Author: Atherial
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Mental Health in Media: Stardew Valley (Part 2)
Trigger & Spoiler Warning: This article will discuss sensitive topics such as relationship conflicts, domestic violence, and adult references. There will also be spoilers for character heart events and special orders for Stardew Valley 1.6. In Part 1, we discussed themes of alcoholism, disability, and mental illness present in Stardew Valley. Today we will dive into Read more
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Understanding Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive dissonance has become a major buzz word in recent years. But what is it? How does it impact us? Can we actually use it to our advantage? What is it? Why do we get it? Cognitive dissonance is the negative or uncomfortable feeling we get when we hold contradicting beliefs and values or are Read more
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The Battle for Care: Health Insurance & Therapy
Over the past few years health insurance has become a major issue on everyone’s mind. But where does mental health fit into this mess? The fight for mental health is just as complex as finding coverage for physical health complications. Is Insurance Required to Cover Mental Health Care? The short answer: no. Insurance companies are Read more
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Mental Health in Media: Stardew Valley (Part 1)
Trigger & Spoiler Warning: This article will discuss sensitive topics such as alcoholism, depression and suicidal thoughts, ableism, and combat PTSD. There will also be spoilers for character heart events and community projects for Stardew Valley 1.6. Depictions of mental health in the media we consume are important in shaping our perception of these issues. Read more
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Top 3 Free Mental Health Apps
Disclaimer: I am in no way sponsored or associated with any of the following applications or companies. The following is my own experience and understanding of these tools. Please check out these apps yourself or contact their support for most up-to-date information. When we think of mobile applications, social media is often the first to Read more
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Technology & Mental Health
Technology has become a major factor in every aspect of life. Mental health is not an exception. It is important to recognize both the benefits and risks associated with technology use when it comes to our mental wellbeing. Benefits One of the largest benefits of technology became apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Due Read more
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Vaccines and Autism: The Studies and Misinformation
The rumor of vaccines causing autism started decades ago with one man – Andrew Wakefield. His studies would start a misinformation movement that continues to gain momentum. Today, we will break down the studies he published, where they went wrong, and their impact. The Researcher Andrew Wakefield now stands as an infamous figure in medical Read more
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Expand Your Toolkit: Importance of Having Multiple Coping Techniques
Resilience and coping tend to be buzz words when talking about mental health – and for good reason. Building resilience and having healthy coping skills are the best ways to prevent crises and overcome obstacles. However, we often neglect to talk about the importance of having multiple coping techniques to deal with the variety of Read more
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On Diversity and Censorship in Research
Psychological research as we know it is being dismantled. Researchers are being censored or fired. Many projects focusing on topics of diversity or discrimination are being defunded and removed from public view. Even studies that use words like “race”, “gender”, or “sexuality” to define factors are being targeted. As those who have been on my Read more
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Ways Weight Lifting Transformed My Mental Health
Previously, we discussed prominent issues in the fitness industry and how this has devastated the mental health of many fitness enthusiasts. I ended that post by stating that exercise is an essential component to mental health. To expand on this, I want to discuss how one of my favorite types of exercise – weight lifting Read more