Does mindfulness work just as well as medication to curb anxiety?
New evidence suggests that daily meditation is as effective at treating restlessness, feelings of worry or dread, and sleep problems as a regularly prescribed antidepressant. Amid the ongoing mental health crisis, openly discussing how we’re feeling has never been more important. Fortunately, spaces encouraging conversation are becoming increasingly widespread. Improved dialogue...
Current in Wellness
Why aren’t we talking about Gen Z drug use?
New research shows that 1 in 3 young people have used drugs in the past 12 months. So why can’t we talk about it? Since the pandemic, the number of young people using drugs has spiked. According to The Mix, an organisation providing ‘essential support for under 25s’, 1...
Opinion – the heroin chic resurgence must be nipped in the bud
With nostalgia trends all the rage, nineties fashion has made a comeback. However, recent headlines touting thin as being ‘in’ again imply that so too has its toxic counterpart: the glorification of skinniness and the unhealthy behaviours necessary to achieve it. Although the popularisation of heroin chic occurred long before...
Opinion – We need to stop categorising unique traits as mental illness
According to popular online content, if you’re easily distracted, chatty, and energetic, you probably have ADHD. If you’re a little socially awkward and bothered by loud noises, perhaps you’re autistic. Why have we started demonising uniqueness to glamourise neurodivergence? And how is this damaging? It seems like every other week...
Should we normalise taking regular social media breaks?
Actor Tom Holland has announced he will be taking a break from social media for the sake of his mental health. Does his openness mark a turning point in our attitudes toward anxiety, depression, and the internet – particularly amongst young men? Celebrities announcing their withdrawal from Instagram and Twitter...
Spain launches ‘all bodies are beach bodies’ campaign
Launched by the Spanish government’s equality ministry, the campaign slogan reads ‘the summer is ours too’ and features women of varied sizes and skin tones sitting seaside. The body positivity movement has exploded on social media over the last decade, influencing millions and reshaping decisions made in major fashion shows...
Could outdoor swimming benefit our mental health?
Scientists in the UK have launched a study examining how immersion in cold, open water could work as an alternative option to medication for people with depression. If you’ve even a rudimentary understanding of mental health, likelihood is you’re familiar to the concept of going for walks to improve your wellbeing. Often recommended by medical professionals thanks to a strong body of evidence verifying the health benefits of connecting with...
When will we finally close the door on toxic body trends?
While the body positivity movement has never been stronger, an almost overnight rejection of the BBL trend signals that we haven’t completely let go of ever-changing standards for women’s bodies. Few things change faster than society’s view of the ideal woman’s body type, and despite ‘body trends’ being highly problematic, the constant ebb and flow of which shapes and sizes are deemed desirable remains a sad reality. A look at women...
Study says drinking lager could promote gut health in men
According to new research, men who drink one lager a day – alcoholic or not – have more diverse gut microbes. Great news, as good gut health is known to prevent several chronic diseases. The benefits and dangers of alcohol have been long debated in medical science, but that’s hardly stopped it from being widely consumed across the world. It’s estimated that 2 billion people consume alcohol on a regular...
Opinion – the pandemic has dampened our zeal for life
Those of us who somehow avoided falling victim to the mental health crisis induced by years of on-off isolation have found ourselves emotionally coasting, a defence mechanism we developed to protect us from becoming overwhelmed that’s resulted in us feeling very little. In the aftermath of Covid and the mental health crisis it unsurprisingly induced, those of us still scrambling to pick up the pieces and make sense of it...
