Mental Health Articles

The HEART Bunch share about ways to show kindness to yourself and others.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. This month, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members unite to promote suicide prevention awareness.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. This month, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members unite to promote suicide prevention awareness.

Manage stress & anxiety with breathing techniques like pursed lips & box breathing—simple tools for calm anytime, anywhere.

Learn from the HEART team on how to improve relationships.

Discover the sacredness of wild nature and its healing power in everyday life. Explore how awe and reverence for the natural world can transform our sense of time, reduce stress, and deepen our connection to others and the earth.

Learn from the HEART team on therapist fit, therapy types & key questions to ask.

Experiencing awe boosts happiness, health, and social connections

March 7–8 is Global Day of Unplugging—take a break from screens to boost mental health. Excessive phone use affects sleep, focus & relationships. Improve well-being: turn off notifications, delete unused apps, set time limits & explore offline activities....

Coal mining is risky and stressful, causing sleep issues, depression, and job insecurity. With a 73% drop in hours since 1984 and renewables on the rise, miners face growing challenges. Healthy coping strategies are vital to support their mental health an...

Winter holidays can bring stress from guests, budgets, and family dynamics. Many feel the mental toll, but joy, food, and connection help. Ease holiday stress by embracing imperfection, setting boundaries, caring for your health, and finding gratitude in ...

Unplug and step outside—leave your phone behind. Walk, observe, and connect with nature. Build a daily habit: 20 minutes outdoors can ease stress and boost well-being. Sit on your porch, stroll a park, or watch the stars. Let nature’s calm replace digital...

World Kindness Day (Nov 13) promotes daily acts of kindness to boost mental health and ease social anxiety. Kindness builds confidence and purpose. Smile, listen, message someone, stay positive, or volunteer. Small acts matter. Visit kindness.org for idea...

Bringing home a baby is joyful but challenging. Hormonal shifts, sleep loss, and lack of support can lead to postpartum depression or anxiety. 1 in 8 U.S. moms—and dads too—may struggle. Prioritize rest, connection, nutrition, and support. Seek help if sy...

Aggressive driving is dangerous—yet 1 in 4 drivers admit to it. Causes include stress, traffic, and running late. Road rage, a criminal offense, is rising. Utah toughened laws in 2024. Stay safe: drive calmly, avoid substances, manage stress, and call 911...

In today’s fast-paced world, stillness and meditation can feel difficult. Despite mindfulness offering proven health benefits, many struggle to feel its effects. Why? Busy minds, high expectations, and lack of practice may be blocking the benefits. What a...

If you suspect someone is overdosing, it’s critical to act quickly. The best way to respond to an opioid overdose is to have access to Narcan®, a nasal spray that can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose.

Kindness isn’t just a virtue—it boosts mental and physical health. Daily kind acts can improve your well-being and positively impact others. Discover how kindness enhances life and get practical tips to make it part of your daily routine.

Stress is a normal part of life—and not always bad. Healthy stress from new projects, vacations, or workouts can boost motivation, growth, and excitement. Learning to recognize and harness positive stress can improve well-being and resilience.

Healthcare crises are often unpredictable and emotionally intense. Preparing ahead can reduce stress and make tough situations easier to manage. Planning empowers individuals to face healthcare challenges with greater clarity, confidence, and control.

Maybe you found yourself listening to music that you perceived to be sad. If so, you are not alone! Research finds that some people are drawn to sad music for a variety of reasons when they are trying to manage sad feelings.

Recent years have shown the importance of prioritizing mental health and self-care. Even small acts can boost well-being. The key is finding what fits your lifestyle. Start today with simple, effective strategies to support your mental health and build la...

From smartphones to laptops, screen time is at an all-time high. While tech connects and entertains us, balancing it with unplugged moments is key to mental and physical well-being. Prioritize digital wellness by setting limits and making time for offline...

Self-care is the practice of taking the time to do things that improve your physical and mental health. It involves incorporating activities and practices that we engage in on a regular basis to reduce stress and maintain and enhance our well-being.

There are many suggestions on what we can do to help manage our mental wellbeing, one being diet. Research has found a strong association with diet and anxiety, and depressive disorders (Aucoin et al., 2021; Gibson-Smith et al., 2020).

The holidays are seen as a time to get together with family and friends, share in traditions, and indulge in favorite foods. Some look forward to the holidays, but others might not.

Whether you consider yourself a cat or a dog person, research says caring for a pet can positively impact our mental health. Pets provide a sense of companionship and are typically considered to be important and valued members of the family.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call 988 to connect with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Our placement on the mental health spectrum is closely related to our personal strengths and weaknesses. People with more risk factors are more likely to react negatively to difficult situations and develop mental health disorders.

Research shows happiness fuels success—not the other way around. Believing success leads to happiness can delay joy and create stress. Instead, focus on finding happiness now to boost motivation, productivity, and long-term success.

In March, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed S.B. 152 Social Media Regulation Amendments, sponsored by Sen. Mike McKell. The bill places restrictions on social media companies and provides parents with additional tools to protect teens from the harmful effects ...

The factors that influence a person's susceptibility to developing a substance use disorder (SUD) are in part determined by environmental and biological factors long before the first use of substances.

Naloxone is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose from prescription or illicit substance use and has been shown to save lives. It is the standard treatment for opioid overdose.

The Power of Fun suggests that “true fun” has three components: playfulness, connection and flow. According to Price, you are experiencing true fun when you have an experience where all three of these factors are present.

While jealousy can be a normal response, research shows that feeling happy for someone when they succeed can help boost mental health and wellbeing, increase prosocial behavior (e.g., helping others), and improve relationships

There are multiple treatment options for depression, including prescription medication and counseling therapy, which can help the person learn new ways of coping with the stress that either caused the depression or made it worse.

Just as there are so many wonderful things during the holiday season, there are also many aspects that can be overwhelming, stressful, and upsetting. Financial issues, familial and personal conflict, overwhelming amounts of new holiday-related tasks, or g...

Compassion Fatigue (CF) is often talked about with healthcare workers, but anyone can experience it, especially in the age of 24-hour news, social media, and most recently, COVID-19.

According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association (2020), almost half of young adults report that stress about climate change affects their daily lives.

Stigma is one of the most damaging things to the conversation around mental health. Stigma breaks down communication, support, and truth which can isolate people seeking help and keep people from getting the support they need.

These 5 tips are simple ways you can START to improve the lives of people around you. And without realizing it, these tips often lead to flooding feelings of warmth in your own life.

Rates of teen anxiety and depression are on the rise; between 2003 and 2021, depression and anxiety rates in teenagers have skyrocketed from 5.4% to 20% of all U.S. teens experiencing symptoms.

Did you know that something as simple as buying a houseplant can increase your happiness? Taking care of a houseplant can have physiological and psychological health benefits such as

Mental health can be impacted by many different things, and research shows that being intentional about learning throughout the lifespan has a positive impact.

“Stop and smell the roses” is a common phrase used to tell people to slow down and appreciate what is around them, but did you know the advice to get outside where the roses are, has some science behind it?

There is something to be said about having a clean and organized work or living space. According to a study by Princeton University, researchers discovered that our environment can positively or negatively impact our ability to complete tasks as well as o...

In a busy world with instant access to technology and constant stimulation, it has never been more important to slow down and live in the present moment, or in other words, to be mindful.

In moments of distress, you may wonder, “How can I stop feeling like this?”According to dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), an evidence-based psychotherapy model, you have four ways to respond to difficult emotions in any situation (Linehan, 2015).

What can you do to stay positive or increase positivity in your life? Research shows there are ways you can train yourself to see challenges in a positive way.

From painting to performing, here are some ways practicing art can help improve your mental health:

It can be difficult to spend time with nature because of busy day-to-day schedules, and it may seem especially hard to access nature sites in urban locations. Fortunately, there are several easy things you can do to spend more time with nature, no matter ...

In fact, one of the biggest changes that we could make to improve our mental health has to do with changing the way that we talk to ourselves toward being more compassionate.

March is National Sleep Awareness Month, so it is a great time to review the quantity and quality of your sleep habits. Here are a few ideas to help you improve your mental health through prioritizing quality sleep.

No matter the level of use, setting boundaries around phone use can be beneficial for mental, emotional, and social health. So, is it time to put your (smart) phone in the Friend Zone?

Did you know that February 17th is Random Acts of Kindness Day? There are plenty of reasons why being kind should be something we practice every day, including benefits to our mental health and well-being.

Growth mindset can cushion or safeguard the effects of stress, anxiety, and depression and the use of unhealthy coping mechanisms. Therefore, growth mindset individuals view anxiety as temporary and an emotion they can learn to deal with using healthier c...

According to Mental Health America, having a routine is a tool used to improve mental health (Hou et al., 2020). One way that routines help improve mental health is by organizing the overwhelming everyday tasks into a pattern that seems easier to accompl...

You have set your New Year’s goal, now what? How do you stay motivated to achieve your goals? There are basically two types of motivation: extrinsic and intrinsic

Research is also suggesting that a change in diet choices could help to reduce the length and severity of mental illness symptoms. (University, n.d.) This is great news! Often there isn’t much we can do when we have an illness or a disease but making a ch...

Oftentimes we leave ourselves off our gratitude list, but it is important to make sure you show self-appreciation. By recognizing and reflecting on where you’ve been and where you can go, putting time into your physical health, figuring out what it is tha...

Developing a positive body image takes time and effort. Be patient with yourself as you try to not only have more love for your body, but to realize you are more than a body. You are a human being with talents and qualities that are much more important th...

There are many strategies we can actively engage in to improve our mental health, an often-overlooked factor is spending time on an activity that you enjoy – otherwise known as a hobby.

If you aren’t sure where to start, here are some simple ways you can build social connections to help promote mental health:

A lot of what we feel starts with how we think. Often when we experience an emotion, it starts with something we were thinking which happened because of how we interpret an experience.

So a good mental health strategy is to find a healthy way to cope without relying on non-prescription chemicals. This is something we all need to learn, whether or not substance use has been a problem in the past. The good news is that ther

It can be difficult and heartbreaking to watch a family member or friend struggle with mental illness. Family and friends can often feel helpless, but in reality they can make a huge difference in recovery process.

Resilience is the ability to rebound from negative events without it impairing social, mental, or emotional well-being. To increase one’s ability to bounce back from difficulties, there are specific protective factors that are necessary.

The hope is to raise awareness, of overdose and how it is preventable. International Overdose Awareness Day is a day to learn about community services and how to prevent drug-related harm.

Our mental health is influenced by a variety of factors, but it’s good to remember that simple tweaks can alter your mood. It’s important to step back, slow down, and smell the roses every so often.

It is important that we help our loved ones from feeling lonely, and even though some external factors (like the COVID-19 Pandemic) may not allow us to see them in person, there are many different ways that we can make sure that the people we love know th...

According to researchers there are many different reasons as to why summertime can bring on the blues, even though the sun is shining (Borges, 2019). Some of these reasons are lack of structure, loneliness, fear of missing out, and unrealistic expectation...

Research indicates that consistent self-care can increase concentration, diminish depression and anxiety, decrease stress and frustration, and increase energy and happiness. Self-care can positively affect our physical health by decreasing stroke, cancer,...

According to SAMHSA, over 80% of people ages 10-18 say their parents are the primary influence on whether or not they decide to experiment with drugs or alcohol. This is why a team at SAMHSA created the “Talk. They Hear You.”® media campaign.

Did you know that April is Stress Awareness Month? Stress is something that we all face, and it can affect our health if we let it take over our lives. Luckily, understanding stress and knowing how to reduce it can help us through stressful times as well ...

Researchers reviewed 22 case studies on the health and well-being benefits of gardening. They found a number of benefits that either reduced mental health challenges or increased mental health and wellbeing. Gardening may reduce depression and anxiety s

During spring, daylight saving time clocks go forward one hour at 2 a.m. jumping ahead to 3 a.m. With that jump in time, it has been found that, on average, people get 40 minutes less sleep the day after daylight saving time in March than any other day of...

March 14 to 20th is Sleep Awareness Week. While many people know how important quality sleep is to our physical health, it is just as important to our mental health and wellbeing.

Acts of kindness not only benefit those in receipt of kind deeds but science has proven that there are astonishing health benefits for those performing those acts and, even to those simply witnessing acts of service.

Resilience is the process of adapting quickly in the face of stressors. You may imagine resilience as the ability to not be harmed by challenges, but it’s more about responding to that stress, learning from it, and coming out stronger on the other side.

A lot of New Year’s resolutions are about self-improvement. We set goals for weight loss, healthy eating, exercise, to stop smoking, or to improve finances. But this year, how about setting a resolution that will improve not just your life, but someone el...

The holiday season can bring joy and good times, but it can also bring stress and difficult situations.

Science shows that gratitude actually produces benefits for our bodies and brains.

Building resilience can help improve your life and happiness as well as reduce and prevent substance use in youth and adults. With all the research support for resilience, it is important to know what it is, how to strengthen it, and start practicing tod...

Talk to just about anyone and you will hear of their scars from the COVID-19 health scare of 2020. The impacts are wide-ranging and extend into the domain of suicide risk and prevention, but there is hope to save a life, and we all have a part to play!

There are certain behaviors, protective lifestyle factors, you can do to live a longer, healthier life. By doing at least four of the protective lifestyle factors, these behaviors can reduce early onset of death from all-causes, cardiovascular disease, ca...

Studies show that adults need an average of 8 hours of sleep per night and teens need 9 to 10 hours of sleep per night. Unfortunately, as insomnia is on the rise a host of side complications are increasing in frequency such as depression, anxiety, weight ...

While most of us are familiar with self-care activities like eating healthy foods, exercising or managing stress, an often overlooked form of self-care is social connection.

According to Rural Health Info, there is a health disparity, or difference, between rural mental health and mental health in urban areas. This disparity does not always show up in the prevalence of mental health illnesses and suicide rates, but there is a...