A confluence of topics dealing with mental health, substance abuse, health, public health, Social Work, education, politics, the humanities, and spirituality at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. In short, this blog is devoted to the improvement of the quality of life of human beings in the universe.
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Tuesday, August 3, 2021
How to Reset Your Family’s Screen Time After the Pandemic
While parents also recognized the potential benefits of screens, like helping kids stay connected with friends and learn about technology, they voiced concerns about how much time their children were on screens, its “addictive” nature, and how it reduced their children’s physical activity.
For more click here.
Editor's note:
There should be "media fasts" which are times when screens are set aside so people can focus on other activities. For example should screens be allowed a the dinner table? Should they be allowed when people are visiting? Could we have couple time or family time when screens are not allowed so we can focus on our interactions with one another and not be distracted?
There is an etiquette and there are manners to be employed when it comes to screens and we are trying as a society to figure out what they are. Do you have some rules you've come up with for your own behavior? Do you have preferences you would like to see implemented in social situations? Leave a comment.
Sunday, August 1, 2021
The Psychology of Forgiveness: A Four Step Process
Friday, May 14, 2021
The morning after pill is nobody's business except the woman taking it and her health care provider.
From the New York Times , May 13, 2021
Last month, the Food and Drug Administration announced that people seeking abortion pills during the Covid-19 pandemic will no longer have to visit a doctor’s office to get a prescription. Under the Trump administration, patients were required to receive the first of the medication’s two doses in person, a mandate upheld by the Supreme Court in January. The new policy instead allows for telemedicine consultations and pills sent by mail.
The decision is a practical one for the Covid era: It reduces unnecessary face time in doctor’s offices, which cuts down the potential for exposure. It could also be a huge blow to the anti-abortion movement. Groups like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have been pushing the Biden administration to make the F.D.A.’s decision permanent. Last week, in a legal filing, the agency announced it was reviewing their restrictions on the medication.
For years, anti-abortion activists have tried to impose their morality under the guise of women’s health and protection. Legislators have proposed anti-choice bills with names like “woman’s right to know,” which sound compassionate but in reality force doctors to falsely claim that women who end their pregnancies suffer physical and mental harm. The primary political strategy of abortion foes relies on the claim that abortion is brutal and dangerous, a myth that is much harder to perpetuate when people can easily access medicine to safely end their pregnancies at home.
For more click here.
Editor's note:
Social Workers believe in the client's right to self determination. Politicians should have little control over a woman's choice about her reproductive status. Forcing a woman to have a child is an inappropriate policy stand for a politician to take and act on. A woman's right to choose is a basic component of her mental health.
Thursday, May 13, 2021
Nature draws out a happy place for children New study explores children's perception of their own wellbeing using art
"The drawings depicted nature and outdoor spaces as being interconnected with all aspects of wellbeing. For example, being able to play outside boosts physical wellbeing, while being able to stay calm and appreciate the beauty of nature can be linked to emotional or mental health.
"Previous research has shown that wealth affects access to nature, with children living in deprived areas significantly less likely to have access to green spaces and outdoor places to play. Our research suggests that nature and open spaces underpin these children's consideration of wellbeing.
"As such, making nature explicit, and restoring the interconnectedness between the arts and nature should be a key priority for research to help improve children's wellbeing."
For more click here.
Editor's note
The report of this study reminded me of Richard Luov's book, Last Child In The Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-deficit Disorder which was published in 2008.
I find that children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder especially like and benefit from playing outdoors.
If you enjoyed this article, email it to a friend, family member, and colleague, and subscribe to Markham’s Behavioral Health in the upper right hand corner of the main page to receive notices of future articles.
New subscriber service for Markham's Behavioral Health
Dear Readers:
As of July 1, 2021, Google is discontinuing its Feedburner blog subscription service.
In anticipation of the termination of this service, Markham's Behavioral Health is moving it's blog subscription service to Follow.it.
Current subscribers have been automatically migrated to the new email service. If you a new subscriber, please use the sign up widget in the upper right hand corner.
Thank you for reading the blog and being a subscriber to this free blog.
David G. Markham
Publisher.