Just Passing Along | Mental Health Haiku
The brilliance of “Better Brain"
Does this sound familiar? It does to me. I have been paying attention and I bet you have to.
In the current cataclysm, it’s important not to look away for too long. But at the same time it’s incredibly important that indeed we do from time to time. My amygdala (did you know there are two?) are on overdrive. My sleep is disturbed. My concentration shattered.
A brain is a terrible thing to waste. This treadmill that we are on feels like a kind of addiction. If you are as old as me, you may recall the 1980’s PSA “This Is Your Brain on Drugs.” I can still hear the cracking of the shell, the egg sizzling in the frying pan. In just a minute, message received.
An avid consumer of mental health support myself, having had 4 therapists and 4 psychiatrists over the last 20 years, and having written about it here on U&U many times, I can easily spot the difference between psycho-babble and the real deal.
In the latter category, I would like to recommend “Better Brain”. It’s just the best. Written by Julie Fratantoni, PhD. a cognitive neuroscientist with a passion for education. She writes,
Everyone needs to know.
The human lifespan has doubled, but the brainspan has not. Who wants to live to be 100 if your brain starts declining at 60?
The field of neuroscience has uncovered so much in the last few decades about neuroplasticity and the brain’s capacity to change - it’s incredibly hopeful!
But not everyone has access to this information. I think everyone deserves to know and I’ll tell anyone who will listen.
My mission is to make neuroscience & brain health resources accessible and easy to understand.
My heart
My mom has early stage Alzheimer’s disease.
If I can help just one person prevent this heartbreaking disease, it will all be worth it.
Prevention is the best strategy we have.
I believe in a holistic approach (see Top 10 Ways to Take Care of Your Brain)
I believe that lifestyle matters more than genetics. New research shows nearly half of dementia cases are preventable.
I believe it’s time for a brain health revolution when it comes to care, education, and policy - who’s with me?
Dr. Fratantoni is the Aaron Parnas of mental health. Her posts are concise, crisp and doable.
Short enough to print on a t-shirt or stick on a coffee mug.
Evidence based to-do-lists for your brain.
In sparse text or a brief video, she delivers “juicy neuroscience nuggets.”
Kind of like mental health haiku.
Here are a recent few. If you like what you see, and I am sure you will,
Subscribe to Better Brain, follow Dr. Fratantoni online, and share.
On procrastination …
On exercise…
On joy…
On curiosity…
On a little tune up for your brain…
On live streaming…
And a must see little video just posted: “Study Finds Scrolling Shrinks Your Brain”!!
Exclamation points added are mine.:)
@Julie Fratantoni, PhD Hope this meets with your approval. Thank you for your wisdom!