Welcome to The Local Optimist Digest, your crib sheet for the latest news in mental health. Whether you want to know how the government is (or is not) investing in our well-being, discover the latest research on how the mind impacts the body, or find out which celebrities are helping continue the conversation by opening up about their own mental health struggles, we’ll be covering it all here every week. This week, we're looking at how having a sense of humor can benefit our mental health, if tech apps have the ability to prevent bullying, and the mental health benefits of birdwatching.

The Power of Having a Sense of Humor

Good news. Having a sense of humor during stressful times can benefit our mental health. Cultivating levity is essential to our well-being and important when strengthening romantic, familial, and work relationships. So how can we learn to crack well-received jokes during uneasy times? Experts have suggestions. READ.

How Skipping Meals Affects Your Mental Health

As mental and physical health go so hand-in-hand, it is no surprise that there are many links between our nutrition patterns and mental well-being. Now, new research has found that skipping meals can hurt our mental health and, in some cases, cause symptoms of depression and anxiety. So how can we prioritize food and avoid skipping meals to dodge potential brain fog and anxiety? Experts have suggestions. READ.

Can Apps Prevent Bullying? Experts Have Thoughts.

Despite many prevention efforts, bullying remains a major issue across the nation. As more and more people continue to turn to social media and online resources for support, tech companies have begun to create anti-bullying apps for people of all ages to utilize as support tools. However, with cyberbullying standing as the most common form of bullying, some experts believe we must take solutions offline. While some anti-bullying apps are found to be supportive, experts are unsure if apps are as helpful as institutional officials or other adults in real-time. READ.

6 Ways to Get Through the Holidays in One Piece

1. Explore your feelings.

2. Come up with a plan to manage family gatherings.

3. Don’t feel compelled to answer questions you don’t feel like answering.

4. Put aside your own perfectionism.

5. Pay no mind to social media.

6. Focus on what you have and not what’s missing.

Read MORE.

The Mental Health Benefits of Birdwatching

It might be time to pick up a new hobby. New reports find that birdwatching brings along many mental health benefits, including long-lasting stress relief. Birding has been found to increase positive feelings and decrease tiredness. But what exactly makes the activity so beneficial to our mental well-being? READ.

Feeding America

Happy Thanksgiving! For many of us, the day would not be complete without a table full of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and more festive side dishes. However, more than 34 million people in the United States today, including 9 million children, are food insecure. If you want to get into the spirit of service for Thanksgiving, donating to Feeding America is an excellent way to begin. Through their established network of food banks and programs, Feeding America provides food to neighborhoods and communities across the nation while working to address the root causes of hunger. To donate or learn more, click HERE.

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