loneliness – A New Vision for Mental Health

Encounterism: the Neglected Joys of Being in Person

Author: Editorial 18th May 2023 0 Comments

This book by Andy Field will be published in July. The publishers say: “The light touch of a hairdresser’s hands on one’s scalp, the euphoric energy of a nightclub, huddling with strangers under a shelter in the rain, a spontaneous snowball…
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a wellbeing society

Andy Field, books, Culture & Society, loneliness, social isolation, wellbeing

Why have we stopped talking to strangers?

Author: Editorial 10th May 2023 0 Comments

“Efficient urban design, attention-grabbing screens and isolating headphones all mean we’re rapidly losing the art and joy of spontaneous encounters. But artist Andy Field has a plan for how we can start to connect again…” This report by Steve Chamberlain –…
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a wellbeing society

Andy Field, Culture & Society, encounterism, loneliness, Steve Chamberlain, The Guardian, urban design, wellbeing

Scotland’s doctors urged to prescribe gardening and cooking

Author: Editorial 27th October 2022 0 Comments

The BBC reports : “Prescribing patients activities such as walking, gardening and cooking can help Scotland tackle health inequality, leading charities have said. A coalition of 19 organisations are calling on the Scottish government to adopt a national strategy for so-called…
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collaborative practice

BBC, BBC Scotland, cooking, Emma Lunan, gardening, loneliness, Movement for Health, social prescribing

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

Author: Editorial 10th June 2022 0 Comments

This book has been written by Sebastian Junger. The publishers say that it is: “… a book about why men miss war, why Londoners missed the Blitz, and what we can all learn from American Indian captives who refused to go…
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a wellbeing society

anthropology, books, community, Culture & Society, loneliness, Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder, PTSD, Sebastian Junger, small-scale

New study: Loneliness is the greatest threat to wellbeing in Europe

Author: Editorial 21st July 2021 0 Comments

“Every year, European adults lose 11.4 million good years of life to loneliness. This makes loneliness more detrimental to human happiness than any other condition under consideration.” This study come from the Happiness Research Institute: “What’s worse: not being able to…
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a wellbeing society

Europe, Happiness Research Institute, loneliness, Research, wellbeing, Wellbeing Adjusted Life Years

What is a Men’s Shed?

Author: Editorial 7th July 2021 0 Comments

The UK Men’s Sheds Association say: “Men’s Sheds (or Sheds) are similar to garden sheds – a place to pursue practical interests at leisure, to practice skills and enjoy making and mending. The difference is that garden sheds and their activities are often solitary…
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a wellbeing society

loneliness, Men's Sheds, shedders, social groups, social isolation, UK Men's Sheds Association, wellbeing

The Truth About … Improving Your Mental Health

Author: Editorial 27th January 2021 0 Comments

This 57 minute video from the BBC ranges across a variety of subjects, including heartbeat control, diet and the gut-to-brain vagal nerve connection, exercise, passive vs active engagement with social media, loneliness, social prescribing, insomnia and more. The programme producers say:…
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a wellbeing society, Key posts

Alex Scott, anxiety, COM-B Behaviour Change Model, cortisol, Cranial electrotherapy stimulation, depression, diet, exercise, gut microbiome, heartbeat control, insomnia, loneliness, neuroscience, probiotics, psychobiotics, sleep disruption, social media, social prescribing, stress, Tanya Byron, videos

The Rabbit Effect

Author: Editorial 2nd July 2020 0 Comments

This book – subtitled “Live Longer, Happier, and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness” – has been written by Dr. Kelli Harding. The publishers say: “When Columbia University doctor Kelli Harding began her clinical practice, she never intended to explore…
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a wellbeing society

books, friendship, kelli harding, kindness, loneliness, love, wellbeing

‘I feel imprisoned’: why loneliness won’t be solved by national planners

Author: Editorial 1st June 2020 0 Comments

“As lockdown eases, the government’s fixation on top-down strategy is risking the mental health of the loneliest citizens” A centralised approach characterises many government schemes in relation to mental health and wellbeing (the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme, for…
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a wellbeing society

COVID-19, decentralisation, Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), Jane Dudman, local communities, loneliness, voluntary sector, wellbeing

The Handbook of Solitude: Psychological Perspectives on Social Isolation, Social Withdrawal, and Being Alone

Author: Editorial 11th May 2020 0 Comments

This book seems appropriate in our current time of ‘social distancing’ and ‘lock-down’ – especially for those who live alone. It has been edited by Robert Coplan and Julie Bowker. The publishers say: “This reference work offers a comprehensive compilation of…
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a wellbeing society

aloneness, books, COVID-19, developmental psychology, Julie Bowker, loneliness, neuropsychology, Research, Robert Coplan, social isolation, solitude