This looks like a really interesting webinar coming from a mind-body approach to working with clients. It also connects well to the work of Dr Gabor Mate, who speaks of trauma and addiction.

On February 24, 2022, GGTU hosted Anne Counter who was our star presenter, “ConnexOntario (Discover Mental Health, Addiction and Problem Gambling Services): A brief history and overview” . With COVID-19 changing the world and accessibility platforms being constantly revised to meet new technology advances. Anne’s presentation was really timely with relevant information on new and innovative initiatives being rolled out by ConnexOntario. They still strive to ensure they bridge services for...

You mentioned something that is key in all conversations we have with individuals. Listening to learn about the individual's motivation which in turn leads to varied behaviours. When we gain insight to a person's motivation, whether it is for behaviour modification or otherwise, it helps us as professionals to provide person specific care. Curious, what are your thoughts about the percentage of Americans affected by internet disorder? How do you think Canadians compare?

Article Jiménez‑Muñoz, L., Peñuelas‑Calvo, I., Calvo‑Rivera, P., Díaz‑Oliván, I., Moreno, M., Baca‑García, E., and Porras‑Segovia, A. (2022). Video Games for the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (2022) 52:169–188. Accessed May 23, 2022 at https://link-springer-com.proxy.library.upei.ca/content/pdf/10.1007/s10803-021-04934-9.pdf How It Relates to Gaming Video game-based interventions were effective in alleviating...

Is Social Media Harming Us? Or Are We Harming Ourselves? This is the question posed by Farzana Qasimi in her TEDTalk "The Dark and Light of Social Media" found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGjBgonFJYU In 12 short minutes, 16-year-old Qasimi makes a number compelling points to further explore who is at fault for how social media impacts our mental health. Qasimi notes: Social media websites were not created with the intention to lower anyone's self esteem, and Social media platforms...

The article discusses 1) alleged ineffectiveness, 2) alleged Draconian-ness, and 3) emerging evidence of identifiable benefits. Read on if interested in these aspects of the policy! See article attached.

The article discusses 1) alleged ineffectiveness, 2) alleged Draconian-ness, and 3) emerging evidence of identifiable benefits. Read if interested in these aspects of the policy. Reference: Xiao, L.Y. (2022). Reserve your judgement on "Draconian" Chinese video gaming restrictions on children. Commentary on: Draconian policy measures are unlikely to prevent disordered gaming (Colder Carras et al., 2021). Accessed June 3, 2022 at https://www.researchgate.net/p...er_Carras_et_al_2021 (pasted ...

This NYT article discusses the professionals who spend their time debunking health and mental health misinformation on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. We've also been seeing the role social media has played during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of people's access to information (e.g., vaccine availability announcements) and misinformation (promoting sometimes harmful treatments that aren't evidence-informed). This article left me with a few questions about the role that...

On Thursday July 21, 2022, GGTU hosted the final installment of the three-part webinar series, The Impacts of Digital Technologies on Mental Health and Addictions. Dr. Skye Barbic (UBC/Foundry) and Al Raimundo (Foundry BC) co-presented this latest webinar titled, Bridging the Digital Divide to Optimize Health Outcomes and Experiences for Youth . In this webinar, the speakers described the digital health needs of young people accessing youth mental health services and outlined current ways in...

https://informedfutures.org/wp...tive-development.pdf ; The article speaks to the effects of ‘screen time’ on the emotional, social and cognitive development of children and youth, including gaming, social media, and educational type virtual activities – both positive and negative. It mentions some emerging evidence on structural changes within the brain associated with increased use and how it relates to non-educational screen time. It mentions a factor around ‘stimulation overload’...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8871851/ 1. This article discuss about the problem technology use and the related effects on academic performance and student life. This article was prepared based on data collected from students. 2. The article clearly picturizes that females are more affected by excessive technology use and the resulted academic complications than male. The study also points to the fact that the connection between problem technology use and academic performance...

Youth Gambling Although they may not be of legal age to enter a casino, youth may be already engaging in gambling behavior to some degree, even from a young age — whether that’s making a bet with a rare Pokémon card or playing a claw machine game to win a prize. Gambling at any age has risks associated with it and the potential to cause harm. Some video games have elements of betting or gambling, even in skill-based games. Loot boxes are an example which typically offer players a chance to...

-Canadian Article describing the need for advances in gaming disorder research, specifically longitudinal study. - Highlights: Neurobiological and Psychological Correlates of Gaming Disorder / Contextual Correlates of Gaming Disorder / Gaming-Gambling Convergence and Gaming Disorder. - Conclusion: There is a lack of longitudinal Studies. Longitudinal needed, to determine if neurobiological conditions and psychosocial conditions exist prior to gaming disorder. It will also help determine...

This research study is about addressing loneliness and social isolation among older adults. It was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to measure the impact of technology to address loneliness and social isolation. The results indicate a need for technology-assisted interventions to be designed and delivered with older adult’s values, motivations and capabilities in mind. The main findings of the study indicate: - Addressing loneliness and social isolation among older adults was a key...

Slack, J. D., Delfabbro, P., & King, D. L. (2020). Toward a delineation of the differences between high engagement and problem gaming . Addictive Behaviors Reports , 16(December 2022). This study explores the boundary between highly engaged and problematic video gaming. Highlights of the study include: - the strongest protective factor being the ability to balance gaming with sleep needs, and - the strongest risk factor was using gaming to escape real-world problems. Employing a number...

I think the thrust of this summary post is right on the money. And that list of concepts and resource recommendations from NIMH is good to see. Co-occurrence is the rule rather than the exception, even though most of the hard-working folks invested in helping patients with substance use problems are not sufficiently trained to address non-addictive mental illnesses, and psychiatrists are not encouraged to embrace addictions in their clinical work where it appears they already have enough to...

This study explored social media's role in feelings of fear during COVID. 86% reported fear or panic (many females) regarding health information (misinformation) that was posted on social media. Levels of fear response differed by age and gender with more females reporting higher levels of fear, which can have implications on mental health.