Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, where you’ll find informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. Compiled by Robert Roy Britt.
We may never know exactly why any human does an awful thing, but sometimes looking at the science of it can help us understand not only a terrible event, but also offer some insight into the darker parts of humanity in general and maybe learn something about our own emotions. This first story offers just such illumination:
Why People Seek Revenge: Clues from Neuroscience
Tyler Robinson, accused of killing Charlie Kirk, was “reserved, funny, and smart, his friends said. He was from a well-regarded Mormon family,” this writer notes. “Who would believe he could do such a thing?” Science offers some answers, starting with retribution and revenge being incredibly powerful human emotions. Understanding the psychology might help us all process, if not prevent, events like this. By Kathleen Murphy
Mental Health is Not Just Due to Good or Bad Genes
Nature or nurture? Yep. And that’s why it’s so hard to pinpoint causes of our behaviors and habits and mental health conditions. Countless factors make our brains work the way they do, including less talked about influences like how your parents’ genes affected how they raised you. The writer calls for a greater understanding of genetic complexity and more appreciation of the powerful nuances. By John Kruse MD, PhD
Changing Telehealth Prescribing Rules Will Kill People
Finding help for mental health conditions is notoriously difficult. Many health plans don’t cover treatment, and waiting lists for psychologists and psychiatrists can be weeks or months long. Telehealth services have helped fill the gap, and research shows they’re vital for those who most need the help, as this psychiatrist explains. So why does the US government want to shut them down? By John Kruse MD, PhD
The Many Reasons Women and Girls Abandon STEM Fields
You don’t have to be an Einstein to figure out why science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs are overpopulated by men. Girls are discouraged from pursuing those fields, even when they excel in them. That’s just one part of the problem this psychologist would like to see change. And she has specific ideas. By Gail Post, Ph.D.
The Hidden Dangers of Food Delivery
You might think twice about ordering food delivered to your home after reading this expert analysis. One tidbit: Bacteria double every 20 minutes on food not in a fridge or oven. Insulated delivery packaging can help, but the environmental costs are high if the service doesn’t pick up and return that packaging. This story has a smorgasbord of safety suggestions. By
Dr. Hatem El-Nagar
What ‘September Lock In’ is and Why You Should Do It
We get all serious about goals at the beginning of every year, but most people, according to surveys, give up on their resolutions within weeks. In this new trend, people “lock in” on their goals now in order to finish the year strong. But how? This psychologist offers three research-backed ways to help improve your productivity and achieve those goals. By Catherine Sanderson
The Cruel Side Effect of Chronic Pain: Severe Loneliness
If you’ve never had chronic pain, you likely have no idea how it transforms life, from the constant weight on mental health to an even crueler effect that’s rarely discussed: Sheer loneliness, and lack of support from friends and family, according to a new study. Who better than a writer who suffers chronic pain to unravel the sobering new statistics on just how lonely it can be. By Randall H. Duckett
The TV Trap: How Screen Time Saps Mental Health
You’ve probably hear that watching lots of TV isn’t great for the mind. New research suggests that cutting out even one lousy hour of your TV time can be good for you, but it depends on what you use that time for. This is some seriously actionable advice that can improve your life without asking any radical change. By Annie Foley
I hope we’re helping make your tomorrow a little better than today. Feel free to forward this newsletter to friends — most of the links are “friend links” on Medium that work for members and non-members alike.
Cheers,
Rob