Lifestyle

What are the post-holiday blues?

Post-holiday blues are different from depression. They are temporary feelings of sadness and anxiety. These feelings can begin as the celebrations and events of the season wind down and as routines return to normal.

After a short adjustment period, the post-holiday blues typically resolve on their own and people begin to stress less. This isn’t always the case, though.

Sometimes returning to regular programming after being in holiday or vacation mode can be more challenging than anticipated.

Facing difficulties in getting back to a regular schedule may contribute to feeling disconnected or lost.

Experts say signs of declining mental health or depression to watch for include:

● Less energy and changes to sleep patterns
● Less motivation or interest
● Less connection or increased self isolation
● Feeling lost and lonely
● Irregular eating behaviours, such as over- or under-eating
● Excessive worry and/or feelings of hopelessness
● Feeling compelled to or self-medicating with alcohol, drugs, or other substances/activities
● Thoughts of self-harm

Post-Holiday Stress and Mental Health Risks

While stress is a normal, everyday part of life, it becomes a potential problem when we have less support and coping tools than necessary to manage in a healthy way.

Without healthy coping strategies, anxiety and depression can build. Dr. Josh Hamilton, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and the Assistant Vice President & Dean of Post-Licensure Programs at Rasmussen University explains it’s not uncommon for people to turn to drugs and alcohol for any form of temporary relief during this life stage.

This is considered self-medicating. Rather than actually help you or someone you love stress less, though, drugs and alcohol can seriously worsen the symptoms they initially helped to briefly relieve.

If you’ve turned to drugs or alcohol to try to avoid feeling lost, or to cope with anxiety and depression, you’re certainly not alone.

Research suggests substance use disorders (including substance misuse, abuse, and dependence) tend to begin in early adulthood and continue into later life stages if left untreated.

It’s estimated that over 20% of Canadians will face troubles with problematic substance use during their lifetime.

Top four substances of use:

● Alcohol
● Nicotine (tobacco)
● Cannabis
● Opioids

The Dangers of Self-Medicating

If you’re trying to stress less, self-medicating isn’t a safe solution. There are short term risks with alcohol use. These include anxiety, depression, and suicide.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please reach out today for help.

Talk Suicide Canada is available 24/7.
Text message (SMS) 45645 or call toll-free 1-833-346-4566
If you are someone you know is in immediate crisis, dial 9-1-1.

Post-Holiday Blues or Anxiety and Depression?

Hamilton highlights how important environmental or relational context is when making sense of how we feel, too. Knowing the difference between post-holiday blues and a clinical disorder like anxiety, depression, PTSD, or behavioural addiction can help you or a loved one determine when to seek support.

It’s also crucial to consider how the past few pandemic years may have had a cumulative effect, and contributed to feeling lost.

What may have been cause for concern pre-pandemic, such as feeling lost in general, says Hamilton, is more understandable after what we’ve been through the past several years.

Questions to Ask

Answering these questions for yourself or someone you care about can help provide some perspective on whether you’re dealing with post-holiday blues or something more serious.

For example, are you feeling lost in life because you’re not sure if you’re on the right relationship track; if you want to have children; or if you’re in the right career, or, are you experiencing feeling lost when spending time with people (ie., feeling alone in a room full of people)?

Hamilton explains while some specific scenarios of feeling lost are to be entirely expected, other more general feelings may be cause for clinical consultation with a healthcare provider or mental health professional.

You can also try asking whether or not your feelings are associated with actually being alone during this season or if it’s a larger life stage issue.

More questions to ask:

● How do you feel when reflecting back on the whole year (not just the past holiday season)?
● Is there a particular trigger (person, place, thing) causing these feelings?
● Can you explain how you feel?

By taking some time in the post-holiday period to reflect, you gain some control or at least an awareness of where feeling lost might be coming from.

Finding Relief During Darker Days

The literal darkness of the winter and holiday season doesn’t help matters much, either.

Hamilton explains the shorter days, earlier nightfall, and colder temperatures take a toll on our collective mental health.

We can of course support our wellness during this season by focusing on nutrition, sleep, physical activity, and remaining as social as possible.

“To help alleviate symptoms of stress, pessimism, or melancholy that often come with feeling lost, lean into self-compassion and embrace progress over perfection. There’s no rush to get to some end destination. True joy is found in enjoying the journey,” says Jhas.

Beyond the Benefits of Connection

Hamilton highlights the power of connection in healing from feeling lost.

He says asking for help may begin by telling friends and family how you’re feeling or reaching out to a mental health professional.

If you feel you may benefit from additional support, or are not getting what you need to cope with anxiety and depression, there should be no shame in seeking a deeper level of support.

“It’s like returning to your doctor with a cough that won’t go away,” says Hamilton. This should not feel embarrassing, but it’s understandable due to stigma if you feel nervous bringing up symptoms that aren’t resolving.

“Have a conversation to explore what’s going on with you,” suggests Hamilton. This conversation can take place with your primary care provider or with a private provider.

True to Homewood Health’s legacy, Ravensview’s Cornerstone program takes an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to treatment to accommodate the full spectrum of adult needs including physical, mental, social, and spiritual health.

We understand the unique difficulties people may face during this time of year, and we are here to help.

Contact us today at 1-866-203-1793 or reach out online.

Resources:

Aderibigbe, O. O., Stewart, S. L., Hirdes, J. P., & Perlman, C. (2022). Substance Use among Youth in Community and Residential Mental Health Care Facilities in Ontario, Canada. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(3), 1731. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031731

Addiction Guide. Canadian Statistics.

Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. Alcohol.

Hamilton, Josh. Personal Interview. December 2022.

Jhas, Sonia. Personal Interview. December 2022.

Introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Many people find it fairly easy to think of ways that they can work on improving their physical health. For example, you might go for a walk, listen to your favourite music to make tackling house chores more enjoyable, or even head out to exercise classes. They’re all great ways to stay active and can help you realize benefits through an improved outlook on life and well-being. But when it comes to getting the equivalent “exercise” to improve your mental health, it can be trickier to understand what’s available and what will give you good results.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one of many proven therapy techniques. It can help us understand how negative patterns of thinking we have developed throughout our lives make us feel deflated, limited and more fretful. It can help us conquer self-criticism, feeling undervalued, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and other common mental health challenges. CBT focuses on identifying negative thought patterns that can often sabotage us and, instead, framing those thoughts differently to unblock our potential and find clarity. After a few sessions with clinicians or online modules, we can become more mindful of our thinking as we learn to embrace different CBT tools.

In this article, we’ll introduce you to some of the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and help you determine if it might be a type of therapy that you want to try. While it’s not the only type of therapy that can make a difference, it can be a great place to start when you want to work on improving your mental health.

What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?

 Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a structured and collaborative form of “psychological treatment that…[often] leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life.”[1]  It helps people recognize when their thinking patterns are distorted and may be contributing to the problems they are experiencing in their lives.

CBT is founded on the core principles that “psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking [and]…learned patterns of unhelpful behaviour.”[2]  Additionally, this type of therapy helps people learn “better ways of coping” with their problems so that they become “more effective in their lives.” [3]

CBT helps people move forward from their current difficulties by developing better coping strategies. Working through some history is part of the therapy, but the main focus is to “make sense of what is happening around them and [see how their] perceptions affect the way they feel.”[4]

Why is CBT used?

CBT is a form of therapy because it helps address the thoughts people can get caught up in. Over time, this can affect someone’s outlook on life, making them feel more vulnerable. The methods and exercises we can learn through CBT show us that instead of feeling like we don’t have much influence over the directions our lives are taking, we can modify our thoughts and control how we react to situations. Practicing CBT can change how we feel about daily experiences and problems.

Psychiatrist Aaron Beck developed a model for CBT in 1976. It captured how we “think about things and the content of these thoughts.”[5] Beck’s model expresses three aspects of our thinking and their interrelationship to show how we build negative beliefs:

[6]

 

CBT is also practical because it is structured and time-limited. People usually attend between 6 and 20 one-hour-long sessions on a regular basis where they focus on a specific problem and work toward achieving specific goals that are agreed to at the start of the therapy.[7] In their sessions, people often feel more engaged in working through their issues because they begin to understand their negative thinking patterns and accept accountability for them. It’s a self-managed way to see how negative thinking influences their behaviour and vice versa:  situations trigger automatic thoughts that affect core beliefs. It is also flexible enough to deliver in person, online or through mobile apps.

 

What is the goal of CBT?

CBT intends to equip someone with a set of practical tools they can use to assess situations they find themselves in that are leading to negative thinking. Some of these tools include:

• Setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-limited) goals can help establish priorities to focus on. Working through and completing small goals helps by building momentum. You get a sense of satisfaction as you achieve things you may have thought impossible.[8]

• Learning to question assumptions and talk through situations with yourself will help you recognize self-criticism. You’ll also learn techniques to “name” what is happening to you when you begin to create “cognitive distortions.” You’ll be able to replace those negative thoughts with constructive ones to be kinder to yourself.”[9] 

• Recognizing and learning to modify cognitive distortions. Cognitive distortions create harmful and destructive thinking patterns, which include: jumping to conclusions, always assuming the worst, all -or-nothing thing, always having to be correct, emotional reasoning, blaming, and focusing on what we believe we should have done.[10] 

• Keeping a record of your thoughts. People can use tools such as journaling to help identify their negative thoughts and note positive replacements.[11]

• Rewards and incentives focus on creating activities that will improve someone’s overall positivity and mood. [12] 

• Situation exposure is a technique used in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help people identify their fears and approach these fears in a safe, planned and deliberate way. It involves gradually exposing a person to a situation or stimulus that triggers feelings of fear or panic, in a safe space without the intention to cause any danger to the person. Over time, controlled exposure to these fears can help reduce the intensity of anxious or distressing feelings. For example, this tool can give new hope to people suffering from nightmares. Exposure to the situations that create the sense of panic they experience during a nightmare will help them learn that these sensations are not dangerous.[13] 

• Mindfulness and relaxation/calming techniques such as deep breathing and muscle relaxation or body scans can help someone develop coping skills to help manage stressful situations and emotions.[14]

 

Who can benefit from CBT? 

Everyone can benefit from CBT. It uses methods like working to understand thoughts and behaviours, using problem-solving skills and increasing confidence. Practicing these will produce changes that are “as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.”[15]

One study revealed that after 5-15 CBT sessions, 50-75% of respondents with social anxiety said that CBT was highly effective.[16] Another series of studies found that when CBT and drug therapy were combined, the results were “superior for major depression, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).”[17]

CBT treatment is effective for various situations, including:  bipolar, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, substance use, PTSD, eating disorders, anger/aggression, relationship problems, trauma, pain, sleep problems, time management challenges, and general or situational stressors.

 

What to expect in your first CBT session 

If you want to explore working with a therapist, your first meeting is a chance to determine how CBT can help you. You will also get a sense of whether you and this therapist have a good fit and can work together.

 

Here’s what might happen:

• You will determine your preference for a meeting (in person, online, or by phone).
• Your therapist will want to understand why you reached out for help and learn more about your work and personal lives.
• You might discuss costs and time frames/duration of sessions and whether you have coverage under a benefits plan.
• You should discuss the therapist’s background, training, and education.
• Your therapist will review their policy concerning confidentiality.
• Your therapist may ask you what your goals are for therapy so that you can develop a treatment plan together.
• You can discuss how you feel about homework and practicing CBT tools and ask any questions that you may have.

 

CBT resources

There are many CBT therapy resources available online that you can explore. We’ve included links to a few that you may find helpful. Remember that while CBT has a sizeable self-directed component, it’s always a good idea to consider working with a therapist. They can guide you through the processes and tools so that you understand how it works.

• Thought record worksheet

https://positive.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Thought-Record-Worksheet.pdf

• Accepting Uncertainty Worksheet

https://homewood-production.s3.amazonaws.com/Miscellaneous/Sentio+worksheets/Accepting+Uncertainty+Worksheet.pdf

• Postponing Your Worries

https://homewood-production.s3.amazonaws.com/Miscellaneous/Sentio+worksheets/Postpone+your+Worries.pdf

• Fact-checking thoughts worksheet

https://positive.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Fact-Checking-Thoughts-Worksheet.pdf

• Functional Analysis worksheet

https://positive.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/ABC-Functional-Analysis-Worksheet.pdf

 

What if CBT doesn’t seem like the right fit? 

If CBT doesn’t seem right for you, there are alternative therapy options that you can explore such as:

• Behavioural Therapy

There are many other types of behavioural therapy besides CBT. Which one is used depends upon the situation.

• DBT – Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
• Social Learning Theory

• Humanistic Therapy

It focuses on “a person’s individual nature rather than assuming a group of people with similar characteristics have the same concerns.”[18]

• EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization Therapy

EMDR is used to reduce emotional distress from Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD).

 

References:

[1] American Psychological Association (2022). What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? APA. Retrieved November 2, 2022 from https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid

[4] Canadian Association for Mental Health (CAMH) (2022). Cognitive behavioural therapy. camh. Retrieved November 2, 2022 from https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/cognitive-behavioural-therapy

[5] Fenn and Byrne (2013). The key principles of cognitive behavioural therapy. Sage Journals: InnovAiT Volume 6, Issue 9, September 2013, Pages 579-585. Retrieved on November 2, 2022 from https://doi.org/10.1177/1755738012471029

[6] Ibid.

[7] Canadian Association for Mental Health (CAMH) (2022). Cognitive behavioural therapy. camh. Retrieved November 2, 2022 from https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/cognitive-behavioural-therapy

[8] Raypole and Marcin (Medically reviewed by Lener, M. MD) (2022, May 17). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:  What Is It and How Does It Work? Healthline. Retrieved November 2, 2022 from https://www.healthline.com/health/cognitive-behavioral-therapy

[9] Ibid.

[10] Riopel, Leslie (2019, June 15). Benefits of CBT:  8+ Results of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Positive Psychology.com. Retrieved November 2, 2022 from https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-cbt/#:~:text=In%20particular%2C%20the%20strongest%20support,et%20al.%2C%202012).

[11] Raypole and Marcin (Medically reviewed by Lener, M. MD) (2022, May 17). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:  What Is It and How Does It Work? Healthline. Retrieved November 2, 2022 from https://www.healthline.com/health/cognitive-behavioral-therapy

[12] Ibid.

[13] Riopel, Leslie (2019, June 15). Benefits of CBT:  8+ Results of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Positive Psychology.com. Retrieved November 2, 2022 from https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-cbt/#:~:text=In%20particular%2C%20the%20strongest%20support,et%20al.%2C%202012).

[14] Ibid.

[15] American Psychological Association (2022). What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? APA. Retrieved November 2, 2022 from https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral

[16] Hedman, E., Botella, C, & Berger, T. (2016) Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for social anxiety disorder. In N. Lindefors & G. Andersson (Eds.), Guided internet-based treatments in psychiatry (pp. 53–78). Springer International Publishing. Retrieved November 2, 2022 from https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06083-5_4

[17] Cuppers et al., (2014). Adding psychotherapy to antidepressant medication in depression and anxiety disorders:  a meta-analysis. World Psychiatry Journal. 2014 Feb; 13(1): 56–67. Published online 2014 Feb 4 doi: 10.1002/wps.20089. Retrieved on November 2, 2022 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3918025/

[18] Psychology Today (n.d.). Humanistic Therapy. Psychology Today. Retrieved November 2, 2022 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapy-types/humanistic-therapy

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), often referred to as “winter blues” or seasonal depression, is a type of depression related to changes in the seasons¹. Most often affecting individuals in the fall or spring months, it can have a profound effect on an individual’s mood and energy levels.

Those affected by SAD often feel like isolating themselves until a change in seasons occurs, usually spring, however this isn’t a viable solution for anyone¹.

In Canada, SAD affects around 3% of Canadians each year, with approximately 15% experiencing milder forms of SAD². Often, this disorder impacts children and teenagers, with women having a higher propensity to experience SAD over men. Additionally, if there’s a history of depression in the family, individuals have a higher risk of experiencing SAD in their lifetime².

A research study conducted by Oxford University has found there are many methods to minimize the effects of SAD³.

Those who experience seasonal affective disorder often experience the following symptoms⁴:

• Appetite changes including increased cravings for sugary or starchy foods
• Avoidance of people or activities previously enjoyed
• Daytime fatigue
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Feeling tense or stressed
• Insomnia or sense of feeling tired all the time
• Irritability
• Lowered sex drive and desire for physical contact
• Sadness, guilt, or overly critical of one’s self
• Sense of hopelessness
• Weight gain

Here are some suggested methods to minimize SAD symptoms:

Meet with a Healthcare Practitioner. Discussing medical treatment or support from a qualified healthcare practitioner can be a useful first step in identifying the ideal treatment option. SAD is a treatable disorder, where healthcare practitioners can provide resources to build resilience prior to months where SAD is at its peak. Some of those suggestions are mentioned below.

Light Therapy. When using light therapy, results have shown relief between 60 to 80 percent for those who suffer from SAD. Sitting for 30 minutes in front of a special fluorescent light that simulates natural outdoor light, can help improve an individual’s mood and energy levels. The best time to use this form of therapy is in the morning, so an individual can reap the benefits throughout the day⁴.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This form of therapy works to replace negative thoughts with more positive ones. It can be used in conjunction with light therapy, and according to some, is the most effective way of treating the disorder.

Self-help. There are many ways to minimize symptoms of SAD outside of professional medical help. Individuals who regularly exercise, have good sleeping habits, eat a healthy diet, and stay connected with others have improved moods during SAD months. Working towards a more balanced lifestyle can help manage stress and reduce the symptoms of depression. Using these self-help tools year round can help minimise the likelihood of suffering from SAD, and improves one’s overall health and well-being⁴.

Discussing medical treatment or support from a qualified healthcare practitioner can be a useful first step in identifying the ideal treatment option. SAD is a treatable disorder, where healthcare practitioners can provide resources to build resilience prior to months where SAD is at its peak.

Everyday tips to ease winter SAD⁴

• Avoid alcohol, and be aware of your caffeine intake. Both alcohol and caffeine can affect your sleep and make you feel groggy and grumpy. On the other hand, make sure you’re drinking enough water.
• Build routines to get you outside during the day. Try to find opportunities for a brief outdoor walk during daylight.
• Increase physical activities or exercise prior to typical SAD months. This can help to build a healthy lifestyle prior to SAD symptoms, potentially preventing or limiting SAD symptoms each year. Physical activity relieves stress, depression, and increases your energy, combatting the majority of the SAD symptoms.
• Keeping a journal can help you to deal with the negative feelings one can experience. Plan to write each day for a week, including your thoughts, feelings and concerns. The best time to write is often at night, which allows you to reflect on all that happened during the last 24 hours.
• Re-arrange your space to maximize exposure to sunlight throughout the workday. Try to keep the curtains open during the day and position yourself to face natural light where possible.
• Resist the urge to eat unhealthy sugary or high carbohydrate foods. Although often craved when experiencing SAD symptoms, this can increase depression and weight gain, further increasing SAD symptoms.
• Take a vacation, look for sunny destinations. Save throughout the year to alleviate potential financial strain. Reminder, symptoms of SAD can recur after you return home.
• Take vitamin D supplements or eat foods high in vitamin D, such as cow’s milk, soy or rice beverages, orange juice, salmon, eggs, or fortified yogurts. Since getting more sun exposure is dependent on weather and time, change your diet during fall and winter can help you get the vitamin D you would typically receive from sun exposure.
• Try to spend more time outdoors during the day. Spending time outside for 30 minutes can help your body absorb enough vitamin D to help improve overall mood.

References:

1. Mayo Clinic. (2017, October 25). Seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Retrieved November 21, 2017, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651
2. Mood Disorders Association of Ontario. (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions – Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.). Retrieved November 21, 2017, from https://www.mooddisorders.ca/faq/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad
3. Rohan, K. J., & Rough, J. N. (2017). The Oxford Handbook of Mood Disorders. Retrieved from https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-mood-disorders-9780199973965?cc=ca&lang=en&#
4. CMHA. (2016). Find Help Now. Retrieved November 21, 2017, from https://cmha.bc.ca/documents/seasonal-affective-disorder-2/

Wellness, it seems, is the next big thing that everyone must conquer. The past two years of pandemic upheaval have given people a chance to assess and reflect on their overall health and well-being, prompting a wellness renaissance. However, jumping on board with trends may lead to the actual value and understanding of wellness to become diluted by social chatter and marketing buzz.

For wellness to be purposeful, it must be personal. In this article, we’re going to look at wellness from the standpoint of how one-size-fits-all solutions aren’t the answer. We’ll go back to basics examining wellness as a multi-dimensional concept and explore what it means to be well overall. We’ll look at some of the foundations of physical and mental wellness by addressing how some of our choices complicate our ability to find the right balance, including nutrition’s effect on your brain. Finally, we’ll discuss determining your path to wellness, sharing some tips and strategies that will help you kick start your journey.

Wellness, defined

Wellness has always been linked to good health, preventative care, and positive lifestyle choices. It’s a concept that’s been present for thousands of years but has gotten a lot of attention, especially over the past decade. More people are paying attention to wellness, which is reflected in the general interest and messaging we regularly see from governments, businesses, medical experts, and the media. Because health and wellness are intrinsically linked, where sometimes the terms are used interchangeably, it helps to look at each individually and their relationship. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (illness)” and wellness as “the optimal state of health of individuals and groups… expressed as a ‘positive approach to living.”¹

Multi-dimensional wellness

Wellness encompasses many different things and is often contextualized using these eight dimensions²:

Physical

• How you fuel your body
• How much you move your body
• How you rest to restore your body

Intellectual

• Things you do to learn, be creative and grow
• How you view the world
• Finding enjoyment in trying something new

Emotional

• How you use positive thinking
• How resilient you are
• How you recognize and use your strengths

Social

• How you interact with family, friends, coworkers and communities
• Practicing gratitude and kindness
• Communicating and building relationships to decrease feelings of loneliness

Spiritual

• Connecting with something “greater than ourselves,” be it religious beliefs, the planet, other people, or with something more profound
• How you live according to what you value
• How you are mindful of the effect you have on your surroundings 

Occupational

• How purposeful you feel about contributing to the world through work, school, or volunteering
• Appreciating and joining efforts to improve or help something you believe in
• How you can gain meaning from helping others

Financial

• Learning about money so you can use it strategically
• How you budget
• How you can be happier making financial decisions that improve other people’s lives and your own

Environmental

• How aware you are of your surroundings
• Choosing “calm, safe, non-toxic” environments
• Finding balance by spending time in nature

What does it mean to be well overall?

Wellness is fluid and adaptive depending on evaluations of circumstances and situations. There is no singular correct approach because each of us has a different view of the world. Determining your view of wellness comes from being self-aware and self-regulating to make choices that help you form habits. However, living fully aware of what makes you feel fulfilled and recognizing and realizing your potential gets you only part of the way. Whether they are beneficial to us or not, our habits are determining factors in our wellness. Knowing what is good for us is one thing, but ultimately, we determine the amount of effort we are willing to invest in ourselves. When you make conscious choices to integrate good things into your life, you increase the degree of wellness that you will feel. For example, caring for yourself, by extension, is an act of caring for others: both the people we care about and those who care about us. Remember that highly personalized wellness is based on your choices, actions, and attention to maintaining it.

What we tend to focus on: Physical and mental wellness

We often focus on physical and mental wellness and take actions to care for our bodies and minds to maintain or improve current health and protect our future health. However, some other wellness dimensions heavily influence our physical and mental well-being. For example, if you worry about your job security, money, paying the bills, or think that saving for the future is only a dream, you can undoubtedly feel stress building that will affect your physical and mental wellness. Similarly, if you feel lonely or disconnected socially, this stress will also show up physically and mentally. As humans, we need to connect actively, that is, through speaking, laughing, interacting in shared spaces for our brains to process the benefits. Research has shown us that “social connection can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy, and actually improve our immune systems. By neglecting our need to connect, we put our health at risk.”³

While many would argue that social media does an excellent job of helping us stay connected, it and even other technologies such as video chatting do little to reduce loneliness. Social media can contribute counterproductively to overall wellness because of its addictive and passive nature. Many people find themselves scrolling through posts from others’ lives and draw comparisons between what they view in these highlight reels versus what they are experiencing. It’s important to remember that what is being shared is highly curated and may be inaccurate. Drawing comparisons and aspiring to lifestyles depicted on social media can intensify feelings of inadequacy and lead to being disappointed in life. Instead of looking for solutions there, engage with people outside of social media. These may be professionals such as your doctor, psychologists, counsellors, social workers, coaches, family members and friends. It’s worth your time and investment to connect through conversations and interactions to listen to the natural cadence and pauses of conversations and to observe expressions and body language in a way that technology simply cannot duplicate.

What are some easy ways you can support physical and mental wellness?

Everything is connected. Building healthy habits that support your entire body is key. Movement completed during a walk or other type of exercise benefits not only your muscles, bones, lungs, and heart but also your brain. But the length of time, effort and duration of exercise needed is not as intense as you may think, and that could act as an incentive to invest more in developing a positive habit. While moderate exercise helps, “too much exercise, particularly over time, pushes metabolic demands to the point where your brain’s innate protective systems are overwhelmed…[leading] to cellular injury and accelerated ageing.”⁴ Exercise decreases negative emotions, thoughts, depression, feelings of anxiety, and helplessness. So, it’s essential to think of it as an addition and not a solution to wellness. Instead, it would be best if you continued with the exercise plus everything else your doctor has recommended, including taking medication and participating in any other forms of therapy suggested.

Eating nutritious food and drinking water regularly are other simple ways to support overall wellness. It starts by understanding how the nutrients you consume are absorbed and feed all your cells. People are often surprised to find out that being malnourished and dehydrated affects their mental health. By consuming the proper nutrient-dense foods that work with your body, and increasing your daily water intake, your diet can help you improve your overall wellness. Dr. Uma Naidoo, a Chef and Nutritional Psychiatrist, has researched how different foods can trigger psychological responses such as depression, anxiety and negative emotional responses that are “not great for our long-term brain health.”⁵ Cravings, comfort food, and the crash we feel after consuming the wrong foods, especially sugary ones “made to be hyper-palatable,” is something to avoid because it’s very hard on our bodies.⁶ Understanding that there is a connection between food, gut health and the brain can help you form new habits. Eating nutritious foods allows us to feed the gut with microbes that maintain balanced transmission between the brain and the gut through the Vagus nerve and reduce inflammation, a catalyst for poor mental health.⁷ Psychological stress and trauma are also heightened when people are anxious and worried about food allergies. Knowledge of dietary choices and alternatives can reduce this type of anxiety.

Boundaries = balance

When considering other aspects of your overall wellness, it’s important to evaluate whether you need to establish boundaries that offer support and eliminate stressors. Often, relationships fall into patterns that can cause some discomfort. There’s also sometimes a danger of someone losing their sense of individuality in a relationship. Work pressures and challenges, including the difficulties posed by working from home, can hover over relationships like a fog. Addressing these situations calmly will often bring about better awareness of the behaviours that are straining your relationships. From there, you can introduce boundaries and consequences to going beyond them to help you find a better balance to your overall wellness and sense of fulfillment. It’s essential to be clear, respectful and show that you care as you articulate them.

Tips to kick start your wellness

Get up and move

• Set realistic goals to boost your physical activity. They need to be achievable, not monumental.
• Be sure that you’re focused on becoming stronger, and not on losing weight.
• Avoid focusing on your appearance. Be kind to your body. It works hard for you every day.

Get creative

• Sing, dance, paint, play with clay, knit, crochet or something else.
• Neuroscience shows that these are “simple, playful ways to help adults unwind and relieve stress.”⁸

Get in touch with your senses

Immerse yourself in the sensory experiences within your environment. Explore tactile objects and think about the sensations you feel. Pay attention to the sounds, aromas, and visuals. Slow down when you eat so you can take time to taste the flavours of your food.

Get positive

• Try boosting your mental wellness with a moment of daily positivity to help bring about self-acceptance. It’s as easy as writing these three things in a small notebook or on a calendar:
• Something you’re grateful for
• Something you’ve been thinking about for a while
• Something you are choosing not to do today

Get comfortable with your finances

• Start with something short-range like making a simple budget to get you through a day, a week, or a month. Look at your spending and saving decisions. Ask yourself if you have room to choose a different path on any of them.
• Once you’re comfortable with the short-range items, move on to long-range considerations. It doesn’t have to be about lump sums or investing. Start with something basic such as saving $2 a day. Set up an automatic transfer to a savings account or go with coins in a jar. It doesn’t matter which method you choose, more that you’re training yourself to see the value in it. You can build onto more long-range goals once the habit is formed.

Get social

• Reach out to a friend once a week, by phone or video chat to have a short conversation. It doesn’t mean texting; it’s about talking.
• Join a group with like interests. Perhaps you want to learn an instrument or a language. Your brain will benefit from these new skills. You’ll also develop the habit of lifelong learning.
• Reduce screen time and take a social media break. You may be able to see just how many times a day you touch your device and begin to break that habit. Many mobile devices have tools and apps built-in to help regulate usage.
• Live your experiences. Being present and watching things happen live creates memories in our brains. When you are focused on recording something to watch later, you’ll find that the memory isn’t as easy to recall because you didn’t form it in the same way as being immersed at the moment.
• Ensure that your recreational use of alcohol and tobacco is both in control and in moderation. It’s easy to get caught up in social and cultural marketing that promotes these as acceptable ways to medicate and detach from the stress and pressure of daily life. There’s an inherent danger in this as it encourages people to rationalize and deflect from stressors, normalizing substance abuse.

References:

1. WHO, n.d., as cited in Rashakrishnan, R., (2021 January 27). What Is Health and Wellness? MedicineNet. https://www.medicinenet.com/what_is_health_and_wel…
2. Davis, T., MA, PhD. (n.d.). Definition of Wellness: Meaning, Dimensions, and Examples. Berkely Well-Being Institute. https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/wellness-definit…
3. Canadian Mental Health Association (2019 Oct 17). The importance of human connection. CMHA. https://cmha.ca/the-importance-of-human-connection…
4. Wenk, G. Ph.D. (2021 April 20). This Is Your Brain on Exercise. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/your-brain…
5. Brooker, H. (2021 May 12). This is Your Brain on Food. Fare [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/CfEim43NDas
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. Dancing. Atlanta Jewish Times https://www.atlantajewishtimes.com/finding-the-hea…

Believe it or not, modern social media is still relatively young. We can trace its ancestry to the early blogging and bulletin board systems in the late 90s. Recognizable forms similar to today’s platforms first emerged in the 2000s, with the now-defunct Six Degrees and Friendster. Undoubtedly, social media is a part of humankind, with billions of people using it daily. But as with any form of transformative technology, it has both positives and negatives. After a couple of decades of weaving social media into our social and cultural fabric, we’ve come to recognize the alarming effect it has on people’s mental health. We see harmful effects such as individuals developing negative body images because they compare themselves to what they are observing and experiencing through social media.

In this article, we’ll take some time to unpack some of the complicated issues around social media use and the connections to body image and mental health. We’ll discuss some of the unrealistic expectations social media serves and examine some of the most problematic behaviours observed. Then, we’ll look at how social media affects how kids, youth, and adults view themselves. Finally, we’ll focus on what you can do to help guide someone struggling with social media use. We’ll end with some tips and strategies you may adopt to turn social media activities into more positively focused experiences.

What do we mean by body image?

We all have a body image. It’s personal, but can be heavily influenced by other people, ideas, and surroundings. Essentially, it’s how someone views their body physically,
plus the positive or negative thoughts and feelings they experience as they look
at themselves. (1)

Body image has four aspects to consider:

1. Perceptual – The way you see yourself “is not always a correct representation of what you actually look like.” (2)
2. Affective – What you like or dislike about the way your body looks. It’s a focus on “appearance, weight, shape and body parts.” (3)
3. Cognitive – The way you think about yourself which ties to what you believe about yourself. (4)
4. Behavioural – Actions that you take or things you do that are directly related to your appearance. (5)

How are body image and mental health related?

A person’s body image can be positive or negative and can fluctuate based on environmental factors. Body image also influences self-esteem, self-acceptance, and someone’s general outlook on life: three important mental health indicators, which can also impact positive or negative viewpoints.

Positivity supports healthy self-esteem levels. It generally means that you feel good and enjoy being social. You may describe yourself as feeling happy and fulfilled with your life. With a positive body image, you are also more likely to be comfortable in your own skin.

You also aren’t as vulnerable to conforming to influences that suggest how you should look to feel accepted. For example,

you likely choose what to eat and when/how to move your body because these activities make you feel good. You’re not trying to fit into an unrealistic mould of someone else’s idealized body image.

When someone’s body image takes on more negative perceptions, they are more likely to be influenced by their environment. They may base their self-esteem on comments or judgements made by friends, family, and social media. It can also begin to affect their mental health. Diminished self-acceptance could find them conflicted, looking for constant validation to counteract how they are feeling about their:

• Age
• Body type or size
• Appearance
• Gender identity
• Sexual orientation

What are some warning signs that someone may be relying too heavily on social media for emotional fulfillment?

When someone is using social media so frequently that they begin to experience negative outcomes that are affecting their mental health, they may: 

• Have trouble sleeping, which could be tied to screen exposure. In a 2018 survey, a group of people aged 15-64 were asked about their Internet usage. Nearly 1/5, or 19% of respondents said that they had lost sleep in the previous year due to social media use. This data was collected before a global pandemic and coincidently with the worldwide launch of the social media platform TikTok near the end of 2018. Today, TikTok has 1 million users. (6),(7) Consider that electronics emit blue light wavelengths that “are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times and mood.” (8) Using devices that expose our eyes to blue light in the dark can affect our body’s “biological clock – the circadian rhythm…[so that] sleep suffers.” (9) Researchers are also concerned that this disruption can lead to cancer and conditions like “diabetes and heart disease […].” (10)

• Have difficulty concentrating and focusing. That same survey showed 18% of respondents struggled with concentrating and focusing on tasks. (11)
• Reduce how physically active they are. Almost a quarter said that they had “done less physical activity than normal.” (12)
• Have developed feelings of anxiousness, depression, being envious of other’s lives, and or felt angry or frustrated. 12-14% of respondents reported negative emotional experiences. (13)
• Become more isolated from in-person socialization with friends and family and lose track of time. While experts haven’t yet agreed that social media addiction is an official diagnosis, “overuse is increasingly commonplace” and creates problems. (14) Social media affects the brain by releasing dopamine, a neurotransmission chemical that ties to our sense of motivation and rewards. We keep going back to our favourite social media platforms. We can get lost in the scrolling because when dopamine is released, it makes us feel great. Other forms of addiction leverage dopamine similarly, whether related to drugs, gambling, or even shopping. Interestingly, over time, people may need to consume more of what causes the dopamine release because the smaller amounts they once triggered are no longer enough to provide the reward.

What has social media done to affect body image and mental health?

Unfortunately, social media is yet another form of harmful messaging that continues patterns within our society that convey unrealistic expectations around body image standards. Tabloids, advertising campaigns, magazines, and other forms of media have always tried to influence what the ideal or preferred body looks like. It’s a deadly form of stereotyping that people aspire to that seriously affects someone’s mental health.

With repeated exposure, our thinking can perceive “exaggerated or imagined flaws” in how we look, resulting in Body Dysmorphic Disorder. (15) Social media often objectifies bodies and can shape people’s relationships with food, fashion, and fitness under the guise of inspiration. Hashtags such as #fitsperation are filled with images that people use to compare themselves, not even realizing the amount of retouching and photo-editing that happens before these pictures are ever posted to social media accounts. (16) Even seemingly well-intended “movements” that appear periodically, such as people posting images of their “healthy” meals, have an undercurrent of toxicity and diet culture as they lack context and people are too ready to copy this kind of consumption without considering whether or not these foods being presented are part of fad diets, or have a basis in proper nutrition and eating habits. (17)

These posts can be damaging to body image, self-esteem, and self-worth so severely that it could potentially increase their vulnerability for the development of eating disorders. Orthorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder often tied to social media’s ‘healthy eating’ movement based on extremism. With it, people become obsessed with eating what the images reveal as ‘healthy’ foods to the point of expelling any ‘bad’ foods. It’s a dangerous cycle that can see people develop malnutrition because there is not enough diversity within someone’s diet. (18)

Other troubling behaviours observed in people who use social media extensively

Neuroscientists continue to study social media’s influence on people’s behaviours. We’ve compiled a shortlist of things to examine, develop an awareness of, and potentially address.

• Being obsessed with the number of likes, views, and followers someone has on their social media accounts can be a warning sign. Suppose a person is constantly checking social media during the day and seems always to be scrolling. In that case, it may be an indication that they are having difficulty disconnecting. They can develop a Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) mindset that compels them to stay connected constantly.

• Consuming vast amounts of micro-content in the form of reels (short videos or posts) can overload our brains. It can even lead to something called phantom vibration syndrome “that can make you feel like your phone is buzzing even if it’s not.” (19) The constant barrage of content produces immediate rewards in the form of dopamine.
• Drawing comparisons to influencers and creating a highly curated account of your life is another red flag. One UK-based study revealed that close to 90% of women compare themselves to other social media content producers. More than ½ of the comparisons result in a negative self-image. The same study indicated that 65% of men draw comparisons with close to 40% of these being negative perceptions of themselves. (20) People develop insecurities with how they live their lives compared to influencers and content creators who boast about making vast incomes and receiving sponsorships and product endorsement opportunities regularly. Highly curated content intended to make someone seem exceptionally successful is another toxic behaviour. It glamorizes inauthentic lifestyles.
• Obsession or voyeuristic tendencies for looking at other people’s lives can influence behaviour. People can become fixated on finding out about private topics that would seldom be discussed in public. Paparazzi are culpable in this by producing images that contribute to malicious and harmful content about celebrities which leads to some people relishing in their apparent misfortune. A tableau that exposes people’s mental health struggles publicly questions our ability to operate with compassion and empathy and respect privacy. It’s vastly different than an awareness-based campaign to reduce stigma. These things can quickly lead down the path of cyberbullying and cyberstalking, where comments on posts are laden with cruel intentions and exhibit potential danger to someone’s safety. Laws are not yet well defined in this area, and people may be surprised to find out that limited action can be taken in these kinds of situations.
• Portraying oneself in social media using photo modifications and filters creates a distorted sense of self. This does more harm than good to a person’s body image. Again, people believe that they must maintain expectations of how they look, dress, and behave with their social media personas. There are inherent dangers to this beyond the psychological aspects. Hackers improve their deepfakes using content that social media users generate to overlay and create something completely artificial. Revealing too much personal information through social media channels is also dangerous. It can be collected and sold on the dark web to create false identities to impersonate someone, gain access to their finances, or steal their identity. Finally, many people don’t understand that releasing images via social media platforms means that the picture’s data is forever on the Internet. People can experience significant distress and trauma knowing that there may be private photos circulating that they cannot remove or control.

How does social media affect a person’s body image over time?

Information about children’s use of social media is hard to come by. There is a phenomenon where parents post content with their children, hoping it could go viral and make them famous. These children don’t choose whether they wish to have their images or likenesses shared online. It’s an early start down a path that normalizes social media usage and creates the associate that a person’s value can be defined by how much engagement a post generates.

By far, teens and young adults are the most avid users of social media. Between ages 15 and 34, an average of 93% regularly use social media platforms. From 35-49, that drops to 83% and from 50-64, to 68%. Only ½ of people over the age of 65 regularly engage on social media. (21)

While there is hope that someone’s use of social media might diminish over time, as new platforms and technologies are released, that remains to be seen. Whistleblowers from inside these organizations are starting to reveal alarming details that expose how these companies go to great lengths to increase engagement. Instead, they should evaluate their influence and strive to become part of the solution to reducing harm.

Is social media all bad?

We should note that social media platforms can deliver mixed results for LGBT2Q+, BIPOC and people with both visible and invisible disabilities. They are generally viewed as unsafe because of the prevalence of hateful messages and harassment. Still, youth express how social media can be liberating to find people who are positive influences.

Parents need to thoughtfully address this topic with their kids and teens to understand how to recognize and exit from the harmful and toxic situations that social media serves instead of escalating them. Having an appreciation that for some people, social media does provide opportunities to develop other aspects of self-worth and find affinity in people who they can relate to.

A checklist of tips that can help

If you are trying to guide someone towards responsible social media use to develop and maintain positive mental health, you may want to think about these tips:

• Establish boundaries that include conscious decisions about what to read and look at online.
• Investigate how to leverage built-in controls within technology such as phone settings, parental controls, and activating usage statistics that reveal how much time is spent online by application.
• Find inclusive and body-positive social media presences to follow and share this content with people you are trying to help. It will appear in their feeds and may help them think twice about engaging and recognize more valuable and realistic sources of productive and positive content.
• Be open to discussing different aspects of social media to share your thoughts and develop listening skills that help inspire positive critical thinking and challenge convention.
• Set goals to be more focused on overall physical and mental health rather than appearance.
• Model daily self-acceptance and positivity.
• Most importantly, institute social media breaks. Moderation is vital, and self-imposed retreats can help if there are particularly strong reactions to upsetting situations or content.
• Consider how much content is shared daily and whether you need to contribute. For example, there are 500 hours of YouTube content uploaded each minute worldwide. Instagram has 95 million photos and videos shared daily. Is it necessary? What could go wrong?

 

References:

1. Confident Body – National Eating Disorders Collaboration (n.d.) Fact Sheet: Body Image. Retrieved November 16, 2021, from https://www.confidentbody.net/uploads/1/7/0/2/1702…
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Schimmele, C., Fonberg, J., Schellenberg, G. (2021 March 24). Economic and Social Reports: Canadians’ assessments of social media in their lives. Statistics Canada. Retrieved November 10, 2021 from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/202…
7. Dean, Brian (2021 October 11). TikTok User Statistics 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021 from https://backlinko.com/tiktok-users
8. Harvard Medical School (2020 July 7). Staying Healthy: Blue light has a dark side. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved on November 22, 2021 from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blu…
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. Schimmele, C., Fonberg, J., Schellenberg, G. (2021 March 24). Economic and Social Reports: Canadians’ assessments of social media in their lives. Statistics Canada. Retrieved November 10, 2021 from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/202…
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
14. Cherney, K. (2020 August 6). What Is Social Media Addiction? Healthline. Retrieved November 22, 2021 from https://www.healthline.com/health/social-media-add…
15. Emotion Matters. (n.d.). How Does Social Media Influence Body Image? emotionmatters. Retrieved on November 15, 2021 from https://emotionmatters.co.uk/2018/10/04/how-does-s…
16. Ibid.
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
19. McSweeney, K. (2019, March 17). This is Your Brain on Instagram: Effects of Social Media on the Brain. Now. Powered by Northrop Grumman. Retrieved on November 15, 2021 from https://now.northropgrumman.com/this-is-your-brain…
20. Emotion Matters. (n.d.). How Does Social Media Influence Body Image? emotionmatters. Retrieved on November 15, 2021 from https://emotionmatters.co.uk/2018/10/04/how-does-s…
21. Schimmele, C., Fonberg, J., Schellenberg, G. (2021 March 24). Economic and Social Reports: Canadians’ assessments of social media in their lives. Statistics Canada. Retrieved November 10, 2021 from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/202…