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mental health

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Getting enough quality sleep is incredibly important in order to maintain both physical and mental health. Despite this, many people struggle with getting the rest they need to keep their bodies functioning optimally. The good news is that there are some easy tips and tricks you can use to help your body get the rest it needs. In this blog post, we’ll discuss practical strategies for improving your sleep so you can wake up feeling refreshed and energized each morning, even amidst a stressful life event like a move without the help of Black Tie Moving.

So, if you’re ready to finally get a better night’s sleep, read on!

1. Establish a Regular Sleep Schedule

Creating a consistent sleep schedule can make all the difference when it comes to getting enough rest. Try to go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time every morning. Doing this will help train your body’s natural circadian rhythm, making it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep for longer periods of time.

2. Avoid Stimulants Before Bed

Caffeine and other stimulants can take up to 6 hours to leave your system, so it’s important to avoid them in the late afternoon and evening. Try to limit your consumption of coffee, tea, energy drinks, soda, and chocolate in the hours leading up to bedtime.

3. Reduce Stress

Stress can have a major effect on your ability to get restful sleep. If you find yourself struggling to relax and drift off to sleep, try taking a few minutes to practice some mindful breathing or progressive muscle relaxation.

4. Exercise Regularly

Getting regular exercise is an important part of getting better sleep. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. Exercise can help reduce stress and anxiety, increase the production of endorphins (the “feel-good” hormones), and help you fall asleep faster.

5. Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment

Take some time to create an environment in your bedroom that is conducive to sleep. Make sure the room is dark and quiet, the temperature is cool, and there is minimal clutter. Try investing in blackout curtains and a comfortable mattress to maximize your comfort.

By following these simple tips, you can greatly improve the quality of your sleep and start waking up feeling more rested and energized each morning.

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You just scheduled a new deck to be built by Butler Contractors. You’re so excited to finally live in a home that’s surrounded by nature. While a new deck is a great way to reap the benefits of your new environment, you also met a local hiking group. You wonder just what hiking could offer to you.

Fret not, we’re here to teach you about 6 powerful benefits of hiking.

Photo by form PxHere

Inspires Creativity

One of the most wonderful benefits of hiking is that it inspires you to be creative. When you’re outside, exploring the wilderness – you tap into the childlike, adventurous spirit within you. In turn, this helps you to think in new ways and find new connections between the world around you. Whether you’re suffering from writer’s block or struggling to get into painting, going for a hike is sure to offer you creative inspiration with whatever your artistic heart desires.

Great for Physical Health

It’s no surprise that hiking has wonderful benefits towards your overall physical health. Hiking not only increases your endurance, but it also strengthens your leg, core, and arm muscles. It truly provides a full body workout. Of course, you can modify your workouts depending on how much of a physical challenge you are wanting.

Activity for Everyone

Hiking is not just for the young. This activity is meant for everyone. As we touched on previously, there are many modifications you can make when it comes to hitting the hiking trail. Many popular hiking destinations will let visitors know the difficulty level of each hike, so you can choose accordingly. You’re never too old or young to go out and explore the world!

Improves Mental Health

Researchers at Stanford University conducted a study that shows there’s a strong correlation with spending time outdoors and mental health. They found that more time outside can help relieve anxiety, reduce stress, and even make you at a lower risk for depression. If you’re feeling down, getting in nature is one of the easiest ways to cheer you right up. Hiking can also provide mental clarity, which in turn – can help you focus.

Tap Into Your Inner Curiosity

If you’re a lover of exploring the world around you, hiking is one of the best ways to tap into your inner curiosity. Hiking allows you to observe the natural environment around you while also getting more connected to your thoughts about it. This is why it’s not uncommon for hikers to bring a notepad along with them on their hike. This allows them to write down whatever comes to mind. You should try this the next time you go for a hike!

Mindfulness Benefits

There is a slew of positive benefits that come with practicing mindfulness. And no, you don’t need to sit down and meditate to become more mindful. Hiking in nature brings you back to the present moment. It helps you focus on your surroundings, instead of being trapped in incessant thinking. In essence, it allows you to just be without all the distractions of life and your thoughts.

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In recent years there has been an obvious increase in mental health awareness. In 2022, SAMHSA reported that 19.8% of Americans are experiencing a mental health illness and 4.9% of Americans are suffering from a severe mental health crisis. With this knowledge, the necessity of mental health services is vitally important.

As a nurse in the mental health field, you will treat patients who struggle with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and many other psychiatric illnesses. The nurses that work with this special population are referred to as Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (MSN-PMHNP). These are advanced practice nurses who are experts in their field. MSN-PMHNP are required to undergo special training beyond an RN degree. Fortunately, there are opportunities to take mental health courses online to avoid the rigidity of classroom learning.

Becoming an MSN-PMHNP

An MSN-PMHNP is an advanced practice nurse who provides mental health services. This is a perfect career for someone who wants to provide holistic care to people who struggle with acute or chronic mental health disturbances. These professionals may work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, community mental health organizations, and in some cases, private practices. An MSN-PMHNP can provide psychiatric drug therapies, crisis intervention, psychotherapy, or case management services. With the growing need for mental health assistance, these professionals are a valuable commodity to our society. One of the greatest benefits of pursuing a career as an MSN-PMHNP is that it provides the flexibility to take online courses.

Obtaining a degree

Essentially, the MSN-PMHNP is an ARNP with a specialization in psychiatric mental health services. The first step to becoming an MSN-PMHNP is to have an unencumbered RN license. The next step is to complete an advanced nursing practice graduate program with a specialization in psychiatric mental health services. Like most ARNP programs, it could take between 2 to 4 years to complete a PMHNP degree.

There are many different class modalities when pursuing an MSN-PMHNP. In most cases, students will choose an online PMHNP program because it provides the flexibility to be mobile during the learning process.

Online PMHNP programs provide access for students who may not live near a physical institution that provides the required courses. Online degree programs make it possible for students who live in rural areas to receive the necessary training to become an MSN-PMHNP. One of the greatest advantages of taking a mental health course online is that you can learn all the essential skills of an MSN-PMHNP from the comfort of your own home. Online degree programs also provide the flexibility to continue working as an RN while you pursue higher education.

Conclusion

With an online MSN-PMHNP degree, you can individualize your learning process. Students can review lectures and complete coursework from anywhere in the world, all they will need is a computer and a stable internet connection. As an MSN-PMHNP you can make a real difference in your community. An online degree program provides many benefits for busy students in any part of the United States.

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Image by Jürgen Rübig from Pixabay

For many women, turning 30 is a big moment in their lives. Often, turning 30 coincides with numerous lifestyle changes. Women in their 30s may decide to start a family; or focus on their career. Or women in their 30s may decide to move to a new city, start a new business venture, or develop new relationships. Whatever your plan for the next ten years is, it’s important for women who are turning 30 to understand how to ensure their long-term health and wellness for years to come. Thankfully, this blog will help you achieve just that. Check out our top four health tips for women in their 30s:

Stay Active

As people get older, they tend to find it more difficult to stick to a rigorous exercise routine. However, it’s crucial that you maintain –– if not improve –– your workout habits moving forward. Regular exercise can not only help you achieve a healthy weight, but it can protect you from the onset of numerous medical conditions and illnesses. Now might be a great time to try out new exercise techniques that you may have overlooked so far.

Speak to Your Doctor

Individuals in their 20s may not feel the need to speak with their doctor all that often. Yet, as women enter their 30s, they should make it a priority to visit their doctor on a regular basis. Indeed, this is particularly true for women who are concerned with their fertility or who may want to have kids. Some women may even need to schedule an appointment with a tubal reversal doctor to improve their chances of conception. Regardless, all women in their 30s should seek to consult with their doctor more frequently.

Cut Out Bad Habits

Poor health decisions like staying up late, indulging in fast food, or engaging with cigarettes/alcohol are bad no matter when you start them. For women in their 30s, though, it’s imperative that you cut out these bad habits ASAP. Getting enough sleep, practicing a smart diet, and avoiding detrimental activities are all vital steps to building a healthy lifestyle.

Don’t Neglect Mental Health

You’re never too old to experience feelings of anxiety or depression. No one is immune to experiencing mental health issues, so it’s key that women in their 30s take their mental well-being seriously. At the very least, do your best to communicate your mental and emotional needs to others. And don’t hesitate to reach out to a mental health expert should you require clinical assistance. Remember, asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness –– it’s an example of your strength!

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Whenever there’s a car accident, most of the people involved tend to focus on the victim’s physical injuries. But after the initial shock calms, it’s easy to miss the mental and emotional effects caused by such trauma.

The fact is that while physical injuries can be identified quickly, the problem doesn’t always stop there. Psychological trauma may take days or months to manifest, but when they do, they can have even more long-lasting effects than physical injuries.

Here are some tips on how to deal with psychological trauma after an accident.

Mental Health Wellness Psychology Mind

Tip #1: Get Professional Help

In many cases, when accidents happen, it can take some time for the pain to subside and to feel whole again. Sometimes it’s easy to pretend that things are okay—even when you know you’re hurting. But it’s important to know that repressing your feelings will only make the situation worse. That is why anybody who’s been in a traumatic experience like a car accident should consult a professional therapist to help walk you through the journey of recovery.

When you do find a therapist you want to work with, you should focus on developing a good relationship with them to enhance trust and comfort. From there, your specialist will help you work towards your trauma in a calm and comfortable setting.

Tip #2: Account for Pain & Suffering in Your Insurance Settlement

Although it’s not an easy thing to deal with, emotional trauma after an accident is very common. It’s essential to note that when you suffer an after accident trauma, you have a right to account for your pain and suffering in your insurance settlement. However, you need to present your facts right to recover damages for your trauma case.

That is why you need to contact a professional and experienced personal injury attorney to represent you. It’s also essential to note that some lawyers offer legal representation in a wide range of fields, while others like Schwartzapfel Lawyers specialize in motor vehicle accidents.

Tip #3: Don’t Be Afraid to Talk about Your Mental Challenges with Friends and Family

After experiencing something overwhelming like an accident, you may want to isolate or withdraw from other people. However, pulling away won’t help you in the long run. It’s important that you don’t be afraid to connect and talk about your mental challenges to your family members or friends. Make an effort to open up and maintain a good relationship with those close to you, and refrain from staying alone.

Remember that when connecting with friends or family, it doesn’t mean that you must talk about your mental situation, especially if you don’t feel like it. If you do want to, make sure you surround yourself with caring friends that can help you feel better.

Tip #4: Do Everything You Can to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle

It’s important that you maintain both your physical and mental health to help cope with an injury. One of the ways to improve your body health is by engaging in physical exercises. Exercising has been proven to keep your body active and facilitate a good flow of blood to all parts of your body, which can positively affect your mental health.

It would be best if you also ate well-balanced meals to give your body the energy it needs to function normally. A balanced diet can also help regulate mood swings. Additionally, it is crucial to keep a healthy social life to help reduce stress and curb anxiety.

Tip #5: Learn Meditation

For those who suffer from trauma, it’s not uncommon to become depressed and anxious. That’s why it’s important to learn how to relax and calm your mind. Meditation can help you to achieve the best of your body’s health. If you’ve not tried meditation before, then you can enroll in in-person or online classes so you learn different techniques to help relax your mind, soul, and body.

Tip #6: Try Yoga for a Mentally Stimulating Exercise

Yoga is another excellent way to help relax your mind and lessen trauma effects. Yoga has been a favorite choice for many people. Doing regular yoga has many benefits, such as:

  • Decreasing insomnia
  • Reducing high blood pressure
  • Increasing muscle strength
  • Improving respiration and energy

Aiding your physical health is one of the best ways to obtain a happier mindset. But aside from its physical benefits, yoga can also help manage stress and develop coping skills to reach a more positive and satisfying outlook on life.

Tip #7: Develop Healthy Stress-Relief Habits

To better manage your stress levels, you can try multiple stress-relieving techniques such as daily walks and breathing exercises. Regular walks can help make your body active and strong through regular blood circulation.

Breathing exercises, on the other hand, can help relax and calm both your body and mind to help reduce stress and anxiety. It’s best to set a schedule for these things so that you can begin to form a habit with your body’s inner clock.

Conclusion

The emotional trauma after a car accident can leave you feeling devastated. And even when broken bones heal, there’s still the emotional aftermath of the entire experience. Luckily, there are many things you can practice to help better the situation. In addition to proper documentation for your recover damages for your emotional trauma, follow the above tips to help simplify your recovery process.

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The moment that you have your first child, your world changes. Suddenly, there is a new center of the universe and a new top priority. You want to give your son or daughter the best life possible, and you want to keep them happy, healthy, and connected to you and the rest of your family.

Raising a healthy child means regular visits to the pediatrician, healthy foods, opportunities for games and exercise, and all of the other things that you’re careful to provide in order to care for your child’s physical health. But, as you may well realize, physical health isn’t everything: We also need to care for the mental health of our children.

Caring for your child’s mind

Just as with physical health, achieving great mental health requires good everyday decisions. In fact, your child’s mental health relies on many of the same things that his or her physical health does. A great diet, plenty of exercise, and regular sleep patterns are all good for a person’s mental health, just as they are for a person’s physical health.

The support of a loving family matters enormously, too. Bring your family together for meals and other moments — and be a good example of work-life balance by taking family vacations. Heading down to Florida may not seem like a mental health treatment, but experts say that it actually is. There’s a ton of evidence to support that a relaxing day on the beach and a West Palm Beach sunset cruise can actually calm us down, lower our stress levels, make us happier (and even physically healthier), and return us to our daily lives feeling recharged and being measurably more productive at school or work.

Another key to great mental health is communication, and that’s particularly important to parents and children. Your child isn’t going to go set up his or her own mental health care appointment and drive him or herself there. You need to know what is going on in his or her head. Encourage healthy communication and know how to get your child to open up, so that you have a better chance of identifying mental health issues early instead of finding out later that your child hid them from you.

What to do when things go wrong

Mental health and physical health have a lot in common, but we don’t always recognize that. We can keep our child eating healthy foods and exercising, yet we won’t be surprised if our child comes down with a physical ailment. Can we appreciate the same truth about mental health?

The fact of the matter is that, while there is much that you can and should do to care for your child’s mental health, you can’t control everything. Mental health issues are very common, even among children, and especially among teens. If your child shows symptoms of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and other common problems, don’t take it personally or blame yourself, but do take it seriously.

In situations like these, experts say, you should seek professional help. Seek out mental health care providers like psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists. Consider inpatient rehab, too, such as Polaris adolescent residential treatment centers for mental health issues. Sometimes, getting your child away from difficult situations and familiar settings can help enormously.

Just like physical health, mental health requires regular care. Also like physical health, it sometimes requires us to go to the doctor. When you make mental health a priority in your family, you’ll help your children live the life you want for them.

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The way we live says a lot about us. Lifestyle means a lot to us and is about more than how much fun you’re having or how much work you’re getting done. It also has a profound effect on your mental health.

That’s why it’s smart to take a step back and examine your own lifestyle. How is it helping your mental health? How it is hurting? The consequences of a lifestyle that runs counter to your mental health interests can be severe, so take action and build a better, healthier life.

Is your lifestyle good for you?

Everyday, we make decisions (or follow through on powerful habit loops) that affect our mental health, whether we realize it or not. And, over time, these decisions can add up to a complete mental health picture — for better or for worse. Let’s take a closer look at your lifestyle.

Mental health and physical health are much more closely connected than many of us realize, and a poor diet and lack of exercise can bring down your mood and make you more vulnerable to all kinds of common mental health conditions. If you are interested in trying licensed online therapy to improve your mental health, check out https://www.betterhelp.com/start/ today.

Consider stress. What about your environment — including your home, your commute, and your work environment — might contribute to higher stress levels? What about your work, your career, and your current work-life balance (or lack thereof) might be raising your stress?

What about the place that you live in? Big cities with competitive work environments tend to lead to higher stress levels, so residents of places such as Washington, D.C., may want to be more proactive about their mental health than others, expert DC therapists point out — though they emphasize that virtually anyone can benefit from therapy.

Are you seeking treatment for any mental health issues? Are you in therapy? You probably visit the doctor regularly for physical checkups — do you do the same for your mind?

What a rough lifestyle can do to your mind

All of the questions and concerns above are important because, if you’re not careful, your wrong answers could lead to serious mental health problems.

Anxiety disorders are, when taken together, the most common form of mental health issues. They can be triggered and exacerbated by stress — the same sort of stress that is caused by your lack of work-life balance or your busy, competitive life in a big city like Washington, D.C.

Depression is common, too, and it can be worsened by the low moods you’ll experience when you fail to get proper nutrition or exercise regularly.

And other, less common mental health issues can arise from environmental factors — including basic, ongoing lifestyle decisions — too. So get smart and change your life.

Building a better life

The idea of changing your whole lifestyle to improve your mental health can be overwhelming. But you don’t have to do all of this at once, and reprogramming habit loops for the better will help you achieve long-term, sustainable change.

Tackle bad habits first, and start fighting for the little things that will improve your mental health, such as a vacation or a rule against answering emails after hours. Leave a bit earlier to make your big-city commute less stressful. Aim for sustainable changes — rather than crash diets — and try adding vegetables in and swapping out a few unhealthy favorites for healthier options. And, above all, get some professional help. Your mental health is an important dimension of your overall health, and it deserves the same professional care that you’d give your physical health.

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According to World Health Organization, mental health is “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” (1)

Keeping the balance

The old Latin phrase “mens sana in corpore sano” (“a healthy mind in a healthy body”) emphasizes the importance of the physical exercise in keeping the mental well-being. There are studies that show how a healthy eating habit and regular exercise can help to maintain the balance of mental and physical health.

Regular and healthy meals, proper exercises, getting enough sleep, finding a vocation, and a fulfilling relationship, seeing a movie, listening to the music, reading a book, hanging out with friends, taking a trip, getting a massage, or getting a hug, stroking a pet, having a hobby remain the basic methods to cope with stress, but sometimes is not enough, or may seem hard to achieve.

In our world full with stressors of all kinds, school or work responsibilities, unemployment, financial problems, family duties, family troubles, divorce, the search for a partner, the break-ups, losing a loved one, or a physical illness can prevent us from doing regular exercises, due to lack of time, lack of motivation, lack of physical strength.

Signs you may need to talk to a physician or a therapist

If you often find yourself not feeling in the mood to get out, or you don’t want to be part of social activities, if your mood swings are frequent, and the feelings of sadness, fear, worry are persistent, if you experience memory loss and confusion, delusions, or hallucinations, these might be signs of a mental condition. Other symptoms may include: eating or sleeping disorders, a decrease of school or work performances, inability to cope with daily activities, substance abuse, unexplained physical ailments, defiance of authority, truancy, theft, or vandalism. (2)

Mental health therapists

The first step is to see your general practitioner, he or she might give you a referral to a mental health therapist: a psychologist, a clinical counselor, a psychoanalyst, or a psychiatrist.

The psychiatrists diagnose and treat condition like schizophrenia, dementia, depression, anxiety, sleeping disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder. They prescribe medication, but do not offer counseling, generally they work with a psychologist or a counselor.

The psychologists diagnose and treat conditions like relationship problems, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, learning difficulties. They are allowed to prescribe medication only in a few states, but they usually work with a psychiatrist.

There are all kind of counselors: marital and family therapists, career counselors, relationship counselor, drama therapist, or speech therapist, or counselors who work with social care to help people with disabilities.

If you have a mild mental condition, a counselor can help you to cope with it, offering guidance for you to explore your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. If you suffer from a mental disorder, you will be referred to a psychologist or to a psychiatrist. At BetterHelp you can find therapists from many states and with a wide range of specializations. Also you can find a lot of useful information about mental health.

Be careful, if you are in a crisis, if you want to hurt yourself or to hurt other people, or someone else shows these symptoms, do not use the internet, call 911 for urgent help.

  1. https://www.who.int/features/factfiles/mental_health/en/
  2. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health-resources#types-of-providers

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Telehealth and telemedicine are considered synonymous. In both situations it’s about the physical distance between the patient and the health care provider. Both uses information and communication technologies to deliver and exchange medical information (or any kind of data related to health) in order to achieve diagnosis, treatment plan and prevention of disease and injuries. Telemedicine includes also research and evaluation and continuing education of health care providers.  However, a refined definition regards telemedicine as a service delivered by physicians only, while telehealth can be provided by “health professionals in general, including nurses, pharmacists, and others.” (1)

The way patients see telemedicine or telehealth showed improvements since the beginning of this century

In an early study from 2000, telemedicine was used to deliver specialist oncology/haematology care. Patients were satisfied with their teleconsultations, but also expressed concerns regarding the limitations of such a service. (2)

Another study, published in 2004, has shown a better perception of telemedicine. According to the authors: “Despite concerns regarding its confidentiality and its ability to approximate the social stimulation of in-person nursing visits, patients in these pilot trials seemed satisfied with home telecare and appeared ready to accept its widespread use. “ (3)

Also, a study released in 2011 concluded that “[…] brief use of a Web-based telemedicine service has a significant positive effect on patients’ perceptions of this service. Therefore, as patients do not have prior experience with innovative telemedicine services, offering patients a risk-free way to explore and experiment with the service can increase the development of accurate perceptions and user needs.” (4)

A recent study, published in 2018, used telehealth for type 2 diabetes management. The patients were pleased by telehealth improved access to care. Lots of them said they would prefer telehealth care rather than their regular appointments at the doctor’s office. However, “they would not want it to fully replace their contacts with their doctor, especially when it comes to discussing more serious health issues.” (5)

A short history of telemedicine

It can be said that telemedicine started in the early 20th century when electrocardiograph data were transmitted over telephone wires. Then, in the 1960s telemedicine was used for military and space technology sectors.

Also, consultations between specialists of a psychiatric institute and general practitioners of a state mental hospital were made through television.

It is interesting to mention that in 1925, Hugo Gernsback, a radio pioneer, published an article about a device called the “teledactyl” (tele, far; dactyl finger, from the Greek). That device would permit doctors to see their patients through a viewscreen, and to touch them from miles away with robot arms. That article predicted telemedicine, we can say. (6)

Nowadays telehealth has multiple uses

Although the reimbursement method is not very clear, the telehealth is reaching more patients, some of them being willing to pay a fee for the teleconsultation.

However, 38 states plus District of Columbia require private insurance companies to pay for telehealth. (7)

Intended to be used in disadvantaged areas, like poor or developing countries, with lack of medical care, telehealth has begun to spread over the world, as the access to the internet and to the specialized gadgets and devices becomes more affordable. The patient is able to measure their blood sugar level, or their blood pressure and the data are transmitted to the health care provider. Also, the video conferences allow the patient to speak directly to the physician or to the counselor.

We already mentioned diabetes type 2 home surveillance. There are also post-surgical follow-ups and post-hospital discharges where telehealth is used to keep in touch with the patients.  Also, telehealth addresses chronic condition, especially in seniors, for whom might be difficult to leave the home. Telemedicine can also be used for a prescription renewal, or for treatment management.  

People may use telehealth for other reasons, like they do not have to pay for the transportation to the doctor’s office, or they do not have time to wait. Teleconsultations are scheduled and the patient gets a reminder to ensure he or she will be online for the appointment.

Telehealth can be useful for behavioral health, or mental health, because the patient feels in a secure environment talking to the counselor from his own home. Be careful, though, if you are in a crisis, or someone is in a crisis, or it’s an emergency, do not use telehealth. Seek for immediate help by calling 911 in the U.S. or 112 in Europe. Every telehealth provider should have a list of numbers to call when there is an emergency.

(1) https://www.who.int/goe/publications/goe_telemedicine_2010.pdf

(2)  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1258/1357633001933925

(3)  https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/15305620050503889

(4)   https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/tmj.2010.0208

(5)  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6045870/

(6) https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/telemedicine-predicted-in-1925-124140942/?no-ist

(7) http://www.securetelehealth.com/private-insurance.html

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Lil’ Chris, who was found dead last week, had mental health issues and depression, his relatives said.

The 24-year-old singer, whose real name was Chris Hardman, was found in Lowestoft, Suffolk, on March 23.

A statement from his family said: “Chris had struggled with mental health issues and depression in recent years.

“He was committed to helping others find better ways of overcoming this illness and publicly said he wished to find a cure.”

Suffolk Police were called to a house on Union Road on Monday, March 23, to reports a man had died.Lil Chris dead

Fellow musicians and fans paid tribute on social media to Lil’ Chris, who rose to fame in Channel 4’s Rock School in 2006.

The statement said Lil’ Chris was a “huge personality who will be missed by everyone who knew him”.

“He was a hugely creative person who used this side of his personality to make others smile, to cheer people up and to make others feel better.

“A real people person, he would always take the time to stop and talk, no matter who or when and we are proud that he was so well thought of by all who knew him.

“So many commented on what a lovely, well brought up person he was, so polite and kind and a pleasure to know.”

The singer’s family said his funeral would be invitation-only and those attending would be asked to wear green, which was Lil’ Chris’ favorite color.