Research
Coping With Loneliness (Part 4): Support Others Who Experience Loneliness
It is natural to want to offer help and support when someone we love or care about is experiencing loneliness. Paradoxically, this is one of the best ways to reduce our own loneliness. This fourth fact sheet suggests ways to ensure our efforts to support ...
Coping With Loneliness (Part 3): Focus on What You Can Change
This third fact sheet describes ways to focus on what you can change. Many people who experience loneliness may feel that some aspects of social connection are outside of their control. However, focusing on what you can control can empower you to achieve ...
Coping With Loneliness (Part 2): Look Outward
The U.S. surgeon general named loneliness a top public health issue in the U.S. (Murthy, 2023). In response, Utah State University (USU) Extension faculty developed four fact sheets to describe some of the most effective ways to reduce loneliness. This se...
Coping With Loneliness (Part 1): Look Inward
Experiencing loneliness sometimes is part of the human experience. However, when experienced long-term, loneliness can lead to detrimental impacts on physical, mental, and emotional health. In a series of four fact sheets, Utah State University (USU) Exte...
Anxiety and Depression: Can Diet Help?
Exploring the role of diet with anxiety and depression.
Utahns' Wellbeing and Mental Health by Rural-Urban Location
Those living in the rural U.S. face some unique mental health challenges. Approximately one-fifth of the U.S. population live in rural areas, and about one-fifth of those living in rural areas have some form of mental illness.
Skills to Support Mental Health in Uncertain Times Part 3: Being Engaged
A great way to increase your life satisfaction during difficult times is by actively engaging in what matters most to you (Flowers et al., 2023; Wąsowicz et al., 2021). By engaging in actions that matter to you, you can live the life you value rather than...
Caring for a Family Member During Stressful Times: Considerations for Maintaining Mental Health
Caring for a family member can take many forms. Whether you are caring for your mother with dementia or your son with a disability, caregiving for a family member can be very rewarding yet very stressful.
Skills to Support Mental Health in Uncertain Times Part 2: Cultivating Awareness
Uncertainty and worry can be a common struggle for many people, whether they are uncertain about their jobs, health, or relationships. Events such as COVID-19 and the recent wars in Israel and Ukraine increase the stress and uncertainty many people face....
Skills to Support Mental Health in Uncertain Times Part 1: Being Open
Even now, several years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals and families are still dealing with the impacts of the pandemic and its closures (De & Sun, 2023; Kohls et al., 2023; Wolf & Schmitz, 2023). The pandemic’s long-lasting imp...
Managing Stress for Agricultural Producers: Learning to “Unhook”
All of us experience stress, and with it, unpleasant, uncomfortable, or distressing thoughts. Much of the time, people are able to manage the stress—we refocus on our lives and move on. At other times, however, stressful thoughts really impact people’s mo...
Utahns' Wellbeing and Mental Health: Insights From The Utah Wellbeing Survey
People in the United States face unique challenges today, including poor mental health. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. is currently facing a mental health crisis (2023).