Considering LGBTQ+ youth face continued fights around their identity, what are mental health concerns specific to queer youth? And what support is necessary for LGBTQ+ teens and young adults to best take care of their well-being amid a national political climate that’s working against them?
Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in women’s mental health, wants us to shift our thinking about self-care. Her new book Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included), covers what self-care is and what it isn’t and shares four key principles necessary to perform self-care.
For people of all ages, social connections are critical to health and wellbeing. Experts say we are inherently social creatures — hardwired to engage and depend on others for support throughout a lifecycle. Doctors and health researchers have signaled concerns about loneliness for decades — forced isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic introduced many more people to daily struggles with loneliness.