The Local Optimist Digest #8

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 reintroduction of psychedelic treatment on veterans, the scary impacts of anorexia on the brain, and life as an Extremely Online™ therapist.

The '60s are back-ish at The Department of Veterans Affairs

Psychedelics, once the blackest of black sheep in the war on drugs, are experiencing a renaissance as more and more research highlights their capacity to aid in healing mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, and addiction. Now, some of the most promising research on the subject is being done at an unlikely place – Veterans Affairs clinics, where MDMA and psilocybin (ecstasy and mushrooms, in layman's terms) are being used to treat PTSD. The results, and a greater level of research rigor than the Timothy Leary days, are promising. READ

AM vs PM? When you exercise might impact your mood

Oh, great, we may have to do more than just move our bodies to reap the most mood-boosting benefits from exercise. A new study from Skidmore College found that the time of day we exercise may produce different results and that those results are different for men and women. Naturally, men have it easier, seeing similar mood improvements regardless of when they exercised, while women saw the biggest improvements when exercising at night. I think I speak for all early birds when I say, "I'm upset." READ

Anorexia alters the brain more than other mental illnesses

In more troubling news about the havoc that eating disorders can wreak on the body, new research has found that anorexia shrinks the brain two to four times more than other mental health conditions like depression, ADHD, and OCD. The good news is that, for those who get early and aggressive treatment, the brain may be able to bounce back. Now if only we could get (*waves hand across the country*) people to take eating disorder prevalence a bit more seriously. READ

Yes, supplements are still lying to you

In a truly shocking development, the supplements we all love to turn to for a quick fix despite reading countless articles about their inefficacy are not legitimate cures for depression or anxiety. While some, like Omega-3 Fatty Acids and L-Methylfolate, have some evidence to support their benefits, the fine print tells us that they're often only helpful in tandem with antidepressants or when taken by people who have trouble metabolizing certain vitamins. As for everything else? You can confidently chuck it. READ

Mental health apps have their work cut out for them

When it comes to the most effective mental health care, the horde of mental health apps on offer have yet to meet the mark. One roadblock (in a tale as old as time) is getting people to actually commit to using them: an analysis of real-world use of 93 popular mental health apps for anxiety, depression, and emotional well-being found that less than 4% of users were still using the app 15 days after downloading. Oh, and, they might just not work: only 8 of the apps had corresponding peer-reviewed scientific evidence supporting their efficacy. Womp. READ

Being a therapist on social media sounds... stressful

Not even therapists are immune to the social media self-promotion industrial complex (yeah, we just made that clunker up). Once a profession associated with discretion and privacy, the pandemic led many therapists to turn to social media to offer mental health advice, expand their client base, and kickstart a new income stream in the process. But being an Extremely Online™ therapist without compromising your professional ethics is a tricky dance... a TikTok dance, if you will. READ

Cool, Instagram is restricting abortion resource posts

On the heels of the Supreme Court's ass-backward decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last week, Instagram appears to be restricting some crucial abortion resource posts and hashtags. NBC News found on Monday that, unlike normal searches on Instagram, searches for “abortion pills” and “mifepristone” (a popular abortion pill) did not yield results, while hashtags for the same terms displayed a message that the tags “are hidden because some posts may not follow Instagram’s Community Guidelines.” File this under: not a good look, guys. READ

Between daylight saving time, warmer weather, and a busier social calendar, summer has been proven to do a number on our sleep routines. If you're feeling like your sleep is out of sorts, try implementing the following guidelines to get back on track. 1. Go to bed and wake up close to the same time every day (yes, even on weekends). 2. Get as much sunlight during the day as you can to strengthen your circadian clock, which promotes better sleep at night.3. Dim the lights 1-2 hours before bed to trigger your body's production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

Take that trip you've been dreaming of, for your mental health

Escapism is a double-edged sword: it can be both a crutch (in which we attempt to run from our problems only to find they come with us) and a healthy reset (breaking us free from our routines and helping us look at life with a different perspective). Now, a team of researchers is beginning to explore whether tourism can have a similar impact on our mental health as exercise, due to the increase in physical activity, socializing, and time outdoors that it often includes. If you were looking for a sign to book that trip, this is it. READ

How to be a true mental health ally to the LGBTQIA+ community

As Pride Month comes to a close, we're reflecting on the lack of acceptance that the LGBTQIA+ community continues to endure (especially given the recent rise in anti-trans legislation) and the toll this kind of stigma can take on one’s mental health. In our latest Toolkit, we explore six expert-backed ways that we can all show up and authentically support the mental health of our LGBTQIA+ loved ones. READ

The National Network of Abortion Funds

Last week, our country took a devastating leap backward when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, marking the first time in U.S. history that the Court has taken away a constitutional right and leaving 26 states likely to ban abortion. In a time like this, we're especially grateful for groups like The National Network of Abortion Funds, which is working tirelessly to remove financial and logistical barriers for the tens of millions of people who have now lost access to abortion care. For help finding access to care or to donate to support others in need of care, head HERE.

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