Designing Humane Tech--Mental Health by UMaine New Media

Make list of ideas for non-technical solutions for Mental Health.

umainenewmedia — 2020-09-14 17:30:38 UTC

Each idea should be posted in a Column that describes the type of solution. I have created Columns based on Johan Hari's research, but you can post other ones!! An idea can also be duplicated and put under more than one type of solution.

Explanation

umainenewmedia — 2020-09-14 17:40:55 UTC

When you went to see your doctor, you didn’t just get pills. You were prescribed one of over a hundred different ways to reconnect—with the people around you, with the society, and with values that really matter. They brought in all the local volunteer organizations to help people get what they needed...

Hari, Johann. Lost Connections (p. 192). Bloomsbury Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Connor, Alyssa, Jake

alyssademanche — 2020-09-15 17:39:43 UTC

The US has a very individualistic idea of how things should be run, or even who gets to take credit for what has or hasn't been done. So putting everything on one person, even of that wasn't necessarily the case. Media is built around centering a singular user, and emphasizes that individual idea. More, on this with "Connect to Joy" ego is emphasized in an individualized society.

Colin & Kacie

kaciebond — 2020-09-15 17:40:24 UTC

People use the internet as a replacement for real human interaction in our individualistic society.

Griffin, Chris, Katie

2020-09-15 17:40:32 UTC

Join endeavors where you can help make a difference in the world where you feel change needs to happen. That way you can help or at least feel like you didn't do nothing.

Stella, London, & Tyler

stellacashman — 2020-09-15 17:40:47 UTC

People come together to create a better future for their community, even when they're vastly different from one another. All the conservative Muslims, gay people, and punks coming together to protest one woman getting evicted for unfair reasons and getting a psychiatric hospital to release a man with a cognitive disability that he was arrested for is a powerful example of this.

Griffin, Declan, Nhan

2020-09-15 17:41:51 UTC

Connect to the people in your life

Chloe, Eli, Aimee

2020-09-15 17:42:23 UTC

Home = Village = 4 walls

Arthur, Hannah, Krista

2020-09-15 17:42:32 UTC

People tend to individualize their traumas and issues and view them as things that solely happened to them. In reality however, traumas and issues tend to be a lot more shared and common than we think.

Hannah, Krista, Arthur

hannahdodson1 — 2020-09-15 17:42:52 UTC

Social media has created a false sense of joy through others thinking that we are happy. If it appears that we are happy to all of our internet friends, we should be happy. The approval of our "friends" is where we look for our fulfillment.
Expectations vs. reality

https://www.sadanduseless.com/geraldine-west/

Chloe, Eli, Aimee

2020-09-15 17:43:01 UTC

87% of people don't like their jobs. Top down management vs democratic management.

Tommy, Joey, George

2020-09-15 17:44:13 UTC

Disappointment can often be fixed with a change in ones lifestyle.

Tyler,London,Stella

tylerlayton — 2020-09-15 17:44:23 UTC

Zac, Christina, Marion

zacaryfitts — 2020-09-15 17:45:04 UTC

Griffin Declan Nhan

griffinouellette — 2020-09-15 17:46:07 UTC

Connect with the people in your life to help understand different perspectives on mental health and mental health issues.

Chloe, Eli, Aimee

chloedasilva1 — 2020-09-15 17:46:26 UTC

Factors that can lead to meaningful work include mindfulness and positive attitude. But there's no discussion of whether the job itself adds meaning to peoples lives. Also job might support consumerism culture messages, "stop being weak, start being strong- people come together"

Post Your Group's design solution to right

umainenewmedia — 2020-09-16 19:51:24 UTC

Design Solution: Stella, Jake, Pete, and Arthur

stellacashman — 2020-09-17 17:40:11 UTC

Getting help with childhood trauma: many people individualize their childhood trauma and think that they're the only ones who experience it, when it's far from the case. A tech solution for this is creating online spaces where people can talk about their trauma in safe, moderated places where they will have a reduced risk of being revictimized again.

Design Solution: Kacie, Griffin, Tommy, Connor

connorgrunewald — 2020-09-17 17:40:44 UTC

An app that is run by a non profit that tells you the pros and cons of items that you buy so that you're a well informed consumer.

Christiana, Katie, Alyssa, Chris:

alyssademanche — 2020-09-17 17:41:51 UTC

creation of a platform that would allow people with shared experiences in childhood traumas to communicate anonymously, and thus seek help together or feel less alone.

Corey, Krista, and John

2020-09-17 17:43:03 UTC

Creating an accessible support system for everyone and any specification

Hannah, Conner, Griffin, Nhan

2020-09-17 17:43:35 UTC

cinnamon toast flavored antidepressants

Add tech Solution to support these

umainenewmedia — 2020-10-27 15:53:40 UTC

2024-09-25 15:20:47 UTC

A 2015 study found that college students who volunteered up to 10 hours each week were less likely to feel depressed than students who did not volunteer. The same study found that students who were employed for any amount of time were equally as likely to report depression as students who did not work, although employment did affect students feeling generally overwhelmed.

https://www.uhs.wisc.edu/student-volunteering-could-have-health-benefits/

Get Outside

2024-09-25 15:29:52 UTC

Use apps like AllTrails and Strava to get involved with outdoor activities in nature. These apps help connect people to each other and to fulfilling outdoor activites. Studies by UC Davis have shown that getting some fresh air can help your mental health.

2024-09-25 15:34:06 UTC

It has been proven that exercise can help ease some symptoms that come from depression and anxiety. When you exercise you release endorphins which are a brain chemical that can improve your sense of well-being and overall mindset. Exercise also allows you to take your mind off something that could have been bugging you even for just an hour.

2024-09-25 15:45:43 UTC

Social media has been the means behind a plethora of self esteem issues. Instead of consuming content, create it with purpose. This purpose should primarily be based on keeping others up to date with your life and bringing people joy, if it's not, then maybe consider sharing in a more personal way. You don't have to share the negative things, but understand when others don't post they're still there. It's like holding a facade in person, although it's easier to hide it online. All in all, try to create an inclusive and positive environment online.

Find Community

2024-09-25 15:53:08 UTC

An expanding push for self actualization and independence is pushing people apart. Social media is used as a replacement for offline connection and often amplifies the feeling of loneliness offline. Some social media platforms, like Facebook, offer resources for finding local offline events and communities but this is often overshadowed by the ability to connect online in the same app (lower effort connection). Are there any apps that exclusively focus on offline community building?

Your Diet and it's Mental Health Affects

brycedyer — 2024-09-25 15:58:16 UTC

A study in 2022 was conducted to see how a person's diet affects their mental health and there is a huge correlation between the two. A high intake of grains, vegetables, fruits, potatoes, fish, and olive oil led to less serve depression and anxiety. Alternatively Large amounts of poultry and high fat diary was linked with more serve depression and anxiety.

design solution: Keenan

2024-09-25 16:01:14 UTC

just adding a following only section so all you see is what you want can help reduce the confidence issues that social media imposes while focusing on the human connection it provides

Childhood trauma recovery center

2024-09-25 16:02:10 UTC

Few people recognize that childhood trauma is a component that is strongly linked with rates of substance abuse addiction, health problems, suicidal ideation, and even early death. Many people attribute these struggles to a lack of willpower, a lack of motivation, unluckiness, or even worse, a defect in one’s character. However, we can link many of these struggles to a common factor – childhood trauma.

Talk to someone you trust

2024-09-25 16:02:57 UTC

Talking to someone you trust – whether a friend, a family member, or a colleague – can help. You may feel better if you are able to openly share what you are going through with someone who cares about you. If you live in an area where face-to-face interactions are limited, you can still stay connected with your loved ones through a video call, phone call or messaging app.

2024-09-25 16:10:12 UTC

Sleep is a very important part of mental health that is often overlooked as something that can help. Sticking to a bed time can make sure you are getting the proper amount of sleep which can reduce impacts of poor mental health. Studies have been shown that if you are having a manic episode getting 3 nights in a row of 8 hours of sleep can greatly improve the chances of it breaking. For some they get too much sleep like with depression some people get around 12-14 hours of sleep reducing this to 8 hours can improve mood and reduce chances of a depressive episode.

Proper Sleeping

2024-09-25 16:10:20 UTC

Getting a good night's rest is extremely important for your mental health, according to the National Hearth, Lung, and Blood Institute, sleeping is your brain getting ready for the next day at hand. It makes it easier for you to remember things, solve problems, and be creative. Without proper sleep, you are more likely to have mood swings, be impulsive, depressed, and other bad symptoms. It's also essential for young kids and adults to get proper sleep as it also helps you grow.

Mindfulness and Social Media

gracecesarini — 2024-09-25 16:18:58 UTC

Practicing mindfulness when it comes to social media can significantly improve mental health, encouraging self-awareness and assistance in regulating the complicated emotions which can come with social media use. Meditation is a great way to start, with many apps and online tutorials there to help. Meditation can calm the mind, improve overall well-being and can lead to the creation of a balanced and positive relationship with digital platforms.

Design solution: Sara

2024-09-25 16:22:14 UTC

Removing the like button from other people's feed can reduce the stress and anxiety of needing to earn that same validation

Social Media and Your Work

2024-09-25 18:17:26 UTC

Going to work after doomscrolling for hours on social media can lead to feelings of stress and distraction due to comparison. Since most people choose to put only their best online, it makes others feel worthless. If you already are unhappy with your job, seeing people post about how they "have no complaints" about their lives, or bragging about their great jobs can cause feelings of imposter syndrome. If people start to cut back on their screen time, and work towards pressing the "not interested" on posts that cause these bad feelings, people can enter the workplace with a free and empty head. Social media is a great way to discover other opportunities,

Values give Meaning to Life

umainenewmedia — 2024-09-26 11:26:17 UTC

Several evidence-based treatments use values as the basis for treating depression.

Identifying your values and living them out loud helps you build a fulfilling, satisfying life in a range of ways:

What keeps a human being going?

umainenewmedia — 2024-09-26 11:30:19 UTC

According to Viktor Frankl, a doctor and concentration camp survivor, it’s not pleasure nor success and power that essentially drives people; it’s finding something - a purpose, a meaning - to live and even die for.

Finding your Meaning through Values

umainenewmedia — 2024-09-26 11:35:57 UTC

How to live a more meaningful life by taking time to explore and practice your values.

https://positive.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/Finding-Your-Ikigai-Figure-1-768x770.png

Jobs satisfaction All-time low

umainenewmedia — 2024-09-26 11:40:23 UTC

Gallup found U.S. employees were increasingly detached from their employers, with the workforce reporting less role clarity, lower satisfaction with their organizations and less connection to their companies’ mission or purpose. Employees were also less likely to feel someone at work cares about them.

Meaning at Work?

umainenewmedia — 2024-09-26 11:56:03 UTC

Harvard study suggest personal changes, but says little about the meaninglessness of most jobs or how to address that.

Choose happiness over money

2024-09-26 17:28:59 UTC

The idea that meaningful work has better job satisfaction and has positive results on mental health. This is an important thing for people to know when they choose a career as many people select money over their happiness. Choosing money over happiness can cause people to have poor mental health while choosing something you love can make it feel meaningful making it feel like your life is worth it.

Volunteer Your Time: Devote your time to a cause you care about. Whether it's spending time at a local shelter or assisting in community clean-up initiatives, volunteering allows you to make a direct and meaningful impact on the lives of others.

johnlarlee — 2024-09-26 17:29:11 UTC

Childhood Trauma -- Alex, Grace, Ana, Mady, Josh

2024-09-26 17:30:06 UTC

This article outlines what childhood trauma/stress is, how to identify it, how you can help as a family member, and how to seek treatment. Specifically, SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) encourages family members to be patient, ensure and share to the affected child that they are not to blame, and to prioritize the communication of the child's safety. Making sure that the child feels safe, not responsible, and being patient. More Clinical approaches include therapy, and specific practices of "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy." However, therapy often includes specific/tailored treatment to the affected child.

Letting go of your ego...

2024-09-26 17:31:28 UTC

Letting go of your ego can be very challenging and can be sometimes difficult. This can be a scary thing, except for when you are around your friends. Being around your friends can release dopamine and can boost your energy. Now some of your friends will purposely try and chip away at your ego, most times not in a demeaning way but in the way friends mess with each other, and honestly, if your friends aren't doing this, then you might not have the necessary skills to rebuild your ego after it has been destroyed. Your ego does not define who you are; it matters about personality and charisma.

How to cope with comparing ourselves to others

2024-09-26 17:32:04 UTC

Negative feelings from comparing ourselves to others on social media are associated with more time spent on social media apps. So in order to minimize social comparison, the best thing and quickest thing you can do is to limit your time there. A few other things you can do are:

Be aware of your triggers: Notice which posts make you feel down on yourself and start the comparison trap. Consider unfollowing those people.
Remember it’s not real: Don’t compare someone’s outside to your inside. These posts are designed for attention, they aren’t real life.
Practice gratitude: Try to focus on what you do have in your life vs. what you don’t. It can be small, but acknowledging what you do have can be really helpful in minimizing comparison.
Limit social media use: Make use of apps that help you limit your time spent on particular platforms by setting a daily limit or times during the day when you can’t access social media from your phone.
Focus on the positive: Try to follow people and view posts that inspire you, rather than those who leave you feeling negative about yourself or others.

Shifting perspective

2024-09-26 17:32:10 UTC

By changing our mindset from accusatory to appreciating in our relationships with others we can view them as a source of support and understanding. Removing your ego to change your mindset involves recognizing positive qualities and showing appreciation for their efforts

https://www.minimalismmadesimple.com/home/ego-in-relationships/

How do other People Make Work Meaningful?

2024-09-26 17:33:15 UTC

For some, their work is just work and nothing more. They do the work for themselves. However, when your work matters and affects other people then it makes it much more meaningful. You are much more likely to give a project your all when it will also affect other people, not just yourself. This work that you are doing for others is transcendence. When people create meaningful work, they are more likely to talk about others and the impact it had on other people compared to themselves. So to create and connect to more meaningful work, it to work with others and give the work all your effort it the work will affect others. A community coming together to create something has much more meaning than just one person working on a project alone.

Why recognition of Childhood Trauma is very important

2024-09-26 17:34:05 UTC

When children are actively dealing with traumatic events like a death or injury, it's hard for them to understand it and express themselves. That's why these problems develop into something far worse later in life. Recognizing traumatic events as soon as they occur is essential to get through the rights steps to make your child feel at ease. This website provides a list of different symptoms that a child may portray after a traumatic event.

2024-09-26 17:36:01 UTC

This article sheds much needed light on the idea that more and more people are staring to feel less motivation and meaning within their jobs, especially when it comes to the work environment they are a part of. When we don't feel like we are contributing in a meaningful way towards something, or are part of an unhealthy community, we feel more disconnected and not appreciated, respected or heard within that environment.

How to heal childhood trauma - Ana, Grace, Alex, Mady, Josh

2024-09-26 17:36:13 UTC

Accept what occurred
Acknowledge the Impact of the Trauma
Reach Out for Help
Learn Your Trauma Triggers
Practice Staying Present in the Moment
Distance Yourself From Toxic People
Reduce Your Day-to-Day Stress
Try Stream-of-Consciousness Journaling
Focus on Your Physical Health
Identify and Challenge Negative Beliefs
Engage in Activities That Bring You Joy
Practice Self-Compassion

How can you connect to your values? (Phoebe, Luke, Jazzmyne, Hayden, Sara)

2024-09-26 17:36:38 UTC

The question, "What are your values?" can seem vague or confusing, but it's actually more simple to figure out than you might think.

Try thinking about the best advice or compliment that you've ever received. This could help point you in the direction of what's important to you.
Making lists of things you find important and refining the list if you go through any changes can help visualize you as a whole.
Ask yourself simple questions like "If I could switch places with someone for a day, who would it be?" Why did you choose this person?
Accepting that sometimes you'll have to make difficult decisions, and say no to things.

Money vs. Passion

2024-09-26 17:37:28 UTC

This article discusses the difference between a job for financial gains and a job for passion. I think this article is important because it talks about both options objectively and encourages the reader to make the best choice.

As a group we discussed how being driven by money alone can often lead to the "sleepwalking" worker that Hari spoke about, as well as over-saturation in well paying fields whereas passion based fields are dying out.

Future of Clean Energy (Meghan, Amiyah, Isaac, Bryce, Aidan)

brycedyer — 2024-09-26 17:37:38 UTC

Alongs the coasts of the US clean energy is becoming more and more common with off shore wind projects popping up more and more. And this project in particular put forth by the Biden-Harris administration has set dates for the amount of power they want to generate from these offshore wind projects. "A commitment to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2035, and a target goal of permitting at least 25 gigawatts of onshore renewable energy by 2025."

https://www.doi.gov/priorities/clean-energy-future

Sierra Club (Bryce, Aidan, Isaac, Amiyah, Meghan)

meghanfay1 — 2024-09-26 17:38:33 UTC

One example of helping to create a hopeful future while still providing for your mental health is the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club is a non profit club that has one goal, which is to fight for the protection planet. The point of this organization is to explore and go on adventures in nature, all while protecting the Earth and participating in activities that benefit the world around you. The Sierra Club has 63 chapters worldwide, that has retired 382 coal plants, and protected 467 parks and monuments. They promote their "Outdoors For All" treks, and trips that encourages you to access and appreciate the outdoors. This can be beneficial to your own mental health by disconnecting and being able to go spend time outdoors, while creating a better foundation for the future.

Table 1 Group (Meghan, Amiyah, Isaac, Bryce, Aidan) - Consumerism

2024-09-26 17:40:28 UTC

We believe consumerism is one factor we face on a daily basis that can cause mental and environmental damage. The informative article we found focuses on "rethinking consumerism for the sake of young people's mental health (and the planet)" (Large, 2018).

"What if the solution to the mental health crisis facing young people is the same as tackling environmental degradation? That solution is at hand – moving beyond consumerism.

The environmental damage of consuming resources at the current rate is well known. Across the world, 60% more resources are consumed every year than the sustainable rate, driving the pollution, climate change, and ecosystem damage that are documented in ever more distressing detail" (Large, 2018).

The benefits of strong values

2024-09-26 17:40:47 UTC

Values dictate how we approach our day-to-day lives and how we approach life in general. These kinds of things matter; it shapes relationships, and our behavior, to name a few things. In my group, some of the values we hold in high regard include love, responsibility, and authenticity, because we believe those values will help the most in terms of general fulfillment and one's individual search for meaning. There are so many values one could believe in, and in this article alone they list at least ten of them, as well as the benefits of each. Some benefits include a sense of direction, overall confidence, and better general resilience, to name a few. Who wouldn't want these things to be a part of their lives?

https://brave-mo.com/establishing-meaningful-values/#:~:text=Once%20you%20have%20identified%20your,they%20align%20with%20your%20beliefs.

Mindful self-values: Jazzmyne, Phoebe, Luke, Hayden, Sara

2024-09-26 17:40:50 UTC

When establishing values, having time for yourself is important to maintain a clear headspace. For example, taking moments for yourself to detox from social media and setting boundaries can improve your own health and values for yourself. You can also change the way you think about your device. Instead of mindlessly scrolling, think "how do I want to learn?" or "how can I improve my lifestyle?"

https://www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/5-tips-for-kick-starting-a-mindful-tech-self-care-habit/