The town of Highland Park, a tight-knit community north of Chicago, has been grappling with the fallout of the July 4, 2022, mass shooting that turned a holiday parade into a scene of horror. Seven people were killed and nearly 50 others injured when a rooftop gunman opened fire with an AR-style rifle. Nearly three […]
Loneliness isn’t just an emotion — it’s a growing public health crisis. A 2023 Gallup Poll found that one in four people around the world report significant loneliness, while another 27 percent say they feel at least a little lonely. And surprisingly, it’s not just older adults who are affected. The highest rates of loneliness […]
This post was submitted as part of our “You Said It” program.” Your voice, ideas, and engagement are important to help us accomplish our mission. We encourage you to share your ideas and efforts to make the world a better place by submitting a “You Said It.” The phone call came at 2:14 a.m. A mother’s […]
In the aftermath of a tumultuous election season, political division, wildfires, and a general sense of uncertainty for the future, it’s easy to think we are all simply living in a united state of stress with little good to come from it. However, the science of emotional intelligence tells us that using the term stress […]
If a friend sends you a bouquet, says Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas, the science director at the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, don’t just say “Thank you.” Instead, expand it to something like, “Thank you so much for sending me tuberoses; you know that those are my favorite. I felt so […]
As we enter the holiday season, the true spirit of joy is found in giving, especially to those who need it most. And there’s science behind this. Research has consistently shown that acts of generosity — whether it’s giving gifts, financial support, or donations — increase our happiness even more than spending on ourselves. At […]
Members of the military and their families make tremendous sacrifices on behalf of our country. Yet when they return home, many face challenges like homelessness, unemployment, medical expenses, mental health conditions, and financial difficulties. According to Statista, as of 2022, there were about 16.2 million veterans in the United States. Of that number, approximately 235,000 […]
What gives your life meaning? It’s a question our brains are naturally programmed to explore. Recent studies have revealed strong connections between spirituality and health, both rooted in how we find purpose in our lives. Interestingly, much of this research began with the goal of understanding the rising prevalence of depression and anxiety in our […]
The US Centers for Disease Control reports a significant rise in adolescent mental health concerns over the past five years. Even before the shutdown due to COVID-19, the number of teenagers reporting depression symptoms was on the rise. Since 2019, there has been a considerable spike in sadness and hopelessness among adolescents—from 31% of teens […]
In January, National Alliance of Mental Illness Chicago (NAMI) began operating its own 988 center. 988, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, is a phone and text crisis line for people experiencing mental health difficulties, linking callers to local support. 988 is for folks who are experiencing mental health distress, including suicidal crisis, […]
