I am emotional, stressed or unwell. I frequently get migraines, muscle pains and insomnia.

Dating is another hurdle theres always a fear youll drive people away given your oddities; at what point do you tell someone you have TS? Im still figuring this part out.

But am I happy? Yes. Extremely. I have daily struggles, but having found my superpower I can now say Im one of the only TV presenters in the world with Tourettes and Im confident that I wont be the last.

For those with TS, I want to say, your life is not destined for failure. Once you find your passion, you will soar.

For the parents who are scared for their childs future don't be. Dont shield them from reality, we need to experience those funny looks to get ready for the world. Help us find our superpower and watch us flourish.

And for everyone else who sees people like us twitch or make a noise as we go about our day, dont stare. Simply smile, acknowledge it and continue on.

The Three Drinkers airs on Amazon Prime. Follow Aidy on Instagram or Twitter @Sypped

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TV star Aidy Smith wrote to Santa asking to be 'normal' as he battled Tourette symdrome - Mirror Online

Research has found that there has been an "explosion" in anxiety cases in the UK over the past decade with women impacted the most.

Despite a heightened awareness of the importance of taking care of our mental health from searching out the best yoga mats to practicing mindfulness the UK has seen a major spike in anxiety cases in the last decade.

New research shared exclusively in The Guardian has shown that the financial crash, austerity, Brexit, climate change and social media are to blame for huge rises in the mental health condition in Britain since 2008.

Anxiety cases were found to have trebled among young adults, affecting a staggering 30% of women aged 18 to 24, and have seen a spike across the board among both men and women under 55.

MORE: Bibliotherapy: Why the NHS is prescribing books to help with mental health

The findings emerged in one of the biggest studies of anxiety undertaken in the UK in recent years, which analysed diagnosis and treatment by GPs for 6.6 million patients across 795 different practices in the UK since 1998.

Where 8.42% of women aged 18 to 24 suffered anxiety in 2008, the study found that this had more than trebled to 30.33% by 2018. The proportion of women aged 25 to 34 suffering from anxiety more than doubled over that decade increasing from 9.08% to 21.69% while smaller increases were seen among women aged 35 to 44 and 45 to 54.

Overall, women were significantly more affected by the mental health condition than men.

Overall, women were diagnosed with anxiety more frequently. Credit: Getty

Speaking of the factors that are to blame for what he calls an explosion in anxiety cases, lead researcher Professor Nick Freemantle told The Guardian, The 2008 crash was characterised by unemployment, especially youth unemployment. Young people who were just starting out in adult life had the rug pulled out from under them.

During this period [2008-2018] we had a recession, a vote to leave Europe, which was not popular among young people, social media became ubiquitous, there was increased concern about the climate, and there was a change of attitude towards anxiety disorder.

MORE: This is what hypnotherapy could do for your anxiety levels

Additionally, the study revealed a generational divide finding that the number of anxiety cases have not risen in the last decade among those aged 55 and over. According to Prof Freemantle, this is likely because over 55s are less likely to be affected by economic factors like housing and job prospects.

But its thought that anxiety cases are going to further increase in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Given the steep increases in anxiety revealed by this research, and the sheer number of people affected, it is now clear that Britain has a really serious and worsening problem with anxiety, which can have devastating effects on peoples lives, Professor Freemantle told the paper. And this data stopped just before the Covid-19 pandemic; we can only speculate on how they would look now.

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The UK has experienced an explosion in anxiety since 2008 and this study says it affects women more - woman&home

Updated / Saturday, 12 Sep 2020 17:20

Singer Dave McCabe and his band Stolen City stole the show with their Late Late debut on Friday night as he shared his story of being diagnosed with leukaemia and inspired viewers with his attitude.

The special needs assistant first told his story on the Ryan Tubridy Show on RT Radio 1 during the summer, receiving an invite from the presenter to perform on the Late Late when it returned for the new season.

Having felt tired for a number of weeks at the start of the year, the Dubliner was diagnosed with leukaemia on March 6 after the results of blood tests came back in St James' Hospital.

"[I] Went to James' Hospital Friday morning, did my bloods and then me and the lads were gigging in a school in Clondalkin - we were doing a gig for Mental Health Week in this school," he recounted.

"My phone was constantly buzzing over and over again in my pocket. I was like, 'What's going on?' It was James's Hospital and they were like, 'You need to come in now'.

"The lads dropped me off at the hospital. We didn't think it was going to be what it was at all at all. And so we got into the hospital anyways, got into A&E. They're like, 'What's your name? David McCabe. Oh! Yeah! We have everything all set up for you'.

"[They] Took my weight and height and all. [I] Got brought into a room and this doctor, her name's Dr Catherine Flynn - I got her permission to say her name! - she called me and said, 'I'm not someone you want to see on a Friday evening. You have leukaemia'. This is what all this was. I was like, 'Ok, this is different'."

David said that while his parents beside him tried to take in the news, his attitude was:"Ok, this is after happening. We're just going to have to face it." He had a gig scheduled for the next day at the UCD Science Ball and asked could he go out and play the show.

"She was like, 'No'," he laughed.

Dave spent five weeks in hospital and was unable to receive visitors for most of that time due to the Covid-19 emergency.

"My Da came in to see me on... I think it was the Tuesday, was the last day my Da came in - just a quick visit. The nurses said, 'That's the last face you're going to see [for a while]'. And if you see my Da's face, it's not the last face you want to see! [Laughs] Not the last family face you want to see!

"Lucky enough, we had FaceTime and all that jazz and we had Skype. We were chatting away. I was talking to my girlfriend, talking to my Ma, talking to my Da and all on it. So it wasn't ideal, but it wasn't the worst."

"In terms of treatment, was it as intense as you'd expect?" asked the host.

"It was indeed," Dave replied. "So, on the sixth of March when I was first diagnosed, I got a scan on my brain to make sure - because the blood wasn't clotting in my body, that's what the bruises were - there was no bleed on my brain or anything. Then it was straight up on to chemo. Like that night. This is the lad who never took a Panadol or anything like that before if I had a headache or anything like that. Straight on to chemotherapy."

"Because if they hadn't got you right when they got you, it could have been..."

"Yes," answered Dave. "That's what the doctor said. She said, 'This is extremely serious here. We have a matter of hours to get this'. It was like from the Friday to the Wednesday was danger zone, was high risk. But then after the Wednesday it was still treatable - still very treatable - but, still, it was bad at the time."

Dave described his five weeks in hospital as "grand".

"As I said, Skype and all,chatted to the family. Kept to a routine,kept the head up and just kept on going."

Dave is still receiving treatment.

"I was in today," he smiled. "I was getting chemo this morning in James'... Chemo this morning, Late Late Show tonight! You wouldn't script it all! It's unreal."

"I can't get over it," he added. "I can't believe we're here... I said, 'If we ever get on the Late Late Show I'll give 20 to everyone in the audience, just so I can say, '20 for everybody in the audience!' So thank God there's nobody here! Otherwise, I'd be broke!"

Watch the Late Late Show in full on the RT Player.

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Dave McCabe and Stolen City steal the show on Late Late - RTE.ie

For Mental Health Awareness week,BLACK ENTERPRISEis interviewing numerous individuals within the wellness community to talk about the racial disparities that affect the Black community in the hopes of creating a safe place to talk about mental health.

According to the U.S. Department Office of Minority Health, suicide became the second-leading cause of death for African Americans between the ages of 15-24 in 2017. In the same year, data showed that the rate for African American men who died by suicide was four times greater than African American women.

Celebrity therapist and licensed mental health counselor Jeff Rockersees the effects it has on his clients and has created a platform for black men to talk about the mental health issues they may be facing.

In an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE, Rocker discusses the stigma around discussions about mental health among black men and how the COVID-19 has contributed to increasing the number of people who say they are suffering mental health issues due to the fallout from the health crisis.

What has the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to mental health ailments amongst Black men?

The coronavirus disease has adversely affected the mental health of Black men in a myriad of ways. 2020 has brought a lot of frustration to many Black men that have heightened their anxiety to new levels to the point where they find themselves constantly worrying about the safety of their families, financial stability, and reevaluating their short term and long goals.

Sadly enough, research reveals that 44% of African Americans have experienced pay cuts or job loss. In comparison, 73% lacked emergency financial reserves to cater to their three-month expenses due to the epidemic. As you can see, the significant decrease in household income imposes a substantial financial burden on Black men as they try to provide for their families.

To make matters worse, African Americans have recorded the highest COVID-19 hospitalizations and death rates. This devastating situation attributes to increased chronic health conditions, poverty, and racial discrimination that endanger their well-being. In other words, Its tough being a Black man in todays society, but they dont have to deal with their issues on their own.

What are some of the things keeping Black men from seeking out help?

Black men refrain from pursuing professional help due to various reasons such as finding therapists who are knowledgeable about Black culture, false representations, or hostile generalizations of therapy, fear of being judged, and being misdiagnosed.

For example, some mental health professionals have developed biased and negative perceptions, which influence them to misdiagnose Black men with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, while diagnosing White males with similar symptoms as experiencing mild mood disorders. Culturally unskilled therapists discourage Black men from enrolling in counseling sessions due to fear that clinicians may incorrectly diagnose them with mental illness that they do not have in reality.

Additionally, fear of judgment hampers African American males from finding help. The conventional masculinity beliefs that force men to endure challenges, as well as the fear of their families identifying them as crazy due to their mental health diagnoses, elevates their resistance to psychological assistance. The negative depiction of counseling sessions in movies or television impedes Black men from seeking help because filmmakers portray mental health patients as unpredictably violent while depicting counselors as unethical or unhelpful. Hence, these factors hinder Black men from pursuing professional assistance.

Do you think attitudes toward mental health among Black men are changing? Why or why not?

I believe that Black mens attitude toward mental health is heading in the right direction. More African American therapists have received commendations from the public for helping their communities through innovative therapeutic approaches.

Since the death of George Floyd, mental health agencies have been forced to hire more Black therapists to deal with the vicarious trauma experienced in the Black community. There has been a huge need for Black mental health professionals for many years, and now it feels like something is being done about it. The confessions of Black celebrities such as Trevor Noah, Taraji P. Henson, and LeBron James ailing from mental disorder has encouraged African American men to change their attitude toward mental health. Unlike in the past, where African Americans viewed dialogues regarding mental health as an embarrassment, Black families have currently started discussing psychological well-being issues.

As a celebrity therapist, this is why I focus the majority of my time discussing mental health issues that are prevalent in the Black community and coping skills to overcome them. We need to continue to have these conversations amongst each other to promote mental health awareness.

Its National Suicide Prevention Month, and recent studies have shown an increase in the number of young Black boys committing suicide. What are some factors causing these numbers to increase?

Suicide rates among Black youths continue to increase exponentially due to various reasons. First and foremost, traumatic experiences instigated by massive killings of African American men by police officers has impacted the suicide rates in young Black males.

From 1991 to 2017, incidences of suicide among Black adolescents have increased by 73% due to exposure to racial discrimination and violence, which bolsters stress and depression. Besides, the integration of masculinity and racial norms, which mandate Black men to develop emotional resilience, triggers suicidal thoughts, especially when they fail to withhold their feelings.

The lack of social relations or emotional support from peers has impacted suicide rates drastically in young Black teens. At the same time, the lack of health insurance and high treatment expenditures hampers Black families from enrolling their children in counseling sessions. Therefore, there needs to be more resources and programs in place to offset these issues that contribute to the inflating cases of suicide among Black adolescents.

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Celebrity Therapist Jeff Rocker On Black Men Dealing With Anxiety And Depression Amid COVID-19 - Black Enterprise

An avid newspaper reader, Dot Thorp says the daily puzzles and crosswords helped keep her entertained during lockdown

I just wanted to say how inspiring I found Dot Thorps How I Manage My Money article (imoney, 8 September). I think she is amazing and has a great attitude. When everyones mental health has been tested over the past few months she has managed to remain so positive.

Jayne Howson, by email

Ms Thorp could save money by getting rid of her key metre and signing up to a 12 month fixed deal, payable by direct debit. Re her broadband and line rental costs, take a look at the market. Plusnet is a well regarded, for example. 54 a month could be reduced by at least 30 per cent, possibly more.

Roger Wyatt, South West London

The lovely Ms Thorps broadband/ landline expenditure seems very high. A very good broadband service with a landline can be found for about 22-32.

Abid, by email

Prior to lockdown I worked 38 hours a week at minimum wage. My total take-home income would be around 1,100. This would need to cover the bills the pensioner shows as well as any mortgage or rent (anywhere between 600 to 1,000 a month in my area). Many of us dont have the luxury of being mortgage free. She is lucky to have 400 spare a month.

Melissa, by email

Ms Thorps article struck a chord because Im of a similar age, have no savings or private pensions and chose jobs that gave me no prospects of financial security in later life but which were satisfying and fulfilling. I dont worry about money and my philosophy is that you can get to rock-bottom but will bounce back up again.

Name and address supplied

It was so good to see how someone with the same sort of income as myself deals with her expenses and still manages to have a social life. This article has certainly made me think!

Cherril Tedstone, by email

See the article here:
How I Manage my Money: pensioner's advice on how she manages her money inspired lockdown Brits - iNews

Nothing has changed from the England mental attitude of the 1970s, 80s, or 90s, and this is something that current manager Gareth Southgate learned in the most direct way in the past few weeks.

Players that are supposed to be upstanding professionals have let themselves down and let football down, and let Southgate down. So much so that even some sections of the press are wondering if Southgate is up to the job. Here is the man that led a very average England side to the semi-finals of the World Cup and the Nations League in its first edition. There is a lot of potential in this England side but Southgate ultimately might never get the chance to realise it, but he is not the major problem. The players are.

Not every player of course, but once one player makes off the pitch mistakes it just seeps into the squad. A laugh here, a jibe there. Harry Maguire the captain of the national side getting involved in a reported punch up in Greece with police, Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood arranging for two women to join them in a hotel, it all just harks back to tabloid heaven from the 1990s.

You dont see continental and international players keep getting themselves in the headlines for the wrong reasons, scandal after scandal seems to follow England and football, if it isnt the fans its the players- and they are supposed to be the role models.

Southgate has tried to play down what Foden and Greenwood did, and true they are young, 38 years between them, they will hopefully learn. But still. The problem that Southgate has is that they are two very good players and are important to the England set up. They will miss perhaps one game, like they did yesterday, the Denmark one.But Southgate should write them off for the next 3 games at least- punish them properly make them really think about what they have done.

Young players will make mistakes but it also showed a lack of respect for preparation for the Denmark game. Do they not care about the UEFA Nations League or representing their country? Would they have tried the same on had this been a knock out World Cup game?

Scandals followed the England team even when Southgate was a player, as a manager he is trying to advance the team and put them in a more professional light. But Maguire, Foden and Greenwood have sent his plans hurtling back to the drawing board faster than a janitor hitting the ground after being punched by the Rock. His plans are in tatters, and one suspects after next summers Euros Southgate could be departing early, sadly little has changed within the England set up, even on the surface that doesnt look like the case, it seems as if the problems are very deep rooted.

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Phil Foden, Mason Greenwood and Harry Maguire have embarrassed England and Gareth Southgate has a huge job on his hands - Euro Fantasy League