Video Games and Mental Health (TMBMS067)
Welcome to The Mental Breakdown Morning Show! Each weekday morning, we will to help get your day off to a great start. A few months ago, Medscape published a video interview, conducted by their editor-in-chief, of neuroscientist Adam Gazzaley, MD, PhD. Dr. Gazzaley spoke about his research on using video games, instead of medications, for treating various forms of mental health problems.
Here is a link to the interview, which includes a transcript. (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/868723)
Here is a link to the article on depression biotypes (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/872962). Read More
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Overcoming Limitations (TMBMS066)
Welcome to The Mental Breakdown Morning Show! Each weekday morning, we will to help get your day off to a great start. Last weekend, Dr. Berney attended a Holiday Party held at a banquet hall in a local Inn. While there, he spoke with a woman from the Inn who told him about two employees, one in management and one on the staff, with sensory limitations – one is blind and the other deaf. Such stories are heart warming, as they demonstrate the essence of perseverance despite apparent limitations. On this morning’s show, we talk about overcoming limitations and how obstacles only stop us if we refuse to look for a way around them. Read More
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Technology and Emotional Development (TMB116)
How do we learn to empathize? How do we know when someone is being sarcastic or flirting or confrontational? All of these skills are gained through social interactions. Trial and error. We have an interaction, interpret it, respond, and experience the reaction from the other person. If they respond positively, then we interpreted their intent correctly. If they respond negatively, well… it is back to the interpretation drawing board. But this learning only happens with face-to-face interactions. When you can see the other person’s micro-expressions and combine those physical cues with the tone, inflection, and content from the verbal cues. Healthy social interactions are difficult and require practice. But what happens when the majority of our interactions turn virtual? What happens when your primary method of communication is via instant messaging and texting?
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Unplugged (TMBMS065)
Welcome to The Mental Breakdown Morning Show! Each weekday morning, we will to help get your day off to a great start. We use technology for everything. From entertainment to education and from work to relationships, many of us are staring at a screen for the majority of our waking day. Despite our reliance – arguably, our over reliance – on technology, it is critical that we find some time to unplug. On today’s show we offer some easy ways to get you and your family unplugged – at least for a little while – each day. Read More
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Technology and Marriages (TMBMS064)
Welcome to The Mental Breakdown Morning Show! Each weekday morning, we will to help get your day off to a great start. Technology has become one of the major factors that influence the health and quality of marriages. While couples once went tobed and talked before going to sleep, now each of them is focused on their own device. On today’s show we talk about the intrusion of technology on relationships and how to avoid it becoming a crowbar that pries you apart. Read More
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Limiting Use in Teenagers (TMBMS063)
Welcome to The Mental Breakdown Morning Show! Each weekday morning, we will to help get your day off to a great start. While we often allow our young children to use technology as a babysitter, teenagers use technology as a form of socializing and connecting with their peers. As such, to remove the technology is to remove their social relevance. On today’s show we talk about how to limit a teenager’s use of technology while avoiding the risk of “ruining” their social life.
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Technology as They Age (TMBMS062)
Welcome to The Mental Breakdown Morning Show! Each weekday morning, we will to help get your day off to a great start. Let’s face it, technology is here to stay. Sure we can limit their access, but there is little chance that we can keep them away from it completely. On today’s show we introduce a strategy for considering the developmental progression of technology exposure for your child.
Here is a link to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Media Use Plan. (https://www.healthychildren.org/English/media/Pages/default.aspx) Read More
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When to Introduce Technology (TMBMS061)
Welcome to The Mental Breakdown Morning Show! Each weekday morning, we will to help get your day off to a great start. We have all seen it. Whether you are sitting at a restaurant, in church, or even driving down the road; we have all see children of all ages – from toddlers to adolescents – engaged with technology. From smart phones to tablets to portable gaming devices, many young children are already plugged in. Today’s show kicks off a new week-long series on technology by discussing ideas about when parents should introduce technology to their children.
Here is the link to an article about when to introduce various forms of technology to children. (https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Healthy-Digital-Media-Use-Habits-for-Babies-Toddlers-Preschoolers.aspx)
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Relationships and Mental Illness (TMB115)
Estimates of mental illness vacillate around 15-20%. However, there are some who claim that the new diagnostic manual used by mental health professionals (the DSM-V) could result in upwards of 50% of the population meeting criteria for a mental health problem at any particular time in their lives. And while there is a difference between mental health issues and mental illness, it goes without saying that there is a high probability that you have or will be in a relationship with someone who has mental health problems.
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Amicable Separations (TMBMS060)
Welcome to The Mental Breakdown Morning Show! Each weekday morning, we will to help get your day off to a great start. Despite their best efforts, sometimes a relationship is simply beyond repair. No amount of therapy, discussion, or compromise will correct the damage. On today’s show we discuss the importance of an amicable separation and how to manage divorce in a manner that works out best for everyone. Read More
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