MindSite News

25/09/2025

Lee Hammock hadn’t thought of himself as a narcissist until his wife shouted the word at him, yelling about how hard it was to live with one.

On that night 8 years ago, he’d been directing his frustrations with his life at their 7-month-old son – she overheard him say to the crying infant, “See? This is why I’m not successful.” His wife’s fury proved pivotal.

After googling the word and finding it described him “pretty accurately,” he dug deeper, investigating whether he truly was a , and if so, how it might have affected his life. (New York Magazine)

A new wave of so-called "self-aware narcissists" are using social media platforms to openly discuss their condition, sparking debate.

24/09/2025

🏏 More than three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the French game pétanque has become an unlikely source of relief for Ukrainian seniors.

A sport akin to bocce ball, in which competitors toss a metal ball toward a target ball, attempting to score points by getting closer than their competitors, pétanque has become a means of connecting civilians and veterans across the country as they process post-traumatic and ongoing stress.

“This is a renewal of our mental health. We don’t sleep at night and there is always such anxiety. But when you come here, well, you see our faces,” said Tetiana. “You are on the field, you forget everything, you turn off, and such relaxation in nature, it is wonderful.”

In 2019, Tetiana traveled to Germany, where she learned of the game pétanque. The sport felt ideal for her community of active pensioners, retirees who were looking for activities to keep busy. “There’s no need to be strong, but you’re moving,” she said. “It’s physical activity, but very gentle, so all bodies can participate.”

“It’s good for older people, for kids as well, and for people with disabilities. And now, really, it’s [good] for veterans,” she added. https://bit.ly/4gzMGhI

The French game of pétanque has become an unexpected source of mental health relief for seniors and veterans in Ukraine.

23/09/2025

"And just remember: You can trust yourself and your good mind and what you see in front of you. So don’t ever let anybody, even your dear old dad, tell you a dog is a cat.”

A look at the impact on our collective mental health of attacks on free speech and the rise of authoritarianism in the U.S.

23/09/2025

In fiscal year 2023, 62% of disability claims filed with the Social Security Administration were initially denied. ⬇️

The agency doesn’t publish data on denial rates by type of disability, but a study released in 2018 found that while the denial rate for all claims was 62%, the rate was 76% for those with a primary diagnosis of an affective or mood disorder, such as disorder and .

Disability benefits for mental illness are difficult to obtain due to high denial rates, long wait times, and more.

19/09/2025

If homeless people refuse to leave, a Trump official said they could receive fines or jail time.

An executive order from the Trump administration threatens to roll back decades of progress in mental healthcare.

19/09/2025

Therapist Jessica Romero’s patient saw two men abducted in front of their apartment in broad daylight and froze out of fear.

Psychiatrist Erica Lubliner works with a parent whose child sobs for fear his dark skin makes him a target of immigration agents. Therapist Yanira Hernández has a patient whose focus during work wanders to the immigration raids and her parents’ safety.

These are just a few examples of the increase in stress, anxiety, fear and anger over immigration raids that mental health professionals and organizations have seen among their Latino patients since June.

Therapists describe the greater stress, anxiety, anger and fear among Latino patients as the mental health impacts of immigration raids.

12/09/2025

🎉 We're thrilled to share that the MindSite News & NAHJ: palabra. 'Silent Battles' series just won the INN explanatory journalism award! 🏆

The series is a collaboration between the Chicago bureau of MindSite News and palabra, a multimedia platform from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. It was made possible with funding from The Field Foundation of Illinois.

This series focuses on the mental health challenges faced by immigrant communities in Chicago – from threats of deportation to the efforts by the city and community groups to provide mutual assistance and support.

Read all four stories on our website, here: https://bit.ly/3K3MniW

12/09/2025

Adventure playgrounds aren’t without their challenges; injuries sometimes occur. Staff stress that such accidents, including broken bones or even stepping on nails, can happen anywhere.

The difference at Kolle 37 is that children are also taught to manage that risk, while allowing the supervising adults to worry about major hazards — like ensuring that the equipment is truly safe for playtime, despite what it looks like.

“[Kolle 37] is a really, really special place,” says Marcus Schmidt. “It looks different every day. And the kids made it, not some engineer.” https://bit.ly/42oZotG (Reasons to be Cheerful)

Adventure playgrounds may look chaotic but experts say unconventional spaces help kids develop by teaching them to navigate risks.

11/09/2025

The people most enthusiastic about therapy are exactly who therapists struggle to reach.

And that's pre-adolescent boys.

Why?

Typically, this age group is the least engaged, the least open with feelings and the most likely to miss appointments. But they never miss a Minecraft session and are among the most animated and engaged. https://bit.ly/42aWtoH

Therapists around the world are using Minecraft therapy to help kids and teens struggling with mental health issues.

05/09/2025

'Just about everyone knows someone who is impacted by student debt. I mean, either we ourselves are affected, or a close friend or family member is. So there are about 45 million Americans or so who have student debt.'

How youth and families can best protect themselves from student loan changes during the Trump administration's student loan upheaval.

05/09/2025

While involuntary commitment may be a drastic step, it appears to be an increasingly common one – although exactly how common is difficult to say.

There is no national repository of data on involuntary commitments, and states track this data in very different ways.

A recent paper published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York cited a figure of 1.2 million involuntary hospitalizations per year as a very rough estimate – and a likely underestimate. https://bit.ly/3HGl3qr

Involuntary psychiatric commitment in Pittsburgh left a trail of violence, overdose and su***de, research showed.

05/09/2025

Last year, 169 police officers who received crisis training used force at least once during a mental health-related incident in .

Despite specialized crisis training meant to defuse mental health emergencies, public records obtained by and MindSite News show that many officers—including those trained in crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques—still resorted to force.

This story is part of Policing the Vulnerable, a package of stories reported and produced in collaboration with Medill - Northwestern University Investigative Lab-Chicago, the Invisible Institute and South Side Weekly.

Last year, 169 police officers who received crisis training used force at least once during a mental health-related incident in Chicago.