The Mental Health Digest - A tragic death. Hopeful resources.

Understand + Learn

1. An impressive life is gone--and way too soon. Watch this video of people sharing their memories.

Remember Cheslie Kryst, who died by suicide two days ago. She was a lawyer. She was a black woman. She won Miss USA in 2019. She happened to be struggling with her mental health. This is absolutely heartbreaking. 

I just keep thinking about the extra stigma that exists for people of color struggling with mental health. So many people have shared their stories with me over the years.

2. Understand the impact of race, class, and gender on mental health.

I read Race, Class, and Gender: An Anthology when I was in grad school for social work. It was one of the few textbook-style books that I thought was actually any good. 

People of different races, classes, and genders will be impacted by life differently, whether it's by government policies or social institutions.

This is not your traditional textbook, though, and you can actually find copies of this that are affordable, which you can't do for the other versions...

3. What good is health care if you can't get there? Uber hopes to change that.

Not everyone has the money or time to get to health care appointments. This is devastating for a mental health system that is already fractured and hard to access. Could ride-sharing apps be a way to address this?

Why this matters for your mental health
Mental health is multifaceted. Anyone who tries to tell you that mental health is just one thing is lying to you. There's not only one way to solve the mental health care crisis, and there is not only one experience of depression, for example.

Read

4. Dive into mindfulness with this accessible book by one of the most respected thinkers still alive.

5. And then learn how mental health attitudes have changed in the last 200 years with this strange, Old Book Finder. 

All of these ancient books are free and available in the public domain. They aren't just health books.

Seriously, this is weird. Oh, how times have changed. Pro tip: search for the word "mental" a few times. I found some really eye-opening books. 

I found this site in the Recomendo newsletter, one of the few newsletters I open immediately every week.

Why this matters for your mental health:

Mindfulness has changed my life for the better. Learning to be mindful, however that looks for you, can change YOUR life. It's a skillset you can draw from whenever and wherever you are.

Also, reading is one of the best ways I know to improve my life. Literally anything you're interested in, whatever you want to do, there's a book to help you get there.

Use and Experience

6. A suicide hotline sharing data with for-profit spinoff, raises ethical questions.

This is a complex story. I'm still not sure how I feel about it, to be honest. FYI: had to find the article on this random, news-aggregator site because it was behind a Paywall on the original site that published it, Politico.

7. Have you ever done an emotional push-up? This mental health startup wants you to.

I learned about this business from a podcast I subscribe to. I was SO impressed by the psychologist founder, Dr. Emily Anhalt. She's incredibly thoughtful and understands that blending mental health and technology is nuanced.

8. And finally, one last evidence-based approach to help you become more mindful / thoughtful about your mental health.

I found this app one in Meredith Arthur's fantastic Inspiration for Overthinkers newsletter. You can subscribe and see past issues here.

Why this matters for your mental health:

You can't read one article and become an expert. Understanding the nuances of mental health takes time. But it's time well spent because it can help you improve your own life.

I've learned so much from my own experiences. I've learned to trust myself and my body.

That being said, evidence-based approaches are important as well.

Still, they are not the ONLY way, as so many in the Western World will tell you. Thinkers like Thich Nhat Hanh are tapping into thousands of years of wisdom. 

Educate yourself and decide for yourself.

This song--and the entire album, really--will make you feel some feels. Lead singer, Charlie Fink, wrote this album after suffering from a breakup from famous British singer, Laura Marling. 

As he says at the beginning of this song, "This is a song for anyone with a broken heart. This is a song for anyone who can't get out of bed. 

I've been listening to Noah and the Whale since college 10+ years ago.