Mental Health Minute
Alief ISD Guidance and Counseling Newsletter, January 2023
Psychology Behind The Fresh Start Effect Of The New Year
By Rebekah Carter
For many of us, the new year represents a fresh start, which is a concept that holds a lot of power. Metaphorically hitting the ‘reset’ button on January 1st helps give you some mental clarity and internal motivation to put your best foot forward next year.
Making a “fresh start” isn’t just a figure of speech, it’s a psychological concept – one which has inspired a lot of discussion over the years. Some people believe fresh starts can be an excellent way to motivate ourselves and improve our chances of reaching various goals while leaving unhealthy habits in the past. Some argue that wiping the slate clean is only beneficial in certain circumstances. Below, we’ll reveal the psychology behind the “fresh start effect” and how it can benefit or hinder your path to success.
What Exactly is the Fresh Start Effect?
The fresh start effect essentially refers to the motivational powers of January 1st’s representation of a new beginning. The fresh start effect can also take effect when other major life events symbolize a new beginning.
A study by Hengchen Dai identifies the “fresh start effect” as a person’s ability to disassociate past performance outcomes from their current or future goals.
For the full article:
https://magazine.circledna.com/psychology-behind-the-fresh-start-effect-of-the-new-year/
Keeping Your Spirits Up When the Holidays End
When the holidays pass, you might feel a wave of sadness taking over. But it can be reassuring to know that there are ways to cope.
For some, the hype of the holidays can bring excitement, joy, and a sense of nostalgia. For others, the holiday season can bring up past trauma, estranged relationships, and feelings of loneliness.
No matter where your feelings fall regarding the holidays, it’s possible to feel sadness or post-holiday blues after the holidays pass.
What are the post-holiday blues?
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) describes the holiday blues as feelings of anxiety and stress that come up around the holidays and may be due to unrealistic expectations or memories connected to the holiday season.
In a 2015 survey, 64% of people report experiencing the post-holiday blues.
Gina Moffa, a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist based in New York City, says post-holiday blues are temporary and encompass a series of emotions that occur after the emotional whirlwind of the holidays is over.
“This can be akin to feeling sad, anxious, or depressed with the characteristics of seasonal affective disorder,” Moffa says. “Your sleep may be affected, energy levels, and even your ability to concentrate, because after all, the holidays also give us a break from our everyday life and work monotony.”
After the holidays, going back to the day-to-day routine can feel distressing and anxiety-provoking, she adds.
https://psychcentral.com/lib/how-to-manage-post-holiday-depression
6 Truths About Human Trafficking in Texas
It’s tempting to believe that human trafficking happens elsewhere, in some faraway country. You may think it doesn’t affect your daily life. You may, understandably, wish to not think about human trafficking at all—the images are just too disturbing and painful.
The reality is that human trafficking, including child sex trafficking, does happen in the United States—and it is a real problem right here in Texas. These crimes leave a lasting impact on both their victims and our communities. That’s why we’re spreading the word for National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, marked annually on January 11.
Read on to learn what human trafficking is and how you can help.
https://upbring.org/6-truths-about-human-trafficking-in-texas/
Study: Social media use linked to decline in mental health
By Dylan Walsh
Researchers found a significant link between the presence of Facebook and increases in anxiety and depression among college students.Mark Zuckerberg launched TheFacebook at Harvard University in February 2004. Days later, 650 students had made accounts. Today, there are roughly two billion daily active users.
Concurrent with Facebook’s meteoric expansion has been growing concern over the mental well-being of adolescents and young adults. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, the suicide rate among 10- to 24-year-olds was stable from 2000 to 2007; it then increased 57% between 2007 and 2017.
Given these parallel trends, it’s important to understand the relationship between mental health and technology use, especially how youths use social media. But there have been few causal studies.
https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/study-social-media-use-linked-to-decline-mental-health
Dates To Remember
January 11th
Virtual Middle/High School Lead Counselor Meeting -
9am-11am
Meet & Greet our new Superintendent- Dr. Anthony Mays
3pm-6pm
Center for Advanced Careers
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day
January 16th
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Student/Staff Holiday
January 17th-February 3rd
Panorama District SEL/Climate Survey Window
January 19th
Lunch & Learn Series: Non Suicidal Self-Injury
10:30am-11:00am & 1pm-1:30pm
January 25th
Wellness Wednesday Series: Human Trafficking
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Zoom
January 27th
New Counselor Meeting
8:30-10:00 am
Center for Talent & Development
Flenisha Padgett - January 2nd
Amelia Cote - January 6th
Melissa Chin - January 8th
Fern Michel - January 10th
Denae Aquil - January 11th
Tina Lee - January 13th
Carol Chang - January 17th
Lilian Villalobos - January 18th
Catherine Massey - January 18th
Sandra Davis-Long - January 19th
Maria Nelson - January 24th
Eugene Daniels - January 25th
Dr. Alvia Baldwin - January 28th
Akeena McDonald - January 29th
Erica Webb - January 31st
Mary "Bea" Garza - January 31st
Social & Emotional Learning Focus
This month is all about commitment. Commitment is a word that doesn’t get a lot of coverage today, and when it does, it is often used in jest or humor. We are defining Commitment as sticking to your choices and your willingness to practice or fulfill your obligations. In the broader sense, it is the act of pledging or binding yourself to a certain course of action, or to a person as the case may be.
What does the word commitment suggest? It usually evokes a strong sense of intention and focus, accompanied by a statement of purpose or a plan of action. Commitment is what a pilot must have when he sits on a runway and guns his engines. There is a point at which he has to commit himself to the flight. He can sit on the runway and gun his engine until it runs out of fuel, but he will never get off the ground until he commits himself to a course of action.
Commitment is the decision to go forward, to hang in there when the going gets tough, and to take one more step when you are convinced all strength is gone. Commitment is the decision to stand by someone no matter what the temperature of a relationship may be, or the force of the wind that blows against it. This New Year I challenge you to pick one word that you will commit to focus on every day. That one word will become the compass that directs your actions, decisions, and next steps in life. My word is Joy. What will be yours? Cheers to 2023!
Love, Shaundra Kiser
Counselor Spotlight
This month for Counselor Spotlight, we want to shout out the Crest Crew! Every counselor at all the schools has put in great effort to realize this goal. We appreciate Mrs. Kiser for supporting them through the process.
We look forward to adding more campuses next year!
Resources
Mental Health Screening Tool
https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools
NAMI Texas
NAMI National
Crisis Intervention of Houston
Harris Health System
Harris County Psychiatric Center (HCPC)
Harris County Sheriff’s Department Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
713-221-6000
Houston Police Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD
The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston
http://www.council-houston.org
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychological Association
Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA)
Autism Society of America
National Institute of Mental Health
National Suicide Prevention
http://www.texassuicideprevention.org/
Obsessive Compulsive Foundation
If you need further support check out these Texas-based organizations and websites:
2-1-1 Texas - Using the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s database, you can search for resources based on your zip code. For further help, dial 2-1-1 to reach their anonymous hotline and receive personalized help with basic needs in your community.
Community Resource Coordination Groups - Check out this website, created by a group of local partners and community members, to search for benefits and services in almost every county in Texas.
Feeding Texas - Find free groceries, sign up for nutrition programs, and connect to other helpful services based on the food banks in your zip code.
Texas Association of Community Health Centers (TACHC) - Search for community health centers and providers with appointments available for Texans without, or with limited, health insurance.
Texas Homeless Network - If you are experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness, use the THN website to search for free or reduced cost services (medical care, food, housing, etc) in your area.