Kyle MacDonald: Can we trust New Zealand's mental health system?
We all know there are problems with the way we care for people struggling with their mental health in New Zealand, but few people are as well qualified to comment as Dr Brad Strong.
Brad is a psychiatrist and the Clinical Director for Mental Health and Addictions Services for the Southern DHB, covering Dunedin, Invercargill and surrounds. He is also a Harvard educated psychiatrist, and he was our guest on the NewstalkZB show, The Nutters Club on Sunday night.
We asked for his views on what we need to change in our mental health system, and why he thinks we need an independent review.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=118...
Kyle MacDonald: How to Respond to Criticism
What other people think about us matters a lot. Humans are basically herd animals. We all have our blind spots and the only way we can truly learn about what we can't see is to hear and understand how others see us.
Because we rely on other people to fully understand ourselves and our ideas about ourselves, our "self-image" may, or may not, be accurate. It's sort of like skinny mirrors in dressing rooms, when we rely on a mirror, it's a problem if the mirror is flawed.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=118...
Learn to Love Yourself
Learn to love yourself with these simple steps to self-affirmation.
When beauty ideals are unattainable and accepted definitions of success all but impossible to achieve, it’s becoming harder than ever to like ourselves just the way we are. But striving for a positive body image and healthy self-esteem is important for more than just a happier life – it could also ward off more serious mental health issues ahead.
Self-love is word that gets thrown around a lot these days. We know it’s necessary to ensure we are happy and healthy, but what exactly is it and how do we achieve it?
http://www.mindfood.com/article/learn-to-love-yourself/
Kyle MacDonald: How to Tell if You're 'Too Sensitive'
Have you ever been told "you're too sensitive"? Kyle MacDonald explains what the real issue is when someone is accused of being overly emotional.
When people ask me if they're too sensitive, I often ask them: "According to whom?" because, as the saying goes, it takes two to tango. It can be a get out of jail free card for bullies.
The recent political ructions in the US have highlighted that an entire generation, namely "millennials", have been labelled "snowflakes" due to being too sensitive, and too easily offended. Apparently, if you're young and offended by hatred levelled at minorities, it's your fault.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/Kyle-MacDonald/news/article.cfm?a_id=1027&obje...
Sharing Suicide Videos Is Dangerous. Facebook Has Failed Us By Allowing It.
If you think you’re helping by sharing videos that show suicide or self harm, you’re not. Research shows that when suicides are reported in detail, including how the person did it, there is a sharp rise in “copycat” suicides.
Recently The Nutters Club hosts Mike King and Kyle MacDonald raised the issue of a video of a 12 year old girl committing suicide with Facebook. Says Kyle “ I came across the video via Facebook. Someone alerted me to it less than a week after her death. I did what any reasonable person would do: I followed Facebook’s own advice and reported it for showing graphic details of self-harm or suicide. Less than two hours later I received a reply. It wasn’t what I expected”
Facebook said "We’ve reviewed the share you reported for showing someone injuring themselves and found that it doesn’t violate our Community Standards”.
Below are links to an edition of The Nutters Club radio show where Mike and Kyle discuss the issue.
And you can read more here:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/11/sharing-suicide-vi...
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11777767
Do You Have Trump Anxiety?
The Nutter's Club resident psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald gives advice on Trump anxiety in his column this week.
A reader writes..... Is "Trump anxiety" a thing? I've read about it, and am worried I might have it." - Concerned
I'm pretty sure there is such a thing because I'm suffering from it as well. I'm also not sure it's anxiety. I think the fear is utterly rational.
I lived in the States for two years, even held a green card, and I still have soft spot for the place - although I suspect the combination of my beard and my views on human rights mean I may struggle to go there now.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/Kyle-MacDonald/news/article.cfm?a_id=1027&obje...
Kyle MacDonald: Why It's So Hard For People to Say No
Just two letters, it's such a small word. But is not being able to say no making your life unmanageable? Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald has some tips.
It's such a little word, just two letters, but not being able to say it can be downright dangerous, and can also quickly make life unmanageable. Even if you're safety isn't at risk, too many "yes when you mean no" moments leads to resentment: the wish to be agreeable is eclipsed by exhaustion, and the growing pain of our own needs and wishes becomes ignored.
The real problem though is when our belief in our own value is so skewed towards what we do, rather than who we are. That's when the possibility of disappointing others takes on an extra dimension: What if they don't like me any more?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/Kyle-MacDonald/news/article.cfm?a_id=1027&obje...
Kyle MacDonald: How To Help Someone With Depression
Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald identifies the most important thing you can do for some battling depression.
A number of people emailed me after last week's column, pointing out that I had been a little negative in focusing on "what not to do" when someone you care about is experiencing depression, and asking if I could talk more about how to help.
I thought that was fair enough, and I can completely understand why people would've felt it wasn't very helpful (see what I did there?).
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/Kyle-MacDonald/news/article.cfm?a_id=1027&obje...
Kyle MacDonald: What's So Great About Mindfulness?
5 Tips on how to become more Mindful, Kyle MacDonald
Mindfulness is very trendy at the moment, and it's not often you can say that about a psychological treatment. But it isn't all incense, throw cushions and sitting cross-legged with your eyes shut.
So what is mindfulness and why is it so popular?
Mindfulness comes from Buddhist traditions and is a series of meditation techniques that help with mental focus, concentration and emotions by way of improving our ability to more actively control our attention.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/Kyle-MacDonald/news/article.cfm?a_id=1027&obje...
Kyle MacDonald: How to 'Cope' With Christmas
I often get asked "How do I cope with Christmas", which is weird, because it's the most wonderful time of the year apparently.
But in all my years as a therapist it seems no day causes as much distress to people as Christmas Day.
Recently I've found myself increasingly less interested in thinking about how to "cope" with Christmas and much more interested in how to make the day more personally meaningful.
To me, despite the obvious and inherent contradiction, Christmas is a secular celebration. I'm not religious and so the day itself is not, for me, a religious celebration.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/Kyle-MacDonald/news/article.cfm?a_id=1027&obje...
