Coronavirus: What Are The Psychological Effects Of Social Distancing & Being Quarantined?

Political leaders in the democratic world are grappling with a difficult balancing act in a bid to contain the coronavirus: when to pull the trigger on measures like closing schools and canceling public gatherings (known as “social distancing”).

STORY LINK: https://www.wsj.com/articles/social-distancing-is-new-coronavirus-buzz-phrase-does-it-work-11583524419

Cancelled weekend plans and unanswered text messages always tend to sting from a psychological perspective, but now a new study finds that days and nights spent all alone may cause us physical pain as well. Researchers at the University of Surrey and Brunel University London say that social isolation may lead to increased bodily inflammation.

STORY LINK: https://www.studyfinds.org/separation-stings-study-finds-social-isolation-may-cause-physical-inflammation/

Sample Questions

What are the short and long psychological effects of people having much less interaction with each other due to "social distancing"?

What do you think are some of the mental health challenges that a person who is quarantined (on a cruise ship now for example) faces?

Do you think that it is important for your mental wellbeing to experience nature and different outdoor environments?

Hosted by Dr. John Huber, Mainstream Mental Health Radio (featured on the Mental Health News Radio network) covers today’s top headlines pertaining to psychology. The program also offers insight and advice on how individuals can bring about lasting positive changes in their lives. A mental health professional for over twenty years, Dr. Huber is a Clinical Forensic Psychologist, and he is a practitioner with privileges at two long term acute care hospitals.

About Dr. John Huber
Texas Based - Dr. John Huber (www.mainstreammentalhealth.org) is the Chairman for Mainstream Mental Health, a non-profit organization that brings lasting and positive change to the lives of individuals that suffer from mental health issues. A mental health professional for over twenty years, Dr. Huber is a Clinical Forensic Psychologist, and he is a practitioner with privileges at two long term acute care hospitals.

About Kristin Walker
Kristin Sunanta Walker is CEO or everythingEHR and the MHNR Network.
Kristin has been working within the health care field for more than two decades. She started out in medical billing for an Urgent Care center in Southern California. Kristin is also the host of Mental Health News Radio. She has interviewed leaders in the behavioral health community such as CEO’s of technology companies, counselors, best-selling authors, and global experts in the field of Behavioral Health. Her show is downloaded in over 171 countries and continues its reach with inspiring guests from every corner of the world.

How To Protect Your Mental Health During The Coronavirus Pandemic

As news about the coronavirus outbreak continues to dominate the headlines and millions of people—in the U.S. and the world over—are being asked to self-quarantine, it has become increasingly significant to pay as much attention to our mental health as we do to our physical health.

Sample Questions

What are some of the ways that people can reduce their fear during the coronavirus pandemic?

What are the short and long psychological effects of people having much less interaction with each other due to "social distancing"?

What do you think are some of the mental health challenges that a person who is quarantined (on a cruise ship now for example) faces?

Do you think that it is important for your mental well being to experience nature and different outdoor environments?

Hosted by Dr. John Huber, Mainstream Mental Health Radio (featured on the Mental Health News Radio network) covers today’s top headlines pertaining to psychology. The program also offers insight and advice on how individuals can bring about lasting positive changes in their lives. A mental health professional for over twenty years, Dr. Huber is a Clinical Forensic Psychologist, and he is a practitioner with privileges at two long term acute care hospitals.

About Dr. John Huber
Texas Based - Dr. John Huber (www.mainstreammentalhealth.org) is the Chairman for Mainstream Mental Health, a non-profit organization that brings lasting and positive change to the lives of individuals that suffer from mental health issues. A mental health professional for over twenty years, Dr. Huber is a Clinical Forensic Psychologist, and he is a practitioner with privileges at two long term acute care hospitals.

About Kristin Walker
Kristin Sunanta Walker is CEO or everythingEHR and the MHNR Network.
Kristin has been working within the health care field for more than two decades. She started out in medical billing for an Urgent Care center in Southern California. Kristin is also the host of Mental Health News Radio. She has interviewed leaders in the behavioral health community such as CEO’s of technology companies, counselors, best-selling authors, and global experts in the field of Behavioral Health. Her show is downloaded in over 171 countries and continues its reach with inspiring guests from every corner of the world.

Study: 47% of Americans Say U.S. Moral Values Not Good and Getting Worse

Americans continue to rate U.S. moral values negatively, on balance, and overwhelmingly agree that they are getting worse. These readings, from Gallup's May 1-12 Values poll, are the latest in the 18-year trend that shows similarly bleak findings.

A 47% plurality of Americans currently rate U.S. moral values as "poor," 36% as "only fair" and 17% as "excellent" or "good." Since 2002, no more than 23% of Americans have held a positive view of moral values; the highest negative rating was 49% last year.

Story Link: https://www.studyfinds.org/confide-fido-nearly-half-dog-owners-turn-canines-over-family-comfort/
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Mental Health Perspectives is hosted by:

Dr. John Huber (www.mainstreammentalhealth.org) is the Chairman for Mainstream Mental Health, a non-profit organization that brings lasting and positive change to the lives of individuals that suffer from mental health issues. A mental health professional for over twenty years, Dr. Huber is a Clinical Forensic Psychologist, and he is a practitioner with privileges at two long term acute care hospitals. Dr. Huber has appeared on over three hundred top tier radio shows (NBC Radio, CBS, Fox News Radio) and thirty national television programs (ABC, NBC, Spectrum News). In addition Dr. Huber is the host of “Mainstream Mental Health Radio” which is heard nationwide and features interviews with today’s top mental health professionals.

Kristin Sunanta Walker is CEO or everythingEHR and the MHNR Network.
Kristin has been working within the health care field for more than two decades. She started out in medical billing for an Urgent Care center in Southern California. Kristin is also the host of Mental Health News Radio. She has interviewed leaders in the behavioral health community such as CEO’s of technology companies, counselors, best-selling authors, and global experts in the field of Behavioral Health. Her show is downloaded in over 171 countries and continues its reach with inspiring guests from every corner of the world.

Stephen King’s “IT Chapter 2” In Theatres Reasons Why People Are Afraid Of Clowns

This Friday, the evil clown Pennywise returns to theaters for Stephen King's "IT Chapter 2." Why does Pennywise make our skin crawl? It might be because many people suffer from true coulrophobia, the fear of clowns. Even without a full-blown phobia, everyone seems to agree that clowns are just a little bit scary.

But have you ever wondered why? Logically, a clown is simply a person wearing makeup and silly clothes, and yet they still tend to give just about everyone the creeps. Here are some of the ten psychological reasons why some people are afraid of clowns:

•They’re Unpredictable
•Fear Of The Unknown
•Mass Hysteria Over Clowns
•Negative Portrayal In Popular Culture
•Childhood Trauma
•Freud’s Uncanny Theory

STORY LINK: http://listverse.com/2017/02/10/10-psychological-reasons-why-people-are-afraid-of-clowns/

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Mental Health Perspectives is hosted by:

Dr. John Huber (www.mainstreammentalhealth.org) is the Chairman for Mainstream Mental Health, a non-profit organization that brings lasting and positive change to the lives of individuals that suffer from mental health issues. A mental health professional for over twenty years, Dr. Huber is a Clinical Forensic Psychologist, and he is a practitioner with privileges at two long term acute care hospitals. Dr. Huber has appeared on over three hundred top tier radio shows (NBC Radio, CBS, Fox News Radio) and thirty national television programs (ABC, NBC, Spectrum News). In addition Dr. Huber is the host of “Mainstream Mental Health Radio” which is heard nationwide and features interviews with today’s top mental health professionals.

Kristin Sunanta Walker is CEO or everythingEHR and the MHNR Network.
Kristin has been working within the health care field for more than two decades. She started out in medical billing for an Urgent Care center in Southern California. Kristin is also the host of Mental Health News Radio. She has interviewed leaders in the behavioral health community such as CEO’s of technology companies, counselors, best-selling authors, and global experts in the field of Behavioral Health. Her show is downloaded in over 171 countries and continues its reach with inspiring guests from every corner of the world.

Bad Dad? Half Of Fathers Have Experienced Daddy-Shaming, Poll Reveals

As families prepare to celebrate dads for all that they do, one gift no father wants to get is a heaping helping of shame. Tales of “mommy-shaming” have cropped up from time to time in the media in recent years, but according to a recent national poll, about half of all fathers say they too have been struck with slings and arrows for all manners of parenting missteps — from overdoing the discipline, to abandoning the diet, to playing too rough.

The nationally-representative poll of 713 fathers of children ages 13 and under found that nearly half of fathers receive the criticism in a positive light and make some adjustments, but others have an opposite reaction, according to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at the University of Michigan.

Criticism makes more than a quarter of dads feel less confident in their parenting skills and one in five feels like stepping back from the parenting role. For many fathers (43 percent), the criticism seems unfair.

Covered on the show today:

Entomophobia, sometimes known as insectophobia, is the fear of insects. The fear is relatively common in the US, particularly in urban areas where coming into contact with a bug is fairly unusual because of the lack of interaction with nature. Urban dwellers' fears of insects often serve as fodder for situation comedies and reality shows that depict their sudden transition to rural or island life. Many people who have never been exposed to this life can struggle because of the prevalence and pervasiveness of insects in living areas or they become overly aware of them in public spaces.

Although they are not technically insects, the fear of spiders is the most prevalent form of entomophobia. Other commonly feared bugs include bees, ants, cockroaches and flies such as butterflies and moths. Many people fear "bugs" in general, reacting in panic to any insect or related creature that crosses their path.

Featuring Dr. John Huber and Kristin Walker

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Why Sports Parents Sometimes Behave So Badly

They yell at the referees, they yell at their kids, they yell at the opposing team and some even yell at their own team. They are rude, loud and many are aggressive. In a word, they are obnoxious.

Who are they? They are parents behaving badly at their child’s sporting events.

A recent New York Times article with video titled, “Parents Behaving Badly: Youth Sports Crisis Caught on Video,” by Bill Pennington, highlighted some pretty disgusting behavior. In the video, you can see and hear a parent at an eight-year-old youth soccer game hurling obscenities at a referee as he walked to his car. Another video showed a fan screaming obscenities while viciously kicking a ball into a nearby teenage referee.

According to the National Association of Sports Officials, harassment of referees has become so egregious that 70 percent of them quit within three years. Because of this, there is now a sweeping referee shortage.

The Times article describes an effort by Brian Barlow, an Oklahoma youth sports soccer referee, to thwart, embarrass and shame the growing tide of bad behavior by parents, fans and spectators at sports events. He created a Facebook page called “Offside,” which posts videos of their offensive behavior.

According to the article, Barlow, who offers $100 for each clip, said, “I do it to hold people accountable — to identify and call out the small percentage of parents who create a toxic environment in youth sports. It is a very visual deterrent and not just to the person caught on video, but to others who may ask themselves: Do I look like that jerk?”

Further, Barlow also started a program called STOP, which stands for Stop Tormenting Officials Permanently. The program distributes signs to be prominently displayed at youth sports complexes. Other signs include, “Warning: Screaming at Officials Not Allowed,” and “Caution: Development in Progress, Stay Out of It.”

There are now six clubs in Oklahoma who have paid a one-time fee to join the STOP initiative, and over 30 leagues around the country have made inquiries.

Mental Health Perspectives with Dr. John Huber & Kristin Sunanta Walker

Poor envy. It has such a bad reputation.

Who among us enjoys looking miserable, mediocre, hostile -- and petty, just because we see someone who has something that we desire?

Lately, envy is in the air, as our country struggles with how to react to the increasing concentration of wealth in a smaller percentage of the population.

In a recent opinion piece, Arthur Brooks, President of the American Enterprise Institute, offers a provocative take on envy’s role in our reactions.

His main points are that:

1. envy makes us unhappy and unhealthy;

2. it arises from believing that another’s advantage is unfair and beyond our control to change;

3. sadly for us, it is an increasingly prevalent reaction.

Cultural traditions and some empirical work support Brooks’ first point about the ill effects of envy on well being. But research by Dutch psychologists Niels van de Ven and others confirm a very important distinction between two types of envy: benign and malicious. They show that benign envy is not fun but it leads to a healthy, “moving-up motivation” while malicious envy is hostile and leads to an unhealthy“pulling-down motivation.” It is only the latter type that Brooks likely has in mind.

Mental Health Perspectives: Featuring Dr. John Huber & Kristin Walker

Six Dangerous Social Media Challenges Killing & Injuring America’s Youth 

Internet challenges can be fascinating to teens, who can be both impulsive and drawn to behavior that draws attention, especially in social media. Some challenges, like the ALS ice bucket challenge or the mannequin challenge, can be fun and positive activities. But other challenges that pop up on the internet are dangerous and can lead to permanent harm.

Six Dangerous Social Media Challenges 

From: https://www.providr.com/most-dangerous-social-media-challenges 

The Fire Challenge. 

This is when you spray or pour a flammable liquid on your body and light yourself on fire.

The Hot Water Challenge 

You either pour hot water on yourself or another person, or you drink it through a straw. And then, unsurprisingly, you get seriously injured.

The Choking Game 

Where participants get choked in order to get a temporary ‘high’.There have been many cases where kids have died after playing the Choking Game. 

The Condom Snorting Challenge 

People snort condoms through their noses and pull it out through their mouths. There is a possibility that you could potentially get the condom stuck in your windpipe or lungs.

The Salt and Ice Challenge 

When participants pour ice on a part of their body and then place ice on the salt. This creates an extreme burning sensation. Participants see how long they can withstand the burn. It can lead frostbite and third degree injuries.

The Eraser Challenge

Where you erase your skin while saying the alphabet and coming up with a word for each letter. Once you get to Z you stop and compare your skin with your friends.

Four Reasons Why Mike Judge’s 2006 Film “Idiocracy” Correctly Prophesized Life In America Today

Dumbing down of English language

As a culture many of our citizens no longer speak in clear, concise sentences. Communication is often done through social media or text messaging and the English language is plummeting in eloquence. Words like: Fam, Bruh, FOMO, eats, and others can be heard on a daily basis from our populace.

Instant gratification & the collapse of critical thinking 

“Idiocracy” depicted a nation incapable of formulating ideas or solutions to anything beyond their focus of attention in the present moment. Sadly, we are seeing this all across modern day America as countless people chase after “what feels good” for that moment. Analyzing how thoughts and actions in the present can impact the future doesn’t seem to be “hip” right now.

Popular TV show are scarily identical

In “Idiocracy” the number one show on television is called “Ow! My Balls!.” Can you believe that there an iPhone game called “Ow my balls!” which boasts over 1.3 million downloads? MTV’s “Ridiculousness” and ABC’s “Wipeout” are two incredibly popular shows that are siblings of the program depicted in “Idiocracy.”

Ads appear everywhere 

Just like in “Idiocracy” American’s today see ads on the phones, computers, sidewalks, cars, and even other people (renting ad space on their foreheads). Corporations will spare no expense or venue to get their message across.