In today’s special edition, we have exclusively compiled news and stories that present new approaches to promoting mental health: from trips to nature on prescription to stand-up comedy courses for men at risk of suicide.
The UN has been urging states to improve their health systems, saying there are nearly a billion people with mental conditions worldwide. Now the United States is heeding the call by introducing a support network patterned after 911.
Schoolchildren in Illinois will be able to take 5 mental health days off school
Under a new bill, students who require a break from school for mental health reasons will not need to provide a doctor’s note, nor will they be asked to make up any work that was missed.
Michigan schools are adopting classes for social-emotional learning
Over 600 schools in Michigan have adopted a mental health curriculum, known as TRAILS, which focuses on social-emotional learning. New classes will help students feel connected and help each other to cope with emotional crises.
A mobile mental health service is helping to de-escalate emergencies in Montana
Missoula’s Mobile Support Team – a collaboration between the fire department and Partnership Health Center – began as a pilot programme in 2020, and is now a permanent crisis response fixture.
Outdoor therapy to be prescribed to veterans instead of pharmaceuticals
A new programme aims to offer outdoor activities as treatment to those suffering from PTSD, standing as an alternative to traditional medicine-based approaches to mental health care.
In one of our podcasts episodes, we have also talked about social prescribing. Special guest Julia Hotz explains why more and more doctors in the UK are recommending outdoor pursuits or social activities instead of prescribing specific drugs or medications.
Mental health barbershop project is changing the way we look at therapy
Barbershops have long been safe spaces for people to share their struggles and receive support and advice. A new project is turning this trust into an impactful initiative.
Loneliness is now considered a public health issue. Is there a cure? Chuck McCarthy may have invented one by chance, when he started a service that connected people who didn’t know each other before to take a walk together.
A growing body of evidence supports the use of psychedelics in treating depression
Multiple peer-reviewed studies are advocating for the use of magic mushrooms in mental health treatment programmes, with research suggesting a wider use of psilocybin within medicine.
Michael Pollan on the ‘new science’ of psychedelics
Michael Pollan, author of ‘How To Change Your Mind’, explains how psychedelic drugs, including LSD and magic mushrooms, are currently being used experimentally in therapeutic settings to treat depression, addiction, and fear of death.
How dance affects our brain structure and helps tackle depression and Parkinson’s disease
Dancing engages several deep brain structures from memory to motor control, and can evoke novel perceptions, feelings and understanding for one’s environment
