The hottest Mental health Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health & Wellness Topics

Social Justice Encroachment into Medicine

Heterodox STEM • 206 implied HN points • 09 Aug 25
🏥 Health Politics Mental health
  1. The focus in medicine is shifting from just improving health to also addressing social justice issues. This change is influencing how doctors see their roles, making them more like activists.
  2. There's growing concern about how medical guidelines in gender care are established. Some recent textbooks promote a very one-sided view and may ignore crucial issues that need more research.
  3. Changes in policy around gender-affirming care show that discussions about healthcare are becoming more political and less focused on individual patient needs, which is troubling.

Sending Our Problems Downstream

OK Doomer • 225 implied HN points • 31 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Mental health
  1. People often pass their negative feelings to others instead of dealing with them. It’s like a cycle where one person's bad mood affects another.
  2. We’re facing deeper issues than just loneliness; we're not giving ourselves enough space to feel safe and cared for. This can lead to increased aggression and disconnection in society.
  3. Doing small acts of kindness can help us regain a sense of control and connection in a world that feels chaotic and hostile. It's important to clean up our reactions rather than pass on our frustrations.

Chaos Comes Back

NOW IS GOOD • 491 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Chaos is a force that touches everyone, neither good nor bad, just is
  2. We have choices when faced with chaotic moments: ignore, obsess, or ride the waves
  3. Recognizing chaos as a constant practice – lessons, experiences, and chances for change

Story Thirty-Six

Stories From The Rail • 399 implied HN points • 18 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Engaging in distracting activities like watching tv can provide comfort in times of distress or trauma.
  2. Sometimes people cope with trauma by avoiding silence and constantly keeping themselves occupied with external stimuli.
  3. Finding a sense of kinship and understanding with others who have experienced trauma can provide a unique form of comfort and connection.
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Friday Q&A: calcium supplements; the Ozempic plateau; dry November; & light boxes for seasonal blues

Are You Okay? • 399 implied HN points • 17 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. It's important to get enough calcium for strong bones, ideally from sources like dairy, green leafy vegetables, and fish with soft bones.
  2. When it comes to calcium supplements, consider factors like the type of calcium compound, absorption rates, and potential side effects like constipation.
  3. Vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption, and while other nutrients like magnesium may be beneficial, it's important to consult a healthcare provider to avoid potential interactions with medications.

Exploite tes peurs

Venture Prose • 658 implied HN points • 05 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Recognize and exploit your fears as a way to drive yourself to do better each day.
  2. Entrepreneurs should not shy away from acknowledging and utilizing their vulnerabilities as a source of motivation and growth.
  3. Seek feedback from others to identify recurring behaviors that may be limiting you, and work towards understanding and overcoming them to reach your full potential.

Why You Shouldn’t Put Your Kids On Diets – Full Interview

Weight and Healthcare • 539 implied HN points • 22 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Body Mass Index is not a reliable measure of health as people at the same weight can have vastly different health statuses.
  2. Factors like genetics, social determinants, and health-supporting behaviors matter more to overall health than weight.
  3. Research shows that diets are ineffective, especially for kids, and can lead to negative outcomes like eating disorders and weight gain.

The Truth About ObesityWeek - Part 2

Weight and Healthcare • 439 implied HN points • 28 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. ObsityWeek focuses on promoting the weight-centric paradigm in healthcare by connecting weight with health and disease, potentially leading to harmful practices.
  2. Corporate influence is prevalent at ObsityWeek through sponsored symposia and key lectures, where pharmaceutical companies push for weight-centric treatments like medications and surgeries.
  3. There is a disconnect at ObsityWeek between celebrating weight loss industry figures and the lack of progress in reducing the population of higher-weight individuals, highlighting the profit-driven nature of the field.

Can Humor Heal?

Are You Okay? • 479 implied HN points • 08 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Laughter and positivity can have a significant impact on physical and mental health, boosting the immune system, reducing stress, and improving cardiovascular health.
  2. Accept that life can be serious and challenging, but incorporating humor into it can make tough times easier to navigate and lead us to other joys.
  3. Make room for intentional laughter in daily life through activities like watching funny movies, reading jokes, and practicing laughter yoga; finding humor in everyday situations can bring joy and connect us with others.

The Democrats Praying for an Open Convention

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1683 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Mental health
  1. Speculation about Michelle Obama entering the presidential race as an alternative to Joe Biden is circulating, but Michelle Obama has repeated she will not be running for president.
  2. Concerns are rising among Democratic insiders about President Biden's declining faculties and the need for a possible replacement before the next election.
  3. There's a complex dynamic between President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, but a change in Israeli leadership may have to come from within, not due to external pressures.

Hero culture in cybersecurity: origins, impact, and why we need to break the toxic cycle

Venture in Security • 255 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Mental health
  1. Hero culture in cybersecurity is common and involves individuals working long hours and taking on immense responsibilities, leading to negative consequences.
  2. Hero culture in cybersecurity has roots in the original hacking culture, the adversary's presence, reliance on knowledgeable individuals, and a special relationship with the military.
  3. Hero culture is reinforced through employees' sense of identity, belonging, and fear, as well as by companies' reluctance to invest in adequate security measures.

What’s happening inside the brain on LSD? Colorado psychedelics legislation flies through state Senate, and Oregon gets its first licensed testing lab

The Microdose • 471 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Scientists study brain activity on LSD and find altered connectivity and self-inhibition.
  2. Colorado Senate passes SB 290 to implement Proposition 122 for psilocybin services in the state.
  3. Oregon licenses its first psilocybin testing lab, but high costs may drive some practitioners underground.

Your AI friend- Brought to you by your friendly neighborhood mega corporation.

Experiments with NLP and GPT-3 • 23 implied HN points • 17 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Mental health
  1. Modern LLM chatbots can create deep, parasocial bonds that leave vulnerable people emotionally dependent and at risk of harm, and adding ads to those relationships makes that danger far worse.
  2. Economic pressure is pushing AI from search-style results to single "answer engines," which incentivizes native, trust-exploiting advertising that users are less likely to recognize as persuasion.
  3. Protecting people requires systemic fixes: legally imposing fiduciary duties for companion AIs, forcing clear ad disclosures and cognitive breaks, recognizing neurorights, building public ad-free AI options, auditing models, and holding companies liable for harms.

Altered states: The new science of appetite and brain plasticity

Brain Pizza • 662 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. New weight-loss drugs like semaglutide can help people lose weight and improve their overall health. They might change how we think about appetite and cravings.
  2. These medications could have benefits beyond just weight loss, including helping with anxiety and even substance use disorders. They show promise in many areas of health.
  3. There is potential for these drugs to change society by reducing healthcare costs, improving self-esteem, and even aiding in the treatment of diseases like Parkinson’s.

You're not the only one who sees it

Disaffected Newsletter • 739 implied HN points • 09 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Mental health
  1. Many people feel that something is wrong in society, leading to a sense of disconnection and confusion. It's not just you who notices this feeling; others share similar concerns.
  2. There's a lack of basic respect and attention in everyday interactions, like cashiers not making eye contact or delivery people rushing away. This reflects a bigger issue in how society communicates.
  3. The problems we see today are rooted in deeper spiritual and physical issues that have built up over time. This can make it hard to feel connected and understood, but knowing others feel the same can provide some comfort.

The New York Times: Professional Makeup Artist

The Algorithmic Bridge • 286 implied HN points • 16 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Mental health
  1. The New York Times often highlights dramatic stories tied to new technology, like ChatGPT, but can miss the bigger picture of how society reacts to these changes.
  2. Media coverage tends to focus more on violent or sensational stories, which skews public perception and creates a belief that the world is more dangerous than it really is.
  3. It's important for journalists to tell stories with context and nuance, especially when discussing sensitive issues, so people don't jump to exaggerated conclusions.

The ICU is Traumatic For Everyone

The Frontier Psychiatrists • 275 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. A stay in the ICU can be traumatic for patients due to various factors like machines, confusion, and hallucinations.
  2. ICU workers are also at risk of developing PTSD due to exposure to human suffering, with rates increasing, especially after the pandemic.
  3. The prevalence of PTSD among ICU patients and workers is significant, emphasizing the need for research and treatment options to address this trauma.

Hippie Crack: The Highs & Lows of Nitrous Oxide

Tripsitter • 59 implied HN points • 14 Jun 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Nitrous oxide is a powerful dissociative drug that creates euphoric and out-of-body experiences but has extremely short-lasting effects.
  2. Nitrous oxide is commonly used for pain relief in medical settings, transforming intense pain into uncontrollable laughter.
  3. Recreationally, nitrous oxide is popular due to its potency, affordability, and short-lived effects, but excessive use can lead to addiction and various health risks.

Everything I’ve Been Working On

Deep Fix • 452 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Focus on sharing updates, offers, and engaging with readers on platforms like Substack.
  2. Engage in impactful work such as running a non-profit addiction program and leading a men's group for personal growth.
  3. Offer coaching services and explore topics like predictive processing, sincerity, and Hakomi somatic psychology.

The Wit's Guide to Aging

Get Wit Quick • 452 implied HN points • 18 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Aging is a common experience that can be portrayed negatively, but it's something everyone goes through.
  2. Embracing aging and staying healthy is important, even though societal expectations and language around it can be tough.
  3. Growing old can be embraced with humor and a sense of independence, rather than fearing it.

triumph of the diagnostic?

undefended / undefeated • 393 implied HN points • 05 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Design for disability aims to broaden accessibility and recognition of full personhood, beyond medical labels.
  2. There is a concerning trend of medicalization, with more diagnoses and treatments for various conditions.
  3. The paradox of medicalization raises questions about the nature of everyday suffering and the need for both biomedical and existential approaches.

Reviews of My Life #3

Nice Try • 319 implied HN points • 13 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Taking care of your health is important. Even simple strength exercises can make a big difference for seniors.
  2. Spending quality time with friends can lead to fun commitments, like reading a classic book together.
  3. Sometimes things don't go as planned, like a leaky ceiling or finding an empty gym, but you can still make the best of it.

The Three Adults Who Abandoned Me—And Taught Me Life’s Most Important Lesson

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1660 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Rob Henderson shares his heartbreaking childhood and the impact of abandonment from three adults in his life.
  2. Fentanyl epidemic in America is causing record-high overdose deaths, impacting people across all backgrounds.
  3. Concerns about Biden's age and the Democrats' shift in attitude towards his ability to run for reelection are becoming more openly discussed.

Study examines at connections between weight loss programs and depression and anxiety in adolescents

Weight and Healthcare • 439 implied HN points • 07 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Professionally run weight loss programs for adolescents may not increase depression or anxiety and could even lead to a slight reduction in symptoms, based on the study findings.
  2. The study's short follow-up period of up to 15 months raises concerns about the long-term effects of weight loss programs on mental health, especially considering weight regain patterns.
  3. Authors of the study have potential conflicts of interest, raising questions about their motivations and the credibility of their recommendations.

The drowning will pull you beneath the waves too

Disaffected Newsletter • 939 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Mental health
  1. Abusive family situations can be very toxic and damaging. It's important to recognize that you don't have to accept this abuse or keep it a secret.
  2. Society often pressures individuals to maintain family privacy, which can help abuse go unreported. Speaking out about these issues is vital for breaking the cycle.
  3. If you find yourself in a similar situation, the best choice may be to distance yourself from those toxic family members. Your well-being should come first.

Why Are Some Of Our Most Successful Leaders Mentally Ill?

The Ruffian • 510 implied HN points • 22 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Mental health
  1. Some successful leaders, like Javier Milei and Elon Musk, show traits that could be seen as mentally ill or eccentric. This often helps them think outside the box and act decisively, even in the face of criticism.
  2. Having a lack of empathy can sometimes be a strength in leadership. When leaders don't try to please everyone, they can take bold actions that others may avoid.
  3. While unconventional behavior can lead to positive change, not all 'crazy' actions are beneficial. Sometimes it's just madness without any deeper logic.

Friday Q&A: treating substance abuse; Diet Coke & cancer risk; & how to get a decent lunch on the go

Are You Okay? • 439 implied HN points • 14 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Treating substance abuse requires a comprehensive approach that addresses unique factors like genetics, behavior, and situations. Medications like Vivitrol (Naltrexone) can be effective in preventing relapse by blocking the effects of substances on the brain.
  2. The link between Diet Coke (containing aspartame) and cancer risk isn't definitively established. Recently, the World Health Organization mentioned a potential association, but more research is needed to confirm this connection.
  3. Supporting a loved one through substance abuse treatment involves holistic care, including counseling, behavioral therapies, and lifestyle adjustments. It's crucial to tackle underlying issues like trauma for long-term recovery.

Friday Q&A: Ozempic & alcohol; social media & teens; talking to adult children about weight; & erythritol (artificial sweetener) risks

Are You Okay? • 439 implied HN points • 26 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Some patients on Ozempic report reduced cravings for alcohol and other impulsive behaviors.
  2. Early data suggests that Ozempic may help reduce impulsivity and cravings linked to various habits, but medication alone is unlikely to be a complete solution for complex addictions.
  3. Research indicates that social media can have negative impacts on teen mental health, prompting concerns and further investigation.

Here are 13 Other Explanations For The Adolescent Mental Health Crisis. None of Them Work.

After Babel • 2133 implied HN points • 24 Oct 23
🏥 Health Politics Mental health
  1. Smartphones and social media are the main factors behind the adolescent mental health crisis.
  2. The decline in independence among children and teens may be a contributing factor to the rise in teen depression, but it works in conjunction with smartphones and social media.
  3. Alternative explanations such as increased academic pressure or lack of places to hang out do not fully explain the significant increase in teen depression rates.

Benzos (benzodiazepines) Are Associated With Death By Suicide.

The Frontier Psychiatrists • 255 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Benzodiazepines like Ativan and Xanax are linked to higher risk of suicide, even in individuals without prior psychiatric history.
  2. Studies have consistently shown an increased risk of suicide with benzodiazepine exposure.
  3. Alternative treatments to benzodiazepines are needed for anxiety to prevent the heightened suicide risk associated with these medications.

Why do people drink alcohol?

The Joyous Struggle • 434 implied HN points • 30 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. People drink alcohol to reduce associations in their minds, helping them live in the present and elevate mood by weakening neural connections.
  2. Alcohol can facilitate an escape from self-consciousness, leading to unmediated connections with others, but it may also cause cognitive narrowing and self-centeredness.
  3. Drinking alcohol is intertwined with breaking taboos, often influenced by cultural perceptions, and can offer a glimpse of unity and transcendence, providing a shared spiritual experience.

Happiness Ruined Everything

OK Doomer • 225 implied HN points • 13 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Mental health
  1. Chasing happiness too hard can actually make you more miserable. It's important to remember that you can’t be happy for someone else; they have to find their own happiness.
  2. Society has created many 'happiness scripts' that tell us what steps we need to follow to be happy, but these often lead to disappointment instead of true joy.
  3. Real happiness comes from having basic needs met, like food and purpose, rather than the endless pursuit of material things or following societal pressure.

Good guy with a gun

Situation Normal • 58 implied HN points • 16 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Mental health
  1. News can often make us feel anxious or angry, especially when it’s about things we can’t change. Many people prefer local news because it's more relatable and sometimes entertaining, like car chases.
  2. A story about a 79-year-old veteran shows how firearms can play a crucial role in self-defense. Even though the veteran didn’t want to use his gun, it ultimately saved his life during a scary encounter.
  3. There's a lot of debate about guns in society, reflecting different opinions on their use. Some people feel safer with a gun for protection, while others think stronger laws should be in place to keep guns away from everyone.

The Next, Episode 44

The Next Brand • 432 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Living on the 'Edge City' can be beneficial for entrepreneurs by being ahead of trends and building the future with like-minded individuals.
  2. Many traditional sunscreens contain harmful ingredients like oxybenzone, which can have negative effects on hormones and health.
  3. There is a potential business opportunity in providing lifestyle and environmental toxin interventions for fertility improvement, addressing a growing need in the market.

Being The Piano Guy

Mental Disorder • 432 implied HN points • 23 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Alzheimer's can cause cognitive decline and memory loss, leading to confusion and agitation
  2. Playing music or engaging in familiar activities can help Alzheimer's patients feel connected and recognized
  3. Despite the challenges of mental illness, love and joy can still prevail

The Next, Episode #46

The Next Brand • 432 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health
  1. Long-term time horizons in business strategy can provide a competitive edge.
  2. Nutrient density in food has decreased, impacting health and leading to overeating.
  3. Improving technology for harvesting diverse crops can enhance agricultural diversity and improve food systems.