#well-being — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #well-being, aggregated by home.social.
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ADHD Mums
The unfiltered, science-meets-reality podcast hosted by Jane McFadden — an Autistic and ADHD mum with a Master's in Neuroscience and Psychology and certification as an ADHD and Autism assessor...Great Australian Pods Podcast Directory: https://www.greataustralianpods.com/adhd-mums/
#AusPods #Podcasts #Podcasting #Australia #Health #MentalHealth #WellBeing #Parenting #Families #ADHD
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DATE: August 19, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: The complex science of positive affirmations, and why they occasionally backfire
Scroll through social media and you’ll quickly encounter phrases like “I am worthy” or “I choose happiness”.
The tantalising promise is: repeat these positive affirmations often enough and you’ll be happier, calmer and even healthier.
Given we are biologically hardwired to avoid suffering and want to feel safe and happy, no wonder it is tempting. But is it backed by science? And are there downsides?
What are positive affirmations?
Self-affirmation theory was proposed by psychologist Claude Steele in the late 1980s and remains popular today. The theory suggests we have a deep desire to craft a personal narrative that we are “adequate” and “worthy”.
But painful experiences that trigger shame or embarrassment – such as getting bad grades, making a mistake at work or going through a break-up – can threaten this self-narrative.
You may become more self-critical, and this may make you more likely to experience anxiety, depression and even self-harm.
In contrast, self-affirmation theory suggests repeating positive ideas about yourself can protect you from these negative mental health symptoms, boosting your mood and sense of self-worth.
Is there evidence positive affirmations work?
Yes – in some contexts.
A review from 2025 combined and analysed results from 67 studies. These looked at the effects on participants’ wellbeing of writing positive affirmations or repeating them out loud.
The review found positive affirmations did have a meaningful impact on how participants viewed themselves and connected with others. But the effect was small.
Some studies have found repeating positive affirmations can protect social media users’ self-esteem and boost the overall mental health of university students.
One 2025 study looked at women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. It found those who listened to music alongside recordings of positive affirmations felt less depressed and drowsy, compared to those who listened only to music.
Another study from 2025 examined adults with depression symptoms, but no diagnosis. It found those who wrote personal positive affirmations twice daily reported better self-esteem after 15 days, compared to those who didn’t.
One frequently cited study from 2009 found repeating positive affirmations (for example, “I am a lovable person”) boosted mood. However this was only for people who already had high self-esteem. Those with low self-esteem – in other words, those with a low level of confidence and value in themselves – reported poorer mood.
While these studies show some promise, recent studies have failed to replicate these findings. More research is needed to see exactly who might benefit, and in what context.
The downsides of positivity
But is there any harm in using positive affirmations? Here are some risks to keep in mind.
Toxic positivity
Humans are imperfect and the world is often unfair. Pretending otherwise can lead to toxic positivity, which means suppressing or even denying difficult feelings. When you feel distressed, you may feel pressure to cope and simply “reframe” your thinking. You may feel ashamed when you can’t and be less likely to seek help.
Chasing dopamine
Repeating positive affirmations might give you a quick dopamine hit. Dopamine is the hormone linked to pleasure and reward, and can help us feel in control and competent. But the desire to always feel good is not realistic. And taken to the extreme, it can trap you in a cycle where you’re constantly seeking the next dopamine hit.
Downplaying real issues
Positive self-talk is only helpful in safe environments. In unsafe or harmful situations (for example, an abusive relationship) staying positive may blind you to potential dangers. Over-reliance on positive affirmations can detach you from what’s going on, and override gut instincts it may be better to listen to.
So, what does work?
Recent research suggests how we talk to ourselves may matter more than how positive the message is. Here are two approaches worth trying.
Show yourself compassion
Research shows cultivating a compassionate relationship with yourself, especially during stress or failure, can strengthen your resilience and improve your mental health. For example, telling yourself “this is hard” or “anyone would feel this way” can be more helpful than simply repeating upbeat affirmations. Sometimes being brave enough to acknowledge you’re suffering, and speaking to yourself like a good friend, is what you need.
Create some distance
Talking to yourself in the third person – for example, “Maddie is furious, but has handled far worse” rather than “I am furious” – can help. This creates distance between you and your thoughts, and is sometimes called “non-attachment”. This approach can help regulate emotions, encouraging us to approach feelings with curiosity, observing rather than just reacting to them.
The bottom line
Very few thinking styles are always beneficial or always harmful. The key is to be flexible, not rigid. This means regularly asking yourself “is that thought helpful?” and choosing the approach most suited to your situation.
And if that’s positive self-talk, try to use compassion and understanding – not just upbeat slogans.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #PositiveAffirmations #SelfTalk #SelfCompassion #ToxicPositivity #MentalHealth #SelfEsteem #SelfAwareness #Wellbeing #DopamineHype #EmotionalResilience
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hank you for having us @medicinefestival 💚🌿
We had such a beautiful time at Medicine Festival — warm sunshine, good people, hempy conversations and our stall full of organic products. ☀️🌱
A special shoutout to our wonderful volunteer Lou, who was giving out massages and adding even more care to the weekend. 💆
Thank you for having us! ✨
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Who Gets to Say When We Are Better?
Getting better is not always the same as being healed. Recovery, wellbeing, function and healing can describe very different parts of the same human experience. So who gets to decide when we are better?...
#Healing, #Recovery, #Wellbeing, #Identity, #TraumaHealing, #Resilience
https://beinghumans.blog/2026/08/who-gets-to-say-when-we-are-better/ -
"Many had never examined why they pursued the lives they did.
They shared an unconscious belief that if they worked hard, built stable relationships and took care of themselves, they would eventually arrive at a life of meaning and ease."
>> https://www.theguardian.com/society/ng-interactive/2026/aug/19/men-therapy-achievement-grief
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You're not a robot or a computer; you're a human…
That means:
👉 You go through highs and lows
👉 Sometimes you're positive, sometimes you're not
👉 Sometimes you're excited, sometimes you're not
👉 Sometimes you're right, sometimes you're not.
👉 Sometimes you're awesome... and sometimes you're not.You work in a demanding field, which can be hard work…
#developers #coding #softwaredevelopment #softwareengineering #wellbeing #mindset #mentalhealth
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Everything temporary cannot be true. Thus, supposed happiness depends on so many factors that it will always be changeable and conditional: our true being is eternal and immutable...
#Peace #Meditation #Spirituality #Zen #Mindfulness #Harmony #Reflection #Calm #Serenity #Wellbeing #Silence
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#Diversity is our strength. The elimination of characteristics that didn't serve #well-being by #evolution is not the same thing as #homogenization. In fact, the macro example of the explosion of diversity within #nature is that #scientists keep finding new critters.
Biologists shed new light on t... -
Too many developers just throw their code over the fence…
Sometimes, without writing tests or even running it...Modern software developers take responsibility for the code they write, which means taking responsibility for:
👉 Its quality
👉 Its readability
👉 It being tested
👉 It working without errors
👉 It meeting the requirements…#developers #coding #softwaredevelopment #softwareengineering #wellbeing #mindset #mentalhealth
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A break isn’t always a break.
If five minutes away from work becomes five minutes of messages, headlines and scrolling, your attention is still busy—it has simply changed jobs.
We collected a few quieter ways to use a short break: https://picnicapps.uk/blog/what-to-do-in-a-five-minute-break
No optimisation required. Looking out of the window counts.
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Saying the Hard Thing to the People Who Know You Best
You can say the honest thing to a colleague more easily than to the person you share a life with. Not because it matters less. Because it matters so much that the risk of getting it wrong feels significantly higher. The closest relationships are the hardest place to use what you've learnt. -
Be around people who are good for your mental health.
#motivation #inspiration #positivevibes #mentalwellbeing #mentalhealth #mentalwellness #hope #ymhc #communitycare #kindness #selfcare #wellbeing -
Read this part: skip it if pregnant or nursing, and talk to a doctor first if you take thyroid medication or sedatives, have an autoimmune condition, or any liver trouble. It's a nightshade. Short courses.
What do you reach for when the jaw won't unclench?
#Herbalism #Ashwagandha #FoodAsMedicine #Gaelic #ScottishGaelic #Druid #Pagan #Witch #Plants #Apothecary #Wellbeing #Folklore
↳ reply: Today's Gathering → https://thistleandmoss.com/p/what-survives-the-morning-trump-is-dying-and-we-all-get-to-watch#the-nurturing-food-as-medicine?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Wendy-New-RSS
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How has time spent alone changed by age over the last decade, and what does it mean for wellbeing?
Parth Pandya explores this question in a new #ResolutionFoundation spotlight, in collaborative work with the #ESRC Centre for Population Change and Connecting Generations: https://www.cpc.ac.uk/news/latest_news/?story_id=816
#YoungAdults #Loneliness #SocialChange #Demography #Population #SocialScience #Generations #Ageing #WFH #Society #PopulationChange #WorkingFromHome #PublicPolicy #LabourMarket #Wellbeing #TimeUse
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Here’s a
#MondayMorningMinute
with #nature here on #WorldBeeSanctuary.
Take a moment.Go do some #good.
Have the best week you can.
If you’re not having a good week - tell someone.
And if someone tells you -
Listen.
Really #listen.
#mentalhealth
#wellbeing
#summer
#bees
#bumblebees
#health #food -
Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and Devops: Building and Scaling High-Performing Technology Organizations by Nicole Forsgren and Jez Humble suggests six key factors that cause burnout…
👉 Work overload
👉 Lack of control
👉 Insufficient rewards
👉 Breakdown of community
👉 Absence of fairness
👉 Value Conflicts#developers #coding #softwaredevelopment #softwareengineering #wellbeing #mindset #mentalhealth
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To those who long only for cherry blossoms, I would show them a budding spring shimmering in patches of green grass on hills still blanketed in snow...
#Peace #Meditation #Spirituality #Zen #Mindfulness #Harmony #Reflection #Calm #Serenity #Wellbeing #Silence
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Eight in ten adults track their own health – new survey
#Health #HealthTracking #SelfMonitoring #DigitalHealth #Wearables #HealthTech #NHS #Healthcare #PublicHealth #Tech #HealthInequality #Wellbeing #Smartwatches #FitnessTrackers
https://the-14.com/eight-in-ten-adults-track-their-own-health-new-survey/ -
Our team of #meditation guides look forward to seeing you online every day
Free live online meditation sessions
https://rigpa.org.au/guided-meditation-sessions
#mindfulness #mindful #freemeditation #wellbeing -
Excess glucose acts as a catalyst for aging by causing inflammation and harming collagen, which results in wrinkles and sagging skin. A high sugar diet also increases oxidative stress, accelerating aging both internally and externally.Cutting down on glucose can help maintain a youthful appearance and vitality. Choose wisely to slow the aging process.
#healthyaging #wellness #wellbeing #healthyhabits #antiaging #fitness #healthy #wellnessjourney -
Aware | @DrJimCarey | Flipboard
Dancing With Enlightenment, print edition
https://flipboard.com/@drjimcarey/aware-oieql71gy?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Mindfulness #Enlightenment #SelfImprovement #WellBeing #PositiveVibes #PersonalDevelopment #Meditation #SpiritualGrowth -
A Chain Is Only as Strong as Its Weakest Link — And So Is Your Success
https://www.acumentor.co/a-chain-is-only-as-strong-as-its-weakest-link-and-so-is-your-success/
#ProfessionalDevelopment #GoalSetting #Wellbeing #SelfCare #PersonalGrowth #SelfImprovement
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The Holiday Paradox: Why You Come Back More Exhausted Than When You Left
https://www.acumentor.co/stay-productive-during-holidays-with-quality-family-leisure-time/
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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Decoded: The Practical Roadmap Psychology Never Finished Building
https://www.acumentor.co/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-practical-map/
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You might have had a stressful week…
You might be feeling overwhelmed…
You might have worked hard all week and feel a bit tired...It's the weekend, it's time to take stock, check in with yourself and put yourself first!
👉 It's ok to switch off from tech for a while.
👉 It's ok to take a break from what you're learning.
👉 It's ok to forget all about work and focus on yourself.#developers #coding #softwaredevelopment #softwareengineering #wellbeing #mindset #mentalhealth
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The Premier League starts a week late this season.
Deliberately. 33 clear days after the World Cup final. For recovery.
Elite performers on earth schedule rest like training. Most of us treat it as leftovers.
Rest is a skill: https://www.drdevroy.com/psychquania/rest-is-a-skill/
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The weekly reset has somehow become another productivity performance: clear every inbox, review every goal and plan every hour.
We prefer a smaller version.
Clear one loose end. Choose Monday’s first task. Put one worry somewhere safe. Then stop.
Here’s a weekly reset for people who don’t want to spend Sunday organising Monday: https://picnicapps.uk/blog/a-weekly-reset-for-people-who-hate-weekly-resets