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A 2011 study conducted by researchers from Pennsylvania stated there are 5 factors that characterize human flourishing: 1) positive emotion, 2) relationships, 3) engagement, 4) achievement, and 5) meaning. There are a variety of elements that can impact these things, and music can be a significant influence. Research has shown that listening to music we enjoy increases positive emotions and feelings, leaving us with contentment, happiness, and interest, according to Psych Central. Conversely, music that focuses on sadness or anger can cause us to feel more of these things, making it even more important to fuel our thoughts with positive music. If you’ve been seeking some positive music to help you boost your mindset, look no further; here are some wonderful artists that exhibit music that is mostly aimed at love, happiness, and growth:

A 2012 feature on the American Psychological Association’s (APA) states that group therapy has become more popular over the years due to the efficacy of it; more and more research is proving the benefits of group therapy. Group therapy has been used for a variety of issues, such as for survivors of trauma, people who have been diagnosed with an addiction or mental disorder, anger management, personal growth, anxiety management, and a host of other concerns. If you haven’t experienced group therapy yet, there are a variety of aspects you’ll find helpful:

Imagine this: You’re in a crowded room, and you look around. Everyone seems to be talking with one another – perhaps you arrived by yourself or you came with friends. Laughter fills the air, and your self-awareness heightens. You realize that you are just standing there, and you feel distanced from the rest of the people in the room. You feel as though everyone could walk right through you, as if you weren’t there. You think to yourself, “Maybe I’m just not meant to fit in”. Deepak Chopra, an American author, public speaker, holistic therapy advocate, and prominent figure in the New Age movement, explained on Oprah Winfrey’s website that there are different kinds of invisibility, and you must first understand what you are feeling and what it is about you that you feel is being unseen or unheard. For example, are you not feeling heard when you speak, or do you feel your opinions are being discredited? Once you can pinpoint the situations that make you feel invisible, you can go on to do something about them. The Huffington Post notes that most of the time we develop this sense of “wounded self” – it’s a view of ourselves that we let affect us based on how our parents, teachers, friends, family members, and strangers treated us in the past. There are a number of things we must do to overcome feelings of invisibility:

According to Medical News Today, neuroticism is the tendency to be in a negative or anxious emotional state. It is not a medical condition, but a personality trait. Individuals with this personality trait tend to experience more guilt, envy, anger, and anxiety more frequently and more intense than those who do not carry the trait. Environmental stress can greatly trigger a person whose tendencies lean towards neuroticism, and the person may be self-conscious and shy. Neuroticism can be scored and identified by personality tests. Although our personality is embedded into the nature of our being, there is one thing we can do to combat our negativity and anxiety: mindfulness. A 2017 study conducted by researchers from Charles Darwin University in Australia found that mindfulness, or thinking more intensely about one’s experiences, could help highly neurotic people. As stated on Psychology Today, you can take a mindful approach in the following ways:

According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), interventions are a safe, often effective way to confront a loved one with an addiction. Often people with an addiction are in denial, and an intervention allows the person to receive a structured opportunity for them to accept and to make changes before their situation gets worse. Interventions are often staged by friends and family, but coworkers may be involved at times as well. An addiction specialist often serves to intervene and help moderate the conversation. There are several benefits and challenges that come with interventions: The Good

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), an estimated 54 million people have used medications for non-medical reasons at least once in their lifetime. Drug misuse varies among age, gender, and other factors, but a likely cause of this is easy access. If you are concerned about prescription drug misuse in your home, there are several preventative measures that you can take:

Whether you have a mental disorder or not, maintaining your mental health is so important to leading a happy life. A lot of times we place our mental health on the back-burner without even realizing it – we may push ourselves too hard at work or may be critical of ourselves. When this happens, we hinder our ability to live our lives to the fullest extent. Furthermore, a 2012 study published in the British Medical Journal stated that people with even mild mental health problems may have a lower life expectancy. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that positive mental health helps you achieve the following:

There’s no question that our diet influences not only our physical wellbeing, but our mental health as well. Research has shown that eating lots of fried foods from fast food restaurants has been linked to anxiety and depression, in addition to weight gain. When it comes to recovery, the food we eat is important because it is what fuels us while we are getting back into clarity and making room for learning and growth. Sugar has been an important topic for discussion because many people who recover from addiction crave sweets. Healthline, a website that provides information on all things health-related, has noted several reasons why too much sugar is bad for you: 1) it can damage your teeth, 2) it can damage your liver, 3) it can cause insulin resistance and lead to Type 1 diabetes, 4) it can progress to Type 2 diabetes, 5) it can lead to cancer, 6) it can promote weight gain because it doesn’t hold nutritional value or give a “full” effect, 7) it can be highly addictive because of the rush of dopamine it gives, 8) it can lead to obesity, 9) it raises your cholesterol levels, and more. As you can see, there are several health consequences that eating too much sugar can cause on your body. Dr. Zachary Bloomgarden, a professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City told Live Science Magazine, “Sugar is bad for you because it has calories, and because if you have diabetes or a diabetes-related condition – let’s say high blood fat levels – then having sugar will increase your blood sugar and your triglycerides, which is a risk factor for heart disease”. This doesn’t mean that if you don’t have a diabetes-related condition that you can never eat sugar, however. A little bit every now and then should be fine, but you will want to speak with a doctor to get exact directions that fit your health situation. If you’re in recovery, consider speaking with a nutritional therapist so that you can have more control over your diet. What you eat holds great weight to how your mind and body function throughout the day and, when it comes to recovery, you want them to be working optimally.

Addiction can affect anyone, including the children of celebrities. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love’s daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, has recently addressed a topic that she hadn’t really discussed in the past: her sobriety. The model and artist explained that her decision to achieve and maintain sobriety was a good one, and that she wanted to clear up any confusion or misunderstandings by the public. She stated, “Self-destruction and toxic consumption and deliverance from pain is a lot easier to adhere to. Undeniably, for myself and those around me becoming present is the best decision I have ever made. How we treat our bodies directly correlates to how we treat our souls. It’s all interconnected. It has to be”. The Rolling Stone notes that both of Cobain’s parents struggled with addiction – Kurt Cobain died in 1994 with drugs in his system, and, at the age of 27, Courtney Love was ordered to rehab by a judge in 2005. Frances, now 25, decided to become public about her sobriety as she recognized the importance of being a role model to many people. She went public via an announcement on her Instagram, as she stated that February 13th, 2018 was the mark of her second birthday of sobriety. While Frances didn’t go into depth about her struggle with addiction, she focused more positively on the present and her sobriety. She stated, “…I’m gonna take today to celebrate my vibrant health and the abundance of happiness, gratitude, awareness, compassion, strength, fear, loss, wisdom, and the myriad of other messy, complicated, raw emotions I feel constantly.” Frances Bean Cobain serves as an excellent example for embracing the present and moving forward from the past. Despite the struggles she and her family have faced, she is making the decision to be happy with where she’s currently at in her journey to recovery. She further stated that life can get better if we want it to be. With many tools, resources, and people available, recovery is certainly possible. If you haven’t yet, seek help today. A happier, healthier life is waiting for you just around the corner.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), borderline personality disorder (BPD) is “a condition characterized by difficulties regulating emotion”. Individuals with this disorder feel emotions intensely and may experience impulsivity, poor self-image, stormy relationships and intense responses to stressors. Unfortunately, due to misunderstanding, stigma surrounding people with BPD further perpetuate negativity towards the disorder. NAMI states that even some mental health professionals hold stereotypes, imposing a “limit” on the number of patients they are “willing” to see or even refusing to see someone with BPD altogether. Societal stereotypes on BPD can make it difficult for those with the disorder to feel included, and many may struggle with self-image and self-love because of these negative views. The following are common stereotypes of BPD:

Rap and hip-hop music has had a huge influence on American society, and began in the 1970’s, according to Stanford University. Marshall Mathers, otherwise known as Eminem, has had a prominent place in the rap and hip-hop world as he has won 11 Grammys and an Academy Award. As a celebrity and artist, Eminem has helped fans all over the world connect to his messages and stories of abuse, addiction, violence, and more. His experiences are real, and he’s had ups and downs in terms of recovery. In 2010, the rapper explained in an interview with Guy Raz, the host of Weekend All Things Considered that he struggled with addiction throughout his career and ultimately had an overdose in December of 2007. Eminem stated, “I don’t think I realized the totality of what happened, so I after I got out of the hospital…when I got home, I went right back to using again”. Eminem has gone through a lot – from his father leaving him when he was 6 months old, to his mother with Munchausen syndrome struggling with addiction, and then later to his unhealthy marriage with Kim. Eminem released a song titled “Not Afraid” in which he eluded to the struggles he’s gone through and the recovery he’d been working towards: It was my decision to get clean, I did it for me Admittedly, I probably did it subliminally for you So I could come back a brand new me You helped see me through And don’t even realize what you did, believe me you

Relationships are one of the most important aspects of life because they bring us love, joy, and meaning. Whether you’ve been with someone special for a few months or a few years, the way you and your partner manage your relationship sets the stage for how your life will play out. The Huffington Post states that while most people have the belief that “the one” is out there for them, the reality is that any relationship is hard work and we can’t depend on another person for our happiness. Even then, two people must work hard to make a relationship flourish. The following are some key principles of a successful relationship: