The Local Optimist Digest #6

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 wellbeing, discover the latest research on how the mind impacts the body, or find out which celebrities are helping destigmatize the conversation by opening up about their own mental health struggles, we’ll be covering it all here every other week. This week, we're looking at the limits of "mental health evaluations" in a racist country, a TikTok trend with legit mental health benefits, and the latest questionable version of self-help books, dubbed Tedcore.

We can't "mental health evaluate" our way out of racism

On May 14th, a teenager named Payton Gendron shot and killed 10 people in a blatantly racist attack at a Tops grocery store in Buffalo, New York. In the wake of yet another mass shooting, a familiar narrative has unfolded: like the many white men who have committed mass murder guided by white supremacy ideology in recent years, Gendron underwent a mental health evaluation at a psychiatric hospital a year prior after telling classmates he wanted to commit a "murder-suicide." He was released days later and fell off investigators' radar, further proving that when it comes to racism, mental health evaluations aren't the cure.  READ

SoulCycle founders now selling "workouts" for the mind

SoulCycle founders Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice, who've managed to convince wide swaths of people that biking in place in the dark to Taylor Swift is more idyllic than an outdoor bike ride have a new project on their hands: Peoplehood, a start-up selling "connection" via what are essentially group therapy sessions. It's all very Esalen Institute if Esalen sold merch like prayer candles and tote bags. READ

Here's a new one: allergies can impact your mental health

Finally, some recognition for the perpetually stuffy among us. A host of studies across the US, UK, and Taiwan have found that both seasonal allergies and allergic disease can negatively impact our mental health, increasing the risk of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders. One of the most interesting findings? The widespread belief that people with allergies are exaggerating their symptoms can be especially detrimental. I think I speak for the entire #hivegang when I say, we ain't lying. READ

TikTok might be onto something with "hot girl walks"

Like many things that have been TikTok-ified, going for walks is now cool. A viral TikTok trend called "hot girl walks," started by a USC student looking for a type of exercise she didn't dread, is being celebrated for its effectiveness at getting people (don't let the gendered name fool you) out the door or on the treadmill for long walks, which are proven to have mood-boosting benefits, including the release of endorphins. We're going to squint right past the fact that people needed TikTok to be reminded of this. READ

Is social media truly to blame for declining adolescent mental health?

The answer is more complicated than you might think. According to research, many measures of adolescent mental health began to deteriorate around 2009, just as internet usage was starting to soar among this cohort. But the studies on social media's impact are conflicted, with some concluding its usage increases rates of depression and others finding little or no effect. One thing that is clear? Teens could benefit from less screen time and more time reacquainting themselves with our old pal nature. READ

Big win for introverts: telehealth is here to stay

The Covid-19 pandemic saw a huge increase in the use of telehealth treatment for both physical and mental health concerns, and new research from Oregon Health & Science University argues that for mental healthcare in particular that increased usage is likely to be permanent. The format is particularly popular amongst those with schizophrenia, anxiety, and other fear-related disorders, but we see it as a big win for the introverts (and the sometimes-lazy) among us, too. READ

The quantified self has a dark side

Technology and social media have made it easier than ever to quantify and share virtually everything we do, whether it's walking or running mileage, hours spent meditating, our diet, or even our entertainment consumption (see: Letterboxd for movies and Goodreads for books). While it can be rewarding to see our progress in certain areas or keep track of what we've read, obsessively tracking this stuff can bring with it unnecessary pressure and leave us too focused on the opinions of others (like watching a film simply because it will lend you credibility). Our advice? Set yourself free for a week and see how it feels (yes, you can watch The Kardashians now). READ

Hustle culture has convinced us that multitasking is the only way to get things done, but it comes at a cost: overloading our brains, lengthening the time it takes to complete a task and resulting in more mistakes.

Try monotasking (yes, that's a fancy way of saying doing one thing at a time) instead. To help yourself focus completely on one task, turn off your phone notifications or put it in airplane mode, close your email window, and pause notifications on Slack. If it feels overwhelming, set yourself a time limit to start (even just 5-10 minutes can help get you into the zone) and you'll likely find yourself working beyond that limit.

Naomi Osaka opens up about going to therapy

In a new interview with SELF, tennis star Naomi Osaka continued to advocate for a more open mental health dialogue by sharing her own experience with therapy. Like many of us, Osaka had been previously skeptical of the practice after years of struggling to find the right therapist for her but shared that she finally found someone who understands her and is reaping the benefits. “It’s kind of a scary first step to take… but I think it can be helpful to everyone in some shape or form," said Osaka. "It doesn't mean you are broken." READ

Meet Tedcore: the latest questionable genre of self-help

Oof, self-help books: where does one begin? While there are certainly benefits to reading books in the genre, they can also be problematic for peddling a positive psychology, do-it-yourself methodology of self-care that isn't always as effective as the authors would like us to believe. One writer argues that the latest trend in self-help, dubbed Tedcore and including books like "Atomic Habits" and "Atlast of the Heart" is especially questionable for being too navel-gazey and pathologizing our every thought. We'll let you decide if that's the case. READ

The Jed Foundation

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we're feeling especially inspired by one of our longtime partners and friend of the brand, The Jed Foundation, a non-profit that's been working to protect the emotional health and prevent suicide amongst US teens and young adults since 2000. JED's resources have helped more than 9,000 high schools, colleges, and universities strengthen their mental health and suicide prevention safety nets. To check out their resources or find out how you can support their mission, head HERE.

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