The Stigma Around Depression

The Stigma Around Depression Depression is an important issue that we need to keep talking about. Photo by Flickr user Life Mental Health. Note: trigger warning for suicide and depression. Depression. Mental health. Therapy. Psychologist. Suicide. Do these words make you feel uncomfortable? For years, centuries even, society has stigmatized mental health, as much as the 20th century stigmatized homosexuality as something to be ashamed of and kept secret. To this day, we cant talk openly about depression and mental health issues, and that needs to change. What is depression? Depression is a common but serious mental illness, characterized by sad or anxious feelings that are much deeper than feeling blue. Untreated, it can interfere with daily life. Depression isnt just something to be waved away as a phase youre going through. In 2011, the American College Health Association found that about 30 percent of college students reported feeling so depressed that it was difficult to function at some time in the past year. Depression impairs your ability to make wholesome choices and affects your academic and social lives. Its also a major factor contributing to suicide, the third leading cause of death in young adults aged 15 to 24. Depression is serious. It is real. It happens to a great portion of college students, especially from all the stress we experience as we make hard life choices, deal with crippling debt, and grow into our roles as adults. So why is it that we cant just tell friends, Hey, Im depressed and Ive been seeing a psychologist? Or, I think I might be depressed. Why cant we say to friends, I think you should think about getting help without them being offended? College students especially tend to keep to themselves. We dont like to confide our issues to others because hey, were adults now. I dont need to rely on anyone else. I dont want to trouble anyone with my problems. I dont want them to think Im crazy. I can deal with it myself. Or so we think. We ought to treat mental illness like any other disease. It is treatable and preventable, but left untreated can wreak havoc on the mind and body. We wouldnt tell friends not to get cancer treated, so why should it be any different suggesting a friend get their depression treated? Many colleges have cheap or free counseling services. Early prevention is key with depression, and talking to a doctor or mental health care professional is the first step to identifying the problem and finding a way to fix it. Im no expert on this matter, but as someone whos recovered from strong depression, I think its important that we destigmatize mental illness and find a way to address it as an important issue, rather than fear it. Id rather risk offending someone by encouraging them to find help than risk the far harsher cost of losing them to a debilitating and sometimes even lethal illness.

Keeping Kids Curious - ALOHA Mind Math

Keeping Kids Curious “The first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind is curiosity.” Edmund Burke Nurturing curiosity in children As children, we were much more curious about the things around us and how they worked. With a head full of questions we would ask our parents and pester them for an explanation on anything that tickled our interest. As we grew older, we either found the answers we wanted (what we would like to believe) or our curiosity just disappeared. Today, information on anything is generously available in books and on the internet. It is a great way for kids to get all their queries answered. ALOHA students nurturing their curiosity. 5 ways to build your child’s inquisitiveness It is important to raise a curious child and encourage them to ask questions not only at home but also at school, this will also help them get a better grasp of what is being taught in class. Here are a few ways you can fuel your child’s curiosity. Converse with your child. Having a regular conversation with your child about their day or what’s happening in the news is a great way to intrigue your child. Conversation is the best way to foster curiosity. Organize a group play time. A lot can be learnt when kids play together, even a simple board game like Pictionary. They learn to plan, strategize, work together as a team and answer each other’s queries. Solve puzzles together. The brain is well exercised while children solve puzzles like jigsaws, crosswords or even building-blocks. Puzzles help to unleash a child’s creativity and imagination. Break away from routine. Introduce something new into your child’s day, take them somewhere new or make them eat something different. Adding something new outside their everyday routine is a great way to make youngsters ask questions. Encourage your child to read. Reading is an activity that can generate an unlimited number of questions. It is also a good way to improve your child’s imagination and vocabulary. A curious child is a smart child Cultivating curiosity is a must to keep children in loop with what’s happening in the news and their local environment. ALOHA helps by giving children the confidence they need to raise questions when in doubt, both inside and outside the classroom. â€" About ALOHA Mind Math Founded in 1993, ALOHA Mind Math has been guiding children between the ages of 5 through 12 years to achieve academic excellence. The interactive learning process is proven to enhance a child’s math, reading and writing capabilities. The teachers also assist children in developing skills and abilities such as observation and listening that result in the overall growth of the child. ALOHA Mind Math is currently training children in over 20 countries with 4200 different centers. For more details on this unique program please visitwww.alohamindmath.comor search for the center closest to you by using our locator www.alohamindmath.com/locations/