Technically, the human microbiome refers to the genetics of all of the various microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi etc.) that live on or in the human body – there are literally hundreds of thousands of different species. These microbes are at least neutral if not helpful (taking up space and producing by-products so that ‘bad’ microbes […]
In a recent article I talked about magnetic fields stimulating the brain using a device call the ‘God Helmet’. I’m not going to open that can of worms again, but I did promise to delve into TMS and how it uses magnetic fields to stimulate the brain. TMS stands for transcranial magnetic stimulation – it […]
I’m wary to entertain that there is a debate on this or that it’s a “theory”. It’s like debating a theory that the Easter Bunny causes mental illness–if the onus is on me to prove that the Easter Bunny does not, in fact, cause mental illness, I must admit I have no proof she’s not […]
You don’t control the guy shouting random things in the street, but you do control how you react to what you hear. Understanding that thoughts (something you experience) are different from thinking (a reaction you engage in) can expose a way out of struggling with your mental health.
We could also call this: Recovery is like rowing. You’ll be bad at both until you’re not. And then you’ll just push harder. If you’re working with a personal trainer on your physical fitness, it’s not strange if you expect to work with somebody that’s in better shape than you, that practices the skills you want […]
Our online activity generates a wealth of data that may help with predicting and preventing mental health challenges before they unravel. This summer, Google rolled out a depression assessment tool, the PHQ-9, to US-based mobile users. The PHQ-9 [you can read a study on it here] is a standardized set of questions that’s commonly used […]
Yes. The answer is an unequivocal, irrefutable yes. We can see this in anecdotal personal experiences and in research. Let’s start with an anecdote and then we’ll explore some research and what it might mean for you on your own journey. In the past, I struggled with a bunch of different mental illness diagnoses. The […]
There’s this old Buddhist story about a king that proposes a game to a group of monks. They must compete to identify an animal in a dark room. Whichever monk identifies the animal first will become the head monk at a temple the king is building. Eager to demonstrate their wisdom to the king, to […]
One thing I found key to recovery was preparing to walk away from the illness. After years of fighting, I didn’t know how to live without mental health problems to manage. My existence was just a reaction to controlling anxiety. I only knew how to feel good by first feeling bad and then controlling that […]
