mental health Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Natasha Tracy Bipolar Expert

The Problem with Mental Health Apps in 2022

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 8, 2022

There are major problems with mental health apps. I hate to be a Negative Nancy about it, but there are. According to a webcast, I watched recently called BlogHer, there are more than 10,000 mental health apps in the app store right now. This must be a good thing, right? Well, I would argue that quality is much more important than quantity in the mental health space. We are talking about your health here. It would be nice to put that in the hands of people who know what they’re doing. But I would argue that 10,000 mental health apps certainly can’t claim that.

Emotional Permanence Problems and Anxiety

Posted by Natasha Tracy | May 23, 2022

Emotional permanence is a term I recently heard for the first time. It has to do with believing in emotions even when they can’t be seen. This concept is taken from object permanence which is the understanding that objects exist even when they can’t be seen. When I read the term, I realized that I have problems with emotional permanence. I also realized that not having a consistent sense of emotional permanence was a major cause of anxiety.

Manifest Anything You Want! — Bad Self-Help Advice

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Apr 19, 2022

I hate bad self-help advice. I hate overly-simplified pop psychology. I (by and large) hate self-help gurus. The idea that you can manifest anything you want or attract anything you want into your life is bullshit. Life is more complicated, more difficult, and not to mention far less fair, than that. And while you might think some of this is obvious, often this bad self-help advice is wrapped up in such a pretty bow that you can’t see just how bad it is. Because make no mistakes about it, bad self-help advice hurts people and it can hurt you too.

I Don’t Trigger People — Taking Responsibility for Triggers

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Feb 10, 2022

I have been told that I trigger people with my writing and speaking. And let’s make something clear: that is never my intent. I never stand up in front of people or sit behind the keyboard and think about how to trigger someone. In fact, I soften my language quite frequently so people aren’t triggered. Nonetheless, people say I trigger them. Well, this is incorrect. They’re placing blame on me for their triggers. I didn’t trigger you, your brain and trauma did. It’s not my fault you were triggered.

Why Can’t I Get Over Fatphobia?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Feb 2, 2022

Lately, I’ve been wondering why I can’t get over fatphobia. I’ve gotten over so much bad programming in my life, I would have thought I could have gotten over that toxic set of ideas as well, but it seems I just can’t. Ideas of fatphobia just seem to own my brain. Skinny is good; fat is bad. Skinny is lovable; fat is unlovable. Skinny is beautiful; fat is ugly. And so on and so on. My own fatphobia is shocking to me. But if I realize I don’t want to be this way, why can’t I get over fatphobia?

Recent Mental Health Podcast Interviews

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 12, 2021

As you may know, I take part in mental health podcasts quite frequently. Recently, I’ve discussed issues such as mental illness as a disability, what people with and without mental illness need to know about suicide and one of my pet peeves when people try to look for the “bright side” of mental illness. Three mental health podcasts I’ve done were released quite recently and I want to share them with you.

Mental Health Webcomic Imparts Positive Mental Health Message

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jul 8, 2021

Have you heard of the mental health webcomic Phobiana? Well, until recently, I hadn’t, but judging by its YouTube numbers, I’m in the minority. Phobiana is a mental health webcomic by Tiffany Lowery and Oakley Fae that is aimed squarely at the heart of the difficult issues surrounding mental health and mental illness; and because it’s a comic, it’s able to impart knowledge and a positive message in a way that is impactful and entertaining.

Trying to Control You By Not Listening to ‘No’ — ‘No’ and Boundaries

Posted by Natasha Tracy | May 18, 2021

Some people try to control us. Some people try to control us for altruistic reasons, and others for darker reasons. Either way, though, I think most of us would prefer not to be controlled by another person. But it can be hard to tell when someone subtly tries to control you. One thing I learned many years ago, though, is that if someone doesn’t listen to you when you say, “no,” they are trying to control you — whether they realize it or not.

Mental Health and Artificial Intelligence: Emotion Self-Regulation Tools

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Mar 25, 2021

Mental health is something that’s thought of as happening within oneself, but what if an artificial intelligence in the form of an app plus a wearable could help improve your mental health? What if an artificial intelligence could read your emotional state, learn about your challenges, and then give you specific tasks and tools to help you feel better? What if your own journey of self-discovery could be sped up using the latest in neuroscience, biofeedback, and cognitive behavioral therapy? At least one company and researcher say it’s possible today; so, let’s explore the ideas around emotional self-regulation and how artificial intelligence and mental health can mix. (At the end, I’m going to talk about Larimar’s exciting artificial intelligence, mental health-improving project. You can skip to that bit if you like by clicking here.)