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mental health

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Why too much time online makes us unhappy
2 months ago
- Problematic internet use is linked to higher stress, worse mood, and neglect of daily responsibilities, according to a study of 900 German adults.
- The study suggests problematic internet use resembles eating disorders, addiction, and OCD, often operating at a subconscious level.
- Triggers for excessive internet use include stress, exhaustion, or overwhelming situations; recognizing these urges is key to managing them.
- Coping strategies include waiting five minutes before going online, exercising, listening to music, or planning screen-free time.
- Unplugging from the internet can lead to greater happiness by allowing more time for outdoor activities, face-to-face connections, and helping others.
Remote Work Is Not Making Us Miserable
2 months ago
- The article argues that remote work is a tech success story, not a cause of misery, despite a study claiming it explains a third of mental health decline.
- The study's methodology is flawed: it compares 'remotable' and 'nonremotable' jobs rather than actual remote vs. in-office workers, and the observed mental health effects are very small (less than 0.1 standard deviations).
- The study may conflate pandemic-era effects with remote work, as mental health declines began in 2020 and could stem from isolation during COVID-19, not remote work itself.
- Significant mental health differences were only found among remote workers living alone; those cohabiting showed no effect, suggesting isolation can be mitigated.
- The author's personal experience highlights benefits of remote work: avoiding commutes, living near family, spending more time with children, and improved work-life balance.
- Ending remote work policies would harm parents, especially women, and ignores that 80% of workers prefer remote options—individual choice should matter more than convoluted studies.
John's colleague told him he didn't belong. It was just what he needed to hear
2 months ago
- John Moe moved to Seattle in the early 1990s to pursue a career as a writer or actor but ended up working full-time in customer service at a software company.
- He struggled with depression and felt that other people got to do meaningful work while he was stuck in a job he hated.
- A colleague named Jane in HR told him he didn't belong at the company and should pursue creative work, which gave him the confidence to change careers.
- Moe got a job at Jane's husband's company, eventually becoming a successful author and podcast host.
- He now pays it forward by deliberately telling others when they are good at something, especially when they doubt themselves.
My husbands suicide shows theres something very wrong with US insurance industry
2 months ago
- Emergency physician receives a call from the coroner confirming her husband Randy's suicide.
- Despite having top insurance, Randy's mental health care was denied, leading to his discharge and worsening condition.
- Randy's initial optimism and success faded, leading to severe depression and psychotic episodes.
- After multiple failed outpatient treatments and brief hospitalizations, Randy died by suicide.
- The author continues to advocate for proper insurance coverage while dealing with the trauma of loss.
Fake food delivery site for the dopamine
2 months ago
- The group is a support group for people struggling with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and compulsive overeating.
- BED is characterized by recurrent binge eating episodes without purging, affecting 1-5% of the general population.
- Symptoms include consuming large quantities of food to sickness without self-induced vomiting, often feeling out of control and shame.
- BED can lead to serious health issues like obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and depression.
- The group welcomes those with frequent binge eating episodes, is not professional, and prohibits judging or unsupportive comments.
- There is an official Discord server and encourages discussion through comments.
What the Middle Ages can teach us about preventing burnout
2 months ago
- John Cassian noted burnout symptoms like weariness, hopelessness, and brain fog in the 5th century, showing these feelings are not unique to modern times.
- Historian Peter Jones's book explores how medieval 'therapist priests' guided people through spiritual anguish, similar to modern therapy for burnout.
- Medieval writers described acedia (sloth) as an emotional void, akin to modern burnout, with symptoms like inertia and lack of motivation.
- Medieval solutions for acedia included accepting emotions without fighting them, finding a higher purpose, and practicing self-forgiveness.
- Modern therapies like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy echo medieval advice, emphasizing acknowledging emotions and living by personal values.
- Recognizing that burnout has been experienced throughout history can provide comfort and a sense of shared human experience.
Three governments agree on something the AI industry doesn't want to hear
2 months ago
- China's new laws effective today ban free, user-built companion AI chatbots within general-purpose apps, allowing only dedicated apps with safeguards.
- California (effective Jan 1, 2026) and New York (effective Nov 5) have laws requiring companion AI chatbots to prevent suicide/self-harm content, block explicit content for minors, and disclose they are machines.
- All three governments agree on three harmful aspects of AI companions: user delusion about chatbots being human, worsening mental health (especially suicide risk), and risks to children, with special protections for minors in China and California.
What If the Youth Crisis of Mental Health and Attention Never Happened?
2 months ago
- The concept of a 'narcissism epidemic' among youth in the 2000s has been debunked, with studies showing no evidence of such a crisis and the narrative fading without acknowledgment of error.
- Current narratives about a youth mental health crisis rely on unreliable self-report data, which is prone to false positives; cross-national suicide data and recent CDC trends show no epidemic, with youth suicides declining in the U.S.
- Two new studies using standardized measures (Child Behavior Checklist and attention/cognition tests) find no evidence of a crisis in youth mental health or attention, suggesting youth are performing similarly to past generations.
Blocking internet on phones improves attention, mental health, and well-being
2 months ago
- A month-long randomized controlled trial found that blocking mobile internet access on smartphones for two weeks improved mental health, subjective well-being, and objectively measured sustained attention.
- 91% of participants showed improvement in at least one of these psychological outcomes, indicating broad positive effects from the intervention.
- Mediation analyses suggest that the improvements were partially due to changes in time use: participants spent more time socializing in person, exercising, and being in nature when mobile internet was blocked.
- The study provides causal evidence that constant connection to the internet via smartphones may harm time use, cognitive functioning, and well-being.
Forms of life, forms of mind by Dr. Michael Levin
2 months ago
- The talk discusses the implications of diverse intelligence research for mental health.
- It explores how this research might impact somatic medicine in the future.
- Downloadable slides are available for further reference.
- The featured image is credited to Jeremy Guay of Peregrine Creative.
- A reply section is included for audience interaction.
What If It's Not the Phones?
2 months ago
- Evolutionary psychologist Peter Gray argues that children's mental health issues stem from a lack of unstructured play and independence, not smartphones.
- Gray's theory, outlined in his book 'Free to Learn', posits that play is essential for children to develop problem-solving skills and manage their own lives.
- He critiques Jonathan Haidt's 'The Anxious Generation', which blames smartphones and social media for youth mental health crises, viewing it as limiting children's freedoms.
- Gray's upcoming book, 'Restoring Childhood', attributes mental health declines to educational reforms like Common Core, which increased school stress and testing.
- He suggests that digital technologies, including video games, actually improved children's mental health by providing spaces for connection and autonomy in the 1990s-2010s.
- Critics, including some academics, question both Gray's and Haidt's hypotheses, emphasizing that multiple factors likely contribute to youth mental health trends.
- The debate highlights a broader conflict over whether to restrict children's freedoms or foster independence in response to mental health concerns.
Social media bans don't protect adults from harm–here's what to do
3 months ago
- Governments worldwide are implementing social media bans for children citing mental health and bullying concerns.
- Social media causes mental health issues among adults through upward social comparison and envy.
- Features like Stories and curated feeds amplify feelings of inferiority and loneliness.
- Alternative platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon improve privacy but still foster validation issues.
- Social media harms news consumption by spreading hyper-partisan and AI-generated fake content.
- Passive consumption is the core problem; solutions include removing apps and avoiding logged-in browsing.
- Global action to reduce social media addictiveness is lacking, so individual steps are recommended.
I wanted to be Anthony Bourdain–until I met him
3 months ago
- The author idealized Anthony Bourdain from a young age, modeling their travel writing career and hard-partying lifestyle after him.
- Meeting Bourdain twice provided validation and deep conversations about art and politics, contrasting with the author's own struggles with addiction and suicidal ideation.
- Bourdain's death forced the author to confront their own destructive patterns and the emptiness of a 'dream job' that masked deep unhappiness.
- The author reflects on the 'Bourdain Effect' and the ethical dilemmas of travel journalism, eventually shifting focus from global tourism to finding curiosity in everyday life.
- Through therapy and lifestyle changes, the author redefined success, moving away from constant travel to appreciate stability and human connections.
Programmers need to start meditating now
3 months ago
- Programming previously offered a meditative flow state that quieted the mind by reducing activity in the default mode network, which is linked to rumination and worry.
- Modern programming roles involve constant context switching and multitasking, which diminishes time spent in flow states and may affect mental well-being.
- Programmers should adopt new meditative practices, such as hobbies or apps like Calm or Waking Up, to compensate for the loss of inherent meditation in their work.
Tom Kean got months of paid sick leave – after voting against it for others
3 months ago
- Tom Kean Jr, a Republican congressman, returned after a four-month absence due to inpatient treatment for depression, during which he continued to receive his full salary.
- Kean faced criticism for hypocrisy, as he has voted against paid sick leave and family leave laws, and supported policies that cut Medicaid and Medicare, despite benefiting from paid leave himself.
- The article highlights broader Republican hypocrisy, citing examples like Tim Murphy and Herschel Walker, who opposed abortion but were involved in related scandals.
- It notes the lack of a national paid leave policy in the U.S., disproportionately affecting low-wage workers, with 95% lacking access to paid family leave.
- Other news includes Stephen Miller's consideration of a 'pregnancy ban' for immigrants, dangers faced by women in the U.S. army, and updates on domestic murder sentences and arrests in international cases.
- Democratic socialist Melat Kiros won a primary in Colorado after being fired for her views on Israel and Palestine, and light-hearted animal stories feature a giraffe and an elephant seal.
Goodebye Forever Probably: Why I’m leaving developer relations
3 months ago
- The author retired from live streaming and has been reflecting on their 5.5-year career in Developer Relations (DevRel).
- DevRel's positive aspects include helping others, building projects, learning, and forming global friendships through teaching and conferences.
- Difficulties in DevRel stem from pressure to show short-term success via arbitrary metrics like sign-ups or views, which often misrepresent true impact.
- The industry's shift towards AI and changing learning habits has made developer education harder, with communities fragmenting and courses becoming less sustainable.
- As a public company representative in DevRel, the author felt constant burnout from maintaining a positive online persona while dealing with job insecurity and anxiety.
- Physical health issues, including wrist pain and nerve problems, emerged from overwork and stress related to proving their value in DevRel roles.
- The author is leaving DevRel for a Staff Engineer role, seeking to disconnect from online presence, protect mental health, and focus on building websites and personal life.
- Future plans include possibly continuing a blog or newsletter but with reduced online activity, emphasizing a desire for freedom, nature, and creativity away from corporate metrics.

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mental health

Why too much time online makes us unhappy

Remote Work Is Not Making Us Miserable

John's colleague told him he didn't belong. It was just what he needed to hear

My husbands suicide shows theres something very wrong with US insurance industry

Fake food delivery site for the dopamine

What the Middle Ages can teach us about preventing burnout

Three governments agree on something the AI industry doesn't want to hear

What If the Youth Crisis of Mental Health and Attention Never Happened?

Blocking internet on phones improves attention, mental health, and well-being

Forms of life, forms of mind by Dr. Michael Levin

What If It's Not the Phones?

Social media bans don't protect adults from harm–here's what to do

I wanted to be Anthony Bourdain–until I met him

Programmers need to start meditating now

Tom Kean got months of paid sick leave – after voting against it for others

Goodebye Forever Probably: Why I’m leaving developer relations