This post of mine today won’t at all be focused solely on nutrition and exercise but something I have been thinking about for quite some time. Mental health. I’m not specifically talking about mental health conditions like depression, bipolar, anxiety, etc. but the state of mind in general. It is amazing how vulnerable our minds can be and susceptible to a variety of influences – good and bad.

However – I have to acknowledge mental health disorder in this post too.

I often do wonder that if technology and the media did not exist would there be less mental issues? A huge part of me says yes. I do believe true mental health disorders exist, but in some way the above can speed up or exacerbate the problem. However, the media connects more people across the Globe giving access to someone to start a conversation with someone living in lets say, the State of Oregon to someone living in Beijing, China. Without the media, internet, etc. the likelihood of that connection of ever happening would be far less likely or possible. Also, with the media we as a society are able to see all the happenings occurring all over the world. That can be quite overwhelming and burdensome to those with fragile minds or to those who are emotionally troubled. Magazines, newspapers, world-wide internet, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, you name it……. Children experiencing cyber bullying, adults getting into ridiculous verbal arguments online over someone’s personal post on their Facebook page, yet the person who made the post and the person leaving the comment and all comments that may follow – none of those people may have ever met face to face in their lives – but here they are hackling each other. Makes total sense to me! But sadly at one point I fell prey to this ridiculousness.

But it’s not all about just being able to post and “talk” to people you may have never met, the huge link to being able to see others “happy lives” when one feels their life is falling apart can contribute to some emotional turmoil. Although many people do post in a way to portray an image they want others to see, when in reality they aren’t doing so well themselves. Movies and television along with social media can show the failing of relationships, cheating, the incapability of being faithful in a relationship – that can cause issues for people such as trust issues, especially when their partner is on the road a lot, and than add that perhaps that individual has personally experienced being cheated on in their life. In some cases for those who are okay with open relationships it allows for a broader range of people to pick from – so in their case maybe it’s a good thing? (Insert shoulder shrug here ———> _______) Infidelity is a popular theme in today’s shows and movies sadly, to almost where it’s becoming more of a norm. Therefore, those people who are genuinely wanting to be in a loving and trusting relationship find it more difficult to trust – because the slightest thing that falls off what is normal to that couple can be taken to that dark place because of what often does happen today. It’s really sad actually. But do people see what I’m trying to get at here? It’s all in a way a mental stimulation that can create some not so good havoc in one’s thoughts. Lets begin with anxiety for one. Yeah so apparently there is a disorder called social media anxiety disorder. It is a mental health condition that is similar to social anxiety disorder, but it too can interfere with one’s personal life and negatively impact school grades or one’s professional life. Also, the more people use social media and heck lets just say media in general there’s also a rise in those suffering from depression. There is a website that summarizes the reason why I question Social Media a lot. It is on PsychCentral, titled “Does Social Media Cause Depression?” written by  Christian Waldemar. It is amazing, how you can actually see this happening in those around you and at one point even myself. I do have a Facebook page but I vastly limit myself now, and have gotten rid of the popup notifications. And you know what that has decreased some of the anxious stimuli I was feeling.

I know several people that I wish would stop paying so close attention to the news at times. They get too involved into the stories somehow always relating it to their past or somehow create an almost paranoid outlook on their lives currently. They all suffer from high anxiety and they do not have the best of coping mechanisms – but let me tell you – they start paying attention to the news and its “just wow.” Chain smoking, shaking, drinking, anger etc., all somehow pursue after watching the news or reading it. But yet they did better prior to obtaining the information. <Things that make you go hmmmmm?>

People do have to own up to how they handle themselves personally yes. And most people I do believe have a functioning moral compass, in that they know what is right and wrong. But opening ourselves up to a much broader avenue of connection makes us more susceptible to seeing the “not so right” things which have in way been shown to be a norm. Some may say its just a part of life or a person needs to toughen up, but I think somewhere we have forgotten to have respect for one another and it’s become more about a quick gratification to oneself quickly and instantly no matter the ramifications. And sadly the media knows – I mean creating algorithms to keep people engaged and online, and ads to continuously keep people hooked and even how to stimulate a person’s pleasure centers – meaning the release of Dopamine. According to a Harvard University article written by Trevor Haynes, Dopamine is associated with food, exercise, love, sex, gambling, drugs, and now, social media. 😦

I say stay clear from television, magazines, and social media as much as you can – I’m starting to wonder if it’s a type of trap in some form or another anyways. This is just my quick thought for the day. But it does make me go Hmmmmmmm?

Here’s to your health!