It’s Monday again!
Welcome to The Mental Minute where our goal is to make mental health an everyday conversation. Take a few minutes to enjoy today’s news, tips, key resources and product reviews.
🗞 In The News
Credit: CNBC | Getty Images
More people are hitting pause on work — and it’s not just to travel or chill: mental-health leaves are up by 300% since before the pandemic. Overall, leaves of absence rose about 30% between 2019-2024, but mental-health breaks spiked way higher.
Experts believe this jump comes from a mix of global stress — think politics, economy, unrest — and a shift in how we view mental health, with less shame and more openness to get help.
Good news: Workers who actually use mental-health resources tend to return to work faster than those who don’t, showing that support works. For anyone feeling drained or overwhelmed, this means it’s not just okay to step back — sometimes it’s exactly what your brain and body need.
Credit: The Economic Times
Turns out, all those endless TikTok clips and Instagram Reels you scroll through for fun might actually be messing with your brain. A new review of dozens of studies found that heavy use of short-form videos — think rapid-fire reels, shorts and “just one more” feeds — is linked to weaker attention spans, impaired impulse control, and even anxiety, depression, stress, or loneliness.
It’s not just about feeling antsy. This kind of quick-hit content can rewire how your brain handles focus and reward, making real-life tasks (like studying, reading or even chilling without your phone) feel slow or boring.
Bottom line: Reels and shorts can be fun — but too much? That dopamine roller-coaster might backfire on your mental health. It’s worth hitting pause sometimes, unplugging, and letting your brain settle.
47.8 million
According to a Gallup poll, the percentage of U.S. adults who report currently having or being treated for depression has exceeded 18% in both 2024 and 2025. The current rate of 18.3% projects to an estimated 47.8 million Americans suffering from depression. Most of the increase has occurred since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
📖 What’s The Meaning
Depression is a negative state of being that ranges from feelings of sadness or discontentment to feelings of extreme sadness and pessimism.
Depression interferes with daily functioning and can exhibit various physical, cognitive, and social symptoms such as changes in eating habits, altered sleep patterns, lack of energy or motivation, difficulty with concentration or decision making, withdrawal from social activities.
Feeling depressed? Common remedies include professional treatments like therapy or medication, and lifestyle adjustments such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, and social support.
🆘 Help for All
Credit: Pexels
Mental Health: In Crisis? Call or Text 988
Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press ‘1’ or Text 838255
Youth Helpline: 2NDFLOOR - (888) 222-2228
National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-SAFE (7233)
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: (800) 273-TALK (8255)
Addiction: Start Your Recovery - (800) 662-4357
🗞 More News
Credit: TheBayNet
This holiday season, Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore and the Maryland Department of Health launched a statewide radio and streaming campaign to highlight the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — a free phone, text, or chat helpline for anyone in crisis.
The campaign runs from November 26, 2025 to January 10, 2026 — a period when mental-health struggles often spike. The goal? Make sure anyone feeling alone, anxious, or overwhelmed knows: help is just a call or text away, 24/7. It’s a reminder that mental health matters — especially in holiday seasons when stress, grief, or loneliness can creep in.
If you're ever having a rough moment (or know someone struggling), 988 isn't just a number — it's people ready to listen.
🕹 Mind Games
Check out Flappy Bird. It’s is a side-scrolling browser game where you control a small bird by tapping the screen to make it flap and fly. MUCH better than play Solitaire!
Play Flappy Bird #1 or Flappy Bird #2
✏ Take The Quiz: Depression
Online screening is a quick and easy way to see what mental health symptoms you may be experiencing. It’s quick, free, confidential, and backed by science.
Mental health conditions are real and common.
Take the Depression or the Universal Mental Health Quiz
🛍 Product Review
Turns out, using a weighted blanket — one of those cozy, heavy blankets designed to feel like a hug — might actually help you chill out and catch better sleep. Experts say the steady pressure mimics a gentle hug or swaddle, which can calm your nervous system, lower stress and anxiety, and signal to your body that it’s time to rest.
For many people, that means falling asleep easier, sleeping deeper, and waking up feeling less tense or wired.
If you struggle with sleepless nights, racing thoughts before bed, or just general overwhelm — a weighted blanket isn’t a magic cure, but it can be a soft, simple tool to help your brain and body relax.
📞 Share the Health
The Mental Minute is your #1 source for the latest mental health news, tips, key resources and product reviews. Our goal is to make mental health an everyday conversation.
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Thanks, and Be Well.
— The Mental Minute
