The Alexandria Papers Newsletter #76 | Dr. Alexandria Szeman 17 September 2023
Mindfulness
If you don’t fancy mindfulness, then try cooking instead | Psyche
When overwhelmed I schedule in a cooking day: playful, daring and full of memories. Beats any other stress-reliever for me
A Path to Well-Being: Embrace Silence for Stronger Mindfulness | Shondaland
Understanding how to exist with our own thoughts can provide powerful health benefits.
Migraine
The Migraine and Depression Link: How to Manage Both Conditions at the Same Time | Migraine Again
It’s a life and death question for those of us already diagnosed with migraine. ‘Migraine depression’ affects nearly 40% of people with migraine.
Post-COVID Migraine and Other Long COVID Headaches | Migraine Again
You may see an increase in migraines after COVID. Long COVID is different for people with migraine and can also lead to a new COVID headache disorder.
Trauma and Sexual Abuse
How Creativity Can Help Trauma | CPTSD Foundation
I understand first-hand how complex trauma can take your life from under your feet, causing a domino effect on your work, family life, and daily living. I have always been a creative person and even as a child, I was always painting or making something.
How to Cope with Traumatic Events | HelpGuide.org
Experienced or witnessed an accident, natural disaster, or violent crime? These tips can help you deal with the trauma.
The Anxiety Relief Tool You Need to Try | CPTSD Foundation
We all deal with anxiety – that mix of nerves, restlessness, and worries that can make life feel overwhelming. No surprise, anxiety is the most common mental health diagnosis in the United States. Anxiety can look different in everyone, especially if you have a complex trauma history.
RAINN Online Hotline
Do you need help dealing with sexual assault, rape, or incest? Call @RAINN ‘s Hotline 800.656.HOPE (4673) to talk to a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. Don’t feel comfortable talking? Use chat/text instead.
Mental Health
When states restrict access to reproductive care, female suicide rates go up, study finds | PsyPost
The increasing number of state-level restrictions on reproductive care, including abortion, have repeatedly been linked to adverse mental health outcomes among women.
Trauma, gaslighting, triggers: The limits of using therapy terms in mainstream conversation | Vox
Why it’s so appealing to use pop psychology terms – and when to stop.
How Cooking Can Help Your Mental Health | Clean Eating Magazine
New research suggests that cooking at home may offer surprising benefits for your mental health and well being.
Books
9 Unforgettable Novels About Protagonists Returning Home | Crime Reads
When I was younger and hungry for escape, I was naively surprised to learn that over a third of Americans have never moved away from their hometowns (based on data from 2008, anyway).
The Best Reviewed Books of Summer 2023 | Crime Reads
A look at the best reviewed fiction from June, July, and August.
72 Best Historical Fiction Books Ever Written | Books and Bao
Historical fiction is a broad genre that can take us across the breadth of human history and culture, and here are the best historical fiction books.
Cooking and Baking
14 Jewish Crockpot Recipes to Warm Up with This Winter | The Nosher via My Jewish Learning
It’s cool outside, which means it’s time to break out the cozy sweaters and dust off your slow cooker.Slow cookers …
Why Pasta Salad Is Actually Really Jewish | The Nosher via My Jewish Learning
Scooping a spoon of lukewarm macaroni salad – glooped in mayonnaise, studded with unidentifiable vegetables – onto a paper plate …
One-Pot Dinners That You’ll Want to Make on Repeat This Fall | Martha Stewart
We’ve gathered our favorite one-pot dinner recipes that are right for fall including stews, soups, sheet-pan dinners, pastas, and more. All these recipes are made in one-pot such as a Dutch oven or sheet pan or the Instant Pot and all are ready in an hour or less.
Sourdough Focaccia | King Arthur Baking
Thick, soft, and chewy focaccia paired with lightly sweetened ricotta.
My Books
The Louisville Slugger, memoir
I practiced every day with that bat, slamming it as hard as I could against the trunk of the stoutest oak tree on the school’s property. At first, my arms, shoulders, and neck hurt so bad from batting practice, I thought it would kill me. But when I remembered my plan, I got back to work.
