Tuesday, March 19, 2024
By Courtney Wise
Good morning, MindSite News readers. In today’s newsletter, a look at a popular new book from a therapist and podcaster working to provide healing to Black women and girls. Also: The stresses of on-line shopping. Can fermented foods be good for your mental health as well as your gut? And the sister of Robert Garrison Brown, who died by suicide, speaks to fans of the reality TV show, Sister Wives.
Unlocking the healing power of sisterhood
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford believes so deeply in the healing power of sisterhood, she made it the title of her first book, Sisterhood Heals. In it, the licensed psychologist from Georgia and host of the popular podcast, Therapy for Black Girls, writes that healing happens in community. In fact, Therapy for Black Girls is more than just a podcast, it is – as Dr. Joy puts it – “an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls” that also offers referrals to therapists.
Here’s what she says about sisters healing in the introduction of the book:
If there is one thing I can always count on, it is the fact that if I put five or more Black women in a room – any room, any group of Black women – things are about to get real! With very little provocation or directing, we’re likely to get to the heart of things – and fast. We won’t shy away from talking about relationships, parenting, racism, work, or any other topic. Deep belly laughs will be heard and knowing glances exchanged; perhaps some tears will be shed and secrets confided/imparted as well. In the sisterhood that Black women share, there is often a safety and an inherent feeling of support and acceptance that is affirming and, I believe, lifesaving.
By strengthening our friendships and “sister circles” we simultaneously heal ourselves. The book was published last year, but I’ve only just now started to read it. So far, highly recommended. Hear Dr. Joy speak about the book in this short interview with the Daily Beast Live.
She’ll also be doing her podcast as a live event at a theater in Atlanta. More information about that can be found here.
Online retailers are always open and make buying super-easy. And that’s part of the problem.
I have a confession: I despise online shopping. As a bonafide millennial and survivor of the COVID-pacalypse, that’s probably blasphemous, befuddling, or both to more than a few people reading. It’s not really my goal, but it seems that this may very well be protecting my sanity. Online shopping can be bad for your mental health – unless you put some important boundaries in place, Jamie Friedlander Serrano writes in TIME.
Previous studies have shown that shopping in physical stores does provide a form of “retail therapy” – but the bump in mood some people feel doesn’t really translate online. In fact, untreated anxiety or depression – combined with 24/7 internet shopping options – may lead to heightened stress and anxiety, researchers have found. That’s because “filling the cart or purchasing the item can almost feel more powerful than actually getting it,” said Thea Gallagher, a clinical psychologist and associate professor at NYU Langone Health.
Like the dopamine rush experienced by rats conditioned to expect cocaine when a bell rings, humans experience a dopamine rush from the mere act of shopping. “Obviously, there’s no cocaine in online shopping, but there’s a dopamine bump that keeps people coming back for more,” Gallagher said.
Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate the negative effects of online shopping. To save yourself time and frustration, try not to focus on the “perfect find,” but the best one for the moment.
Make it impossible to buy automatically by un-saving credit card information from online retailers and smartphone wallets. Then set boundaries on yourself with “no-buy” periods for non-essential items to rein in impulse buys. Finally, writes Friedlander Serrano, reduce the temptation to shop online by unsubscribing from marketing emails and muting social media influencers that trigger you to click “add to cart.” Doing so can help you regain control over your online shopping and benefit your mental well-being.
In other news…
What do kimchi, yogurt, and sauerkraut have in common? These fermented foods may all boost your mental health because of the good bacteria they get going in our guts. That’s the word from this mental health minute from WDIV’s Click on Detroit. Please note: Fermented foods aren’t good for every body. Consult your doctor before drastically switching up your nutrition plan.
Over 14 years, viewers of TLC’s hit reality show, Sister Wives, watched Robert Garrison Brown grow up. And earlier this month, fans shared their sympathies and sorrow over his passing from suicide. The fourth of six children born to Janelle and Kody Brown, Garrison, as he was known on the program, died on March 5. As members of his family return to public life, People magazine reports that his older sister, Madison Brown Brush, emphasized the importance of prioritizing mental health and recognizing that much of what is shared on social media is a curated, stunted version of reality.
“Garrison used to feel like he wasn’t doing enough because he was comparing himself to things on social media, and I don’t think that it’s real and I think we need to remember that,” Brown Brush said in a video posted to Instagram. “So if you’re ever feeling down on yourself because you see somebody post something, remember it’s their highlight reel, and you didn’t see – you don’t see – all the stuff going on in the background.”
She added, “Mental health is so important, and I don’t think we talk about it enough, and I don’t think we do enough to bring awareness…And I am going to continue talking about mental health and self care until I am blue in the face.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and connect in English or Spanish. If you’re a veteran press 1. If you’re deaf or hard of hearing dial 711, then 988. Services are free and available 24/7.
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