Valarie Ward

Introduction
Global crises include international events such as major wars, drought, famine, revolution, and pandemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to take thousands of American lives per day, quickly overtaking our previous records for deadliest days in U.S. history. Unfortunately, events like this that wreck our communities and take the lives of our loved ones have a tendency to cause mass trauma, exacerbating an existing trauma problem in the United States.
Let’s talk ab...

Last year, we posted an article titled “Mental Illness in America: How Capitalism is Feeding Our Mental Health Crisis“. But that was in 2019, when things were still normal.
Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic having changed life as we know it over the past six months, it’s time to re-examine the ways that capitalism – defined by treating profits over people – continues to make the COVID-19 crisis worse at every level.
Both physical and mental health
It is no secret that the isolation that this pa...

If you or a loved one are struggling to manage your mental health, there are many resources available to get you feeling better. Depending on the diagnosis, you and your care team might consider lifestyle changes, therapy, and/or medication.
However, medication for your mental illness can be complicated. Some medications come with unfortunate side effects that leave one wondering whether they’re worth taking. Many medications won’t work for your particular genome, which makes the process of f...

Since we spend so much of our time working, the choice between working from home or working in the office can have a serious impact on our mental health. If your job is thinking about staying remote when the pandemic ends, here are some pros and cons to consider.

Something strange happened to me this morning: I saw a headline about Jordan Peterson, and I actually (for once) agreed with him. He talked in his Irish Times interview (towards the end; the rest of the article mostly just says he’s ‘not that bad’) about the usefulness of self-help books:
‘Because I’m a clinical psychologist I have a soft spot in my heart for self-help books. They’re often quite helpful to people, and I think about them as introductory ethical philosophy. You know, academic a...

In the last few decades, medical professionals have stopped looking at our physical and mental health as two separate realms, and focused instead on the relationship between them. The stress that is so common in many mental illnesses can wreak havoc on your physical health, and trying to manage a chronic illness or disability can be incredibly distressing.
Let’s look at some of the ways this relationship between mind and body might be impacting you or someone you love, and talk about what to ...

In the past few weeks, as the COVID-19 pandemic (the coronavirus) has spread across the United States, we have seen firsthand how a crisis like this can exacerbate mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
This virus is real, and you should be taking it seriously. But panicking isn’t going to help anyone–least of all yourself. You should also be staying informed–but inundating yourself with information from news and social media is a recipe for anxiety. These are stressful times–b...

If you’re suffering with poor mental health, or know someone who is, you’re not alone. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 children in the U.S. experience a mental health disorder or mental illness each year.

It’s also important to remember that you can get better with the right treatment plan. While there is no “cure” for most mental illnesses, many people are able to make a successful recovery.

We’ve put together some resources from people wh...

Abuse, neglect, and exposure to unhealthy conditions in the home are the reality for too many of our children. And too often, the adults in their lives respond with unhelpful diagnoses, therapy that addresses the behavior instead of the root, and ineffective support which leaves them vulnerable to all manner of future problems.
Here’s a little more about the problem of child trauma in the United States and what we can do about it.
Types of Trauma
Abuse and Neglect
According to the National Ch...

Table of contents
There are several considerations that come into play once someone is convicted of a DWI (Driving While Impaired).
Driving while impaired can be proven in one of two ways:
By proving the driver’s physical or mental fitness are appreciably impaired by alcohol, drugs or a combination of both; or
By proving the driver’s blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 percent or more
You might know that getting a DWI becomes more and more expensive depending on the severity of your DWI convi...

If you are currently living with a mental illness, it’s important to know how to advocate for yourself and your needs. This can mean educating friends and family about your illness and your needs, speaking up for yourself to your healthcare team, and, sometimes, choosing to tell your manager or human resources department about your mental illness.
In the right workplace, disclosure of your mental illness will be kept private and may lead to better support and accommodations on the job. But is...

The poorest citizens in our country, often living in impoverished communities, are plagued by mental illnesses including substance abuse. We often see this as a problem that begins with an addiction that ruins a person’s finances and leads to poor mental health.
However, living in an impoverished area can expose a person to constantly stressful situations that can lead to the onset of PTSD and an increased risk of substance abuse. Those living in poverty can sometimes feel trapped in this cyc...

Capitalism and Mental Illness
The current state of capitalism is in turmoil, according to independent op-eds, political pundits, and even the United Nations; a group of scientists has recently warned the UN that capitalism will fail because it focuses on short-term profits, not long-term benefits.
Mental illnesses, including addiction, exemplify this problem. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) quantifies some of our challenges:
9.8 million adults in the US “experiences a serious m...

U.S. veterans have prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice – losing their lives in the defense of our country. While this dedication should be lauded, too many veterans are coming back to lives of mental anguish and despair. And too often, our veterans are experiencing mental illness, abusing substances, and even taking their lives when they return from abroad.
How many veterans are affected by mental disorders, including addiction? What are the consequences of a lack of treatment in these ar...

When Sigmund Freud changed the field of psychology in the early 1900s, he introduced the stereotypical relationship between patient and “shrink”: the patient lies on his back on a couch or bed while the therapist listens, takes notes, and then tells the patient how all their problems stem back to mom and dad.
It’s an oversimplified view of what happens in therapy, but Freud–for better or worse–changed much of what we know about how to raise our children, and how to heal from the traumas of ou...